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Preservation of Indigenous Culture of Bataan through an Ayta Magbukon School

of Living Tradition (SLT) Program

Article  in  IAMURE International Journal of Social Sciences · November 2013

DOI: 10.7718/ijss.v7i1.602

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 IAMURE International Journal of Social Sciences International Peer Reviewed Journal

Vol. 7 July 2013

Print ISSN 2244-1514 • Online ISSN 2244-1522 International Peer Reviewed Journal doi:
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Preservation of Indigenous Culture of Bataan through an Ayta

Magbukon School of Living Tradition (SLT) Program
NEIL D. DAVID
neildavi22@gmail.com
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5341-8505
Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU)
City of Balanga, Bataan, Philippines

ABSTRACT

The UNESCO declares that there are two approaches to preserve cultural heritage: one is to record it in tangible form
and conserve it in an archive; the other is to preserve it in a living form by ensuring its transmission to the next generations.
The establishment of SLT is in response to the second approach. This undertaking focuses on the transmission of
indigenous knowledge (IK) to the young. It aims to encourage culture specialists to continue with their own work and
train younger people to take place in the future. In order to preserve the Ayta Magbukon indigenous culture, the oral
literature, traditional skills that included traditional dances, songs, chanting, traditional cooking and traditional medicines
were documented using ethnographic approach as the method of collecting data and information. These data was
presented again to the cultural masters for validation using the triangulation approach. Results show the significance of
this data in the SLT Program in the transmission of the Ayta Magbukon indigenous culture to the young. The program
will achieve its goals of culture preservation and the continuation of their wisdom from generation to generation as long
as this kind of undertaking will have continuity even without outside intervention.
KEYWORDS

Social Science, culture preservation, living traditions, ethnography, descriptive design, Bataan, Philippines

INTRODUCTION

Efforts to preserve cultural heritage is based on the aspect of our past that we cherish and pass on to future generations.
The Value of that heritage which has been preserved is an essential part of cultural identity. A cultural identity is formed
and maintained in many ways. A great deal of all these were passed on orally through generations (Salang, 2008).
Fortunately, the world recognizes the importance of cultural heritage preservation as evidenced by the overwhelming
support of UN member countries when they ratified the international treaty called the Convention Concerning the
Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage adopted by UNESCO in 1972. The treaty seeks to encourage the
identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered being outstanding
values to humanity.

Xu, J., E. T. Ma, D. Tashi, Y. Fu, Z. Lu, and D. Melick (2005) examine how indigenous practices have helped maintain
cultural and biological diversity over centuries in China and how this knowledge help improve the effectiveness of China’s
conservation policies by increasing their flexibility and local relevance. They suggest that in the face of threats to local
cultures due to rapid expansion of free market economies and the global breakdown of cultural and trade barriers, the
need to document indigenous knowledge and practices is necessary. Most importantly, they opined the need to enhance
the capacity of indigenous people to strengthen evolving cultural traditions as well as improve their livelihoods and dignity
and conserve local biodiversity.

Dockery (2010) argues the need for a renewed focus on the wellbeing of Indigenous Australians, and for empirical
evidence on the link between culture and socio-economic wellbeing instead of ideological debate. Using data from
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey, Dockery found out that a strong attachment to traditional
culture increases outcomes across a range of socioeconomic indicators. This suggests Indigenous culture should be viewed
a potential part of the solution to Indigenous disadvantage in Australia, and not as part of the problem.

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Kim (2001) discussed the importance of the utilization of “Cross-Cultural Awareness Programme (CCAP)” for the
cultivation of global understanding and local cultural identity in Korea, with particular reference to Koje Island. According
to Kim, the program seeks to develop a culture of tolerance, mutual respect and peace because major reasons for lack of
peace amongst countries is a misunderstanding or rejection of the culture of the other. CCAP helps people to build a
culture of peace beyond cultural prejudice and misunderstanding. Kim further stated that through participating in the
CCAP, both students and teachers realized the common humanity of people living on the one and only earth, and that
human beings are the same rather than different.

Ossai (2010) examines the concept, features, sources and function of African Indigenous knowledge systems and its
relevance in the present digital age against the background of ICT technologies. She concluded that African Indigenous
knowledge system can be and is adaptable to other forms of knowledge in the current ICT age. Furthermore, Ossai pointed
out several studies about the increasing significance of knowledge and indigenous knowledge systems in sustainable
development in Africa and the developing world in general.

