By ACE ALEGRE
Bulatlat.com
LAGAWE, Ifugao – An apology not only to Cordillerans but to all indigenous peoples of the world is being demanded by three Igorots (Cordillera natives) who experienced discrimination for wearing a native Igorot “wanes” (g-string) at former US president Bill Clinton’s forum in Manila, Nov. 10.
“We went there to participate and learn, and not to be labeled as terrorists or suspects,” Dr. Vladimir Cayabas, administrator and Board of Director of the Baguio-based National Institute for Information Technology (NIIT) said still fuming mad about the unfortunate incident.
Cayabas, a native Cordilleran from Mountain Province was with two other students of the NIIT- Moshe Dacneg, an Igorot from Taccong, Sagada town and Joneelyn Aparri. They were already inside the hall when a US Secret Service agent approached Dacneg who was wearing a g-string in authentic no-shirt bare chest and ordered him to “follow me”.
Sensing discrimination, Cayabas said he insisted to the American agent that there was no guideline regarding what to wear during the forum. “In fact, we were already allowed to go inside after security checks on our things at the entrance.” Apparently, the American agent fumed and started to point fingers at Cayabas and even warned,: “We don’t mind dragging you in a drastic way if you act differently”.
Standing their ground, Cayabas said, they never left the hall if only to prove that they were there without any malice but “to learn”. Then a Filipina usher came after the American agent and also said in Filipino: “Can we ask your companion to come out?”
The woman also apparently insisted that the young Igorot student wear a t-shirt. But Cayabas kept explaining to the usher, “It is taboo for us to use a shirt over a g-string.”
Cayabas reportedly insisted, “You are discriminating against us,” while reminding the usher that they too paid P2,000 ($45) each to attend the forum. Cayabas then demanded, “Show me a guideline that disallows such attire.”
The Igorots prevailed but not without another Filipino secret agent tailing them around until the end of the forum.
Apology
Though they would no longer file a case against such ill treatment, Cayabas said, the organizers must offer an apology to Cordillerans and all indigenous peoples of the world.
“We went there using our tribal gear to represent our region,” Cayabas said while citing the theme of former US president Bill Clinton’s forum, “Embracing Our Common Humanity”.
Cayabas said it was not only them who were personally discriminated against in the unfortunate incident, but the whole Cordillera people and all the indigenous peoples of the world.
“The United States secret service should be educated when in other countries,” said Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat in an overseas call from China. “Why? Does wearing g-string constitute a threat to Clinton?” the irked House Committee chairman on Cultural Communities said.
Baguilat said, “Then let us bar Yankees in coat and tie.”
In a statement, Katribu president Beverly Longid said the incident at the Manila Hotel only shows that indigenous peoples continue to experience discrimination due to their distinct identity and culture.
“For indigenous peoples, our traditional costumes are appropriate dresses. In fact, today, most of us wear our traditional clothes only for special and important occasions…We wear them with much pride and respect. It shows our distinct identity as indigenous peoples – peoples who practice sustainable and environmental development because for us ‘land is life.’ Our valiant history against colonization and continuing defense of our lands, livelihood, life and culture are living testimonies,” Longid explained.
“Such treatment from foreigners is humiliating and doubly insulting as it occurred in our country. If done for security reasons – does wearing a ‘wanes’ or ‘bahag’ and being barefoot threatening? Definitely not!” Longid said.
Lawyer Jose Molintas, an Ibaloi native from Benguet in the Cordillera and appointed United Nations Expert on Indigenous Peoples Mechanisms who just flew in from a meeting in the United States and Mexico Wednesday denounced the incident as “a very harrowing and continuing discrimination against IPs in the country and the whole world.”
Earlier this first quarter of the year, young Cordillera students clad in authentic mountain region attire invited by the tourism department to show dances of the Cordillera were disallowed from entering SM-Pampanga because of such “indecent attires”. Receiving a nationwide howl for the discrimination, SM officials apologized for the incident. (With reports from Bulatlat)
RELATED CONTENTActivists Blame Labor Export Policy amid BBC’s ‘Racist’ Skit
Solon seeks review of mining law
Filipinos join protests against NATO in Chicago, US (Photo by Brett Jelinek / Bulatlat.com)
Subscribe (RSS or Email) About Us Donate Contact Us Archive Advertise with Bulatlat
Video: Workers slam Aquino’s empty speech on Labor Day
Slideshow: Women slam Aquino’s inaction on price hikes
November 13th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
This incident is really disturbing and sad that its happening in our own country! why is this american secret agent and filipino usher fearful of an Igorot half bare cultural outfit? would this be “Plain Ignorance” Igorots of the World we should be proud of Educating our own people and the World! I Salute the KATRUBU Members for their resilience and maintaining their cool! We need “Bravehearts” like you (Vladimir Cayabas and members) in most occasions to bring the best intervention of Education and Reconciliation!
November 14th, 2010 at 9:09 pm
Those US secret agents are the same bloodline of the bluecoats who massacred the native American Indians in the name of “progress” and “civilization.”
November 17th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
It's about time Igorots and indigenous peoples wear their traditional attires more often. Worn with dignity and pride, the G-string (for boys and men) and the tapis or patadyong (for girls and women) not only promote the sense of belonging, but also displays the enduring appeal of traditional Filipino dresses.
November 18th, 2010 at 2:42 am
This is a wake up call for us igorots and all indigents to wear and be proud of our cultural costumes as our identity. I have seen some beauty pageant before and Japenese wore her kimona to identify her as Japanese but a Filipina wearing a gown which is design for western outfit.. My point here is we didnt promote our costumes and we lack educating other people that our our formal costumes in the cordillera is the wanes or tapis so others who are not educated with it judge it as strange attire, unknowingly it is our formal attire to identify us.
November 22nd, 2010 at 1:15 pm
the incident shows the attitude of uneducated aliens.in the first place what they(US agents)should recognize when entering a country is the culture of the natives. People get educated nowadays but IGOROTS like us retains our distinct identity which makes us DIFFERENT from ANY other tribe.they should be taught on how to appreciate intercultural differences, because igorots do have respect to what they are despite the fact that we are much different from the Americans in the sense that they lost the recognition of American natives.Come on IGOROTS, LET US RISE UP! Show the world that we also BELONG! i SALUTE you SIR CAYABAS and group!
December 24th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
What is more disgusting in the whole story is the expression and display of the filipina usher's own cultural ignorance and subordination. In the world of today educated people should be ashamed of not recognizing and respecting other nationals' identity particularly if they do not antagonize or is beinfg forced to be adapted by others.