The Little Forager

The Little

Forager AN AGTA (PALANAN, ISABELA) STORY

GROUP 6 ANTHRO 113 B

The Little

Forager GROUP 6 Abril, Patricia Marie Cañas, Mark Anton Nicolai Dizon, Ma. Thea Isabela Natividad, Maria Angela Rulloda, Natasha Jane Tu m b a l i , J u l l i a n E l e i n a

The story line of this storybook is fully credited to the members of the group (Maria Angela Natividad and Natasha Jane Rulloda). The graphics used, however, are compilations of several artists’ work found on the internet and all copyright are credited to the rightful owners.

The graphics are compiled by Ma. Thea Isabela Dizon.

The storybook reading is voiced by Jullian Eleina Tumbali.

f o e l b a T

Contents Theme 1 ……………………………………………………………. Representation Theme 2 ………………………………………………………….. Foraging Society Theme 3 ………………………………………………………………. Food Sharing

Social Issue ……………………………………………………………. Stereotypes Social Issue ………………………………………………………….. Gender Roles Social Issue ………………………………………………………… Land Grabbing Social Issue …………………………………………………………… Urbanization

The sun beamed down as I made my way to the beach, my home nestled in the heart of Palanan, Isabela. Our people, a tapestry of culture and traditions passed down through generations, held onto our ways even as the world around us evolved.

On this particular day, a foreign man disrupted my routine. His appearance was unlike anyone I'd seen before, and curiosity danced in his eyes.

"Excuse me, child, may I ask if this is where the Agta people reside?"

The strange-looking man inquired. "Hello! I am Eya, an Agta. What do you want from us?" I responded cautiously.

The man introduced himself as Robert Fox, an anthropologist and archaeologist, which I do not have an idea of. He said that he is seeking to explore and understand our way of life. Reluctantly, I agreed to show him around.

As we walked together, Fox observed the bustling dynamics of our community. He was very surprised as he noted in his small notebook the active involvement of women in tasks typically associated with men. "Oh, I can see that everyone here is very busy with their tasks," Fox remarked.

I took the opportunity to enlighten him about our reality. The Agta people, women included, engaged in tasks essential for survival – fishing by the coast and hunting in the forest.

I emphasized that adhering to traditional gender norms was impractical in our pursuit of sustenance. "Those norms will not help us find our food." I asserted.

Our journey led us to a village celebration, where the joyous shouts of children filled the air. “Eya, we caught a lot of deers!

Tibaw will be amazing!” says one of the children excitedly.

I then told Fox about Tibaw, a time for joy and shared success. Explaining the significance to Fox, I felt a sense of pride in our communal spirit.

He was impressed at our resilience and the absence of gender roles within our community. I made it clear that our ancestral practices, despite challenges, remained a foundation of our identity.

Fox, genuinely intrigued, probed deeper into the challenges we faced. I also shared how people are taking our ancestral lands, forcing us to leave and find jobs in the lowlands, which is a departure from the life we'd known for generations.

Before parting ways, I shared my dream with Fox –– a dream of education that could empower me to stand on equal footing with the lowlanders. The hope was to reclaim our lands, safeguarding the heritage woven into its soil.

In the face of difficulties like losing our land, we, the Agta people in Palanan, Isabela, show resilience and a commitment to preserving our heritage. I hope others not only appreciate our cultural richness but also the protection of indigenous culture and traditions.

The Little

Forager AN AGTA (PALANAN, ISABELA) STORY

GROUP 6 ANTHRO 113 B