The Power of Tradition

Pssst! Centro spoke with Dayang Celia H. Kiram, wife of Sultan Jamalul Kiram. In the course of conversation about the roots of the conflict in Mindanao, Dayang Celia sadly noted, that if the government merely recognized the sultanate and its structure and traditions, it would be a great help to bringing peace in Mindanao.

This has been a sad refrain for culture workers. When the US colonial powers brought their justice system and their form of government into the Philippines they imposed both on us, without taking into consideration the traditions of Filipinos. By practice, Filipinos talk first. They exhaust all means of settling a matter before they resort to the institutional remedies. They refer to moral authorities for advice and to help settle such matters.

It was not until years later that the justice system incorporated mediation proceedings both in the courts and in the barangay. Yet how could such have been ignored? In the Cordilleras and in Mindanao, they share the practice of gathering councils and congregations to settle conflict and set policy or rules. In modern governance, we call it consultations.

What has been sorely lacking in the Sabah issue is reference to the history and traditions of the Tausug. To have spoken to them with words of war and ultimatums was to incite the community into conflict. When pushed into speaking in turn of ultimatums, the Tausug warrior will not back down. We note with ironic humor the fact that the group in Sabah has been pushed into a corner, outgunned and outmanned, and they still found the wherewithal to take hostages (If the reports are to be believed). So you gotta hand it to them. Yet, if their traditions remained in place, the role of the sultan is also to keep the peace.

Government must take cognizance of the rule of culture in governance. To ignore practice and traditions makes for great confusion with sometimes fatal results.

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By: Atty. Trixie Cruz-Angeles
(Source : PSSST! Centro)






To know more about Trixie Cruz Angeles, check out: I AM TRIXIE CRUZ