Kids’ Football Training: Venue for a Partnership, Dialogue and Teambuilding with B’laan Community at T’murok

Football coaches and Tri-youth volunteers braved more than 4 hours ride (in a dump truck) and hiking from General Santos City to a small B’laan village in T’murok, Malapatan, Sarangani Province last May 28-30, 2012 to bring the culture of peace through football.

PARTNERSHIP.

“I learned how to appreciate the simple comforts at home – having electricity, food to eat 3x a day, warmth of my blankets, etc.” “ I learned to cook and to be with a team”.  “I appreciate the simple joys of the children – in playing, conversing, receiving candies, etc.”  “I learned to appreciate nature… this is my first time to climb a mountain”.  “…  appreciated the B’laan dances and costume”. 

These were some feedbacks of the coaches and volunteers during the first  sharing session.  Fr. Angel highlighted the “partnership” experience – "there are no beneficiaries and benefactors here… we trained the kids in football, give them equipments, share  our food, give school supplies, bibles, rosaries; … but we also get something from them that can’t be bought – the learnings and life’s realizations... and that is the essence of partnership."

DIALOGUE.

The training gave way to cross cultural and faith dialogues.  The community and the visitors learned each other language, costume and dances.  From time to time, a tri-people prayers (Lumad, Muslim and Christians) were recited before and after the games, programs and meals.  Various activities experienced the interactions  across  ages – kids and adult.

TEAM BUILDING.

The group learned the teambuilding skills.  Each group experienced how to be a server – preparing the food, washing plates, feeding the children … making the members comfortable.  During trekking the groups were divided into three – the lead, the middle and the” sweeper”.

FOOT BALL TRAINING.

Boys and girls enjoyed the new experience they had with the football coaches.  They learned how to warm up/down and the basic of kicking and passing the ball.  In their last game, the kids won over the volunteers at the score of 4-0.  It was also noticed that both sexes were eager to play football and they were good kickers and runners.  The training lasted two days though.  The Gensan Sarangani Footbal Club headed by Coach Ralph Kintanar trained the kids and donated soccer balls for the community.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBING.

The group and the community had their first time to climb the Mt. Magulo or T’murok mountain.  Children led the climb.  It was almost a 70 degree ascend on a humus ground.  Climbers has to crawl up and slide down.  One side of the mountain owned by B’laan community is still a dense forest… the other side owned by “Bisayan” settlers were almost denuded and planted with cash crops such as cabbages, carrots, potatoes and corn.

 Many of the climbers had bruises during their slides and had an itchy experience while accidentally touching the “bulan bulan” leaves.  The B’laan kids offer a plant found in the forest to cure the itchiness.

AN EXPERIENCE TO BE CHERISHED.

Experienced a chilling cold of less than 20 degrees celsius.

Talking a quick bath in an ice-cold water.

Seeing the fog all day with the fireflies at night.

Learning to greet in B’laan language.

Instant joy with the kids during plays and eating.

Walking uphill and downhill for hours.

Cross cultural entertainments during the second night.

Both partners briefly bonded together in just three days.  Children were so excited everyday as they woke up in the morning and waited for their coaches to play soccer and to have fun with their “Ate’s and Kuya’s” in their various Child Friendly Activities (CFA) led by Princess Fernandez. 

On the last day, the children walked an extra kilometers to be with their "Ate’s and Kuya’s" .  They had an emotional bidding of goodbye’s in the a crossroad where the coaches, volunteers and the kids had to depart ways.  They  brought with them the experience… the genuine love…  as they heed toward home – T’murok and Gen. Santos City.

Photo Documentations at:  
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Socsargen-Peace-Network/300156283341516

Dr. Cagape's Team heed the call to help CDO flood victims

In a short time of sending SMS for generous friends and network of Dr. Cagape here in General Santos City, donations of various kinds - clothings, medicines, food arrived at DXCP compound. The group will join the delegates of LGU-Sarangani Province to Cagayan de Oro tomorrow until December 24. More than 4 volunteers mostly registered nurses will help the medical team in assisting the flood victims in the area that killed more than 300 people and 400 more are still missing.

“PANAGTAGPU”: B’laan Tribe Gathering at Brgy. SInawal

More than 80 B’laans of Barangay Sinawal come together, “Panagtagpu”, at Brgy. Hall of Sinawal on December 19, 2011 facilitated by SOCSARGEN Peace Network to re-establish their relationships and current situation as Indigenous Peoples .

The” Panagtagpu” was started with a light activity of origami peace dove paper folding. The facilitator, Fr. Angelo Buenavides, shared some insights on peace, cooperation and teamwork on every fold of the paper. The participants also shared the lesson learned in this activity:

o Ang lider kay mahigugmaon. Kung walay gugma, dili matarong ang paglead.

o Tan-awon ang salinsing. Tan-awon ang silingan.

o Dala sa lider ang tanan nga problema. Dapat ang lider ay may pag-unawa at pagmamahal. Pinapakinggan din ng lider ang sinasabi ng mga mamamayan sa kanyang komunidad at pag-aralan niya kung kapaki-pakinabang ba ang mga suhestiyon ng nito para sa ikabubuti ng komunidad.

o Ang tagak ay isang simbolo. It represents the leader as well as its followers. Kung dili muangay ang mga miyembro sa komunidad sa lider, dili ibig sabihin nga dili siya lider. Dapat i-encourage ang lider. I-apply sa kaugalingon ang simbolo sa tagak.

o Kung naa kay amo, dili magpagamit sa amo. Sundon dapat ang batas.

o Tulad ng tagak, may kahinaan din an glider kaya dapat i-encourage ang lider.

o Tagak: shows submission ug pagsunod

o Ang mga tagak, dili nagalupad nga sila-sila lang. Naa silay porma nga makatabang sa ila sa pagsalo sa hangin.

