Saturday, September 27, 2008

Diddiga fest highlights IP month in Kalinga

Kalinga province will conduct the Diddiga Festival with the theme “Pride of the Past – Hope for the Future” as they join the world in celebrating the Indigenous People’s Month this coming October.

According to Miss Natividad Sugguiyao, provincial officer of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), “Diddiga” is a Kalinga term used in the Ullalim which literally means “pride” or “a show of beauty “expressed through one’s talent, arts, prowess, strength and everything that is beautiful – making the Diddiga Festival 2008 a ‘festival of Kalinga’s Best.’

The month long festival she said will feature four culture-rich events consisting of the Forum on Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) to provide a venue for the public to understand better the rights of IPs and clarify issues concerning their ancestral domains.

Another event would be the Chico River Festival that will offer the people a chance to appreciate the beauty and the role and significance of the Chico River to the existence of the Kalinga people. The Chico River is dubbed the river of life in Kalinga.

The Sallidummay festival on the other hand would showcase ethnic music, dances and sounds of the various ethnic communities of the province so the public will get a chance to witness the actual performance of ‘batok’ and meet Kalinga elders who wear the traditional tattoo symbolizing achievement, gallantry and honor on the part of the men and an expression of beauty for the Kalinga women.

To promote the event recognizing the Indigenous Cultural Communities of Kalinga, Governor Floydelia R. Diasen through Executive Order No 2008-28 enjoined the participation of the entire province to observe the indigenous month with the Diddiga Festival as its highlight.

This intends to provide an “opportunity for the Kalingas as Indigenous People to come together to celebrate their pride and identity, the best of their arts, traditions, culture and bring once more to the fore the protection of their rights.”

The EO states that this celebration is “meant to engender the Kalinga’s pride of identity to enrich their foundation to stand on their own ethnicity anchoring their dreams and aspiration to the positive dynamic aspect of culture and time tested traditions.”

In support of this Gov. Diasen had directed all national line agencies and local government units to come up with activities relative to their respective programs to highlight the observance of the Indigenous People’s Month. **By Gigi Dumallig, ZZW

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