For the first time in the history of ASEAN, the different indigenous groups of member states will be representing their countries as sport ambassadors in the first ASEAN INDIGENOUS TRIBAL GAMES which will be held in Nunuk Ragang Ranau, Sabah, Malaysia. The two day meet is scheduled this coming 15th & 16th of September 2010.
The Tribal games highlight the merging in one event of the traditional skills, diverse culture and tradition and strong brotherhood of all participants. It is expected that the event will be colorful, unique and engagingly happy because the competition is more on the indigenous sport format.
The tribal athletes will show their wares in assault shooting competition while they’re up in the trees using their traditional hunting weapons like spear, blow dart and bow & arrow. Aside from this, medals are at stake in boat race, foot race and in traditional dance. The Mangyans of Mindoro province, the Dumagats of Sierra Madre/Quezon province and the Aetas of Pampanga province, all indigenous tribes will represent the Philippines.
Malaysia’s indigenous tribes are mostly come from Sarawak and Sabah and they speak different languages with different customs and traditions. I was able to meet some of the tribes when I was then a crew of a Singapore Flag Vessel. Tribesmen from Bidayu and Iban dominate Sarawak and they are friendly to foreigners like me who have had a good conversation with them. These two tribes are usually hired as terminal personnel or LPG depot workers. Sabah dominated by Kadazan tribe.
But just like in any other place there are indigenous tribes that don’t get much attention & care from their government and the Penan tribe of Malaysia is one of them. Majority of this tribe can only be seen in the mountain ranges of Sarawak and often suffers maltreatment & violence from loggers. Reports of rapes and murders against young women are prevalent. The Penan tribe received support, care & protection from Malaysia’s NGOs who always visit them in their mountain lair.
The Philippines is more than guilty of not improving the lot of its indigenous tribes and the millions of poor Filipinos because of the corrupt system of government and the anarchic social, political & judicial system that greatly affected the nation’s development.
And now that the Indigenous Tribal games is ready to start in its first meet, it is only proper for the ASEAN leaders to recognize the important contributions of the indigenous people in many aspect like in bio-diversity, environment and unique cultural identity.
