Al Santos
Saan nagpunta ang mga Diwata?
Sa Sinaka--bundok na dakila
Ang huling hantungan
Ng mga inulilang Diwata--Song from
the musical ''Oya! Arakan''
DATU Salud Liatan was approaching the end of his ''earth'' life.
From his humble hut perched on a slope of Sitio Aguila, he
talked of the days when the forests blanketed the surface of
their kingdom and wild eagles hovered in the skies.
He remembered the nights when he would dream that he was an
eagle watching over his kingdom.
The Manobo chieftain died four years ago. On his final days, he
still pondered how sheer human effort could have caused the
vast expanse of immovable rain forests and water tributaries to
disappear. And how the majestic Aguila, after which his
kingdom was named, could have vanished from the skies.
He thought only his native gods could make this happen.
Sitio Aguila was the bird's favorite nesting place. As a kid, the
old chieftain used to count a dozen or two perched on trees as
he made his way uphill to play warrior games.
From the top of the hill, the young Salud saw endless waves of
green flowing as far as his eyes could see. This was the Arakan
wilderness, once upon a time, when the earth almost touched
boundaries with the sky.
Mountain desert
Today, the view at Arakan is closer to a mountain desert, the
soil is barren, water is scarce and the fabled Aguila is nowhere
to be found.
The loggers have also left and moved to greener
places--mountains without trees have no more use for these
modern-day ''gods.''
The birds have migrated to Mt. Sinaka, the sacred mountain
where Manobos conduct ancient rituals. Along with the
endangered eagles, the natives say, anitus or ancestral spirits
have sought refuge in the last frontier of Arakan Valley.
Environmental sanctuaries, real and symbolic, have emerged all
over Mindanao in recent years, striving to conserve the
remaining wilderness, protect its endangered creatures and
revitalize indigenous people's communities.
One such effort is a gathering of cultural workers and
indigenous peoples on July 17-23 in Koronadal, South
Cotabato, the land of the T'bolis.
Organized by the Asian Council for People's Culture-Theatre for
the Environment Network (ACPC-Tent), the training will bring
together cultural workers from indigenous Bagobo, T'boli, Aeta,
Dibabawon and Kalinga communities, as well as their lowland
counterparts.
Nature elements
The training focuses on utilizing traditions and indigenous
knowledge which foster oneness of people and environment
and reverence for nature elements as dwelling places of
ancestral spirits.
The ACPC-Tent network is premised on the belief that native
traditions and beliefs provide the keys to protecting and
conserving the environment.
In many remote villages and mountains of Mindanao,
environmentalists, cultural workers, journalists, teachers and
government officials are racing against time to save a tree, an
endangered eagle, a dying river, a vanishing tribal community.
It is hoped that one day, these distinct and separate efforts, like
ripples, will create waves that will reverse the tide of death and
destruction of indigenous communities and environment.
Last week, a wounded Philippine eagle was released back to its
mountain home, Sinaka.
Perched on a dead tree, awaiting her return, was the eagle's
mate. Perhaps it was the spirit of Datu Salud, the chieftain who
dreamed he would be an eagle one day.
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Al Santos, an adopted Mindanaoan, wrote and directed the
''Oya! Arakan'', ''Sa Bundok ng Apo'' and other musicals.
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