NCIP launches coffee table book set on IP communities
COTABATO CITY, Philippines — The government has published three books on cultures, history and ancestral domains of indigenous communities that stakeholders also want made available in digital formats.
Dubbed “Project Epanaw,” the publication of the Pagkilala, Paggalang and Pagtaguyod books, launched simultaneously in Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas and in Mindanao last Sunday, was an initiative of the central office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.
The three books feature profiles of each IP community in the country, their different festivals and traditional rites and centuries-old means of livelihood, and their ancestral homelands, respectively.
Leaders of indigenous communities, among them Romeo Saliga of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, or BTA, and North Cotabato Gov. Nancy Catamco separately told reporters Tuesday they appreciate the NCIP’s three-volume book project published to educate Filipinos and tourists from abroad on the country's cultural diversity.
"We can use these books as reference for our information campaign on the cultural norms and traditions of indigenous peoples in the province and those in other regions," Catamco, a member of the Uvu-Manuvo community, said.
Catamco, the first ever governor of North Cotabato from an IP community, said they are optimistic the NCIP can also produce digital copies of the three coffee table books.
"More Filipinos can read these books if obtainable via the internet. Meantime, we give the NCIP our proud salute for this book project," Catamco said.
The launching in Mindanao of the three books was held at the SM Mall in Lanang, Davao City.
The event, attended by IP leaders from different southern regions, was capped off with the opening of a photo exhibit depicting indigenous communities.
NCIP chair Allen Capuyan was quoted in an earlier Facebook post related to the book project as saying that their Project Epanaw highlights the importance of protecting IP ancestral lands.
"The history of the original inhabitants of islands from Aparri down to Southern Mindanao is fading out. Most of the so-called `millenials’ are unaware of that history. These three books can help us a lot," Saliga, representing the Tedurays in the 80-member BTA, said.
The BTA is the interim parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
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