Case Analogy - Paulo Freire

Development Communication MariaFatimaA. Villena

ProfessorBelenDayauoy'' July18,2000 /

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A CASE ANALOGY:PEDAGOGYOF THE OPPRESSEil.V By PauloFreire Oppressionhas beena threateningphenomenonin mostcountriesworldwide, dominantin ThirdWorld societies.Pedagogyof the Oppressedby PauloFreiregivesa profoundanalogyof how said phenomenonbecameuprootedand ingrainedin the very foundationof the core valuesof the oppressedin variousenvironment-setting. The best way to an in-depthevaluationof this publishedwork is to applyits presentedprinciples and philosophyin a casethat constitutesan environment of oppressionwhichdepicts clearlythe dehumanizing roleof the oppressedand the dominationof the oppressors. CASE BACKGROUND Modernization and economicgrowthrnayhave improvedthe livesof many Filipinosand have boomindustriesin variousareasbut a clearmanifestation of its threatsto indigenouspeopleshave beencontinuously plaguingand infestingharmto tribesconcerned. The indigenouspeopleshave beena preserverof cultureand traditionas thelr forefathershave passedon to them the legacyof their race. These peoplerejected colonization and retreatedto the uplandspreservingmostof theirculture. Mostof them residein remotevillagesmakingit hardfor basicsocialserviceslikehealthand nutrition reachthemfor maximumutilization. Throughthe years, indigenouspeopleshave livedwith theirown religion, politicaland socialstructures,traditionsand agricultural and naturalresource practices. management However, these are greatlyterrorizedby lowlanderswho have stakedtheirclaimson the landthatthe indigenouspeopleconsidermostsacred. For them, the land is their life. They turn to theirlandfor sustenance,cultural and historicpreservation,promotingtheir legacyas partof a tribalcommunity.This is where their ancestorsare buriedand futuregenerationsare nurtured. But increasing threatshaveendangeredtheirexistencesuch as loggingcompanies,miningfirms, plantations,ranchesand developmentprojects(dams, geothermalplants). Even challengingtheirholdand controlover theirlandand naturalresources. The futureof theseindigenouspeopleshave no cleardirectionat all since modernization has been progressing fast unexpectedly invadingtheironce safe and peacefullivingin what they consideras theirancestraldomain. It may seemto be dim but indigenous peopleshavebeengainingserious recognition,the richnessof theircultureand theirstrengthand resilienceas distinct peoples. D I L E M M AO F T H E I N D I G E N O U S (Excerptfrom the WoundedEarthpublishedin the book entitledSavingthe Earthby the PCIJ-Article by: SheilaS. Coronel)

