VANISHING T’BOLI CHANTS: EXPLORING CONCEPTS OF LIFE,

TRADITIONS AND VALUES AS INDIGENOUS CULTURAL COMMUNITY

A classroom research proposal

Presented to
The Faculty of the Graduate School
Sultan Kudarat State University

_________________

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Course
Qualitative Research
EM 601
___________________

SHELLA MAE M. EZPELETA

JULY 2021
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE
TITLE PAGE 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2
CHAPTER

1 INTRODUCTION 3
Rationale 3
Purpose of the Study 5
Research Question 5
Theoretical Lens 5
Significance of the Study 7
Definition of Terms 8
Description of the Setting 9

2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 10

Tboli People 10
Oral Tradition 11
Tboli Oral Tradition 12
Language and Culture 13

3 METHODOLOGY 19
Research Design 19
 Research Participants 22
Research Instrument 22
Data Collection 23
Data Analysis 24
Trustworthiness of the Study 25
Role of the Researcher 26
Ethical Considerations 26

REFERENCES 27

APPENDICES
A Interview Guide and Observational Guide 31

CURRICULUM VITAE 32

Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

One sign of a healthy community is its ability to preserve its culture. As

embedded in the culture, oral tradition refers to original forms of education where socio-

cultural values and environmental knowledge become substantial media to the

community and part of cultural communication through oral message, based on the

previous message and at least one aged generation, Mendoza and Barbosa (2020);

Rahman (2017); Rahman and Letlora; (2018); and Foley (2012). It is patriotic to note
when people have increased understanding of a culture through exposure to the past.

However, in embarking on the search for oral tradition through previous researches, the

quantity of scholarly writing is in dismal level, Sramek (2013); thus, the fact that

community members should truly are keepers of the tradition is questionable. The is the

case of Tboli culture where there is a dearth in preserving the rich oral traditions of this

group in Mindanao.

Meanwhile, cultural identity, particularly on conducting researches about oral

tradition is the fundamental source of social empowerment. De Leon, (2013) stresses

that preserving the cultural heritage can provide the vivid images of social relations and

cultural values because these are the most lucid symbols of people’s quality of being or

consciousness. For Mead (2012), “If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in

contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so

weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a

fitting place.” Hence, the researcher can say that research studies that focus on the

documentation of Tboli chants that are now slowly disappearing can be saved,

preserved and transmitted to the next generation.

For Jacob (1992) as cited in Ezeife, (2002), “The wisdom of our elders must be

recognized and respected. To the extent possible, traditional knowledge should be

documented and codified. Regional centers of traditional knowledge should be

established in native communities and supported by all sectors.” With this, as a

language teacher and a resident of the Tboli-speaking community, the researcher

intends to conduct this study since there are few researchers who do cultural analysis

of the language as per literature reviews. Likewise, as a researcher, I would like to

 craft and recommend a policy brief that will integrate the Tboli peoples’ view of life,

traditions and values in the books in all levels of education as means of increasing

cultural sensitivity and plurality for students and teachers across disciplines. The

documented effort is also a means of teaching basic disciplines in culturally-

responsive education relevant to learners.

Hence, this study will not only explore the diversity of our country in culture but

also in language. Also, it aims to discover indigenous knowledge inherent to the Tboli

culture and preserve such cultural traditions and values through proper documentation

and be kept in the repository of knowledge.

Purpose of the Study

This research proposal aims to describe, analyze, and record the Tboli oral

tradition of the Tboli people from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. Moreover, this study also

intends to gain an understanding of how the Tboli chants reflects the culture, life,

tradition and values of the people and determine their ways/practices to preserve their

oral tradition.

Research Questions

Generally, the study aims to collect, document, and analyze the Tboli oral

tradition of chanting from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. Moreover, this study also intends

to gain an understanding of how the Tboli chants reflects the culture, life, tradition and

values of the people and determine their ways/practices to preserve their oral tradition.
 Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are examples of Tboli chants describing the life, traditions and values of

people?

