Text: Joice M. Florentino
| Members of the Sulod Tribe wearing their traditional costume.
|
Indigenous Peoples (IP’s) in the Philippines belong to different ethnic groups and reside in different parts of the country. They are mainly concentrated in Northern Luzon (Cordillera Administrative Region) and Mindanao, with some groups in the Visayas area.
The Panay Bukidnon is one of only two indigenous communities in the Visayas, the other being the Iraynun-Bukidnon also known as the ‘Tumandok or Suludnon.’
The Sulod is a fascinating tribe in the interior mountains of Capiz, particularly in the municipality of Tapaz. They are indigenous people generally referred to in Panay as ‘bukidnon.’ They are descendants of the Mundo tribe, an Indonesian ethnic group that migrated from Mainland Asia and lived in the mountains of Panay for centuries.
Due to the derogatory connotation of the word ‘mundo,’ their tribe came to be known as the ‘bukidnons,’ then eventually as the ‘sulod,’ which literally means "closet" or “room.” They have a unique set of traditions and way of living.
They speak a dialect that is a combination of Kiniray-a, which is characterized by many archaic expressions, and Hiligaynon in which most of the Sulod are monolingual.
Their attire is ordinary reminiscent of the lowland Bisayans. On momentous occasions, the women headdresses are decorated with narrow strips of cloth lined by silver coins and glass-beaded necklaces intertwined with silver coins. Young men, on the other hand, wear sport trousers and shirts, and the elders opt for g-strings; their headwear consists of an ordinary buri hat, made from the buri palm (the most stately and largest of the Philippine palms).
A unique cultural practice among the Sulod people is the keeping of ‘binukot,’ where beautiful women were being kept in closed rooms. They are forbidden to expose themselves to sunlight and just stay in the darkness from their childhood until the day of their engagement. Binukot women are excellent epic chanters. Their chants can last more than thirty hours. It is in this tribe that the famous epic of Panay called "Hinilawod" also came from. It is an oral folklore portraying the Sulod people as well as their sacred rites and healing rituals. It takes up to three days to share its entire story. In the olden days, the binukot women chant and dance under the moonlight to guarantee a plentiful harvest.
According to Chabelita Artuz, a member of an Indigenous Peoples (IP’s) from Tapaz, Capiz, she is very grateful and happy how their ancestors are able to preserve and protect their territory. Even though their ancestors were not able to finish school, they are still being taught and trained by their elders physically and mentally.
Moreover, she is proud to be part of Panayanon Bukidnon because they have unique beliefs and culture which are rare to find in others. Not just that, their elders also teach them how to manage and preserve their lands from thieves.
"To show love and support to all Indigenous Peoples (IP’s), we must show respect to any beliefs and practices just like how they respect ours. In today's world, actions speak louder than voice. It's cliché but very vital to know that whatever your beliefs are, you should appreciate and be proud of them because 'Kultura mo, bugal mo'," Artuz emphasized.
Photo Credit: Bill Gange at https://www.haliya.co/stories/2017/6/23/panay-bukidnon-culture
Source: Ethnic Groups Philippines