Cordillera and Canadian Aboriginals meet for friendship ceremony
Cordillera and Canadian Aboriginals meet for friendship ceremony
By Leah Evangelista Woolner
Last month, the Cordillera Peoples Support Group (CPSG) of Montréal and the Canadian Aboriginal’s of Wenawac community, came together for a friendship ceremony at the Wenawac leader’s home, near Rivière-Rouge, Québec. The historic encounter between the two indigenous groups was one of solidarity, as both communities discussed and shared about the respective situations of indigenous peoples in the Philippines and Canada.
“Unfortunately, there appears to be many similarities ” said Agnes Calgo, one of the co-founding members of the CPSG in Montreal. “The Cordillera has been displaced due to extensive mining and development projects on our homeland, just like many Canadian Aboriginal communities. It is important that people are aware of the impacts that are both environmental and social. The loss of our land is connected to the degradation of our traditional cultural practices too.”
As part of the ceremony, the Wenawac community had prepared to appoint adopted CPSG volunteer, Evelyn Mondonedo-Calugay, as an honorary ‘grandmother earth’ to acknowledge her status as an important elder, being the oldest in the group.
Wenawac members explained that having the title ‘grandmother earth,’ means holding a spiritual responsibility to your community and culture, one that is lasting until the title is passed on. Evelyn received a bear claw necklace, which is meant to symbolize the strength of this status.
Additionally, CPSG member Bridget Lacwasan, was appointed to be the assistant of Evelyn in her duties as ‘grandmother earth,’ to offer support and learn about being a community leader. For Bridget, the beginning of this journey will start with a trip back home to her native of Bontoc in the province near Baguio City.
As a demonstration of gratitude and mutual support, CPSG cultural leader and artist Jayson Palolan, created an original painting depicting the friendship ceremony, which was presented as a gift to the Aboriginal community.
Furthermore, a woven traditional skirt worn by indigenous women in the Bontoc region of Cordillera was presented to Wenawac community grandmother earth Claudette by Cleofe Leo who hails from the said region.
Other aspects of the ceremony festivities included a performance of the Takik dance by the Cordillera, as well as traditional drumming and singing by Wenawac community members. Overall, the meeting was considered a great success, with both groups stating that strong trust and solidarity between the two communities were established.
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