Cultural Practices of the Indigenous Peoples (IPS) of San Emilio Ilocos Sur: Then and Now

The cultural practices of the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) are a reflection of their ancestral origin. The performance of these practices indicates their sacredness and respect for their traditions. This investigation is an exploration of the cultural practices of the Indigenous People that have been performed in the past and in the present. This is a qualitative study employing an ethnographic approach with 12 key informants. These informants are elders, leaders, and residents of San Emilio, Ilocos Sur. Unstructured interviewing and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) were the means of obtaining data and were analyzed through Analytical Induction (AI) and Grounded theory. As a result, the performance of the cultural practices such as Pidis, Sakeb, Sawid, Legleg, Begnas, Paama, and Dwayya of the IPsin San Emilio, Ilocos Sur, has surpassed the challenges of modernization, technology and the existence of different religions in their place. With these circumstances, the Indigenous People of San Emilio collectively advocate these cultural practices for the younger generations. Despite uncontrollable factors affecting these traditions like religion, modernization, and the death of the elders who can perform these practices, they still aspire to their preservation. The theory of collectivism was deduced from the results obtained from their responses and observed behaviors during the performances of these cultural practices. The Indigenous People value their traditions as representations of their identity as a tribe.