Lecture 4. Indigenous Knowledge and The Philippine Society

4.
Indigenous Knowledge and the

Philippine Society
This module is developed by Aldrin P. Cosme, Science Department, MSU-GSC. All

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Lecture Outcomes
At the end of this module, students should be able to:
1. Describe indigenous knowledge;
2. Recognize the importance of Indigenous Knowledge to the

advancement of Science and Technology;
3. Propose possible solutions to the problems affecting the

indigenous communities of Sarangani Province.
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Lecture Outline
I. The Filipino People
A. Ethnolinguistic Groups in the Philippines
B. Indigenous People’s Groups
II. Indigenous Knowledge (IK)

A. What is Indigenous Knowledge?
B. Nature of Indigenous Knowledge
C. How Indigenous Knowledge Can Contribute to Science and Technology
III. Threats to Indigenous Knowledge: The Case of Sarangani Province

A. Biocultural Erosion
B. Causes of Biocultural Erosion in Sarangani Province
C. Impacts of Biocultural Erosion
a. Minsan sa Isang Taon (Kara David Documentary)
Useful References
1. National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Website: https://ncca.gov.ph/#
2. Patricio, S. F. (Producer), & Samson, P., Jr. (Director). (2012). Minsan sa Isang
Taon[Video file]. Philippines: GMA Public Affairs.
3. Peralta, J. T. (2000). Glimpses: Peoples of the Philippines. Manila: National

Commission for Culture and the Arts.
4. Zapico, F. L., Aguilar, C. H., Abistano, A., Turner, J. C., & Reyes, L. J.
(2015). Biocultural Diversity of Sarangani Province, Philippines: An Ethno-
Ecological Analysis. Rice Science, 22(3), 138-146.
doi:10.1016/j.rsci.2015.05.018
There are around 77 major

ethnolinguistic groups in the
Philippines and within each group,
there are several subgroups. The
total number of ethnolinguistic
groups, including the subgroups,
in the Philippines is 244 according
to a study in 1988 (Peralta, 2000).
Image Credit: Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap
A. Ethnolinguistic Groups
Each ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines have their language. If Filipinos coming
from different ethnolinguistic backgrounds gather, they will surely use different words to
refer to a common thing. See the table below as an example.
Different Filipino Words for “Fog”

(Translations are based on Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database, accessed at: https://abvd.shh.mpg.de/austronesian/)
Dupaningan Buhid
Language English Ivatan Ilokano Pangasinan Tagalog
Agta (Mangyan)
Word Fog Kahephep Angep Kelpa Alsap Hamog Linyabu
Batak,
Language Waray Hiligaynon Cebuano Tboli Maranao Tiruray
Palawan
Word Yamog Gamhon Tugpu Gabon Lobun Lekep Banasbanas
This map shows the geographical distribution

of different ethnolinguistic groups in the
Philippines. For a better view, copy the link
below and paste it to your browser.
Image Credit: Robert Fox, Elizabeth Flory and Jesus Peralta (2007). Link:
https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AO6%2DZqFezWFgZsE&cid=53F9
2505F3BC9C7F&id=53F92505F3BC9C7F%21441&parId=root&o=OneUp
Along with a common language,
customs, traditions, and beliefs are
among the major factors that unite
every ethnolinguistic group in the
Philippines. Due to long years of
colonization, however, most
ethnolinguistic groups in the
archipelago have abandoned some
of their cultural identities, including
the rich knowledge possessed by
their ancestors.
B. Indigenous Peoples/ Indigenous Cultural Communities
A few ethnolinguistic groups resisted Western
influence, and these groups have preserved
their cultural heritage. In the Philippines,
these groups are granted a special law, the
IPRA Law (RA 8371), that was aimed to
protect and promote the rights of indigenous
cultural communities (ICC), also known as
indigenous people (IP).
Indigenous Peoples from Mindanao are often

regarded as Lumad, the Cebuano word for
“Native/Indigenous”.
According to the IPRA Law, Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples* are:
1. A group of people identified by self-ascription and ascription by others, who have

continuously lived as organized community on communally bounded and defined territory;
2. They share common bonds of language, customs, traditions and other distinctive cultural
traits;
3. They are historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos through resistance to
political, social and cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions and cultures;
4. Regarded as indigenous on account of their descent but could have been displaced from
their traditional domains or who may have resettled outside their ancestral domains.
* For full definition of ICC/IP, please see section 3.h of RA 8371)
After decades of experience, combined with

that of their ancestors, indigenous peoples
harbor vast knowledge about their
environment, including the ecological
relationships that exist within their
surroundings. These knowledge are untapped
resources that, when utilized, can advance
modern science and technology.
Image Credit: Florence Zapico
Activity 6. Lexicon of Filipino Languages (10 Points)
1. Trace your ethnolinguistic ancestry.

