MATIGSALOG:Be part of our history

Two datus smile as they are shown their photos taken during the First Kalivolungan Festival of the Matigsalog tribe held at Marahan in barangay Marilog, Marilog district. (Sun.Star Davao/Stella A. Estremera)

May 08 this year I went to Marahan Marilog District Davao City. Alone. I went there not just to tour my self but to start my mission to document lives of Matigsalog Tribe. It was there first Kalivolungan Festival when the city government recognized their existence. Their tribe. I joined the documentation team together with the leading newspaper in davao SUNSTAR with the Kinaiyahan Foundation who volunteered to help Matigsalog Tribe put their culture into account.

THE MISSION is to record Matigsalog history in any means. I was tapped to make a documentary (film) about Matigsalog as SUNSTAR and other volunteer writers heartily make a book (HISTORY BOOK) as requested by the elders of the tribe. According to the datus, they are afraid because their roots might lost if the history keepers (elders) die. Thus, the team now is busy researching and asking the datus about it since their past can only be accessed orally. If these writers got this biggest challenge of their life, I have to consider myself too. My mission is to film them with several segments. It would be more than one hour documentary tackling their roots,music, folklore, customs,values and beliefs and everything that refers to Matigsalog. Challenging isn't it?

Now, we are in the phase 1. Researching, data gathering ,shooting etc. When I reached the site (Marilog) I was so stupid for I was not able to bring along with me my jacket. I tell you, their place is too cold and fogs appear even if at noon time.Freeze to death. I witnessed how they live,how is it to be a matigsalog and how RICHES out there use them.Their land.Their ancestral domain.With a small amount of money hecatares of land are being sold and utilized with giant plantations. I slept at Mr. Dukot's resident with KFI executive director Betty Cabazares.No lights.Extreme Coldness.Native Foods. I felt how beautiful to be one of the warriors to preserve one's culture.I pray that Datu Guinto,their deputy Mayor, will surely help his people encouraging them to be as one! Vice Mayor Inday Sara was adopted by the tribe giving her new name as "Bai Lingganay" which means as sacred voice that all tribe must follow as sign of gratitude for helping them to be recognized.She was dramatically dressed by the matigsalogs with the tribe's costume during the last day of the festival (May 9) and I was happy that at least the government is working giving them food (25 sacks of rice) and money (P 25,000). I am inviting you to be part of this challenging mission. Be part of their history.

"Their unwritten past, the lack of public knowledge about their culture and norms, despite of being original residents of Davao River have deprived them of a sense of pride for their culture." Read this story