Introduction

The Philippines is composed of 7,107 islands and islets spanning 1,854 kilometers from

north to south and stretches from China in the north to the Indonesian archipelago in the south

(Molintas, 2016). It is an archipelago endowed with rich history and diverse cultures with an

estimated 17 million Indigenous Peoples (IPs) belonging to 110 ethnolinguistic groups in 2010.

These indigenous peoples’ communities are residing in different parts of the country, about 61%

of whom are in Mindanao, 33% in Luzon, and 6% in the Visayas (Ty, 2010).

The Ati is one of several indigenous populations in the Philippines. They are dark-

complexioned, small-framed, short in stature, often frizzy haired people and scattered in small

communities, mostly in upland areas, in different locations around the archipelago. The Ati is

acknowledged as the indigenous people of Panay Island, which is made up of four provinces,

Aklan and Capiz to the north, Antique to the west, and Iloilo on the southeast (Baruah, 2000).

These indigenous peoples’ communities comprise a diverse collection of unique individuals,

shared with a distinct language and culture. Historically, Atis withdrew to the hinterlands in the

face of colonization or they stood their ground successfully and have maintained a close link to

their ancestral past (Tindowen, 2016).

Today, Philippines is witnessing unevenness in the undergoing fundamental change and

progress of humankind both in time and through space. The truth of this is readily apparent

among the Ati community in Sitio Panggurayan, Mostro, Anilao, Iloilo through facing change

and influence in their indigenous lifestyle. The Ati Community, being inculcated nowadays in the

mainstream of society, derive their income from broom making. They plant root crops and raise

livestock. The other economic sources include farming, livestock breeding, hunting, charcoal

making, handicraft making, and herbal medicine gathering. Nevertheless, being located in

mountainous areas and the road to the get there is rough and rocky. There is no regular

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transportation. Majority of them either hike or ride on motorcycles that are limited in the place

in order for them to reach their destinations. Until now, obtaining a faster transportation to

gather resources and be part of a wider society remains an issue because of the geographical

location of the Ati community.

The Atis are also considered as nomadic due to their itinerant search for livelihood. The

stories exemplify the dilemmas encountered and experiences of the Atis, revolve in their way of

life reconcile with the lack of access to basic social services, education, sustainable livelihood,

farm-to-market roads, and health services contribute to their continuing poverty and hardships,

strengthened mainly by the environmental background and lifestyle factors that all individuals in

the community are exposed to. They always reflect in the choices they make, experiences

expressed as well as longstanding actions to maintain a connection to their environment and to

obtain the livelihood that they needed. And these may lead to risks in maintaining their own

cultures, traditions and language and thus, their identity.

The idea of societal change is that it usually entails the improvement in the community.

It can be an improvement in facilities, governance, or the environment. However, change may

also be harmful to some. It may also mean the deterioration of facilities, governance, or the

environment. In this paper, the researchers claim that change over time has had a negative

impact on the way the members of the Ati Community in Sitio Panggurayan, Mostro, Anilao,

Iloilo in terms of their daily routines, the environment around them, and their language. Before

the change, life in their place was already difficult. In connection to that, it became more difficult

for their community when they had to face change without knowing the consequences. These

negative changes are found primarily on the community’s interaction with the environment,

population, and on the usage of their language. Each change is dependent on each other. This

means that one may cause the other and establishes a connection.

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LIFE DEMANDS CHANGE

The population of the Ati Community was relatively small before compared to the

current population according to the elders. The former population would then comprise of only

the members of the Ati Community. However, with the change of time, more and more people

settled in their community and the population increased and became more diverse. With that, a

social adjustment had to finished in order to cope with the changing situations. These situations

included the distribution of natural resources and the arrival of sophisticated materials and

traditions. Although members of the Ati Community saw the situations’ potentials, the opposite

of it would happen. First, the Atis had to make sure that they would obtain their share of the

natural resources. Unlike before that the resources were exclusive to them, now they had to

share it while making sure they would have sustenance. This was difficult for them for it was

already difficult to obtain food from nature and it became much more difficult when settlers

arrived. Second, they had to cope with what the newcomers had brought to their place. These

included electricity, water storage systems, sophisticated technology such as computers, cellular

phones, televisions, and even new traditions. The Atis eventually adapted to it, but only to some

according to the elders. Not everyone in their community had the means to install these new

technologies for these required financial capabilities which most of them lacked. In the case of

traditions such as fiestas, they were not able to adapt to it that well and instead chose to not take

part. On their side, the changing situations manifested negative effects to the since they had to

exert effort in enculturating new cultures which eventually rebounded and did not work.

THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

With the arrival of settlers to the Ati Community’s place as mentioned in the previous

paragraph, certain environmental alterations were to happen. Nomadic in nature, the Atis have

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adopted a semi-sedentary lifestyle. Similar to the situation of the Atis of Boracay Island, long

before the Philippines was colonized, they were the original inhabitants. However, over a period

of time and especially during the last 50 years, they have been slowly displaced by the

proliferation of more and more resorts, restaurants, hotels and shopping centers. After the

deforestation and the destruction of their original environment, they abandoned their established

way of life. Furthermore, they were influenced by the lowland settlers for their survival to stay in

one place; Sitio Panggurayan, Mostro, Anilao, Iloilo. Houses are built out of wood and cement.

The roads leading to their place are rough and steep. During the rainy season, the road going to

their locality is muddy. Their only means of transportation is through a motorcycle. Utilizing

four-wheeled vehicles proved to be difficult in entering the locality. Many of them continued to

live a nomadic lifestyle and subsist through planting root crops, cutting trees for charcoal, and

gathering herbs that can be used as medicines and sell them. Others planted a variety of crops

such as rice, coconut, and other root crops. The Atis have been using herbal medicine since the

time they were pure nomadic hunters and gatherers. Overtime, their herbal medicine practices

have also taken the form of talismans and amulets which aid in the protection from different

spirits. Some engage in handicraft products such as brooms. They also raised livestock animals

such as pigs, ducks, chickens and domesticated animals like cats and dogs. Overall, the

environment of Sitio Panggurayan proved to be reminiscent of that to an agricultural society

where most of the means for sustenance were through raising livestock and agriculture.

ANG ARBITRARYONG AND DINAMIKONG WIKA

Ang Paglitaw ng Salungat na Kapangyarihan ng Pagtuto ng Iba’t Ibang Wika ng mga Atis sa
Pagsalin-salin nila sa Iba’t ibang Komunidad
Ang Inati ay ang unang wika ng mga taga Sitio Panggurayan, Mostro, Anilao, Iloilo kung

saan ito ay sinasalita ng mabilis. Bagamat, ang paghalo ng mga salita at tono sa wikang Kinaray-a

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at Hiligaynon ay naging susi para makagawa sila ng mga tugtog sa kanilang bayan. At ang

pagkakatulad ng Kinaray-a sa wikang Inati ay pareho silang mabilis binibigkas. Subalit, hindi alam

ng mga namumuhay doon kung saan nagmula ang wikang Inati. Sa kasamaang palad, ang mga

kabataan doon, mas gugustuhin nila magsalita ng Hiligaynon, Kinaray-ay o Aklanon kaysa Inati.

Unti-unti na ito hindi nagagamit ng henerasyon ngayon at may malaking posibilidad na ito’y

mamamatay at papalitan ng panibagong wika.

Ang wikang Inati ay kabilang sa Austronesian language ng Panay. Batay kay Pennoyer

(1987) at Reid (2013), ang Inati ay itinuring na hiwalay na lenggwahe sa mga ibang wika ng

Pilipinas dahil mayroon itong kakaibang katangian na hindi makikita sa Central Philippine

Languages. Ang tono at diin ng Inati ang dalawang katangian na nangingibabaw sa iba.

Sitio Panggurayan, Mostro, Anilao, Iloilo, isang halimbawa ng isang multilingguwal na

komunidad na binubuo ng etnolitikong grupo ng mga Ati na may iba’t ibang kinagisnang

diyalekto at lengguwahe. Dahil dito, namana ng mga ninuno ang kinagisnang dayalekto kagaya ng

mga sumusunod: Inati, Ilocano, Cebuano, Kapampangan, Kiniray-a, Pangasinese, Waray at

Hiligaynon na ginamit bilang sandata ng edukasyon upang maipalaganap ang wika sa mga

kabataan at kani-kanilang paraan ng komunikasyon sa isa’t isa, sa bagay, ito ang nagiging layunin

ng ating bansa na huwag natin patayin ang sariling kinagisnang wika at kung paano natin ito

gamitin ay nakakaapekto sa kaligtasan ng mga dayalekto at lengguahe. Ipinagmalaki ito ng bawat

tao sa komunidad sapagkat tinuturuan nila ang mga kabataan sa kanilang pamamaraan ng

pagsulat ng Inati at sa proseso na ginagamit kung saan may dalawang taong nagsasalita ng isang

wika (halimbawa: Inati) at mismo ang mga estyudante ay sumusulat ng napakinggang salita na

gusto nilang malaman ang kanilang kahulugan sa manunuro. Ayon sa aming pananaliksik, itong

proseso rin ang mas lalong ginagamit sa mga komunidad ng Ati sa Barotac Viejo na mas lalo

maitaguyod ng ating mga kababayan sa Anilao.