Ansa CattleRanchwas once the landof the T'bolis, an indigenoustribein South Cotabato.They callthe land, Lakag, and claimit as theirown sincetheirforefathers have livedand died there. They have huntedand tilledand madethe treesbearfruit. AntonioNocum. He initially The ownerof the ranchis Chinesebusrnessman investedin gasolinestationsand hotels. About30 yearsago, he set up a cattleranch in the very landwherethe T'bolisbuilttheirhuts and continuedtheirlegacy. The battleof Lakagstartedthe very day Nocumsnatchedthe land from the T'boliswithoutproperacknowledgement of the tribes'authority.lt has ragedin the courtsand backwoodsof SouthCotabato,whereover the years, the T'bolishavetried to returnto the land. Tuan Simfal,a T'bolielder, remembershow armedmen burntT'bolihutsand bulldozedcommunalfarms. Eachtirnethis incidentoccurred,they wouldrebuilttheir hutsand sowedtheirfieldsbut soldiersagainwouldrousethemfrom restlesssleep, dousetheirhomeswith gasolineand evenbid themat gunpoint. In January1992, 326 T'bolifamiliestrekkedbackto Lakagto renewtheirclaim on the land sincethe governmenthas been seriouslyconsidering theirplightas people. indigenous With confidence,they againbuilthousesfrom bambooand cogon and plantedvegetablesin t'niba(swiddenplots). Justthe plantswere beginningto sprout, soldierswho had set up a detachmenton the ranchfired mortarson the T'boli camp. Afterthat terrifyingincident,T'boliswere so afraidthat once againtheyfled Lakag. They settledat the sidewalkof the provincialcapitoland Koronadal.Therethey remain untilthey are assuredof theirsafetyin Lakag, they wouldn'treturn. To earn a living, they hiredthemselvesout as farm laborersto Visayansettlersand even as cowboysin the ranchthat was once theirhome. SouthCotabatohas been increasinggreatlyin profitthroughthe emergenceof new profitablecropssuch as pineappleand asparagusovertraditionalcropslike rice and corn. The improvementof the city is evidentthroughshoppingmallsand restaurantsbuiltin the capital, Koronadal.GovernorlsmaelSuenois assuredthatthe samesuccessformulawouldalso applyto the T'bolis. He wouldwant themto be contract-growers for Dole Philippines and it wouldearnthem higherincomethan usual. The company,but then, backedoff as the landdisputeheatedup. However,T'bolisnevergraspthe importancethat the lowlandersgiveto money. As Alex Cuyanexpressedthat moneywill be spentbut the landwill neverbe when they are old and our grandchildren bornechildren,the landwouldstillremain. It all happenedwhen threeof the T'bolielderswere broughtto Manilato meet businessmanNocum. They were givenfood and plentyof alcoholto drink. One of the membersgot drunkand they were madeto put theirthumbmarkson a pieceof paper that, theywere told, wheretitlesto the land. lt is a storyof deceitand fraud. T'bolis, at first, did not considerlegalassistance.Becauseof illiteracyand lackof school training,T'boliswere unawareof the lowlander'slaw and did not graspthe valueof havinglegaldocumentssuch as landtitles. Accordingto T'bolileaderAlex Cuyan, they do not havetitlesneitherdid theirancestors.Sincethey do not know how to read, land titlesdoes not have any meaningto them. Meanwhrle,Nocumdefendedhis claimthat he has legaldocumentsto provehis acquisitionof the landand it was duly approvedby variousgovernmentagencies.However,governmentdocumentspertainingto the land revealedthat Nocum disregardgovernmentlaws in acquiringhis vast holdings.