African indigenous knowledge is an important resource which must be preserved. There is a need for people in the
African countries to participate as both contributors and users of knowledge. Furthermore, there is also a need to learn
about indigenous knowledge from African countries. Indigenous knowledge is the basis for local-level decision making
in agriculture, health care, food security, education, natural resource management and a host of other activities in
communities (Chikonzo, 2006).

In the Philippines, the government has created a number of bodies concerned with the culture of its indigenous
peoples. The most distinguished of these is the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) that mediates
between government and minorities over issues such as human rights and authorising research. The impact of the NCIP
on issues that concern minorities, such as migration, land rights and environmental destruction is unclear, and its
procedures for authorising research appear to be vague, to say the least. However, the intersection of world bodies such
as UNESCO with the remit of the NCIP has caused it to consider that it must ‘protect’ minorities from exploitative
research (Blench and Campos, 2010).

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) that was created in 1992 (Blench and Campos, 2010) by
the Philippine government is another notable organization that was mandated to oversee five vital cultural agencies;
namely, the National Historical Institute, the National Museum, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the National
Library and the National Archives. The NCAA covers all types of artistic endeavour from modern classical composition
to village arts and crafts, as well as the funding of a museum but its focus has been the support to School of Living
Tradition scheme.

The SLT, which covers all indigenous people of the Philippines and is concerned with tangible and intangible cultural
heritage licenses groups for funding. This then supports individuals or cultural masters considered embodying a tradition
to teach it to a licensed group through the school system, so that it can be transmitted to students (Blench and Campos,
2010). The SLT for the Ayta Magbukon was granted on two occasions, one in 2007 and the other was on 2011. It
concerned the preservation and promotion of the indigenous culture/knowledge of Bataan.

Indigenous peoples (IP) and the cultural attributes that define them have survived with great resilience in the face of
tremendous adversity suffered through centuries, despite the designs of both early colonizers and more recent liberal
assimilationists. They have survived as they have striven to maintain the cultural integrity that makes them different while
adapting, often ingeniously, to the changing conditions around them. What we see are peoples who are determined to be
part of this world as viable communities – indeed, as self-determining peoples – and not to be relegated to histories of
conquest or pre-modernity, or to be among the objects of tourists’ voyeurism (Anaya, 2004).

Although there are several groups of Ayta found in the Philippines and each group has its own name, language and
ways of life. They are known as Ayta, Ita, Aeta, Ata, Batak, Baluga, Dumagat, Ati, Itum, Mamanwa and Remontado
(Jocano, 1998; Villamor, 1989 as cited by De Castro, Aldovino and Garcia, 2012), this paper would specifically focus on
the Ayta Magbukon, one of the two sub-groups of indigenous people in the Province of Bataan, Philippines.

The Ayta Magbukon, indigenous people located in 11 towns and 1 city in Bataan, Philippines is vulnerable to extinction
because of too much assimilation. However, they are not simply giving up their distinctiveness as they still call on the
younger generation to revive and conserve their unique ways of living. Nevertheless, their continuous integration to non-
Ayta community will eventually obliterate their culture and traditions.

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The history of Ayta Magbukon reflects their semi-nomadic way of life that involves moving from one place to another
in between temporary settlements. They look for and choose a tranquil place where they can build huts, plant some
vegetables and fruit trees around dansuhan (an area in the forest where they temporarily build their hut), and gather food
from the forest. Today though, the author observed that there already emerged a different kind of Ayta Magbukon.
Although some of their cultural heritage has remained an integral part of their daily life, most of the lifestyle and aspirations
have drastically changed. Others may still be as short, dark, and kinky-haired as ever, but they hardly resemble the original
Aytas. The Aytas of Bataan now long for what the Unats (low landers) have, and strive to be more like them. This kind of
acculturation may have consequences that the Ayta Magbukon may not realize for themselves. Moreover, if this continues,
their culture and tradition may ultimately gobble up by the dominant modern culture of the Unats.

