In preparation for the second World Indigenous Games, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) conducted an Ayta Tribal Games here on Saturday to find out who among the Ayta tribesmen in Zambales are worthy to represent the country.
These include the Pastolan tribe of Hermosa, Bataan; Mampweng, Libas, and Maliwakat tribes in Olongapo City; and another tribe from San Marcelino, Zambales.
Each event had variations that put the tribesmen into different situations, ranging from shooting a target at a standstill to shooting a target while climbing a tree.
POC board member Col. Antonio Jeff Tamayo said that another reason for holding these tribal games was to remind everyone of native traditions.
“These games help us embrace our heritage to the very core,” Tamayo said.
During the matches, the young athletes who joined the competition showed excitement, hoping that they would be chosen as representatives of the country.
Twenty-one year-old Wilson of the Libas tribe said he was eager to try his accuracy in the archery event.
He noted that these traditions were diminishing as Aytas become more urbanized. The games, he added, are a great way for the youth to embrace their roots.
During the opening ceremony, Pastolan tribal chieftain Conrado Frenilla welcomed the visiting tribes, saying the event also served as a reunion for the tribes in Zambales and Bataan.
“I hope that this will not be just a one-time event and that many more tribal games will be held here at the Pastolan Village in the near future.” (JRR/MPD-SBMA)
PHOTO:
Indigenous Ayta tribesmen prepare to shoot their bow and arrows during a tribal competition held at the Pastolan Village in the Subic Bay Freeport Saturday morning. Around 50 Ayta tribesmen from Zambales, Bataan and Olongapo City took part in the event. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)
2 comments:
This sounds like a fascinating event. I am very sure it'd be hugely popular with tourists. Such a shame it wasn't effectively advertised in advance. An abject failure for the tourism department, talaga. I am sad to have missed it.
Philosophical question of the day: If a tourism event occurs in the SBMA and no tourists knew about it, is it a tourism event?
The event was actually connected with the NCAA beach volleyball tournament and it was the NCAA that did the promotion of the event. If it didn't, we could have failed to cover the actual event. Also, there were no spectators during the said games. We really don't know why there were no other guests other than the organizers, media, security, SBMA and security personnel.
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