documentshave ansefrom the acquisitionof the land. Nearlya Questionable thirdof this area is coveredby a pastureleaseagreementand the rematningtwo-thirds is titledto variousmembersof the Nocumfamily. But the DENRhas foundout that the land coveredby the leasewas part of a watershedforest reservationand it shouldnot be given out to privatelandownersas the law stated. The leasewas then cancelled. One portionof the hotlycontestedland is the PLS-555(1,200hectares)wherethe compoundis locatedand it is alsothe mostsacredpart of the land Ansa administrative for the T'bolis. Accordingto the lawyersof the tribe, the documentsshouldbe acquiredand they even gavetitlesto consideredas null and void sinceit is fraudulently claimants. were T'boli even if there family of the Nocum members Severalaffidavitswere presentedby Nocumthat statedthe T'boliclaimants transferredtheirownershipof the landto the Nocumfamilyfor heftyamounts. Although,severalof theseaffidavitswere unsigned,Nocum was stillgiventitlesto the papersinvolvedthe 1,200hectaresPSU. Also, Nocum land. Otherquestionable childrenhave been issuedfree patentsto severalparcelsof land even if patentsare occupiedor only givento thosewho themselvesor whoseancestorshave continuously cultivatedan area since 1926. Soon, Ansa Cattleand Crop Farmfiled a case of forcibleentryagainst174 T'bolisbut the tribespeoplerefusedto leave. Someof themwere arrestedfor squatting,prompting300 otherT'bolisto marchto the municipalhallin Surallah, demandingthatthey, too, be jailed. The courtruledthat T'boliswere illegalentrantsto the landand issueda demolitionorderbut the governmentofficialsand churchbeganto intervene.Nocum agreedto settleby offeringthe PSU portionof the cattleranchto the governement's land reformagendaprogram. Althoughhe had agreedto settle, T'bolihousesagainwere razedby fire when they returnedin 1990and blamedby Nocumand said they themselvesset the frrebut the NGOsfoundout that 271T'bolihomeswere burntby "menin fatigueuniforms." Afterreturningagainin early 1992, the militarybombedtheircamp but Nocum disclaimsany knowledgeof the attack. AgrarranReformLaw (CARL)seemsto be the only hopefor The Comprehensive the T'boliswhich is an optionbasedon what they have resistedall theseyears: the recognitionof Nocum'slegalownershipof the land. Nocumrnsistedon sellingthe land for P 26,000per hectarewhilethe Departmentof AgrarianReformhas valuedthe land at only aboutP 6,000 per hectare. Nocum, of course,did not acceptthe priceand refuseto negotiateunlesshe gets his price. WhileT'bolifamilieshavebeen resrdingat the provincialcapitolin Koronadalfor the lasttwo monthsand refusingto leaveuntil Nocumand the militaryallowthem back, safely, to the land IN.DEPTHANALYSIS Indigenouspeoplehave beenthe subjectof oppressionsincetime immemorial. They have beenthe victimsof people'sgreedand hungerfor moneyand progressthat targetunexplored aimsto be beneficialfor only a few of the majority.Businessmen resourcesfor acclaiminginnovativeideasthatwouldbe an edgefor theirbusinesses over their other competitorsin the market. They race towardsexcellencefor vast

productdemandsand continuedtheir effortsof makingit to the top of the corporations the economicarenaherein the Philippines.lt wouldbe a goodthinkingfor dominating raisingour economicgrowthand it would be a betterchannelfor motivatingthe increase of qualitylivingamongFilipinoshad it beentargetedfor both urbanand ruralareas. But, as I said, it aimsto provideonlyfor a few, commonly,the elites. Their orientationof the environmentis boundedby limitations of theirculture. lt is not deniedto themtheir rightto preservewhateverlegacypassedon to them by their ancestors/forefathers. But, humanrelationsboundby kinshipand sharingconfines themfrom what realitymay inflictin them. They are not fullyawareof the harmthat may reachtheirdomain. T'bolisas the oppressedhas been leftwith few choicesthat suppressthemof the rightto unveilthe worldof oppression,thus, they cannotcommit themselvesto transformationand have no idea of how to preservetheir much-valued culturewhile adoptingto much-neededchanges.They are restrainedfrom belongingto the processof permanentliberation.They were not ableto pursuein-depthactionto fullyconfrontthe cultureof domination.Thus, the T'bolican easilybe a victimof oppression.They are so caughtup with their fear of freedomand constraintby the naiveteof theiractions.They do not perceiverealityand believesonly in what the dogmaof theirculturehas to say. This kind of environment was used by the oppressor problem and has takenadvantageover the situation.The is that the oppressedT'boli cannotdeal with their consciousnessof the scenariothey are in and gives leewayto the consciousness of the oppressorto be cultivated.One seriouswork whichcan be done here is for the NGOsto studythe historicalbackgroundand the vast cultural development of the T'bolitribeto fully understandtheirbehavior,view of the worldand ethicsand take into accounttheirachievements to be ableto comprehendthe tribes distinctionover otherindigenousgroupsand makeuse of theserevealedpointsto emphasizetheirstrengthsand weaknessesas a group. Fromthere, NGOsmay cultivateon ideasthat would be appropriateand effectivefor the tribesmost hold values. Therefore,it wouldavoidinvadingor imposingnew valuesthatwould complicatethe situationas a resultof disrespecting theirculturalheritage. In the case of the T'boliand AntonioNocum, it clearlydepictsthe exploitation of the T'bolitribeas done by Nocumsincehe hindersthe pursuitof the tribefor selfaffirmationas he inflictsviolencetp tl',retribe by burningdown their huts leavingthem with nothingand no choicebut tq flef awayfrom what used to be their ancestral domain. As PauloFreirestressef "violenceis initiatedby thosewho oppress,who exploit, who fail to recognizeothersas persons-not by thosewho are oppressed, exploitedand unrecognized."This is to emphasizethat Nocumviolatedthe rightsof the indigenouspeoplefor peacefullivingand life. Sweetenedby false charity,the PhilippineAid Programin coordination with the governorof SouthCotabato,GovernorlsmaelSueno, wouldwant the T'bolitribeto becomecontractgrowersof Dole Philippines.They are beingofferedan irresistible packagethat they thinkwould pleasethe tribe. As GovernorSuenosaid, compensation he is sure that the sameformulaof successhe had used in the city of Koronadalcan be appliedto the tribe, an ignorantanalysisof the situation.lt makestribefeel the weight of theirplight, instillingin the core of theirbeingthat they are to be blameof their conditionbecausethey are incompetent,lazy and worst of all ingratitudetowardsthe "generousgestures"of the dominantclass. They are regardedas threatstowardsthe