2. How does the tribe’s identify reflected in their oral tradition?

3. What challenges encountered by the tribe in preserving their oral tradition?

Theoretical Lens

This study is anchored through the lens of Humboldt’s (1835) where he posits

people’s view and how they interact in the world. He postulates that poets and

philosophers impact their roots into reality thereby cultivating and shaping man's vision

of the world. In like manner, worldviews are important to oral traditions like chanting due

to its capacity to shape man’s interior world. They are considered important in culture,

as a basic way of interpreting things and events that encompasses concepts of reality

on what is good, essential and real.

Additionally, the study can be gleaned from Haberma's (1975) theory of life’s

crises which states that when social life can no longer protect the preservation of a

system of human life, it will lead to disappearance of human pattern and cultural

system.

This study will also be viewed through the perspective of Reckwitz (2002) in his

Social Practice Theory wherein he stresses that practices are configured or shaped by

the many elements, interconnected to one another, that comprise the conditions of

existence for a practice. Further, these elements include: ‘forms of bodily activities,
forms of mental activities, ‘things’ and their use, a background knowledge in the form of

understanding, know-how, states of emotion and motivational knowledge.

Finally, this study is viewed through the lens of the Symbolic interaction theory by

White & Klein (2002) that explains how cultural meanings and practices (macro

processes) influence people’s relationships and perceptions (micro processes). In this

theory, symbols are considered objects that individuals assign meaning and that are

used as a basis for communications for both within and between cultures (Aksan, Kisac,

Aydin, & Demiburken, 2009). Also, this theory gives information about how our culture

affects ourselves in interacting to other people as we practice our traditions that helps

us to develop our identities and to promote our culture not just for ourselves but also

with other people.

Significance of the Study

This ethnographic study will pave a milestone in sociolinguistic research,

particularly, in conducting an analysis of the oral tradition, which focuses on chanting of

the Tboli people in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.

First, this study will enable the indigenous people realize that their culture and

language are both recognized as important treasures like that of other ethnic groups

which deserve equal respect and that this minority language is also feasible for public

awareness and culture sharing. Moreover, the result of this study would serve as a first

step in the preserving of their language for the future generation.

 Second, this may serve as baseline data for both DepEd and higher education

language planners to include the oral traditions in designing the curriculum. Also, it

would help future researchers who have the same interest and concerns about reviving

oral traditions to further investigate the hidden culture and traditions of this indigenous

group in Southern Mindanao. Likewise, it may serve as guide for the government to

recognize and understand the language variety of the Tboli people to better appreciate

and empower the people of their culture.

Third, the overall result of this study would be beneficial to the teachers in a way

that will serve as guide in teaching of literature where that they can employ activities

that would consider the differences of the students in terms of their language use

particularly the indigenous ones.

Above all, the ultimate goal of this study is to preserve the indigenous knowledge

in oral traditions through research and instruction for the future generation. This

research will serve as my legacy to the Tboli people in the SOCKSARGEN region

thereby encouraging the members of Indigenous Cultural Communities to practice,

value, and preserve their unique oral traditions.

Definition of Terms

To facilitate a better understanding of the content of the study, these terms are

defined conceptually and operationally.

 Tboli language is an Austronesian language of the Southeastern Mindanao of

the Philippines. It is spoken in the following places: Datu Blah Sinsuat, Upi, South Upi,

and Esperanza municipalities.

Cultural approach is a method that structures and investigates the total

connection among multi-dimensional, non-quantifiable, problem complexes of word

combination (Zwickey, 1948 as cited by Ritchey, 2003). In this study, it refers to how

words are classified according to their part of speech for me to be able to distinguish

words from other linguistic units.

Lake Sebu is a Municipality of Tboli where 90% of its residents are from the

Tboli tribe.

Content Analysis refers to systematical description of the meaning of qualitative

material.

Cultural analysis refers to how well a certain culture adapts to its surrounding

by used and developed. In this study, it refers to how Tboli chants are practiced,

documented, and preserve by the community.