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 Sa kabilang panig, paano ito magiging masamang epekto ng may maraming wika at

dayalekto sa isang komunidad? Unang-una, naiimpluwensya ng lipunan at kultura ang tono at

baybayin sa paraan ng pagsalita. Dahil dito, habang nabubuhay ang wika, umiiba ang paggamit

nito at mas lalo dumadami ang iba’t ibang etnolitikong dayalekto na nakalimutan natin bigyang

pansin ang ibang wika. Isa sa mga pagkakaiba nito ay ang Kiniray-a ng Passi at ang Kiniray-a ng

Anilao kung saan mas mabilis ang pagkabaybay ng salita. At ikalawa, ang kaugnayan ng mga tao

sa lungsod sa kanilang komunidad, may kakulangan ng komunikasyon ang magiging epekto kung

tayong mga Ilonggo na nakikigamit ng wikang Hiligaynon sa pakikipagsalamuha ng kani-kanilang

dayalekto. Kahit sa wikang Hiligaynon lamang ang wikang magkaparehas sa dalawang panig pero

limitadong kaalaman at pagkaunawa ang ating makukuha sa mga tao roon na Hiligaynon ang

wikang hindi pa nila natutunan o hindi pa sapat ang kanilang kaalaman nito. Halimbawa, sa

aming pakikipaginteraksyon sa mga kabataan sa Sitio Panggurayan kung saan may

“communication barrier” o kakulangan ng komunikasyon ang nangyari sapagkat ayon sa mga

magulang, Inate ang pinakapangunahing dayalekto ng komunidad at ang ibang dayalekto kagaya

ng Hiligaynon ay isa sa mga proseso ng kanilang pagtuturo. Para mapanatili nila ang kanilang

lenggwahe kailangan nila itong gamitin araw-araw sa pamaraan ng pagbigkas ng tamang tono at

diin ng bawat salita at paggamit ng wastong gramatiko sa pagsusulat at pagsasalita. At maaari rin

nila itong mapanatili sa pamaraan ng pagtuturo ng mga bata sa kanilang bayan upang masanay

silang magsalita ng kanilang unang wika hanggang sa paglaki at para na rin mapasa nila ito sa mga

susunod na henerasyon.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the researchers infer that change in the different aspects of the lives of the

members of the Ati Community gave negative repercussions in line with the changes in the

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interaction of the Atis with immigrants in food distribution, technologies, and tradition, the way

that their language has changed, and their interaction with the environment given the

urbanization of their community.

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References:

"Ati Language" folders on Revolvy.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.revolvy.com/page/Ati-language

Baruah, K. (2000). A Forgotten People: The Ati Community of Aklan. Retrieved from:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/29792465?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

Did you know Ati (Philippines) is threatened? (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/3864

Maentz, J. (2016, April 24). Moving Forward: The Ati & Tumandok People of Panay Island.
Retrieved from: http://www.jacobimages.com/2016/01/the-ati-tumandok-people-
of-panay-island

Molintas, Jose Mencio. (2015). The Philippine Indigenous Peoples’ Struggle for Land and
Life: Challenging Legal Texts [PDF File]. Retrieved from:
http://arizonajournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Molintas.pdf

Reyes-Quintos M. R., Santos, R. L., Tantoco, M. L., Roldan R., & Fellizar, K., … (2015).
Otoscopic and Audiologic Findings in an Ati Community in Boracay [PDF File]. Retrieved
from https://journal.pso-hns.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/PJOHNS-P19.pdf

Tindowen, D. J. (2016). The Economic Life of the Aetas of Northern Philippines [PDF File].
Retrieved from http://jhss-khazar.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/11/son.7.Phillippines._1_1.pdf

Ty, R. (2010). Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines: Continuing Struggle. Retrieved from:
https://www.hurights.or.jp/archives/focus/section2/2010/12/indigenous-peoples-
in-the-philippines-continuing-struggle.html

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