Cultural Communities Week, has been designated the second week of July as per the Proclamation No. 250, s. 1988, in the Philippines. This year, it is held from July 8 to 15. This week raises awareness about the indigenous tribes and honors their contribution and relevance to national unity and progress. It also emphasizes the need of preserving their rich cultural legacy, not just for the Philippines but for the rest of the world too. Learning the importance of indigenous peoples (I.Ps) is a key point in achieving national unity and development. This also helps to promote and conserve the rich native cultural legacy, both locally and globally.
History of Cultural Communities Week
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, or the N.C.I.P., is a government body that is responsible for recognizing, honoring, promoting, and protecting the interests of indigenous groups in the Philippines. The body secures its rights, beliefs, and institutions. This week is observed in the second week of July every year.
The celebration of Cultural Communities Week welcomes all government agencies, commercial groups, the media, and other stakeholders. During the event, the N.C.I.P. requests the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, or N.C.C.A., and also the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, or N.C.M.F., to display solidarity through official statements. The event showcases the involvement and engagement of the indigenous youth in preserving and promoting their native heritage and identity for the coming generations in the country and outside.
A number of agencies participate in the annual event, which includes, N.C.I.P.; the Office of Muslim Affairs, or O.M.A.; the Commission on Higher Education, or CH.E.D.; and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, or T.E.S.D.A. Around a hundred representatives from various indigenous groups gather every year with their communities to perform mesmerizing cultural performances and hold pertinent discussions. The key point of these discussions is how their shared cultural values respond to the current crisis, which is the dissemination of the artistic and cultural traditions of the I.Ps in the country.
The celebratory program has varied themes such as spirituality and well-being, indigenous learning systems, indigenous entrepreneurship, and the handling of climate change and disasters. The key purpose is to ensure that the various activities and important messages result in an effective and enduring cultural education among the diverse native groups.
Cultural Communities Week timeline
The Commission on the Filipino Language or C.F.L. is established; this official entity is entrusted with the development, conservation, and promotion of the country’s native languages.
The Tagalog language is declared the national language by President Manuel L. Quezón.
The Secretary of Education renames the language to Pilipino.
More than 182 ethnolinguistic groups exist in the Philippines and many come under the ‘Indigenous Peoples’ category, as per the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act No. 8371.
According to a 2015 report update, there are 37 endangered languages in the Philippines.
Cultural Communities Week FAQs
How many cultural communities does the Philippines have?
The Philippines has 134 ethnic groups, most of which are indigenous, yet just eight or ten lowland ethnic groups make up the majority of the entire population.
What are the chief indigenous communities in the Philippines?
The Philippines has around 13 ethnic groups. Each tribe is known for the musical instruments it plays and the music it creates.
What are the many cultures and customs found in the Philippines?
The Filipino culture is a blend of traditional Filipino and Spanish Catholic traditions. It also has some American and some Asian influences. Filipinos are usually devout and family-oriented people who enjoy good art, fashion, music, and food.
Cultural Communities Week Activities
Support indigenous groups
The greatest way to commemorate this week is by supporting the indigenous Filipino communities. See what you can do to celebrate.
Study an indigenous language
The United Nations has declared 2022 to 2032 as the ‘Decade for Indigenous Languages.’ The purpose is to spread awareness about the vanishing languages that are neither taught in schools nor spoken by the masses.
Discover more about indigenous people
Indigenous history is always fascinating. I.Ps have different beliefs, practices, languages, and cultures. Nature and water bodies are an important part of their daily lives.
5 Facts About Culture In The Philippines
Longest underground river
The longest navigable underground river is 14.91 miles long and is deep beneath the St. Paul’s Mountain Range on the island of Palawan.
Deeply religious
Filipinos are religious and attend church every Sunday, sometimes even multiple times a week.
Longest Christmas celebration
It is common to hear Christmas carols and jingles in shops and restaurants around the Philippines, even in August.{Passion for basketball
Passion for basketball
Filipinos love to play basketball and are passionate about this game — second only to the N.B.A. in terms of maturity, the Philippines’ professional basketball league is the first in Asia.
The national bird
The Monkey-Eating Eagle is the national bird of the Philippines, and the killing of this bird is against the law, carrying a sentence of 12 years.
Why We Love Cultural Communities Week
It's a day to honor indigenous people
Indigenous people are an important part of our planet's history. They also provide important data on the evolution and development of humans. The cultures, customs, and traditions of indigenous peoples are fascinating because of their uniqueness and perceptions.
It honors native languages
Languages shape identities. The study of languages in terms of distinct phonetics, grammatical rules, and styles, reveals a lot about the past and transformation of a community and its native country.
It is a commemoration of the right to live
People should not be denied the chance to exercise their rights on property linked to their communities for centuries. This day acknowledges the right of all the communities to exist and develop in the Philippines.
Cultural Communities Week dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | July 4 | Monday |
| 2023 | July 3 | Monday |
| 2024 | July 8 | Monday |
| 2025 | July 7 | Monday |
| 2026 | July 6 | Monday |
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