Pagpanalawsaw -- A Day with the Atis of Sitio Balagon, Barangay Badiang, Anilao, Iloilo

Yes, I see them everytime I go downtown. They're everywhere. They beg. They sell native stuff. And they're actually interesting. -- They are our Ati brothers and sisters. 

January 22, 2011, Saturday. Iloilo City was in a frenzy because of the Kasadyahan and the Dinagyang festivals. While everybody was going to the city, I was scheduled to take the opposite direction - Anilao, Iloilo!

This was a part of our course requirement in 'Socio-Cultural Foundations of Education' class at the Graduate School of the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV). With us were two UP professors, Dr. Aurora Fe Bautista and Prof. Donne Jone Sodusta. We're going to see the modes of education practiced by the Ati community of Sitio Balagon, Brgy. Badiang, Banate, Iloilo. 

I woke up at 4 AM which was quite unusual for me. I'm not a morning person, you know. Nanay had woken up 30 minutes earlier, so the food was already ready on the table. I was excited because it was our first time as a class to go out together.

Our meeting place was in front of Andoks-Jaro Branch. I actually arrived in good time. I saw my classmates busy buying their breakfast but I opted to stay inside my assigned van. I took a short nap and when I opened my eyes we were ready to go. I slept all throughout the trip which lasted for almost an hour and a half. Dr. Bautista was with us. We were 15 inside the van excluding the driver.

I knew we were approaching the place when the bus took a sudden turn. The bus traversed a dusty road lined with sugarcane plantation. When we reached the dead end, we were told to get out.

We were welcomed by the village chieftain and his wife. I shook their hands. They were rough. I told myself, "Oh, there are many kinds of hands. There are manicured hands. There are perfumed hands. There are smooth hands. The best hands, though, are those that work."

I wasted no time. I scoured the whole place to look for somebody whom I could interview. I found one - the village chieftain's daughter. I was happy to know that she had gone to school and she knew how to read and write. She brought me to several houses and introduced me to some of the village folks. 

In the community, I met one pastor. He had gone to school and now he's helping his fellow Atis learn how to read and write. He also serves as the spiritual guide of the natives. Every Sunday, he leads in the worship service and he introduce the Word of God to them. He gave a very assuring remark saying that the Atis, however, are very resilient people. Their natural way of life is often hampered by calamities both natural and man-made. With numerous organizations composed of educated Atis, they are now active in promoting and upholding their rights particularly to their ancestral domains.

The pastor introduced Iko to me. He's 12 years old and was in 4th Grade in elementary. I had seen Iko before during the doxology and he was very graceful in the interpretative song they delivered. I told myself that this child would go a long way if given enough opportunities. He was very docile, a mark of a successful person. 

Iko was shy at first, but I managed to let him talk after a lot of motivation. He told me that school was fine but he thought helping his parents make a living was more important. I showed him some texts in my book and asked him to read. Surprisingly, he read with acceptable pronunciation and speed. I sighed. This kid only needs opportunities, indeed. 

When the clock struck 12, everybody gathered around the makeshift table to partake the food that the field trippers had brought and the delicacies the natives had prepared. I just sat in a corner and meticulously observed. Suddenly, I remember the lines from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech saying, "I have a dream that one day, on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood."

I'm not the adventurous type when it comes to food. Exotic food is a no-no for me. Moreso if it's 'halo' or 'taklong', a native clam teeming in the area.

I promised myself I would try this time. So I did. The lizard tasted just like beef or poultry but in my mind it was still lizard no matter how tasteful it was. I devised a technique - swallowing it whole followed by lots of water. The aftertaste was strange, though. 

The natives on the other hand were busy eating our pork adobo, noodle soup, and juice in tetra packs. We also brought junk food like chips and candies. The Ati kids were in bliss receiving these gifts from us. This to me was a humbling experience

We stayed in the place until around 2 in the afternoon. The time might have been short but the memories we had of the place and the Atis themselves were vast. 

I personally felt blessed to have experienced such an opportunity to be with our Ati friends even for just about six hours only. I have learned to understand them more. Out of this comes appreciation and eventually respect. After all, they are our brothers and sisters. 

More photos...

The vast sugarcane plantation in Sitio Balagon, Bgry. Badiang, Banate, Iloilo

Me and Tessa Gulanes with the village chieftain's wife and their grandchildren