Guadalupe D.

Abapo
M307
11/15/2019

Journal Cultural Mapping

The first day of cultural mapping was happened in November 08, 2019. This project was
a requirement of all 2nd year students of Ab-History which was our 1st experience or
work in the field. The objective of this cultural mapping is to identify the old settlers and
most importantly old heritage that are useful to the development of our community. This
project was organized between the barangay officials of Fatima and the Department of
History in Msu, aiming a goal to help achieve or provide something for the Barangay Museum
in the future.

Every student has designated zones to conduct a survey. Me along with my other
members was assigned in Purok Placida. 30 minutes are needed to arrive in there. At
first, our respondents are very hospitable and nice. We went to the secretary of the
purok because of the unavailability of the Purok Chairperson, we are lucky enough that
the secretary’s family was one of the first settlers in the Purok placida. We gained much
information about their family and old things that until now they restored it. As the time
goes by, we interviewed some respondents claimed that Purok Placida is not part of
Barangay Fatima, the respondents said that they will choose Bgry. Calumpang over
Fatima, because they see it peaceful barangay and also their documents was registered
in Brgy. Calumpang, and it is merely complicated if they belong to Fatima.

Respondents said that they even signed a petition that they want to belong in Barangay
Calumpang as their official barangay rather than Fatima. Until now, the said issue is still
preceding because brgy. Fatima wanted to claim purok placida as boundary of the
community. We identify four residents that are almost 19 years of residency in said
purok. Some of them are assumed lots for about ten years of residency. As we
observed the community, we couldn’t find old heritages such as buildings, churches and
ancestral houses because they said it was an old ranch before.

As the day goes by for us, we encountered a one respondent that it seems like it was
uncomfortable for us to talk. Although we introduced ourselves as a legit students in a
bonafide school and our objective for doing this interview, obviously she’s is very
controlled to what she is going to say, which make us very uncomfortable but still she
agreed to have an interview despite her doubts to us. And we manage to deal with her,
with all due respect we say sorry for disturbing her. This experience was a lesson for us,
that we may encounter some people that are accommodating, hospitable and
approachable and some are not but despite of that we need to respect them.

All throughout the day, it was very difficult but we successfully finished our objective. In
spite of tiredness and some are humiliating experiences most importantly we gained a
lesson in this field work that seems to be useful in another field work we may encounter.