2. Add 5 words in the activity posted in Moodle entitled “Lexicon of Filipino
Languages” using the language/s of your ethnolinguistic group. These words
should be nouns that are used to refer to parts of the body, names of plants or
animals, or other living things, ornaments, tools, food, natural phenomena,
events, etc.
3. Obscene nouns are prohibited.
4. Post your entries following this format: Language—Word. (E.g. Tagakaolo-Kura)
5. Provide the English translation of the word you posted, or if there is no English
translation, provide a definition/description using the English language. (E.g.
Horse)
6. Moodle will not allow you to enter words in the same language that have been
uploaded by your classmates.
Activity 6. Lexicon of Filipino Languages (10 Points)
Let’s take Juan Dalomo as an example. He is a GEC 108 student and is also
required to provide 5 nouns. His mother is full-blooded B’laan, while his father is
Manobo-Tagakaolo. Juan can choose to use words from B’laan or Manobo or
Tagakaolo, or combined. Once he decided what language/s and word/s to use,
he can now proceed to enter those words in Moodle. See the demonstration in
the next pages.
Step 1. Click “Add a New Entry”
Step 2. Type Your Entries According to the Format
Step 3. Provide the English Translation or the Description/Definition
Step 4. Click Save Changes
You will know if you entered a previously-uploaded word if, after you
clicked “Save Changes”, the system won’t accept your entry.
You have until October 30, 2020, 11:59
p.m. to post your entries.
II. Indigenous Knowledge
Indigenous knowledge refers to

the understandings, skills, and
philosophies developed by
societies with long histories of
interaction with their natural
surroundings.*
Image Credits: Business Mirror
*UNESCO
Indigenous Knowledge (a.k.a. local/folk

knowledge) guides the day-to-day affairs
of indigenous peoples, especially those
who are living in rural areas. It is their
basis for making decisions on how to
manage their day-to-day lives, their
communities, and the natural resources
found within their territories.
Image Credit; Florence Zapico
Medicinal, Agricultural Music & Dance,

& Ecological Knowledge Stories & Poetry
Artisanat Spiritual Expression
Examples of indigenous knowledge are shown in the photo above.

Figure Borrowed from: Florence Zapico
This module is developed by Aldrin P. Cosme, Science PPT Template is Designed by PoweredTemplate.com at
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Figure Borrowed from: Florence Zapico

B. Characteristics of Indigenous Knowledge
1. Unique
The word Lumad, which is used to refer to IP groups
in Mindanao, is borrowed from the Cebuano
language. This was adopted by IPs themselves
because there is no word for “native” from any
indigenous language in Mindanao that is common to
all indigenous peoples group*. This simple fact
alone clearly shows how unique every IK system is.
This uniqueness is not only limited to language but
also to other aspects of their culture, from their
traditional medicine, agriculture, politics, and even
religion.
*Further reading: https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-
3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-cultural-heritagesch/historical-
research/lumad-in-mindanao/
2. Dynamic Though IK is based on previous experiences, it is not
rooted to a particular point in history. It is constantly
developing, adapting, and growing over time—it is
dynamic. Before, IP groups can be identified by their
clothing. Today, that is no longer the case. For example,
these children belong to the T’boli tribe of Maasim,
Sarangani Province. Unlike their ancestors, they are not
wearing garments made from T’nalak cloth. Unless they
speak, you will not know that they are T’boli. IPs have
also adopted other modern cultures, such as following
Abrahamic religions, speaking non-native languages,
engaging in intermarriage, to name a few. These
practices, however, do not mean that they no longer
belong to their tribe. These simply show that their IK
system, which includes their culture, evolve, adapt, and
change over time. IK is dynamic.
3. Cumulative IK is a body of knowledge and skills developed
from centuries of living close to nature. These
knowledge and skills are passed on to the next
generation. The younger generation may learn
something new from their own experiences and
incorporate it into the existing knowledge of the
community. The child in the photo was
harvesting upland rice. Her skills, tools, and the
technical know-how in identifying which plants
are ready to harvest based on appearance
come from centuries-long knowledge practiced
and improved by her parents and other
members of their tribes.
4. Orally-transmitted IK is transmitted orally because most of the IP
groups in the Philippines do not have a writing
system. Baybayin is considered to be the old
writing system in the Philippines but not all IP
groups in the country practice it. In the Philippine
context, having a writing system is the exemption,
rather than the rule. The old generation of the
tribes with no writing system transfers their
knowledge to the young generation orally in the
form of folk stories, songs, poems, and in their
daily living. This is the reason why indigenous
language must be preserved because it is the
only bridge between indigenous knowledge and
the next generation.
Department, MSU-GSC Image Credit: Nicoletta Lanese 29
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5. Holistic
IK incorporates all aspects of life—

