关于
关于
what is flood?




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This work is produced as part of the course The Idea of Environment taught by Abby Spinak, Fall 2024.
The following text is included in the "afterword" page of the book.
The Philippines is home to 110 ethnolinguistic groups of indigenous peoples, each with a variety of diverse cultures. They have inhabited the archipelago for thousands of years, developing unique ecological philosophies and worldviews, particularly the knowledge and practices that help them survive frequent natural hazards. These indigenous stories offer valuable insights into how we can live in harmony with nature, especially in light of the impacts of climate change. Investigating folk stories provides us with a lens not only into their unique cultural and ritual practices and ecological knowledge but also reflects the political and historical context. The storybook aims to present a conversation between these different folk tales through the storytelling of child characters, connecting the similarities and differences among various groups, with a focus on “What is flood?” and “What can we do about it?”
Almost all of the flood tales collected in this book depict catastrophic floods that lead to the survival of a select few, under the guidance or favor of a supernatural being. The extraction of natural resources also has a strong presence in these stories. In the Ifugao story, the people were digging into the riverbed to find water due to severe drought but angered the deity, who punished them by flooding the area with a storm. The utilization of natural materials is reflected in the use of bamboo to make fire and in using rattan to tie woods together, which remains a common practice in house-building.
The differing ecological and cultural focuses between the highlanders (the first four tales: Ifugao, Igorot, Tinguian) and the lowlanders (the last two tales: Ata and Mindanao) are particularly interesting. Among the highlanders, the Ifugao stories seem to reflect an interest in how the terrains are formed, emphasizing the advantages of taking the high ground. The acquisition of fire also appears to be a topic of interest tied to warmth and the extension of civilization, which is a common theme explored within folklore. The stories of the lowlanders, especially the Mindanao tale, have a stronger presence of water-side observation, including the idea that tides are caused by crabs, a common belief shared across Malaysia and Mindanao.
Another notable difference between the highlanders and lowlanders is the varying levels of colonial influence. The similarities to the biblical story of the Flood in the lowlander tales reflect stronger Christian influences from the Spanish colonization era. In contrast, the Ifugaos are known for preserving their culture from the Spanish colonizers due to the difficult terrains they inhabit; however, recent archaeological studies suggest that some Ifugao people might have migrated from the lowlands to the highlands to avoid colonial interference and adapted to new ways of living.
In sharing these stories, we honor the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines and underscore the lessons they offer on resilience and living harmoniously with nature in the face of climate change.