It is an affirmation that balance will soon be achieved. It is during the period of ubaya that one often hears the term kasiyanna meaning “all will be well”. Food, such as dried sweet potatoes, that have been preserved for the rainy period are brought out and portioned to last for the period of ubaya. In addition, the basic principle of ayyew, meaning to not waste anything from food to water is constantly practiced and enforced. Food is shared by those who have more with those who have less. The signs that a community is in ubaya is very simple – a knotted piece of branch/leaf is placed at the entrance of the community – yet a powerful deterrent.ĭuring extended community lockdowns, traditional community practices come into effect, such as the binnadang/ub-ubbo which can be loosely translated as exchange labor where community members look out for those in need and extend help. The ubaya/tengaw is not meant just to protect the community but also outsiders who might want to visit. Rituals to shut off the community from outsiders, including bad spirits, are performed by elders all directed at expelling whatever harm is in the community. The ubaya/tengaw is also declared in times of epidemics or other disasters. This is a time for the community and the earth to rest and typically lasts a day or two. Before or after the fields are ready for planting and harvesting, the community declares ubaya/tengaw which basically means everyone stays at home, no hard labor is to be done by anyone. In the Cordillera, Philippines such practice is regularly observed during the agricultural cycle. Such community closures are done for different reasons. These are all founded on one fundamental principle: to ensure that the community survives.Ī common response across Indigenous communities is that of closing-off the community to all – this means no one can enter the community until deemed safe. Through generations, Indigenous Peoples have established responses and coping mechanisms – grounded in traditional knowledge, customs and practices – to different circumstances affecting their communities. Indigenous Peoples are no strangers to disease and disaster.
All of these contribute to the further marginalization and greater risk Indigenous Peoples face, especially in times of crises. The impacts of the many exploitative projects in Indigenous territories, such as mining and mono-crop plantations are an added threat and challenge. Some of these realities are consequences of poor planning by national governments, and others are the result of discrimination and disregard for Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples are facing particularly challenging times due to some basic facts including the susceptibility of Indigenous communities to infectious diseases due to their lower immunity and, their lack of, or limited access to information, among others.
Now, four months into the worldwide crisis brought about by COVID 19, the situation of Indigenous Peoples is slowly coming to light with the dissemination of reports from different Indigenous organizations.