At present, lots of custom and traditions are no longer set into practice. One of this is the “Lango-lango” or the Ayta
Magbukon wedding rites. They no longer wear the customary bahag because it becomes a symbol of lewdness, illiteracy,
and paucity. Seldom will you hear them sung their Aytas song, but very often, you will observe them singing using the
videoke. They seldom speak their native dialect, which is very alarming because lots of custom and traditions including
rituals are set into practice by the elders using their native tongue.

The Ayta Magbukon are resilient people and have a chance to revive lost pride and restore much of the loss. The
author personally feels an obligation to do something about it. He decided to initiate a project with funding from the
National Commission for Culture and the Arts that has opportunities for the Ayta Magbukon to participate in cultural
enrichment rather than simply watch it slip away.

FRAMEWORK

The right of indigenous peoples to maintain the integrity of their culture is a simple matter of equality, of being free
from historical and ongoing practices that have treated indigenous cultures as inferior to the dominant cultures. The right
to equality and its mirror norm of non-discrimination is at the core of the contemporary international human rights regime
(Anaya, 2004). Additionally, the United Nations Draft Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples further stated that
IP’s have the right to revitalize, use, develop and transmit to future generations their indigenous knowledge and to
designate and retain their own names for communities, places and persons (Cantoni, 2007).

Indigenous Peoples make up one third of the world´s poor, and their territories overlap with all the biodiverse regions
of the world (Alcorn, 2010). Indigenous communities seek and achieve empowerment and self-determination through the
preservation, protection and revitalization of their traditional cultures, which have been eroded by colonization, western
culture and more recently by globalization. Using multimedia technologies, indigenous groups have been able to record
and preserve significant aspects of their cultures including languages, ceremonies, dances, songs, stories, symbols, design,
artwork, tools, costumes, historical photographs, film, videos and audio tapes. Documentation of indigenous knowledge
has become an extremely important tool to ensure the survival and self-sustainability of indigenous tribes and cultures,
and to support claims of original ownership (Hunter, 2002).

For a small tribe like the Ayta Magbukon of Bataan, preservation of its indigenous cultural heritage is critical to its
survival. In addition to safeguarding a sense of identity, their living traditions is a source of human values and beliefs that
are of endless relevance and critical for their sustainable development.

Half a century ago, cultural heritage was widely considered consisting mainly of monuments and movable objects.
Nowadays, however, it is increasingly seen as consisting of both tangible and intangible elements. In our time, the
transmission of this heritage from generation to generation is seriously threatened by industrialization, urbanization,
migration, armed conflicts, environmental deterioration, consequences of mass tourism and other factors leading to
cultural uniformity (Matsuura, 2005).

In the Philippines, after the UNESCO focused on Intangible Cultural Heritage, more systematic attention on
preserving intangible cultural heritage of the country was done by the government, especially after one of its nominations,
the Ifugao epic, the Hudhud was among the first proclaimed as a “Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of
Humanity” in 2001. At the behest of the UNESCO, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts created an
Intangible Heritage Committee (NCCA/IHC) in October 2001(Peralta, 2007).

The importance of intangible cultural heritage is not the cultural manifestation itself but rather the wealth of knowledge
and skills that are transmitted through it from one generation to the next. The social and economic value of this
transmission of knowledge is relevant for minority groups and for mainstream social groups within a State, and is as
important for developing States as for developed ones. For many cultures and for minority and indigenous populations in

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particular, intangible cultural heritage is an essential source of identity. Their views of the world, philosophy, values, ethics,
attitudes and ways of thinking are conveyed through language, oral traditions and other cultural expressions specific to
them (UNESCO, 2011).

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

Indigenous traditional knowledge is the totality of all knowledge and practices established on experiences and
observation that is held and used by people (Masango, 2010). Indigenous knowledge, which has generally been passed
from generation to generation by word of mouth, is in danger of being lost unless it is formally documented and preserved.

Indigenous knowledge is an important resource that contributes to social and economic needs, community
sustainability and sustainable development (Broadhead & Howard, 2011 as cited by Tabuti & Van Damme, 2012). IK
holders use it to exploit, manage and conserve their environments.