Tboli Tribe is one of the major Indigenous Cultural Communities in Southern

Philippines that is the focus of the study.

Description of the Setting

This research study will concentrate on the Tboli tribe in Lake Sebu, South

Cotabato. The place is ideal for the study since majority of the residents are Tboli who

are living in the place. The data from this study will be limited only to the cultural

analysis of the oral tradition of Tboli language and compiled written literature as bases

of the analysis. I will not intend to determine whether the chants that will be shared

through oral interviews and disclosed in the written literature are true or not because the

narratives are passed by word of mouth and may change from one person to another.

One gap that somehow I will be facing is that though I lived in a Tboli community

in the province, I am not an expert in the Tboli language. Hence, I need to look for

translators who are competent both in Tboli and English. I will be using the English

language as my medium in writing the paper. However, during the conduct of

interviews, the expertise of native speakers of the Tboli language will be needed to

serve the purpose.

Chapter II

Review of Related Literature

Tboli People

The National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA) claims that Tboli is one of

the major Indigenous Peoples of Southern Philippines. It is a single language group

distinct from the remaining languages of Mindanao. The group is mainly settle in
southwestern Mindanao, particularly in South Cotabato, and are relatively distributed in

denser concentrations in the town of Kiamba, Maitum and Surallah.This indigenous

group is also known as the Tiboli or Tagabili Tribe. The Tboli people are famous for

their distinct and unique culture, beliefs, customs, and traditions.

These people exhibit strong family ties but are too dependent on other members

who are more influential and affluent in the community. These people are honest, soft-

spoken, shy, sensitive, and soft-hearted. They are also hospitable and peace-loving.

Talavera (2013); Jong (2011, Forsberg, (1992) describe that Tboli people live in

scattered settlements in the highlands. Their cultural land is about the complex of high

Land lakes-Lake Sebu, Lake Selutan and Lake Lahit. The settlements are usually

scattered composing of family clusters of 15 households or more.

Oral Tradition

The study of Mendoza and Barbosa (2020) defined oral traditions as original

forms of education where socio-cultural values and environmental knowledge are

transmitted. The term oral tradition refers to a process and a result of the process; they

become substantial media to any societal community and cultural communication; the

result is in the form of oral message, based on the previous message and at least one

aged generation, Rahman (2017); Rahman and Letlora, (2018) and these include

folktales, ballads, chants, prose or verse, Foley (2012).

Additionally, oral tradition is a complex corpus of verbal or spoken art created as

a means of recalling the past and based on beliefs, symbols, assumptions, attitudes,
and sentiments of people. It is acquired through a process of learning or initiation, and

its purpose is to condition social action, and foster social interactions.

(https://www.jsor.org/stable/3818202)

Moreover, for Sramek (2013), there generations of individuals who have been

responsible for the preservation of melodies and text handed down orally by means of

powerful collective memory. Some of these are songs, uniting faith communities; family

lineage recited during times of oppression, and/or even recipes shared in the kitchen

through song.

Further, oral traditions recognize history the fact that it is a culture of old

generations to the next generation. They further explain that it can serve as a medium

to know history as literature works especially on tale and folklore, and the law in the

past and other knowledge.

Similarly, it is the collection of information through the word of mouth from

generation to generation. This has been the main vehicle for transmitting information in

preliterate societies. Both Oral traditions and expressions of many spoken such as

riddles, proverbs, folklore, tales, legends story, myth, epic songs and poems charms,

paryers, chants, songs, dramatic performances and more. Also, it gives information

about the knowledge, social and cultural values, as well as collective memory. Their role

are too important to keep the cultures. Some societies of the world used oral tradition to

maintain the ancestor tradition. Rahman’s and Letlora’s (2018)

Tboli Oral Tradition

Blonto’s (2014) study documented and analyzed the Tboli oral literature using

cultural approach. Her study found out that there is no difference on the beliefs and
values held by the Tbolis even they transfer their residence far from their village.

