‘New eyes’ for 18-year-old Arjean of Talaandig tribe

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes,” says French novelist Marcel Proust. And new eyes Arjean Marie Belco, an 18-year-old indigenous Filipino, will start having once she arrives at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the World Youth Day a couple of days from now.

There, she will be exposed to various cultures and a creative learning environment while also taking part in one the world’s biggest youth events. The week-long celebration starts on July 23, 2013.

To this teenager, it’s a welcome adventure. She has never been to any foreign country before. Actually, the first time she experience flying on an airplane was one week ago, when she came to Manila.

Arjean is understandably excited and expects to discover, through her “new eyes,” so many things from so many young people from different countries who are joining the event. Actually, it’s most likely a two-way street.

The other participants, through Arjean’s many talents and intelligence, will probably discover the Philippines, particularly the country’s indigenous people (IP).

Arjean is from Talaandig tribe, a people known for their artistry and love for the environment. She has all that in her, of course, and more. She will graduate from the University of Southeastern Philippines in Davao City in a year or so with an elementary education degree specializing in indigenous people’s education.

Indeed, the whole Talaandig community is excited about Arjean’s trip, according to Coleen Ramirez, the executive director of Cartwheel Foundation.

The tribe has a good reason to be happy. When Arjean comes back, especially once she starts to teach the children of the community, all her new-found knowledge will be transferred to the next generation of Talaandig people.

Luiz Petzhold, a Brazilian who works for the advancement of GoodX’s effort to bring trip-and-discovery program for indigenous Filipinos, agreed that this can be the start of something wonderful for the IPs in the country.

The Cartwheel Foundation helps Arjean’s college education. It was also Cartwheel Foundation who was instrumental in introducing the teacher-to-be to GoodX, a project started by experiential travel advocates.

In turn, GoodX has been helping Arjean raise funds. The expenses for the trip are no joke. There’s the tuition fee, domestic and international air fares, travel insurance, passport application, among others.

Thank goodness there were groups and individuals that responded to the call. They are the locally based non-government organization The Spark Project and the US-based Philanthropy, which gives opportunities to Filipino-Americans contribute to projects that help people “back home.”

Also, individuals who support GoodX and Cartwheels Foundation attended a benefit dinner at the Chef Jessie Rockwell Club held a week ago to contribute to Arjean’s travel and expenses. In turn, Arjean performed for them a traditional indigenous dance with another member of the Talaandig tribe, Bricks Sintaon.

In an interview, Risa Halagueda, an executive of GoodX, said Arjean is the first young indigenous Filipino that her NGO will assist in order to have the opportunity to travel and learn about other cultures and bring them back to their places of origin. She said GoodX will work hard to ensure that Arjean will not be the last.

Risa said GoodX is determined to open this same opportunity to other young indigenous Filipinos. With more groups and individuals willing to lend a hand, more and more “new eyes” will be opened to more and more “Arjeans.”

After all, some one million young people from all over the globe will gather at Rio de Janeiro to celebrate World Youth Day, an international event that brings together youth from all around the world. This is certainly an amazing learning opportunity for Arjean, and eventually to the members of Talaandig tribe, especially the children who will then begin to dream bigger dreams. — LBG, GMA News

***
[Talaandigs are one of the indigenous groups in the province of Bukidnon in Mindanao, who continued to preserve and promote its indigenous customs, beliefs and practices despite the influx modernization and change. They are found in villages and municipalities surrounding Mount Kitanglad, specifically in the towns of Lantapan and Talakag.]