According to Warren (1992) as cited by Ngulube (2002), the future of IK that reflects many generations of experience
and problem solving by thousands of indigenous people across the globe is uncertain. Ngulube further discussed that the
loss of IK will impoverish society because just as the world needs genetic diversity of species, it needs diversity of
knowledge systems. It is evident that if IK is not recorded and preserved, it will be lost and remain inaccessible to other
indigenous systems as well as to development workers. Ngulube believes that development projects cannot offer
sustainable solutions to local problems without integrating local knowledge.

The program focused on the preservation of indigenous culture of Bataan through the transmission of indigenous
skills, knowledge and techniques to the young Ayta Magbukon. It aimed to inspire Magbukon cultural masters to continue
with their own work, develop and train younger Ayta Magbukon for the sustainability of their culture and traditions.
Castellano (2000) as cited by Wane (2013) argues that there are three broad aspects of Indigenous knowledge, and one of
them is that indigenous knowledge’s are intergenerational and are passed on by community elders or cultural masters.

The students of SLT are expected to be skilled and knowledgeable on the culture and traditions of the Ayta Magbukon
and be the next bearer of their indigenous knowledge. A sense of pride should be entrenched to them and be able to
maintain that feeling and share it to the Magbukon community. They should be able to kindle the interest of the whole
Magbukon community in giving importance to the preservation of their cultural heritage. Lastly, the SLT expected to draw
up support for the preservation and promotion of the Magbukon culture.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Since the program concerns the indigenous people and methods of research used was observation and participation,
unstructured interview and triangulation (Bryman, 2013), the author observed carefully the importance of research ethics
in the duration of the program.

Guidelines for Research Ethics in the Social Sciences, Law and the Humanities (2006) recognized that while research
can help promote the value of human life, it could also threaten it. Researchers must show respect for human dignity in
their choice of topic, in relation to their research subjects, and in reporting research results. This implies that research
processes must be held to certain standards. Individuals need to be able to influence what happens to them in important
areas of their lives. Being subject to observation and interpretation by others can be experienced as degrading so due
caution is required.

The author has a responsibility to prevent research subjects from being submitted to harm or other suffering. Research
subjects are to be given all the information they require to gain a reasonable understanding of the field of research in
question, of the consequences of participating in the research project, and of the purpose of the research. Subjects shall
also be informed about who is funding the research. In addition, as a rule, research projects that include individuals can
be initiated only after securing participants’ free and informed consent. The informants have the right to withdraw from
participation at any time, without this entailing any negative consequences for them (Guidelines for Research Ethics in
the Social Sciences, Law and the Humanities, 2006).

In order to preserve the Ayta Magbukon indigenous culture, the oral literature, traditional skills, which include
traditional dance, songs, and chants, traditional cooking and traditional healing using herbal medicines were documented
using ethnographic approach, a method of collecting the necessary data and information. Before the presentation of the
indigenous skills and traditions to the Ayta Magbukon students of the SLT, the data collected were presented again to
different participants for validation using the triangulation approach.

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Before introducing the actual training and workshops, the project coordinator/ author together with the cultural
masters and the secretary general for the Northern Communities, Ms. Rosalie Joy Reyes finalized the selection of SLT
students. The selection was a slow process since the original students from the preparatory phase are not available. Majority
of them are not in the area, some are now working, and a couple of them got married. The list of students had been change
three times before we arrived at the final list, as some of the parents were not that cooperative in the program.

The selection of the cultural masters’ was based on the recommendation of the elders of the community. The
cooperation of these masters and elders is a big factor in cultural preservation. It is a fact that without someone to transfer
the indigenous skill and knowledge, any cultural preservation program would not be successful.

A meeting was set to discuss the content of the program. All the participants were required to attend as well as their
parents so they will better understand the meaning and importance of the program. The project coordinator together with
the cultural masters with the supervision of Ms. Rosalle Joy Reyes (NCCA representative) carefully explained the SLT
program.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The materials and datas regarding the Magbukon cultural heritage researched by the author helped the students to have
a synopsis of their culture, traditions, way of life, their dialect, and beliefs. Legends and folktales were also examined and
some examples of their riddles and songs were analyzed. All materials used are now in monograph form. Topics discussed
are the following: Magbukon legends and folktales, Magbukon dialect, rituals, beliefs, traditions, riddles, socio-economic
and political system.