Similarly, Talavera (2013) conducted a study on Tboli songs, stories in society. Her

findings showed that the Tboli culture reflects a part of the Filipino culture. Further, the

complex yet valuable tradition of these people must not be overlooked, and must be set

as example on how they successfully pass their culture, from one generation to the

next, to ensure that important Philippine ethnolinguistic groups may continue to live.

The study of Mendoza and Barbosa (2020) focused on the analysis of the Obo

Manobo oral folk stories. The study unravels a parcel of the beliefs and value system of

the Obo Manobo people. Furthermore, it emphasizes the significance of storytelling and

storytellers in transmitting regulating and transforming beliefs, ideas, and aspirations.

Lastly, Dahan (2016) has collected, transcribed, and analyzes Manobo oral narratives.

Her findings revealed that the oral narratives reflect identities of the Manobo and they

are portrayed as peaceful, loving, hardworking and patriotic people.

Language and Culture

Language and culture are interrelated. Language defines culture; culture cannot

stand without language. Language is what makes one's culture unique. Language is

very important in maintaining and conveying traditions and cultural affiliations. The

different ideas are conceived from the varied languages use in a culture of a person and

these interconnections between language and culture start at birth (Englebert, 2010:

Gillanders & Castro, 2011; Koopman, 2003).

Language and culture have a reciprocal relationship. Culture is affected when

language changes, the same manner is applied when culture changes, language is also
affected. In the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, it was emphasized that how we communicate

and perceive the world is influenced by our culture, and the language we speak mirrors

our cultural values (Lane, 2008).

The record shows that the Philippines has 170 languages and 4 of which have

unknown speakers. According to current estimates that when the 22nd century comes,

there may be only one-tenth of today's languages that will remain and many Filipino

languages are on the verge of extinction (Languages in the Philippines, 2014).

Meanwhile, a certain researcher was interested in the study of the diversity of the

Philippine languages and dialects, that although diverse, there is still a sense of unity

among these languages. This researcher is Otto Scheerer who is well-oriented on the

differences of the languages in the Philippines and wanted to determine where they

came from and what languages they were related to. Scheerer had already studied

extensively many of these languages. In Scheerer (1911b), he makes use of the

currently available literature on languages in the Philippines. He further notes their

differences in the group and thus suggests that there could be the possibility of

languages belonging to the same group through geographically connected areas.

Scheerer, (19116:98) added that the vernaculars in the Philippines probably belong to

the Indonesian division of the Austronesian family of languages (Reid, 2017).

In terms of culture, the Tboli people are enjoying the abundance of it. For

Kramsch & Boner (2010), culture is about the wisdom and practices that govern the life

of a society for which a particular language is the catalyst of expression. Culture and its

people are defined by the knowledge of their language

 On the contrary, not all people with the same culture uphold the same perception

of the world. Their world view may be similar when they speak the same language.

Sapir and Whorf (1972) supported this statement and further argue that the usage of

different forms of language causes the emergence of different thoughts. In support of

this, the study of Gillander & Castro (2011) confirms that different languages will create

different limitations; thus people who share a culture but speak different languages will

differ in terms of world views.

Moreover, Tboli, as part of the indigenous cultural communities in the Philippines,

had continually preserved their language. Barry (2008) explains that language is our

strong and important means that keep our identity known to other people. They use

their dialect as a household and interhousehold language while Cebuano-Bisayan is

used as a lingua franca in interacting with the Bisayans (Elkins, 2011; Nabayra, 2011).

Dean (2003) as cited by Masendo (2015) highlights that the rights of the indigenous

people are continually rejected and the cultural and linguistic preservation of these

people are not an exemption.

Through this and with the complexity of the interaction between the indigenous

and non-indigenous people, the conflict will surely arise. That is why in an article

published by Indian Ancestry on April 14, 2014, it was given the emphasis that the

language and culture of the IPs are facing a questionable future. Since language and

culture are inseparable, the decline in language diversity parallels the decline in cultural

diversity. The main cause of this problem is global economic development. Niezen

(2003) explains that globalization relocates indigenous people and worst eliminates

indigenous languages. Today, there is a grave risk that much of the knowledge of the
indigenous people will be vanished due to this existing problem. Nakashima (2000)

stated that words of mouth are the most important aspect since, through these,

indigenous knowledge is passed on to their posterity.

