Sorsogon State University participated in the Global Indigeneity Conference held in the Banaue Grandview Hotel, Banaue, Ifugao last August 21-26, 2024.
The University was represented by the President, Dr. Geraldine F. de Jesus, and COEA faculty members, Dr. Michael John A. Jamora, and Ms. Justeen Frances D. Manuel. Both Dr. Jamora and Ms. Manuel presented their respective studies in contribution to the discussion and understanding of indigenous cultures.
Dr. Jamora, in his study “Crossing Boundaries: How Maranao Learners Negotiate their Cultural Identity through Situated Language Use and Discourse Practices”, talked about how the Maranao pupils negotiated their cultural identities through opposition, assimilation, and straddling between dominant mainstream, culture and their traditional ethnic customs, with their identity enacted through their use of distinct linguistic codes in various contexts.
Meanwhile, with her study “Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices of the Agta Tabangnon of Donsol, Sorsogon for climate change adaptation”, Ms. Manuel discussed the how climate change is perceived by the Agta Tabangnon and how they utilize their indigenous knowledge and practices to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
In the same event, SorSU also inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UCLA Department of Anthropology to promote friendship and cooperation towards academic and institutional development.
The six-day conference which was organized by the University of Los Angeles California (UCLA), Pangasinan Polytechnic College, and Save the Ifugao Rice Terraces Movement (SITMo) aimed to foster meaningful conversations with the goal of deepening the understanding of indigenous cultures, knowledge systems, and their relevance to contemporary global issues. The panels brought light to the impact of climate change on indigenous lands and cultures, indigenous rights and self-determination, cultural representation and appropriation, preservation and revitalization of traditional practices, and the role of technology in promoting and safeguarding indigenous heritage. In addition, they sought to foster mutual respect and understanding between indigenous communities and non-indigenous allies by exploring approaches that would strengthen collaboration between the two. (JFDM)
Photo Credits: Norman King and Justeen Frances D. Manuel