Initially, the cultural masters and elders taught the students their traditional cooking using their indigenous food plants
(IFP) such as Bilukaw, Ubod, Takipan, Malauban and Limuran. These IFP’s are found only in the mountains so the importance
of preserving it is indispensable.Besides, this IFP’s helps in mitigating climate change. The researcher properly documented
recipes and procedure of Nilurok, Butakal, Imbu-o, Agik-ik and Patugong to name a few. The survey and documentation
conducted by BPSU researchers, Forester Romualdo de Guzman and Dr. Arturo Alegado regarding Ayta’s indigenous
food plants and their traditional cooking helped in the presentation of this topic.

The acceptability of Ayta’s indigenous food plants as alternative food source, another paper of the author was
presented to the SLT students. This paper won fourth place in international research conference on food security in
Surabaya, Indonesia on June 27-28, 2011. It also won first place in the BPSU 2011 in-house research review. It was
presented again in CLARRDEC in ASCOT Aurora, ISSAS in Clark Pampanga, and REDTI in Davao City all in 2011.

Further more, the Cultural master and elders taught the SLT students to identify and use medicinal plants that are
available in the surroundings. Although there is already an established health center in their community, knowing and
learning to use such plants are still indispensable not only because it is part of their traditional way of life but because it is
useful during emergency cases. According to the cultural masters, if modern medicines are not available, they can turn to
their traditional medicines. More often than not, they were cured.

Five songs were taught to the students (Alikapun na Indu, Panaun ng Hapun, Ha Pugar Owng Dalita, Paki-uhap, and
Panaynup). These are songs written in the Magbukon language but the melody were borrowed from some English and
Tagalog songs. Esmeraldo Malunic added three of his original compositions (Bagtahan, Ha Kabangon owng Abagat, and Sa
Kabukilan) and the Caragay brothers added one composition entitled ”Ayta ha Bataan’’. The students memorized the songs
in preparation for their performance in the graduation program of the project. It is worthy to note that these songs were
used in the airing of the ‘’Sa Kabukilan’’ radio program. So far, Esmeraldo Malunic notified the author that he has two
more songs of his own composition.

The cultural masters also taught chanting. Chanting is the original traditional song of the Magbukon for ritual purposes
and for expression of one’s emotion. Traditionally, chanting is really the Magbukon traditional song just like any other
indigenous people around the world. However, the students have difficulty following the instructions of the cultural
masters on chanting because they have not yet experienced deep emotions as their elders have had.

The cultural master demonstrated Banghi and Palaye playing during the preparatory phase of the SLT. Nevertheless,
the students had difficulty learning so it was undertaken and learned fully on the first phase of the program. Unfortunately,
the cultural master from Bangkal died before the phase one commenced and the author found no one to teach the
Magbukon traditional instrument.

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The cultural masters taught seven traditional dances of the Ayta Magbukon (Hayaw Bakulaw, Hayaw Pandyadyawo, Hayaw
Yaham, Hayaw Ligaw-an, Hayaw Pagbabakal, Hayaw Panilan, and Hayaw Talipi). These traditional dances are very simple with
no spectacular movement and costume unlike the traditional dances of the Tagalog, Ilokano, Kapampangan, and other
major groups. Nevertheless, they proudly say that they owned these dances without any influences from other cultures or
from foreigners who settled in the Philippines. These dances show their way of life in the village, in the river, in the
mountains and their relations in the environment. The SLT students learned and mastered the seven dances and
highlighted these during the closing program and public performances of the project.

The SLT students performed during the Abucay day celebration on June 11, 2012. Their Barangay Captain, Kapitan
Romeo Golisan, headed the group together with the barangay council and a number of elders. The cultural masters were
also present in the celebration. The honorable Mayor Ana Santiago gladly and generously appreciated them.

On June 25, 2012, the SLT students did another performance at Bangkal Abucay Catholic church with student-visitors
of Mayor Santiago from Manila as the main audience. Again, the spectators were amazed that a tribe like this still exist and
doing something for the preservation of their culture.

The closing program of the SLT was held on July 23, 2012 at the Farmers Training Center in BPSU Abucay, Bataan.
The activity was the culmination of the program and intended for students to highlight what they have learned from the
cultural masters.