Even though how hard the minority groups will try to promote their language and

culture, issues involving stereotypes still meet their way. It was clearly said by Kobari

(n.d.) that linguistic minorities do not receive equal scholarly attention as oppose to

those who are superior. It can be perceived that these groups of people are taken for

granted which is why their culture is not known and documented. This is one of the main

reasons why there is a need to conduct this study to promote the Ata Teduray language

and the speaker of this language.

Since language and culture are forever intertwined, not only the language must

be given importance, culture as well must deserve the same thing. The good news

taken from Ronamo (2016) claims that indigenous culture, including those of the Tboli

being preserved and became the priority matter in the national agenda. With this,

indigenous people counts support from the government in maintaining their cultural

values. Reyhner (2010) further supports the idea when he said that the survival of the

people interrelates with the indigenous culture they owned and that when their culture is

harmed and dangered, the survival of the people is also at stake. That is how culture

can make and unmake the people in a particular society. If not given enough attention,

people's lives are greatly affected. Culture, the same with the language, determines the

way we live and the things we believe.

This is our source of identity and humanity. McIntyre (2008) highlights that once

we understand a culture, we also ponder on the behaviors of the people practicing that
particular culture. Also, he added that the essential core of culture encompasses the

traditional ideas and values that are true since before. The culture was also described

by him as products of the people's action and some elements of further action To wrap it

up, culture includes all things beginning from the time it was conceived. The way people

observe their culture before may be slightly altered today due to the influence of

modernity, but it does not mean that everything is changed, there could be something

that is left even in its tiniest form.

The concept of the interrelatedness of culture and language is also true to the

Tboli language. The Tboli language is part of the superfamily of languages called

Austronesian or Malayo Polynesian in the old literature. Surprisingly, not only Tboli

language belongs to this kind of language group. Mindanao languages are also a type

of Philippine languages which they call the proto-Teduray as discovered by the Summer

Institute of Linguistics.

Other institutions help and support these indigenous groups of people in

pursuance of their aim which is to transmit to the new generation their language and

culture. One of the institutions is the school wherein native language immersion had

been implemented. The purpose of this program is to strengthen and restore the identity

of the native people. It also seeks to relieve indigenous languages from all kinds of

abuses brought about by assimilationist groups (Sequihod, Quiñonez, Secarro & Pera,

2016

Since language is value-based, as was testified by the President of the Oglala

Sioux at Pine Ridge, then speakers must give importance to it and strive harder to

expose their language to other groups of people. This is the same as speaking that
exposing their language is equivalent to introducing their cultural value to the world

(Sequihod, Quiñonez, Secarro & Pera, 2016). She further declared that language is far

more than mere communication. It means more than words and sentences

(Encouragement, 2009). It is about reminding people how to deal with each other.

Encouragement (2009) further highlights that in speaking of language loss,

linguists perceive it as the loss of linguistic diversity, the loss of intellectual and cultural

wealth, or the loss of windows on the mind. There is already the agony of losing or

declining of language for at least 2,000 years, but there could be no cases regarding the

degeneration of a living language that leads to becoming deteriorated. Moreover, at

present times, Surigao del Sur, though having many tribal dialects, is amid anxiety since

these dialects are feared to become extinct. Their varied and bountiful literature relies

on the oral transmission from one generation to another and their dialects are spoken

by their ancestors who have a distinct multi-faceted, ancient culture that is reflected and

presented through oral literature (Sequihod, Quiñonez, Secarro & Pera, 2016).

