Why I Let My Kids Skip School to Learn from the Ayta People (Part I)

I told my two boys,

“You’re not going to school today, because you’ll learn something far more important than academics.”

What I meant was cultural immersion, an experience you can’t just learn from textbooks or TikTok videos.

It’s something you feel, live, and breathe.

And unless you’re part of that culture, you can’t truly understand it.

A week ago kasi, I got invited by a good friend, Pinatubo Mountainero.

There was going to be an IP Day (Indigenous Peoples’ Day) celebration in Sapang Bato, Angeles City.

Angeles City Tourism Office is in full support, and I was told that the Ayta community would be running the whole event.

From the program to the performances.

Everything was about them and by them.

So I thought, hmmm… this is interesting.

So off we go to the mountains of Sapang Bato.

While driving, naisip ko na pagpraktisan ng “tour guide skills” ko (na currently ay zero ) yung dalawang boys ko, pati si misis.

So I tried my best to recall what IP Chairman Norman King shared the first time I met him. (By the way, Chairman King is the famous Ayta who graduated from UP Diliman.)

I said, “On our way to Sapang Bato, you’ll see three types of Filipino culture.

- The Clark area represents the upscale, with its hotels, leisure spots, and commercial areas.

- Once you pass Clark, you’ll notice that Sapang Bato shows the typical Filipino neighborhood, houses almost dikit-dikit, halos walang pagitan.

- And when we reach the Ayta’s ancestral domain, mapapansin nyo naman na sobrang magkakalayo ang mga bahay. Kaya pag sinabing ‘malapit lang,’ chances are, isang bundok pa ang tatawirin nyo!”

Chss

I said all these with confidence, pero hindi kasing articulate ni Chairman King siguro. 

Pagdating namin sa venue, ang dami nang tao!

I was told to go there at 12nn, so akala ko umpisa pa lang,

eh 5am pa lang pala, nag-start na!

So late lang ako ng konti

I told my kids, “Go run around! If you want to pick up some rocks and throw them at each other, go ahead.”

It’s one of those places where you can just be carefree and radiation-free, kasi hindi nila kailangan mag-cellphone.

I don’t know about you, pero every time I bring my kids closer to nature, may something na nagle-level down sa “Dad defenses” ko.

Ok lang magtatakbo.

Ok lang madapa.

Ok lang madumihan.

Ok lang maging curious.

In short, ok lang maging bata.

(Though I’m not sure if my wife feels the same way. )

While writing this my Eldest said, “ Daddy si Silas (my youngest) na curious sya kung ano ang lasa ng dahon. So kinagat nya yung dahon para malaman nya ang lasa”

Oh well, so ok lang din maging Kambing.

(to be continued)