SIPA kicks

Last week the LRC (Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center) hosted a conference for the Indigenous People (IP's, also called Lumad) in Mindanao. It was a 3-day conference called "State of Indigenous Peoples Address" (IPRA and beyond) and the date was not chosen by accident. At the same day the conference started the president GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) gave her SONA (State of Nation Address) for the year 2008. The logic behind was: while GMA declares the situation of the nation and its future course of actions, the IP's can discuss their reactions to the SONA and develop a position paper of their own situation + further demands. The shortcut SIPA, coming from the initials of "State of Indigenous Peoples Address", means "kick" in Tagalog and is already an answer to the president's statement. 

For me, the SIPA was a very good opportunity to get in touch with the Lumads and to learn something about their problems (like land issues, mining or women's empowerment). During the workshops I could listen to first-hand experiences of current issues which are affecting them. And although EVERYTHING was in Bisaya (mixed with English and Tagalog) it was quite informative.

On the last day there was the solidarity march and the declaration of the SIPA in the Freedom Park (where the pics were taken). The Lumads showed their traditional dresses, dances and music which can be seen as something special because they prefer wearing jeans and t-shirt in everyday live, too!