However, changes in language as well as in culture will be manifested as time

goes by. Since change is the only thing that does not change, language and culture are

not an exemption including those of the Teduray. An article written by Treuer (2008)

points out that practicing some kind of assimilation to other cultures will cause one's

own culture to cease becoming such and turn into an ethnicity instead. Language is also

affected in these changes since one of its characteristics is that it is always changing

(Encouragement, 2009). Also, communication difficulties will emerge if the intelligibility

of the two speakers of different speech varieties is insufficient therefore speaking

different languages and having a hard time understanding each other. It is only when
people, even though speaking different linguistic features, understand each other

sufficiently and converse with ease that can speak dialects of the same language

(Quijano & Eustaquio 2009).

Lastly, language and culture are essential parts of knowing one's tribe. Culture is

more concerned with the social meanings and how we make sense of the world and this

is fulfilled through the use of signs which are the language. For us to understand a

certain culture, there is a need to understand first how meaning is generated. On the

other hand, language is constitutive of the meanings and knowledge, thus, giving

meaning to different objects as well as social practices (Barker, 2008).

The above literature gives a significant review of the important attributes related

to understanding the Tboli oral tradition that focuses on chants.

Chapter III

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

In conducting this study, the researcher will utilize a qualitative research design

using ethnographic approach. This design begins with the use of theoretical frameworks

that inform the study of the research problem ascribe to a social or human problem. In

this design, the researcher will use an ethnographic approach to inquiry, collection of

data in a natural setting sensitive to the people and places understudy, and data
analysis that is both inductive and deductive and establishes patterns or theme,

Creswell and Poth (2018); and Creswell (2014).

According to Accad and Accad (2016), ethnography is a research strategy or

approach commonly used by sociologist, anthropologist and biological scientists who

explore the lives of people in a society or community. In other words, this approach

requires a deep investigation and understanding of the culture, traditions and practices

of tribal groups like that of the Tboli tribe. Also, ethnography entails the interpretation of

languages, writings, songs, poems, symbolisms and other expressions.

Additionally, according to Maxwell (2012), qualitative research design intends to

help the researcher understand (1) the meanings and perceptions of the people you

study. Thus, it involves two ways of viewing the world from their perspectives or point of

view instead of your own; (2) how their physical, social, and cultural context is being

shaped by their perspectives; and (3) the certain processes involved in keeping or

modifying these phenomena and relationships. Further, it is involved in the study of the

events that are happening in the present rather than those that happened in the past. It

also involves the collection of extensive narrative data (nonnumerical data) on various

variables in a naturalistic setting over an extended period (Garcia, 2011).

Moreover, Ormston, Spencer, Barnard, and Snape (2014) asserted that

qualitative research design is a very broad umbrella that includes a wide range of

approaches and methods that can be found in the various research disciplines. It is a

"do-it-yourself" rather than an "off-the-shelf process which does not start from a

predetermined point or proceed through a fixed sequence of steps, instead it involves

interconnection and interaction among the different design components (Maxwell,

2012).

Specifically, this study will use qualitative content analyses described by Moretti

et al. (2011) as a method used to classify written or oral materials into particular

categories of the same meanings. It was first used as an analytic technique at the

beginning of the 20th century to analyze textual materials from hymns, newspaper and

magazine articles, political speeches, advertisements, and folktales and riddles (Elo &

Kyngas, 2008).

Also, Schreier (2012) asserted that content analysis is "a method for

systematically describing the meaning of qualitative material" p.1. Moreover, one of the

unique characteristics of qualitative content analysis is the flexibility of utilizing inductive

or deductive approaches or a combination of the two approaches in the analysis of the

data. Another is that content analysis can extract manifest and latent content meaning

(Cho & Lee, 2014). Content analysis is a method that is used in analyzing qualitative

data as emphasized by Graneheim, Lindgren, and Lundman (2017).

Additionally, Drisko and Maschi (2015) mentioned that qualitative content

analysis is a relatively recent approach that originates in German scholarship. This

content analysis does not only limit the tangible documents that are used in the analysis

of data. It can also be used to identify and document the attitudes, perspectives, and

interests of individuals, small groups, or large and diverse cultural groups.