spirituality, history, cultural practices,
social interactions, politics, language,
natural resource management, etc. In
indigenous cultural communities,
decisions are made based on their
indigenous knowledge.
IK is an untapped resource. The

centuries-old knowledge owned by
indigenous communities remains
unknown to the scientific world. Only a
few scientists integrate IK into their
studies. Most of the time, integrating IK
to mainstream science yields surprising
results.
Image Credit: Mike Raia
Tu Youyou, along with 2 other scientists, won the

2015 Nobel Prize for Medicine after she
discovered artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin,
compounds derived from the herb Artemisia
annua. This herb is used in traditional Chinese
medicine. This pharmaceutical chemist from
China used the information from ancient Chinese
medicine texts to extract the active compounds of
the plant.* This is an example of the endless
possibilities indigenous knowledge can do if it is
utilized by scientists.
Further Reading:
http://www.laskerfoundation.org/media/filer_public/93/c2/93c20cb8-8451-
4bb6-a46d-e6969c54f19a/2011_c_youyou.pdf
Ascof Lagundi is the most commercialized cough remedy
medicine in the Philippines and the embodiment of what IK can
become if utilized. Before Lagundi (Vitex negundo) became
syrup or capsule, Filipino herbolaryo (albularyo) have been
using it to treat a wide array of diseases. These healers use their
knowledge to prepare and administer herbal medicine. The first
detailed account of traditional medicine in the Philippines using
Lagundi was written by a Jesuit Priest in 1900. In the 1970s-
1980s, extensive research was conducted by scientists from UP
Manila to gather data from 1000 herbolaryo. Using the
information they had, they were able to isolate the active
compound of Lagundi. After long years of testing, research and
development, Lagundi was finally commercialized by Pascual
Laboratories as Ascof Lagundi.
Further Reading: https://www.wipo.int/ipadvantage/en/details.jsp?id=3661
Nobody knows what indigenous knowledge still has to offer to modern

science or the impacts if IK is integrated into research and
development. In the Philippines, however, there is a paucity of
information regarding the indigenous knowledge system. Thus, the
things that IK has to offer remain an endless possibility.
III. Threats to Indigenous Knowledge
III. Threats to Indigenous Knowledge
Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS)

of different IP groups in the Philippines
face different degrees of threats.
Without intervention, IKS and their
potential could be lost forever.
Threats to indigenous knowledge system

are part of a bigger problem affecting
indigenous people called the biocultural
erosion. It is the loss of biocultural diversity,
which includes the loss of biodiversity,
culture, and language.
To understand biocultural erosion further, take

a look at the photo of rice on the left. T’bolis
have a name for this variety and it is used for
special occasions. The local extinction, i.e.
permanent loss, of this variety could indicate
biocultural erosion, i.e. loss of culture may
also be going on.
One of the occasions where this variety is

used is during a tribal wedding. There is a part
of the marriage rites where this variety is
eaten by the couple, along with other food.
For them, eating this variety could strengthen
their marriage. If this variety is lost, then that
part of the marriage rites will no longer be
observed or will be changed.
In general, each IK System in the