The SLT program is still on its first phase but the BPSU family now is more aware of the Magbukon existence and
appreciative to the Magbukon students’ talents and skills. They have learned to appreciate the Magbukon existence.
Discrimination in the university no longer exists because even the faculties now are subtle in dealings with the Ayta because
they do understand now the life and sufferings of this indigenous people.

Self-esteem and self-confident of the SLT students was observed on their performances. They promised to continue
their trainings in indigenous and traditional knowledge even if this program and outside aid are no longer available.

The SLT students are very thankful and grateful to the Program Coordinator/ Author, to Mrs. Rebecca C. Reyes and
to the Cultural Masters/elders on the realization of this activity. Many of them do not know about the IK that the Cultural
Masters have transferred to them until they were taught. In addition, they fully understand now that they will be the next
in line to be the bearers of these skills and knowledge and at the same time, the means to transfer this learning to the next
Ayta Magbukon generation so the culture will live forever.

The program coordinator/author have talked to the different personalities in Bangkal about the SLT program and
explained to them its advantage. All of them agreed undoubtedly that this kind of program helps a lot in preserving their
culture. Definitely, this ensures the preservation of their cultural heritage. Among those people are Romeo Gulisan, the
Barangay Captain who also belongs to the Ayta Magbukon, Pastor Rogelio Malunic, Esmeraldo Malunic, Angelito Aquile
who work in the NCIP, the elders, and especially the Ayta Magbukon Chieftain of Bangkal, Mrs. Rosita Sison. They are
very enthusiastic in offering their assistance for the successful implementation of the program

CONCLUSIONS

This program will surely achieve its underlying goals – arts and culture appreciation and preservation; awareness of
human existence and their unique identities; and continuation of wisdom from generation to generation because of the
continuous cooperation of the Ayta Magbukon community and the support of the government agencies in the endeavors
of the researcher.

The author has discovered that the Ayta Magbukon has abounding culture, so rare and distinctive and has considerable
magnitude in the saga of the Filipino people. Their songs imply their daily quest for the meaning of life and love; their
dances show their struggles and victories and; their literatures reveal their identities and ethnicity. They have many cultures
and arts like the majority groups but theirs convey simplicity and uncomplicated lifestyle and these what makes them
unique.

The author found out the true exquisiteness of the Ayta Magbukon as he acquired personal interaction with them.
They are the epitome of true Filipino, manifesting endurance and serenity, and ingenuousness and authenticity. Their
simplicity is not idiocy as might have been the regard of some but this simplicity speaks of virtue. They live in the true
spirit of family solidarity and Filipino unity as seen in their indivisibility with their kith and kin.

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The move to preserve the cultural heritage of each culture especially that of the minorities instill the hearts and minds
of the Ayta Magbukon to realize, understand and appreciate their uniqueness as human beings. As this program gains
acceptance and credence from both simple and the prudent, the education and wisdom encompassed in the culture under
study will have an explicit possibility of incessant transfer to the younger age group and contemporaries, thus, an extensive
and positive reception of the culture and its people as a whole.

The author believed that the Ayta Magbukon community would cherish and revere their identity and make them proud
and satisfied human being.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Because of the Ayta Magbukon acculturation, it is deem necessary that this kind of activity shall be one of the main
concerns of the government and other organizations. Let us face the fact that without outside intervention to finance such
project and the academe to supervise it, this tribe would not bring about the revival and appreciation of their culture. They
have their own concerns and main affairs (like doing chores and finding food) and sad to say, conservation of their ethnicity
is not on their priority. We should know and understand their shortcoming and this should not bring us to repulsion.
Outside help is indeed indispensable so that the mores and customs of the lowland and other group will not destroy their
ethnicity and tradition.

After the training and workshops, we should be able to provide them an avenue to highlight the skills and talents that
the Cultural Masters have transferred to them. In this way too, they could overcome their shyness, a trait so innate of the
Ayta Magbukon. In the case of Bataan Peninsula State University, the author with the approval of the University President,
Dr. Delfin O. Magpantay, included their participation in the BPSU’s many programs highlighting their culture and
traditions in front of students, faculty and our foreign visitors. Likewise, if we really care, we should let these people take
pride of their ethnicity by including them on any affairs that will feature them as wonderful people with matchless skills
and talents.

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