True celebration for Indigenous Peoples must be rooted in truth, justice, and continuous resistance.
When our ancestral lands continue to face encroachment and land grabbing by private corporations elites and policians.
When illegal mining persists, destroying the environment and displacing our communities.
When roads and projects desecrate our sacred burial grounds without our consent.
When Indigenous leaders, youth, and human rights defenders continue to be silenced or worse, killed.
When our voices on climate justice are unheard, and Indigenous knowledge is excluded from crucial dialogues.
When our participation in governance is tokenized or suppressed.
When our political structures are viewed as threats rather than partners.
When Indigenous women and youth still struggle to be included in decision-making.
When racial discrimination and cultural genocide persist in mainstream society.
When there is still no sincere apology from the State or the Church for historical injustices.
When celebration is shown up by politicians and allergic to talk about Indigenous oppression.
When 102 people have been killed in our ancestral domain with no justice.
When people of Boracay and Palawan displaced from their ancestral lands.
When our representatives do not speak about our aspirations.
When mainstream society demonize our beliefs and spirituality.
When education is very colonize.
What, then, are we celebrating?
Our celebrations must not end with dances, songs, and colorful attire, they must become acts of protest and resistance. Every gathering, every commemoration, must carry substance and meaning. Because if our celebrations only showcase food, music, and clothes, then we have allowed our struggle to be reduced to mere performances and facade interpretations of our collective struggle.
True celebration for Indigenous Peoples must be rooted in truth, justice, and continuous resistance. 
Comments
Post a Comment