The Global Indigeneity Conference will bring together scholars, activists, and practitioners from across the world to engage in dialogues about the experiences, challenges, and contributions of indigenous communities.
Global Indigeneity Conference: Building Community Partnerships and Networks
Dates: August 22-25, 2024
Location: Banaue Grand View Hotel in Banaue, Ifugao, Philippines
The Global Indigeneity Conference will bring together scholars, activists, community members, and practitioners from around the world to engage in meaningful dialogues about the experiences, challenges, and contributions of indigenous communities. This interdisciplinary event aims to foster understanding and collaboration that transcends geographical and cultural boundaries. The conference is co-sponsored by Partido State University (Goa, Camarines Sur), Western Mindanao State University (Zamboanga City), Sorsogon State University (Sorsogon City), Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology (Agusan del Sur), Mindanao State University-General Santos, Ifugao State University, Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement, and the UCLA Center for Southeast Asian Studies. The event is supported by grants from the Henry Luce Foundation and the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research.
Key Highlights:
Diverse Program: The conference will feature a wide range of panel discussions, presentations, and workshops on topics such as the preservation and revitalization of traditional practices, the impact of climate change on indigenous lands, indigenous rights and self-determination, cultural representation and appropriation, and the role of technology in safeguarding indigenous heritage.
Community Collaboration: Emphasis will be placed on strengthening partnerships between indigenous communities and non-indigenous allies, promoting mutual respect and understanding.
Educational Impact: The conference will explore the role of formal education in indigenous communities and its effects, as highlighted by scholars like Dei, Mohanty, Smith, and Wa Thiong’o. Discussions will include the potential for curriculum enrichment and faculty development through the integration of indigenous content in higher education.
Special Focus:
Knowledge Co-Production: Building on work in Ifugao and Tayal communities, the conference will emphasize the documentation, recovery, preservation, and dissemination of indigenous knowledge, particularly in landscape management, climate change, and disaster risk reduction.
REPATRIATION EVENT:
One of the highlights of the conference is the repatriation event, which underscores the importance of cultural preservation and heritage. This special event focuses on the repatriation of the Therese Finnegan Collection and will be held at the IPED Center, Gabaldon Building, Kiangan Central School, Kiangan, Ifugao, on August 24, 2024, from 9am to 12pm. This event marks the return of invaluable ethnographic cultural materials to the Ifugao people, reinforcing their cultural identity and heritage.
The Therese Finnegan Collection, which was previously housed in California and donated to the Cebu Provincial Government, is being returned to its rightful place through the efforts of the UCLA Center for Southeast Asian Studies and the UCLA Southeast Asian Archaeology Laboratory. This repatriation not only restores historical artifacts but also revives the intangible connections between the community and their ancestral heritage.
Repatriation is crucial for preserving the Ifugao people's cultural identity, allowing younger generations to connect with their ancestral wisdom, traditions, and spiritual heritage. It corrects historical injustices from colonization, empowering the Ifugao to reclaim their heritage and ensuring cultural continuity.
Join us in Kiangan to witness this meaningful event and celebrate empowerment rooted in Ifugao ancestral legacy.
Contact Information:
Media Inquiries: Earl John C. Hernandez
General Inquiries: ejchernandez22@g.ucla.edu