Philippines is under threat due to a variety
of reasons. From this point on, however,
the discussion will be focused on the
biocultural erosion in Sarangani Province,
where 3 recognized indigenous cultural
communities viz. Tagakaolo, B’laan, and
T’boli, are thriving.
Sarangani Province is the southernmost
province in the Philippines and is made up of 7
municipalities. The western municipalities of the
Province (Maasim, Kiamba, Maitum) are
occupied by T’boli tribes, while the B’laan tribes
are concentrated in the eastern municipalities
(Malungon, Alabel, Malapatan, Glan). Finally,
Tagakaolos exclusively reside in Datal Anggas
in Alabel and the municipality of Malungon.
Sarangani is one of the leading provinces in the

Philippines in terms of poverty, undernutrition,
*Further Reading: and food insecurity.*
http://www.ipcinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ipcinfo/docs/1_I
PC_Philippines_Mindanao_ChronicFI_2015Jan20182020.pdf
1. Lack of Respect to Indigenous Knowledge
Modern society, even scientists, often regard IK as

baseless, pragmatic, and less progressive. This social
pressure caused tribal youths to devalue their native
culture, migrate to lowland areas, and adopt new value
systems. Without this young generation, who will inherit
the vast wealth of knowledge of their tribe?
This problem is not only affecting youths. Most upland
farmers intentionally refrain from their traditional farming
rituals to avoid being labeled as “backward”, “old-
fashioned”, or “antiquated”.
2. Modern Agriculture
Modern agriculture is currently facing

several problems whose combined impacts
could pose challenges to global food
security in the next decades. In the upland
communities, these impacts are not only
affecting food security but also the tribe’s
biocultural diversity.
2. Modern Agriculture
Swidden farming is inherent in the traditional
agricultural practices of upland people. It was not
destructive before because its impacts are distributed.
Before, an upland farmer only has one swidden farm
that produces enough harvest for the needs of his
family. This farm is rain-fed and depends on the
natural fertility of the soil. When soil fertility is low, let’s
say after 10 years of use, the same farmer will
abandon the farm and open another swidden farm by
burning a portion of the forest. He will use this newly-
burnt forest until its natural fertility is depleted. When
that happens, because his lands are vast, he will burn
another portion of the forest to become his new farm.
This process repeats until the farmer utilized all of his
lands.
The figure above shows the natural succession of swidden farms in the upland areas assuming that traditional
agriculture is followed. Let’s say the farmer has 4 tracks of land and the natural fertility of the soil becomes depleted
after 10 years of farming. Thus, each field he opens is used for a maximum of 10 years. By the time the fourth field’s
(F4) fertility is depleted, F1, F2, and F3 have been recovering for 30, 20, and 10 years, respectively. This duration is
enough for natural succession to occur—in F1, there may be trees; in F2 there could be shrubs, and in F3, there
could be bushes. This scheme allows the impacts of swidden farming to be distributed over time and space, thus it is
not that destructive to the environment.
2. Modern Agriculture Due to shrinking land sizes, upland farmers are adopting
modernized agriculture, which is characterized by sedentary
farming, the use of modern varieties, and agrochemical
inputs. None of these are part of the traditional agriculture in
the upland areas. Unfortunately, the introduction of modern,
high yielding varieties to the upland farms displaced the
traditional rice landraces. Upland areas are usually poverty-
stricken communities. Thus, adopting the input-extensive
modern agriculture forced farmers to borrow money to
purchase agricultural inputs. When drought spell strikes,
since their farms are rain-fed, farmers would suffer huge
losses. In the end, their losses are not only money but also
This upland farmer is spraying insecticide to their traditional varieties, which are more adapted to the
his rice farm—a practice that is not part of
traditional upland agriculture.
upland’s environmental conditions. This ultimately poses a
challenge to the upland food security.
3. Severe Environmental Degradation
Shrinking land sizes has forced indigenous
farmers to extend their swidden farms to
remote hinterlands. Due to the need of
having an additional income, some farmers
practice charcoal making and logging, which
compounded the deforestation caused by
swidden farming. In Sarangani uplands,
burnt hills and cogon fields are common
sights (see photo), which indicated severe
environmental degradation.
Department, MSU-GSC https://poweredtemplate.com/cave-paintings-presentation-68604/ 47
To learn more about the biocultural diversity in Sarangani

