Every year in October, the Talaandig people of the Philippines come together to celebrate their rich cultural heritage, identity, and resilience through the Annual Talaandig Day. This special day honors the history, traditions, and values of the Talaandig, an indigenous group living primarily in Bukidnon, a province in the heart of Mindanao. The celebration serves as a reminder of their ongoing struggle to preserve their ancestral lands, culture, and ways of life in a rapidly modernizing world. The Talaandig tribal leadership invited our team at PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) and Coffee For Peace (CFP) to celebrate with them and to express our solidarity as one of the guest speakers during the program. Here’s our reflection of that day, 14 October 2024.
Preserving Cultural Identity
For the Talaandig, their cultural identity is deeply intertwined with their connection to the land and their spiritual beliefs. This annual celebration is a vibrant display of their arts, music, dance, and traditional crafts, which have been passed down through generations. One of the key highlights of the event is the performance of traditional Talaandig dances, accompanied by their unique tribal music, played using instruments such as the agung (a type of gong) and the kudyapi (a native guitar).
These performances are not only entertaining but also serve as a vital link to their ancestors and their heritage. Talaandig Day also includes traditional storytelling, or panudlak, where elders share the ancient tales of their people. These stories encapsulate the values, wisdom, and history of the tribe, ensuring that younger generations remain connected to their roots. It is through such narratives that the Talaandig people are reminded of their struggles against colonization and their enduring fight to reclaim and protect their ancestral lands.
Land and Identity: A Sacred Connection
The Talaandig people’s identity is inextricably connected to their ancestral lands. For centuries, their livelihood, spirituality, and culture have revolved around the forests, rivers, and mountains of Bukidnon. This deep connection to the land is one of the central themes of Talaandig Day. The event underscores their ongoing efforts to protect their territory from the encroachment of modern development and exploitation by external forces.
In recent years, land has become a focal point in the Talaandig’s fight for self-determination. With increasing pressures from industrialization and government policies, Talaandig leaders have taken up the cause of advocating for the protection of indigenous land rights. The Annual Talaandig Day provides a platform to raise awareness of these issues and to call for stronger legal recognition of their territorial claims.
Celebrating Resilience and Peacebuilding
Talaandig Day is not just a celebration of the past; it is also a testament to the tribe’s resilience and its commitment to peacebuilding. Throughout history, the Talaandig have faced numerous challenges, from colonial displacement to modern-day development aggression. Despite these struggles, they have remained resilient, continuing to practice their traditions while finding new ways to adapt to changing circumstances.
Peacebuilding is another central theme of the celebration. As part of their cultural practices, the Talaandig have developed indigenous systems of conflict resolution, emphasizing dialogue and reconciliation. These practices are showcased during Talaandig Day as a model of peacebuilding that can inspire other communities. The event serves as a reminder that the Talaandig’s identity is not just about preserving the past, but about fostering a peaceful and sustainable future for all.
Our partnership with the Talaandig Indigenous People
Our friendship began in 2007 when they hosted the Mindanaw Inter-Tribal Conference organized by the Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Movement. Since then, our relationship grew deeper.
In 12-13 February 2012, we celebrated our partnership and formalized it through a ritual offered to the Creator — known to Hebrew writers as Elohim, to New Testament writers as Theos, to the Talaandig people as Magbabaya, to the Islamic believers as Allah, and to the Western Christians as God.
In 07-08 March 2012, we were tasked to document the Kinship Re-Affirmation of the Indigenous Peoples and the Bangsamoro. We joined over 1,000 people at the Talaandig Ancestral Territory for that historic event. For the first time in 492 years, 13 Bangsamoro tribes have come together with 18 non-Islamized indigenous tribes to reaffirm their shared ancestry and commit to the 5 pillars of Kinship established in the traditional peace pact of their ancestors, namely — co-operation; mutual sharing of information; mutual protection of life; recognition and respect; and, mutual obligation to help the needy.
In 09 April 2012, the PeaceBuilders Community were given permission by Datu Migketay Saway, along with his fellow leaders at the Talaandig Tribe, and the top executives of Unifrutti Group Philippines to mediate in a peace dialogue between them and to mutually search for healing for their wounded past.
In 08 March 2014, we witnessed again the re-affirmation of this beautiful IP-Moro kinship. It was organized by Datu Migketay Saway and by the Mindanao Peoples Caucus.
In 25 March 2015, Willard Metzger, then Executive Director of Mennonite Church Canada, led the PeaceBuilders Community’s Field Operations Team in presenting to Datu Migketay Saway our Plaque of Recognition as Senior Consultant at PBCI.
In 16-20 May 2017, three Manila-based consultants of PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) went on a five-day peace learning tour in Mindanao. They went to Datu Migketay for a courtesy call and sought his advice for them as PBCI consultants.
In 08 March 2019, we went again to the Talaandig Ancestral Territory to celebrate the IP-Moro-Settler Kinship. It was during this time when we, the Settlers, were embraced by both the IPs and the Moro as their ritual kin.
In 07 May 2019, Joji and I were invited to serve as principal sponsors at the marriage ceremony of Datu Saway’s daughter, Aduna Saway with her groom, Jay Manpatilan. It was a great joy to be invited into the merging clans and respective tribes of this beautiful Talaandig bride and this handsome Higaonon groom.
In 09 March 2020, Datu Migketay Saway and the tribal leadership invited us to participate in a joint worship event — Indigenous Spirituality, Islam, and Christian. There were about 300 people from all over Mindanao who came. Together, we worshipped the Creator of all human beings. In this inter-faith activity, we come humbly with some common perspectives: (a) that the Creator is our common Provider-Sustainer; (b) that in this world we live in, there is an interplay of spiritual and physical dynamics; and, (c) that in this physical-spiritual world, we all aspire for love, joy, justice, and peace. We affirm these truths along with our IP and Moro sisters and brothers. These are Creator’s truth for all truth is Creator’s truth.
In 08 March 2021, we first introduced the Chieftain of the Bagobo Tagabawa Indigenous People, Bai Jerlina Owok, to the Talaandig Indigenous People. Our prayer and hope was that, the two Indigenous communities we are currently serving, would become partners in inclusive development and social entrepreneurial initiatives.
In 14 October 2022, we enjoyed the presence of Divine Energy and a feeling or perception of Reality when people, nature, resources, and events harmonize together. This sense of Reality is fueled by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
In 15 September 2023, we explored a dialogical harmonization between the worldview of PBCI-CFP and the worldviews of various Indigenous People’s (IP) communities who welcomed us to journey with them. We started seeking to learn with them through equal partnership and mutual learning experiences.
A Call to Unity and Respect
The Annual Talaandig Day is more than just a cultural festival; it is a call for unity and mutual respect among all Filipinos. It is an opportunity for people from different backgrounds to learn about the Talaandig’s way of life and to recognize the value of diversity in the Philippines. The celebration reminds us of the importance of respecting indigenous cultures and acknowledging their vital contributions to the nation’s history and identity.
Talaandig Day is a powerful expression of the Talaandig people’s rich heritage, deep connection to the land, and commitment to peacebuilding. As they continue to face the challenges of the modern world, this annual celebration is a poignant reminder of their enduring spirit and the importance of preserving their culture for future generations.
