As teacher of indigenous knowledge, Outstanding Women Leader (OWL) awardee for indigenous education Vicky Macay vowed to promote eco-friendly cultural practices and teach the ways of sustainable waste management to the younger generation, for the good of Baguio.
This was part of Macay’s inspirational message as guest of honor during the 9th Ecological Waste Management and Sustainability Fair on Sunday, March 16, at Malcolm Square. The occasion is part of women’s month celebration with the theme “Babae sa Lahat ng Sektor, Aangat ang Bukas sa Bagong Pilipinas.”
Circular economy, now a foremost ecological and environmental program of Baguio, has long been practiced by the Ibaloy settlers of Baguio, Macay said, though the terminologies to describe it are markedly different. Today’s circular economy has ten Rs: refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, repurpose, recycle, recover.
Recycling, to our predecessors, was practicality, Macay emphasized, as garbage was then minimized and converted into ornaments, decorations or reused, which is “one of the approved and encouraged ways of waste disposal today.”
The cultural practice of crop rotation to enhance soil fertility and biodiversity was passed on to us by our forefathers, Macay further said. Baguio fruits and vegetables were then organic, owing to the fact that compost from the previous cropping was used, without synthetic or chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
Nature is sacred, and respect for nature translates to environmentally responsible behavior; as it is believed that spirits abide in trees, plants, animals and the mountains as their home should not be abused or destroyed.
Plants are gifts to be used as sources of food, shelter and clothing, Macay averred.
Sacred areas as they are, nature should be unexploited for spiritual connection, Macay reiterated. In these places, beautiful, rare and diverse plants and some animals can be found, one can enjoy biodiversity at its finest, but unfortunately, these places are becoming very rare, Macay lamented.
As an indigenous elderly, Macay finds it comfortable that the Ibaloy word “Pansa-nopen,” which has an tripartite and very aptly meaning: to gather, conserve and renew, as applied to circular economy, with the gabi/taro/pising (Colocasia esculenta) as symbol.
Native to Baguio, the gabi is mapped as an intangible cultural heritage, with every plant part useful. The tuber is food, which may also be dried and used as flour, the stalks and leaves used as food, source of vitamins, dyes and a potential antioxidant. The leaves may be a make-do umbrella, an organic wrapper and are considered as an ornamental. The uncooked plant however has poisonous properties.
In her message, Macay also thanked Committee chair on Health and Sanitation, Ecology and Environmental Protection, Councilor Betty Lourdes for authoring an Ordinance on ensuring awareness on sustainable waste management and promotion of eco-friendly practices.
Macay, together with Judy Carino-Fangloy, Merci Dulawan, Maria Elena Regpala and Lucia Ruiz authored the book, “Indigenous Earth Wisdom,” a Documentary of the Cosmologies of the Indigenous Peoples of the Cordilleras.
The book won the Cardinal Sin Catholic Book award in 2016. Baguio City Public Information Office