dominantclass. As Alex Cuyanagainsaid, all will be spentbut the landwill remain. Beinga contract-grower for Dolewouldnot answerthe needsand aspirationsof the indigenouscommunityso one cannotimposea formulaeven if it gainedsuccessin otheraspects.A formulashouldbe attunedto the needsof the groupand this can be madepossibleby havingcommunion withthem. The bestway to resolvethis conflictis for the NGOsto put up a criticaland liberatingdialogue.Firstand foremost,the contentshouldbe basedin accordancewith historicalconditionsand the levelat whichthe oppressedperceivereality.The firststep is to have a backgroundresearchof the T'bolitribe. When and how they startedto exist? What culturalbeliefsthey holdmostsacred, theiraspirationsand view in life? Remember,attemptingto liberatethemwithouttheirreflectiveparticipation woutdmean to treatthem as objectsand as masseswhichcan be manipulated. Successwould be beyondreach if they have come to a convictionof the oppressed(T'boli)that they mustfightfor their liberationas a resultof theirown conscientizacao. The T'bolitribehas finallyconsideredthe assistanceof a legal counsel,one indicationof theirunveilingof consciousness to theirplightand to do somethingaboutit. Their plightas a tribehas beenabusedby NocumsinceT'bolisare illiterateand unschooled.They were used and becamethe laughingstockof the situation,unaware of the evil plansof the oppressors.lt is a storyof deceitand fraud. Sincethey were illiterate,they are not fullyawarethat they have placedtheirthumbmarkson the land titlesto affirmNocum'sacquisitionof the landthatwas once theirdomain. This instanceemphasizeson the importanceof educationto becomeknowledgeable about the lowlanderslawswhich mighthave helpedthem savewhat was left of them. Culturalinvasion,a theoryof antidialogical action, is the ultimateviolationof AntonioNocum. The invaderpenetratesthe culturalcontextof the T'bolitribeas a sign of disrespectover latter'spotentialities.He forciblyimposedhis own view of the world stressingon the inferiorities of the tribeand inhibittheircreativityby curbingtheir expression.This was done violentlysincebombattackswere experiencedin the T'bolis place. This invasionis the instrumentof dominationand on the otherthe resultof it. This is one way of preservingoppression.This maybecounteractby culturalsynthesis, identifyingpeopleand leadersand togethercreateguidelinesof theiraction. Leaders and peopleare somehowrebornin new knowledgeand new action. lt is only in this situationwhere contradictionbetweenthe world view of the leadersand that of the peoplecan be resolved.