It was a two-hour travel from the city of Davao and a two to
three-hour walk from the nearest barangay before we could reach Sitio Side 4 where
the community of Matigsalug tribe reside. They were greatly affected by the
typhoon Pablo that hit Mindanao last December 2012. At that time, tress fell
down, mountains eroded and houses turned upside-down that made their dreams
seemed dark as well. The elementary school which moulds the hope of the future
of the children was never excused; it was flown away and totally destroyed by
the horrible wind of Pablo.
Yet after 6 months of struggles, hard work and sacrifices
the hope that makes the future glitters for these poor children of Side 4 has
been rebuilt. Hence, 12 of us from the Redemptorists and 2 from BALSA Mindanao
(Bulig Alang sa Mindanao) started crossing the river, following the streams and
trekking an 80 degree mountain slope to meet and support the people of Side 4,
the tribe of Matigsalug. Indeed, the journey was seriously tiring and
exhausting yet as we reached the God-forsaken place, we were welcomed with
warmth, with grateful smiles and greetings of “Maayong Buntag” both from young
and old, men and women.
As soon as we were settled in the area, we had a meeting
with the tribal leaders particularly with Datu Dianggo, the Datu of internal
affairs. By afternoon, we had the inauguration of the new school building with
two classrooms made of good hard wood. The celebration was exquisite for we had
the primitive way of blessing the building aside from the Roman Catholic rite
of blessing. Most of the people were in their tribal dress in which the colour
red dominates. Four women and a man in a corner produced a distinct sound by
beating a log. A hen was sacrificed as well and its blood was used to bless the
classrooms by letting its blood drop around. Prayers were chanted and spirits
were called to bless and protect the people and the building which the children
will be using. However, it wasn’t yet the end. A boar was sacrificed through a
spear the pierced through the body of the boar. And so blood abundantly flowed
and the pain of cry of the boar echoed. And when the boar finally expired, the
people, both young and old, men and women began to dip their fingers into the
blood and made a mark into their palms or foreheads.
As the whole community gathered around the school plaza
where the National Colours waved as the wind blew and the new stage of the
school solidly built, speeches of leaders and representatives brought the
audience to be inspired and to find hope amidst these struggles. The children,
who seemed to prepare their presentations a month ago, gracefully shared their talents
in singing and dancing; and the richness and the beauty of their culture shines
all the more as we have come to know them better. Nevertheless, these singing
and dancing were not merely as to entertain the audience but to articulate
their dreams, to shout their struggles and to tell their own stories as people
who had been marginalized and deprived. Moreover, they have able to portray as
well how much blessing they have received through the people who showed care
and love for them. And this ignited all the more into the hearts of these
people the hope of the future as their school is being rebuilt once again. The
parents and their children and the whole community were brought into
consciousness that EDUCATION plays a vital role in realizing and owning what
they are dreaming of – to know and defend their rights as people (Filipinos),
to cultivate and preserve their culture, to have a better life without losing
their identity as Matigsalug people.
At supper, we feasted together the Lechon and all those
viands with their special upland rice. It was truly a feast for everybody. By early
morning, we had the ground-braking for another new school building that would
cater more students for a better and good academic environment. And it was
wonderful and amazing to see that everyone gathered again for this event not
just to witness the ceremony but also by committing themselves as people to
inspire and bring their children and the following generations into the
graciousness of education, “the threshold
of their dreams and hopes.”
Jomil
Baring, CSsR
June 25, 2013
