EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS play a pivotal role in bringing the issues of marginalized sectors to the public consciousness. In line with its goal of forming “men and women for others,” the Ateneo actively partakes in the protection of indigenous rights and identities in the face of social exclusion.
Its most recent show of solidarity with indigenous peoples (IPs) was from February 15 to 23, when the University welcomed 300 Dumagat-Remontados as they marched to Malacañang Palace to protest against the construction of the Kaliwa Dam. It also includes the recently proposed revival of the student-led Atenista Laban sa Kaliwa Dam (ALAKAD) coalition.
Despite such initiatives, there are still several noticeable gaps within the University’s curriculum and environment as well as external factors that make it challenging to genuinely champion the inclusion and empowerment of IPs’ identities and cultures.
The question of space
For one, there remains a small number of Ateneans hailing from indigenous communities.
In October 2022, the Commission of Ateneans for Indigenous Peoples (CAIP) conducted a survey looking into the IP demographic in the Loyola Schools (LS). CAIP Co-Commissioner Lean Rosendo (2 BS PSY) mentioned that only two people have answered the survey as of date, making it challenging for the commission to create a data-driven action plan to address their specific needs.
A previous GUIDON article also revealed that various deterrents discourage IPs from taking up their tertiary studies in the Ateneo, including the lack of financial resources and programs that align with their communities’ particular contexts. The limited coverage of indigenous knowledge in the University’s curriculum, for one, makes fostering cultural sensitivity among LS students a difficult endeavor.
“It’s very important for the indigenous struggles to be integrated into the curriculum, whether in business, arts, or management,” says Socio-Anthropology Professor Albert E. Alejo, SJ. Integrating IP knowledge in the University’s curriculum would not only benefit IP students but also deepen non-IP students’ insights into their own fields of specialization.
In response to these institutional gaps, members of the Ateneo community have proactively lent their voices to the advocacy through different means.
Filling gaps
The Ateneo has made strides forward to bridge gaps in the inclusion of IP identities through current initiatives and efforts. As CAIP aims to raise awareness towards inclusivity and cater to the needs of Ateneans in indigenous groups, it has taken steps in IP inclusion and visibility in the LS.
In particular, CAIP has focused on externalization efforts by participating in the Manobo Tribe forum back in 2021 and establishing communications with the Dumagat-Remontado tribe through the Office of Social Concern and Involvement for the “Alay Lakad Laban sa Kaliwa Dam.”
In line with this, CAIP plans to create awareness campaigns to hopefully reignite the “Atenista Laban sa Kaliwa Dam” initiative. It will first be a sub-coordinating unit between Development Society of the Ateneo (DevSoc), CAIP, and the Commission on Sociopolitical Development before re-opening its doors to non-Sanggunian and DevSoc students. Eventually, there may be a culminating activity involving IP outreach programs or IPs visiting the campus.
To extend support to indigenous identities beyond campus, CAIP first prioritizes data gathering and research, followed by externalization efforts through establishing connections with other minority groups.
In terms of the LS administration’s support, Rosendo lauds them for offices such as OSCI and the Office for Student Services’ (OSS) willingness to support IP initiatives and welcome minority groups.
In particular, he appreciates the OSS’ enthusiasm to work with CAIP through any project. However, he hopes for a more collective call from the administration and the board. “I saw that [the] Ateneo is welcoming and will do its very best sa abot ng kanyang makakaya in the spirit of cura personalis,” Rosendo remarks.
Although there still remain gaps, Ateneo’s initiatives and efforts paint a hopeful picture of a culturally-sensitive and inclusive environment for IP identities within the LS.
Sharing of colors
The initiative to empower IPs and foster cultural exchange is one that the Ateneo is challenged to further champion.
Alejo emphasizes the trove of ways in which indigenous culture, rights, practices, and struggles can be integrated into the curriculum—from indigenous poetry in literature to development issues affecting IPs in management.
“We must also learn from them. It doesn’t mean they have nothing to learn from us. It’s a matter of exchange,” Alejo mentions.
As thousands of Ateneo graduates churn out thesis papers every year, Alejo further emphasizes how having a research agenda that touches on IPs’ struggles would help support their communities.
Meanwhile, he describes extension as the embodiment of research with its application. External projects and internal advocacy are both manifestations of this. Through these functions, a more culturally-sensitive environment can be built.
To this, Alejo highlights celebrating diversity and along with it, the variety of knowledge that is shared.
In the end, IP inclusivity and empowerment enrich both IP and non-IPs’ experiences as each party is able to learn from one another’s differences through cultural exchange.
Beyond this is also treating IPs not as artifacts for preservation but as people with stories. Rosendo states, “When we are able to hear their stories, I hope that the sense of empathy and connection will emerge.”
With every authentic encounter and physical contact, Ateneans are able to open themselves up to seeing a wider array of colors from every single IP story and experience. In the end, there is beauty found in sharing commonalities and differences in the hopes of closing cultural gaps.
