Datu
Migketay Victorino L. Saway
Talaandig
Community Leader
(Philippines)
INTRODUCTION
This paper hopes to provide a
framework for development in the context of the struggles of the local and Indigenous
Peoples for the recognition, protection and promotion or growth of their
cultures and identity as peoples. A development framework is crucial to the
survival of the indigenous peoples because it will set the parameters of their
engagement with the external world amidst globalization and modernization.
Decolonization is a very
important measure towards the development of the indigenous peoples because the
root cause of their problem is colonization. In order to allow their cultures
and identity to develop and grow, the colonial baggage that suppressed and
dominated them must be fully unloaded. Failure to do this, the development interventions
for the indigenous peoples will not create any difference in their lives because
external influences will continue to dominate and control them.
Finally, food security as the pillar
of indigenous economy must be able to demonstrate its capability to respond to
the financial requirements of the modern world in order become competent with
the capitalistic system. Specifically, indigenous economy must be liberating
and should be clearly directed to the emancipation of the indigenous peoples
from the bondage of western capitalism.
Indigenous Development and Colonization
The impact of colonization to
the cultures and identity of the indigenous peoples needs to be clearly
understood in order to emancipate them from colonial bondage. The following
framework is aimed to provide us a clear understanding and reflection on how to
effectively promote development for the local and indigenous communities:
Table
1- Framework of Colonial Invasion and Assault
|
AREAS OF INVASION |
FORMS |
IMPACTS |
|
1. Indigenous Spirituality |
a. Conversion by force into foreign
religions b. Desecration and destruction of worship areas
and paraphernalia c. Execution of shamans, religious leaders
and followers d. Discrimination of indigenous worship and
labeling them as work of evils. e. Exploitation of local and indigenous
language in evangelical missions f. Labeling Indigenous religious
practitioners as fanatics |
● Death and damages of indigenous
spirituality and beliefs ● Disempowerment of indigenous spiritual
leaders ● Deterioration and eventual loss of
authority ● Extreme Inferiority of the present and
future generation ● Poor sense of spirituality |
|
2. Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices |
a. Forced Education b. Integration and assimilation of
indigenous learning systems into the State education system c. Corruption and exploitation of indigenous
intellectuals through scholarships and employment d. Piracy of intellectual properties and
IKSP through research and documentations e. Discrimination of the authorities of indigenous
cultural masters f. Continuous promotion of foreign models of
learning |
● Serious damage, deterioration and
eventual loss of indigenous knowledge systems and practices ● Disempowerment of cultural masters and
practitioners ● Corrupted Intellectuals and loss of
heritage ● Brain drain |
|
3. Indigenous Governance and Leadership |
a. Imposition of western structure of
governance, i.e., various agencies, municipalities, etc b. Usurpation and discrimination of the
indigenous leadership structures and institutions c. Corruption and exploitation of indigenous
leaders into the western political system d. Disempowerment of traditional leadership e. Suppression and discrimination of
customary system by the State legal processes f. Divide and rule system |
● Misrepresentation of indigenous leadership
● Displacement of indigenous political
institution ● Weakening and eventual collapse of
customary law institutions and governance ● Struggle of leadership ● Division, exploitation and control ● Loss of cultural authority and
sovereignty |
|
4. Indigenous Economy and Health System |
a. Disposition of indigenous ownership to land
and resources thru the regalian system b. Usurpation of Native Title rights c. Introduction of capitalistic and cash
oriented market economy d. Corruption of indigenous farming systems with chemical and inorganic farming e. Piracy of traditional seed varieties and
critical replacement with technologically controlled hybrid seeds f. Piracy and conversion of indigenous farm
producers into wage earners and labor market g. Piracy of Traditional medicines h. Imposition of western regulations over the
traditional economic system and health i. Continuous enforcement of foreign models of
development |
● Extreme poverty thru deprivation resource
use in the ancestral territory ● Destruction of sustainable economic
practices and food security systems ● Loss of economically relevant IKSP ● Destruction of ecology and environment ● Economic exploitation and control ● Serious dependency on external economic
systems and health practices ● Disenfranchisement of farm producers, food
gatherers and health practitioners ● Disempowerment of traditional economy and
food security, i.e., loss of indigenous crop technology, etc. ● Destruction of the cultural relationships
of the indigenous population with the land, forests and its resources |
|
5. Indigenous Defense and Security |
● Physical assault against indigenous defense and security systems ● Piracy of indigenous forces by external military forces ● Declaring indigenous defense system as
illegal and elements of rebellion ● Alienation of indigenous defense forces
from the community |
● Vulnerability of the community against
destructive external forces ● Unregulated entries and exploitation of
natural resources inside in ancestral territory ● Serious dependency to the external actors
in resource conservation management and protection |
|
6. Territory |
● Forced displacement by means of war and taking
over of indigenous territories ● Usurpation and discrimination of Native
Titles by the regalian rystem ● Licensing and acquisition of titles and
rights of foreign institutions. |
● Loss of territorial sovereignty and
control ● Dispossession of ownership and
deprivation of resource use ● Aleination |
Decolonization and Food Security
The key solution to the problem
of the indigenous peoples against western colonization is decolonization. The
unloading of colonial baggage that concealed the social, economic, political
and spiritual identity of the indigenous population that is rooted to the land,
is important before a meaningful development could take place. The failure to
unload the colonial baggage or influence could lead to the failure to attain
genuine self determination because development interventions will continue to empower
the colonial package that dominated and controlled the structures and
institutions of indigenous cultures.