Second Activity is a “Gladiator’s Fight”. An activity that each right hand of the partner clasp with each other and that the objective is to touch the partner’ shoulder as many as they can. Many of them gave a strong resistance and thus hardly anybody touches each others’ shoulder. It could have been very easy for them to touch the partner’s should they gave in as the instruction is just to touch the partner’s shoulder as many as they can. After the activity, the participants learned the following:

o Pwede man nga magpulihanay ug gunit sa partner kay wala man giingon nga punggan.

o Reason behind: competition, wala nagapalamang

o Solution: Cooperation para gaan ang kinabuhi kay kung naay kompetisyon, kapoy

o COOPERATION over competition

o Dapat healthy lang nga competition

The third activity is “Breaking the World Record”. Participants were given instruction how will they arrange themselves – according to height, number of children, etc. They were given time to talked about their strategy and constantly asked if they can still lower the record… or break their current record.

o Dapat kaila nimo ang imong kauban. MAGKAISA

o Makinig sa instructions

o Teamwork

o Cooperation

o May tiwala sa isa’t isa

o Isang lahi at kultura kaya dapat magkaintindihan

o Teamwork bag-o magwaldas ug kwarta

o Ang lider ay hindi makasarili, dapat marunong lumingon sa kasama

o Take ideas from others

o Mag-usap tungkol sa strategy/ies

§ Habang nag-uusap nagkakaroon ng panibagong pamamaraan na nagpapadali sa paglutas ng problema

The fourth activity is the untangling of connected hands to form a circle. The group was not successful in untangling the hands and shared their lesson learned.

o Kung ang tanan nag-isturyahanay ug walay nagapaminaw maong naay gubot nga mahimong away.

o Kung tanan magreklamo ug walay maminaw, magkagubot ang tanan

o Sa gamay nga bagay, importante ang istoryahanay

Concerns were also verbalized and confirmed by the communities such as:

1. Distribution of land

o Nagaaway ang clans

o ISSUES: ancestral domain

o Conflict within the clan

o Ginaguba ang mga balay nga gipatindog biskan sa ancestors nila ang yuta

2. Boundary conflict between clans

o Ayuhon sa malinawon nga pamaagi

3. Animosity among IP clan leaders

4. Intrusion of businessmen sa ancestral domain

5. Proliferation of guns in the area

o Can be solved through helping each other; cooperation

6. NCIP office acting as middle person on land dealings

o Dili magpadala sa kasuko

7. EDUCATION

o Ingnan ang kabataan nga mutabang sa Sinawal kung mugraduate na sila

8. Intrusion of banana and pineapple plantation

o Ok lang man ang development pero dili masinati sa mga pobre/ mga tao sa area ang mga pagkaon kay para man kini sa mga dato.

The barangay councilor ended the activity by saying, “Ang mga dula nga gibuhat ganiha ay may mga kahulugan kag kabuluhan. Dili lamang basta basta nga dula, naa niy purpose. Dili pabay-an nga mawala ang kultura sa Blaan lalo na karon nga naexpose na ang mga kabataang Blaan sa ubang Kultura”

Another peace dove paper folding closed the activities before the lunch to remind them of their common desires. Looking at their peace doves, they might remember the lessons learned and challenges their tribe are facing and handling this issues and concerns in a peaceful way.

The community wanted to have another session of “Panagtagpu” this coming January 2012.

Community ate their shared lunch packed in banana leaves.

MINDA celebrated Christmas with the IPs in Sitio Pao-Pao

Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) celebrated their Christmas Party with more than 400 children and 150 families mostly of the Indigenous Peoples in SItio Paopao, Brgy. SInawal, General Santos City. Sec. Luwalhati Antonino personally met the IP families and their children in Sitio Paopao Elementary School, Brgy. Sinawal, General Santos City on December 16, 2011 .

In a brief message, MINDA staff told the community that in this simple activity, they wanted to share the spirit of Christmas and that they wanted to tell that there is an office for them and there is a government to look for their welfare.

THE ACTIVITIES:

The volunteers of SOCSARGEN Peace Network facilitated the initial activities like origami or paper peace dove folding for grade 4 to 6 and adult IP families while Grade 1 to Grade 3 were being entertained with various Child Friendly Activities while waiting for MINDA to arrived.

As soon as MINDA arrived, they facilitated various activities simultaneously.

The adults were engaged in a technology seminar called “Liter of Light” to light their houses conservatively.

Kids ages 4-12 were grouped for a “Book Reading” facilitated by Jay Rosas.

Vitamin A were distributed to kids ages 2-6.

The teens were given various games and activities in the covered court.

Packed gifts were given to more than 200 pupils and Chrstmas food packages for 150 indigenous people families of B’laan, T’boli and Manobo.

A community lunch were prepared called a “boodle fight”, military style of eating where long tables are prepared and food are on top of the banana leaves. Viands includes bihon, pancit, adobong manok, and aprita. Rice ready to eat using bare hands, jugs of water are prepared on the side to wash hands before the "eating engagement”.

EXPRESSIONS OF JOY AND GRATITUDE.

Zenaida Oyog, 54 years old, Manobo mother expressed her gratitude to MINDA saying ”Bong Salamat”.

She wanted to cook the bihon immediately and invite her relatives to join her even it was not yet a Christmas day.

The principal, Mr. Lou Bernandino, together his faculty,

barangay officials and tribal leaders were very grateful that his school was the venues of MINDA’a Christmas Party. He was also visited by DEPEd School Division Superintendent’s Estrella Lariosa.

The place was full of joy and surprises especially for the children as they received various toys and candies.

Indeed, “It’s Christmas Time in Paopao with MINDA” as they decorate their stage.