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Kidapawan City, Cotabato — In a significant effort to preserve the indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage of the Bagobo-Tagabawa community in Makilala, the University of Southern Mindanao Extension Services Office (USM-ESO), along with the Inter-Cultural Organizations’ Network for Solidarity and Peace (ICON-SP), successfully conducted a Language Documentation activity on March 27, 2026, at the ICON-SP Office in Balindog, Kidapawan City.
The activity forms part of Component 2: “Preserving Local Literatures through Big Books” under the extension project “Shaping a Sustainable Future: Exploring Local Resources to Fostering Community Sustainability through Literacy and Education.” This initiative serves as a direct response to the urgency of safeguarding the Bagobo-Tagabawa language, which faces challenges due to declining usage among younger generations and the absence of a standardized orthography.
Facilitated by Project Leader Ellen Joy M. Farala, alongside Component Leader Glyn B. Gabano-Magbanua and ICON-SP Executive Director Jocelyn Aquiatan, the activity gathered 22 Bagobo-Tagabawa cultural masters from barangays Batasan, Malasila, and Caritas, IP-Kasunayan Village in San Vicente.
The sessions featured workshops focused on the accurate documentation of oral traditions and narratives, ethical considerations in cultural recording, and community-based approaches to preservation. Component Leader Magbanua highlighted the importance of intergenerational knowledge transfer, encouraging a collaborative community effort to ensure the language remains a living legacy rather than a forgotten record.
“Kaysa paghirapan nating i-document ‘yung language ‘pag patay na siya, panatilihin natin siyang buhay para hindi po siya mamatay. Pagtutulungan natin ito hanggang sa magkaroon tayo ng final document na maiiwan sa next generation,” she said.
In response, participants expressed their deep appreciation for the opportunity to contribute to the preservation of their linguistic roots.
“Nagpasalamat ko sa Ginoo kay gigamit gyud ko niya diri, daghang nakatun-an na dugang encouragement para sa sumusunod na mga generations para sa pag-preserve sa among culture,” shared participant Prima Garino.
As the project team concludes the workshop under Component 2, a specialized suite of literacy materials is set for production, aimed at safeguarding the rich cultural heritage of the Bagobo-Tagabawa communities in Makilala. This initiative acts as a vital bridge between ancestral wisdom and formal education, ensuring that indigenous knowledge systems and practices are not only meticulously documented but are also woven into the educational fabric for future generations.
The activity marks a crucial step toward developing a structured documentation of the Bagobo-Tagabawa language, laying the groundwork for future initiatives such as orthography development, educational materials production, and digital archiving. Through this initiative, the University reaffirms its commitment to inclusive development, empowering indigenous communities to take ownership of their cultural narrative while fostering a sustainable future through the power of literacy and education.
