“We are the future bearers (of culture). It is important to pass on the indigenous and traditional knowledge that we have now.”
Aisah Czarriane Mariano, Network Administrator of the Asia Young Indigenous Peoples Network (AYIPN) shared the context embodying the establishment of the Dap-ayan Village, a center for indigenous intergenerational learning. Dap-ayan comes from the word dap-ay, a Kankanaey term referring to a traditional community center of Igorots in Mountain Province, Philippines composed of a cluster of households where elders come together to perform rituals and resolve conflicts and other issues in the community.
Several representatives from different indigenous peoples’ organizations and local community leaders attended the launching of the Dap-ayan Village on 18 June 2021 in Bengao, Baguio City, Philippines. Mariano highlighted the significance of providing intergenerational learning spaces to indigenous youth, gaining traditional knowledge and values from elders.
Julius Ceasar Daguitan, Secretary-General of AYIPN, detailed their plans to further develop the Village through continued resource mobilization, allowing them to construct the remaining two traditional huts to complete the representation of the six provinces in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines.
The Dap-ayan Village was built through the fund provided by the Indigenous Peoples Assistance Facility which was awarded to AYIPN. Tebtebba is the regional co-manager of the Facility in the Asia-Pacific region.