That is why, it is considered as a family of research techniques that makes

systematic, credible, or valid and replicable inferences from texts and other forms of
communication. A researcher who uses this kind of approach in analyzing qualitative

data aims to "systematically describe the meaning of the materials that the researcher

had specified out from the research question (Schreier, 2012, p.3). Qualitative content

analysis can also be referred to as documentary analysis. "Its purpose is to explain the

status of the phenomenon at a particular time, to give additional knowledge and

information, to explain certain events and occurrences not yet very clear to the readers,

or to relate the content of the material to some other fields of discipline" (Ariola, 2006,

p.68).

In this study, the researcher will interview the elders and retrieve some written

literatures to have a better investigation and analysis of the texts of Tboli chants.

Research Participants

The target participants of this research are the elder people of T’boli in Lake

Sebu. The researchers will communicate to the leader of the community through NCIP

focal person, chieftains and Indigenous People Mandatory Representative (IPMR) and

seek help in identifying potential respondents including key informants for the study in

the community. Key Informants are the knowledgeable persons who are considered as

authorities pertaining to the history and culture of the community. An interview with the

tribal chieftain and elderly will be done to record some of their oral traditions which can

be heard and recited in their local communities during celebrations. Senior Citizens at

least 60 years of age and above are the main respondents of interview.
 Moreover, there is a need to select gatekeepers and enumerators that will

facilitate the research study in the community. It is a protocol that when a researcher

arrive in the place or locality where he/she intends to do a research or ‘fieldwork’,

he/she will speak with some people occupying positions of leadership and/or influence

in the local community, which led to introductions at various levels to have access to

informants.

Instrument

The study will use the Spradley Participant observation (Photographic, Direct

and Participant Observation), Ethnographic interview (Whitehead, 2005) and Cultural

Mapping. The researcher will develop a questionnaire for the interview of the people

and Semi-Structures questionnaire for FGD of T’boli community. There will be an

individual interview, observation and focus group discussion and video coverage of the

important indigenous mathematical and scientific knowledge which are still practiced by

them in their locality.

Moreover, the researcher will do descriptive observation, in which one observes

anything and everything, assuming that he/she knows nothing, focused observation,

emphasizes observation supported by interviews, in which the participants' insights

guide the researcher's decisions about what to observe; selective observation, in which

the researcher focuses on different types of activities to help delineate the differences in

those activities (Angrosino & de Perez, 2000).

Data Collection

This study will gather the necessary data through different ways. First, is the

conduct of interviews to gather information about Tboli chants. Also, the data can be

taken in form of verbal, print, or electronic and can also be from narrative responses,

open-ended survey questions, interviews, focus groups, observations, or print media

such as articles, books, or manuals (Kondracki & Wellman, 2002). Furthermore,

Gippert, Himmelmann, and Mosel (2006) said that some languages today that are still

spoken are threatened by extinction and it is quite hard to gather data for this minority

language like Tboli.

Data Analysis

This research study will be using an ethnographic description to attain an in-

depth understanding of the oral tradition, particularly, chants of the Tboli people in the

community. The analysis of this study will involve four phases, namely: (1) The

researcher will collect, document, and describe the data taken from the informants; (2)

The researcher will transcribe the data gathered through interview; (3) The researcher

will identify the significant details and categorize descriptors and components. Repeated

descriptions will be noted for patterns of meanings and worldviews; and (4) Major

themes will be identified, compared to the etic views and descriptions of the said

views/values.

After gathering the data following all the correct procedures, content analysis will

follow. The researcher will employ content analysis as a tool in analyzing the data
based on steps. These are the following: analyzing the data from the Tboli version

based on its English and Filipino versions, identifying the morphology and syntax of the

Tboli language features through the given literature, describing and interpreting the data

to answer the research questions, and drawing implications from there.

In the analysis, the word will be labeled with language features. Different

highlighter pens were used to identify the different language features and structures.

When the labeling was done, I will use matrices to categorize and to arrange the

linguistic features of the Tboli language so that I would be guided to understand and

analyze the meanings of these chants. I will use the example of Andersen and Poole

(2001) by using a matrix that includes significant statements.

