OF COLORS, OF CURLS.

To determine one’s story, it is imperative to note and consider a fundamental truth of living, ways are
either difficult or steady. Most stand to what is easy, simple and indifferent. In a dynamic landscape of
workplaces, problems do not only limit to issues of incompetence and retardation, into the abysmal point,
we see the underlying challenge of the society: that there stands an appalling truth of chauvinism, a more
sensical enigma to our indigenous people.
Late afternoons don’t seem special, save the one when Bae Minda sat on the ergonomic chair placed at
the long table where company discussions mostly happen. Steady and smiling, a hue hoofed with the light
when the door opened- a good sight of something substantial.
People see her mostly facing others, discussing things benefiting the line of the company’s goal,
immersing herself with the attendees during IECs, or, on most cases just casually smiling to strangers in
the company. Her evident features are rare, unlike others, hers are more emphasized. “It’s Luzminda
Jubasan Caga, I am a proud Mamanwa of Surigao” she stated while pushing her thumb to press her pen
down, clarifying her name during the interview. “Next day’s a year’s next month. It’s for the Global
Women’s Month Celebration po.” I told her. She grinned, a simple gesture, a good reply.
I knew I saw her somewhere on the internet, giving a powerful deliberation. “That was during the First
International Symposium, I lectured on the problems affecting the lives of the Mamanwa. It was my first
international take as a lecturer” While speaking, I realized that the number of experiences she had is
unfathomable. “I’m already 55, turning 56 this year in May” she added and paused, “I have had enough
experiences of social survivals” and with this, heedlessly, the room’s atmosphere changed.
I let her talk. No questions, just listening to what she can impart.
“We as indigenous people aren’t as privileged as most individuals. I was born and grew up in areas where
even if we owned the land, discrimination towards us is still prevalent. I am not saying that those were
terrible years. I understood and learned. I came to realize the hard truth of being a member of indigenous
group, added the course of my gender in workplaces. It is harder.” Bae Minda paused. She went on telling
the timeline of her education. “I finished my elementary years barely grasping that we are indeed bullying
targets. I stepped into my secondary years as a working student, still, a bullying victim. With that, I made
sure that my curls won’t define my future.”- this statement of Bae Minda caught me. “Why? What’s with
the curls?” I asked. She replied, “Let me have it this way. Due to discrimination, my peers tend to exit
schooling and just settle to having families or go out to work. My way of consoling them was to say,
“ayaw ug undang, mas mayo gani ka kay tul-id imong buhok, unya mas itom pa jud ko nimo” . And
there it dawned to me the ferocity of their struggle as IP members. “For three decades, I worked as a
volunteer, educator, Indigenous Political Structure secretary, resource speaker for IPEd training, Cultural
Thesis Consultant; I became a teacher to my locality and to my fellow people. I love what I do. It’ s
different when you’re that committed to working with a heated passion. Unlike other teachers in my place
before, I’d tarry to go to IP students’ homes just to persuade them to go to school. I want them to know
the significance of education” Bae Minda emphasized.
“For some, equity and equality may be a long enduring social prejudice especially in workspaces but
imagine the extent for IP women like us who constantly face discrimination because of our curls and
colors” she smiled, too unmovable yet wearily feeling the inevitable commiseration. “I just can’t believe
that a company like PCGI cares so much to people like us, to men and women alike. Project Caraga made
a wider path for me to make a bigger impact for me to illuminate my cause. Project Caraga never doubted
me and never clouded my ability just because I am a woman and a Mamanwa” she added.
“I guess I did not just finish my education, on some point, I made a pivotal cause to my fellow ICC/IPS.
To see them motivated to finish their education and proud to wear their features are enough for me.
Seeing them interested to the cause of my work and the goal of the Project Caraga is already a testament
to prove that gender and ethnicity are just identities, not a category of human approach” Bae Minda
concluded.
She left patting my shoulders goodbye.
Hers is a story with a fundamental truth that life can be difficult, complicated yet beautiful. A woman’s
beauty is not really determined by how society used to define it as: plain physique. A woman touches and
influences, more than identity, it is her that speaks to echo that her value is beyond her colors and her
curls.