The decolonization of the
economy of the indigenous peoples is very important in the course of indigenous
development because economy is the foundation of social, political and
spiritual growth. The attainment of economic sufficiency and environmental
sustainability will be fully achieved only as soon as the indigenous peoples
have liberated themselves from the domination of foreign economic interests.
This condition requires a critical identification and selection of economic
opportunities that will be under the full control of the indigenous communities.
Food security is the stepping
stone of indigenous economy. The extreme poverty experienced by the indigenous
peoples in the world begins with the lack of food. Considering that indigenous food
security largely depend on the land and natural environment, the potentials of indigenous
farming system to effectively respond to the issues of self sufficiency and
environmental sustainability must be strongly promoted.
Indigenous Farming as a Model
Indigenous farming system is
constrained with the scarcity of land and is challenged on its capability to
respond to the financial requirements of the present economic system. In order
to build up the competency of indigenous farming system with the modern
capitalistic agriculture, its capability to respond to the monetary
requirements of the modern world without necessary sacrificing the preservation
of indigenous cultures and sustainability of the environment must be thoroughly
examined.
Scarcity of Land and Productivity Issue
Due to the scarcity of land
issue, the productivity of indigenous farming system could no longer be
achieved by continuously moving and expanding the farm. This problem, however,
can be resolved with the indigenous farming technology which could multiply the
productivity of one hectare farm from seven to ten hectares using the vertical
and horizontal approach in multiple cropping systems.
Under the horizontal approach, the
productivity of a one hectare farm can be multiplied up to seven or ten
hectares by cultivating several crops with different distance requirements. To do this, a crop requiring a ten meters
distance between hills will be intercropped with other crops requiring 5
meters, 2.5 meters, 1.25 meters, 2 feet, 1 foot and six inches to multiply the
capacity of the one hectare farm to several hectares.
Under the vertical approach,
the multiplication of a one hectare farm to several hectares can be done by
cultivating one crop over other crops. This means that one hectare root crops
can be integrated with one hectare of crawling crops, one hectares of climbing
crops one hectare of standing crops and one hectare of compatible parasites,
i.e. orchids, etc. The production of indigenous farm can be improved further with
the variety of crops’ produce such as root crops, bean crops, vine crops, stalk
crops, fiber crops, wood crops, leaves, etc., that will be continuously
harvested one after another.
The productivity of crops is
influenced by the cycle of the moon. Different crops have different cropping
schedule. The technology of combining several crops in one farm enables the
farmer to achieve a continuous harvest in the farm.
Food Security and Monetary Concerns
The indigenous farming system
is basically designed to resolve the food security issue. The introduction of
long term cash crops into the farm such as coffee, abaca, fruit trees, etc. will
enable the indigenous farmer to resolve the financial requirements of the
present economic system. Several crops can be brought directly to the kitchen
or to the market. Other crops could be processed to increase their economic
value. Thus, indigenous farming also provides opportunity for home industries
that could augment the productivity of a small farm.
Reduction of Labor and Chemical Inputs
While the productivity of a one
hectare farm could be increased up to seven to ten hectares, the indigenous
farming technology can also reduce the labor requirements of a ten hectares to
less than one hectare using the crops’ cooperation method. The reduction of the
labor requirements of the farm can be achieved by choosing crops that will help
the farmer to control weeds, repel pests, cultivate the soil, provides water
and fertilizers, serves as sticks for climbing crops and keep the moisture of
the soil. The use of the crops’ cooperation method can develop the efficiency
of indigenous farming and makes it competitive with modern chemical farming.
Environmental Sustainability
Indigenous farming system is
based on the forests as a nature farm model. The technology employed in
indigenous farming promotes the food collection and gathering culture where the
replenishment of the crops is taken cared of by nature itself. The intimate
association of indigenous farming with nature ensures sustainability of the
environment while responding, at the same time, to the food and financial requirements
of the modern times.
Conclusion
Economic sufficiency and
environmental sustainability can be achieved by seriously looking at indigenous
cultures as capital. The greatest challenge confronting indigenous peoples today
is how much knowledge and opportunities they really have achieved from their
cultures? The trend of indigenous peoples’ engagement with the modern world clearly
demonstrates their stronger assimilation to external influences than the recovery
of their cultural wealth. Most of the young people today are looking for opportunities
outside of their cultures, identity, and territory while the cultural masters
are dying without having able to demonstrate the competence of indigenous ways with
the modern system. This situation gives us a serious challenge to invest more time
and efforts to attain a meaningful development without simply abandoning our
cultural wealth to dust and oblivion.