Trustworthiness of the Study

Trustworthiness has served to be a vital concept as it enables researchers to

provide the true value of a certain study that can maintain its high credibility and

objectivity. In a qualitative study, trustworthiness is presented by using terms like

transferability, dependability, conformability, and credibility of the study (Elo, et al.,

2014).

To establish credibility, this study will ensure that the data on chants of Tboli

language will be validated by experts. It deals with the issue of "how we ensure rigor in

the research process and how we communicate to others what we have done so"

(Gasson, 2004). Hence, ensure credibility also means to obtain data that is valid (Smith

& Mc Gannon, 2018).

 For the conformability of the study, it stresses the issue 'that findings should

represent, as far as is (humanly) possible the situation being researched than the

beliefs or mere theories" (Gasson, 2004). As the researcher, she will ensure that the

procedures will be taken will generate objective data. Hence, it should be proper that

the data that will be gathered will be translated by genuine translators. Furthermore,

triangulation will be done by collecting information via web searching and by consulting

an expert in the native language of Tboli.

As to dependability, the core issue underscores "how the study is conducted

should be consistent across time, researchers, analysis techniques (Gasson, 2004). To

address the dependability of the study, the researcher will secure the availability of

backup copies of this study and its accessibility for reference of other researchers in the

future.

Lastly, transferability refers to the extent to which the reader can generalize the

findings of the study to her or his context and addresses the core issue on “ how far a

researcher may make claims for a general application of the study” Gasson, 2004. To

address transferability, I will see to it that the findings of this study will serve as a useful

source of information to everybody.

Role of the Researcher

My role as a researcher will be the data collector, encoder, analyst, and

interpreter. In this research, the researcher will ask permission from the National

Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP) for the issuance of Free and Prior Informed

Consent (FPIC) or Certification Precondition as my gate pass to Lake Sebu, South

Cotabato. After obtaining the certification, the researcher may now have the immersion

to the target community to conduct interviews and focus group discussions with elders

and wisdom bearers. Here, the expertise of the translator in the Tboli Language will be

very important. Next, the researcher will analyze the translated morphosyntactic feature

of their chants (Tboli to English) and encoded the interpretation to the sentence

structure of the Tboli Language. Lastly, the researcher will look for a validator to validate

my analysis regarding the language.

Ethical Considerations

Ethics must serve as one of the important considerations of the researchers in a

certain study. Ethical considerations will be manifested in this study by ensuring that

individuals involved in the gathering of the data will remain confidential. The securing of

Prior Consent from the Tribal Chieftain in collaboration with government officials (NCIP)

who are protecting the welfare of the ICC and IPs is of top priority before the gathering

of data. Hence, informed consent is a requisite since this study will involve human

participants.

The researcher will only focus on the analysis of the Tboli chants as they connect

it with culture, tradition and life. In conducting this study, there is a need to secure the

NCIP Certification before anything else. If the NCIP cannot provide me the certification

since the elders of the community will not grant it, it will only indicate that the researcher

cannot proceed with my immersion in the target locale. With this, there is a shift of data

gathering technique that she will use to achieve the purpose of this research endeavor.
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Interview Guide and Observational Guide

1. Who recites/ teaches the Tboli chants?

2. Where does the inspiration of a person who does the chanting come from?

3. What is the proper way of chanting? Do you have a formal training?

4. Where do words that come out from the mouth of chanters come from?

5. Where do you usually recite the chant? In what particular occasion? and What is

it for?

6. How chants are made? Is it connected to your spiritual belief? Or is it based on

environmental spirits?

7. How does chanting connected to life views? Traditions? and values?

8. How is Tboli culture depicted in the chants?

9. What are the challenges encountered by the people in preserving their culture?

10. What are you ways to preserve your oral tradition?

 PICTURE

CURRICULUM VITAE
PERSONAL DATA

Name:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Home Address:
Email Address:
Father:
Mother:
Eligibility:

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

TERTIARY

SECONDARY

ELEMENTARY Cotabato City Pilot Elem. School

 Cotabato City

WORK EXPERIENCES

Present

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