Pastor Ed Lapiz  Day by Day Ministries Cultural Redemption

You might be asking, “What’s so special about Mindanao? Hasn’t Mindanao always been closely associated with political unrests and terrorist attacks?” Well, media might have painted a terrible picture of the land, but to me, it has always been an idea of mystique and cultural fascination.

From the books that I’ve read and stories that I chose to hear, Mindanao is a land where God has many names spoken by many tongues. It is a land of diverse cultures: from the flamboyant Maranaos, to the gentle Sama Di Lauts, and from the nature-loving T’bolis to the river-bound Subanens. It is home to the Sultanate of Sulu, one of the oldest living kingdoms of South East Asia. That is why two years ago, I was ecstatic when I learned that I was chosen as one of KALOOB’s delegates to the Mindanao Christian Gathering of Indigenous Peoples in Davao City, a three-day event that gathered more than 30 indigenous groups.

Going to Mindanao was one thing, but to actually meet not just one but 30 groups face-to-face is like a cultural extravaganza! —not to mention the culinary smorgasbord of seafood which Davao is known for.

What I remember most about my first trip to Mindanao has a great deal to do with colors. I had spent three days making friends with fellow indigenous peoples. I felt an overwhelming respect for these people proudly clad in their traditional attire. The event was a visual festival, a myriad of colors, three of which I will share with you. First, there was black. One of my friends there was nanay Norita, a Tigwahanon Manobo (you see her in the picture). I was surprised when she first smiled at me and I saw that the color of her teeth was black. Later on I learned that it was a status symbol among married Manobo women to darken their teeth. Then there was white. A sense of transparency…of purity…enveloped me when one of the Lambangian women kissed and hugged me as we were saying goodbye.

And finally, red. As you see in the picture, my Manobo friends usually wear red. But something else had the same color, and it was a sight I will never forget. One evening, I had looked up at the sky, and there staring at me, one of the most amazingly beautiful sights I have ever seen. There, on a warm night in Mindanao, the sky was ablaze in a warmth of red! Til my next postcard…I wonder where?

By Joseph Michael T. Patricio

There are many things a man remembers in his life—memories that still draw vivid pictures and a kaleidoscope of colors whenever he goes back in time—his first toy; his first ride in an airplane; his first paycheck. In my four years with KALOOB, I have encountered many firsts, but one of the most special breakthroughs for me was my first trip to Mindanao, which I will recount in this “postcard” of sorts.

The author in a KALOOB-research mission in Davao in 2004, documenting Tigwahanon Manobo culture.

Pastor Ed Lapiz  Day by Day Ministries Cultural Redemption