Exploring the Potential of the Tangible Cultural Heritage of Northern Luzon and Southern Mindanao in Understanding Human Migration and Inter-cultural Exchange in the Current times and its Possible Significance in Our Perception of the Past

Catherine Alice D. Ramos

A long-term project in the Philippines initiated by Dr. William Longacre, the Kalinga Ethnoarchaeological Project, contributed significantly in ethnoarchaeological studies. The importance of ceramics was highlighted in the said study and provided knowledge on the social relationships in Pasil. Recognizing these, we are also curious on the potential use of other material cultures in understanding human movement and interaction as well as its significance on how we interpret the past. This paper is a preliminary note on the material cultures of Kalinga and T’boli from the provinces of Kalinga and South Cotabato, respectively, based on museum collections and ethnographic data from the field acquired through participant and direct observations. The living traditions of beadwork, metalwork, and earthenware will be looked into for both groups and check the similarities in characteristics—including manner of production and designs, among others. Information on how the communities utilized these materials in daily life, exchange with neighbouring communities, possibility of reaching more distant places, and the different factors influencing the sociocultural dynamics will be explored. Among the potential goals of this study is to contribute on how we perceive human migration and inter-cultural exchange in the Philippines during pre-Spanish times.