Province, along with its threats, please read the article below.
Find the Biocultural Diversity of Sarangani Forum in Moodle and
post a brief response on this question: How lowland-associated
influences affect the upland communities of Sarangani?
Zapico, F. L., Aguilar, C. H., Abistano, A., Turner, J. C., & Reyes, L. J. (2015).
Biocultural Diversity of Sarangani Province, Philippines: An Ethno-Ecological
Analysis. Rice Science, 22(3), 138-146. doi:10.1016/j.rsci.2015.05.018
C. Impacts of Biocultural Erosion
One of the most direct impacts of biocultural erosion in Sarangani

Province is food insecurity. To give you a brief account of this
problem, please watch the documentary Minsan sa Isang Taon on
Youtube. Use this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW9tT0XafhY&t=5s
Activity 7: What Can You Do? 30 Points
1. Work with your group in Activity 4 (Design Thinking).

2. After watching the documentary Minsan sa Isang Taon, choose a very specific
problem you observed in Sitio Banli or in the nearby places featured in that
documentary. Your problem-of-choice must be decided as a group.
3. Then, shortly discuss the dynamics of the problem you chose. Make sure to
understand the different facets of the issue, including but not limited to
socioeconomic, cultural, political, and environmental aspects. You can refer to the
article on page 45.
4. As a group, propose any possible solution you can do to solve the problem you
chose and discussed.
5. Consider the dynamics of the problem, your present resources, network, and
capacities in formulating your interventions.
6. Finally, write a 300-500 word-essay on the interventions you formulated as a group.
Activity 7 Grading Criteria
Criterion Points Basis of Rating
Originality 10 Report of Online Plagiarism Checker
(Check Access at: https://smallseotools.com/plagiarism-checker/)
Form 10 Report of Grammarly

(Grammar and Organization) (Check Access at: https://www.grammarly.com/grammar-check)
Content 10 Good (8-10 points): Has a defined problem, relevant solutions, and word
count is between 300-500 words
Satisfactory (5-7 points): Doesn’t have a defined problem, or doesn’t have

relevant solutions, or word count is not within the recommended range
Needs Improvement (1-4 points): Doesn’t have a defined problem and

doesn’t have relevant solutions, or doesn’t have a defined problem and
word count is not within the recommended range, or doesn’t have relevant
solutions and word count is not within the recommended range
You have until November 6, 2020, 11:59 pm to
submit your essays.

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4.

Indigenous Knowledge and the

This module is developed by Aldrin P. Cosme, Science Department, MSU-GSC. All

At the end of this module, students should be able to:

1. Describe indigenous knowledge;

2. Recognize the importance of Indigenous Knowledge to the

3. Propose possible solutions to the problems affecting the

II. Indigenous Knowledge (IK)

III. Threats to Indigenous Knowledge: The Case of Sarangani Province

1. National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Website: https://ncca.gov.ph/#

3. Peralta, J. T. (2000). Glimpses: Peoples of the Philippines. Manila: National

There are around 77 major

Different Filipino Words for “Fog”

Word Fog Kahephep Angep Kelpa Alsap Hamog Linyabu

Word Yamog Gamhon Tugpu Gabon Lobun Lekep Banasbanas

This map shows the geographical distribution

Indigenous Peoples from Mindanao are often

1. A group of people identified by self-ascription and ascription by others, who have

After decades of experience, combined with

1. Trace your ethnolinguistic ancestry.

Indigenous knowledge refers to

Indigenous Knowledge (a.k.a. local/folk

Medicinal, Agricultural Music & Dance,

Artisanat Spiritual Expression

Examples of indigenous knowledge are shown in the photo above.

Figure Borrowed from: Florence Zapico

IK incorporates all aspects of life—

IK is an untapped resource. The

Tu Youyou, along with 2 other scientists, won the

Nobody knows what indigenous knowledge still has to offer to modern

Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS)

Threats to indigenous knowledge system

Image Credit: Florence Zapico

To understand biocultural erosion further, take

One of the occasions where this variety is

In general, each IK System in the

Sarangani is one of the leading provinces in the

Modern society, even scientists, often regard IK as

Modern agriculture is currently facing

To learn more about the biocultural diversity in Sarangani

One of the most direct impacts of biocultural erosion in Sarangani

1. Work with your group in Activity 4 (Design Thinking).

Form 10 Report of Grammarly

Satisfactory (5-7 points): Doesn’t have a defined problem, or doesn’t have

Needs Improvement (1-4 points): Doesn’t have a defined problem and

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