School children learn about the rice terraces at SITMo's IPED Center in Kiangan
SITMo
Establishment of a multi-functional community knowledge centre
A SITMo weaver teaches weaving to Ifugao kids at the SITMo IPED Center
SITMo
SITMo has created the Indigenous Peoples Education (IPED) Centre in order to mainstream Indigenous knowledge in the formal education system and serve as a resource centre for Ifugao heritage conservation. The centre is a work in progress as SITMo is currently working with the Department of Education in the development of learning materials that include traditional knowledge, local history and language. The centre is composed of SITMo’s peoples’ organization including farmers, traditional weavers, community volunteers, culture bearers and heritage workers. IPED functions now as a Community Heritage Centre, Resources Centre, Community Museum, and is inspiring other provinces to create their own.
- Partnerships with local governments, other government agencies and community stakeholders.
- SITMo members are also part of the communities and are involved in diverse communal roles.
The Centre, started out as a single showroom for the artefacts collected during the archaeological digs. The original purpose was merely to show members of the community the findings of the archaeological project. The need to broaden the educational implications of the project required us to include related literature and other artefacts which resulted to a mini-library on Ifugao culture, a gallery on textiles and a photo gallery of the World Heritage Site's clusters and GIAHS sites. The Centre also became a venue for community and teachers’ trainings on heritage education and an educational tour destination for Ifugao students. The Centre became multi-functional as Community Heritage Centre, Resources Centre, Community Museum hosting a diversity of activities and covering different needs for local communities. Being flexible and adapting to community needs is important.