This year’s celebration focused on the Higaonon people’s concept of peace, which for them means sacred and protected. It is believed that peace is lived, honored, and sustained through collective actions and moral strength.

Here are some of the activities that stood out:

October is the Indigenous Peoples (IP) Month celebration in the Philippines, a month-long event that aims to honor and recognize the indigenous communities around the country.

In the Municipality of Impasugong in Bukidnon province, October 28, 2025 was dedicated to their IP Day Celebration. The Higaonon people of Impasugong created their unique ways to celebrate self-identity, spirituality, and cultures.

1. Traditional Ways of Living turned into Games

It is refreshing to see traditional activities being the front and center of the IP Day celebration. These activities were turned into fun competitions amongst the participants from all barangays, showing the familiarity and mastery of the Higaonons with traditions.

These activities are said to be continuously practiced by many Higaonon families until today. The Local Tourism Office of Impasugong tells us what these traditional activities are:

GALING. Grinding corn kernels into fine grains using two-layer circular stones designed specifically for milling corn. Historically, corn milling was a communal activity, women and elders gathered around the galingan, sharing stories while working together to prepare food.

KAGBIAK

Kagbiak, literally meaning "to chop or split" wood using an axe. It pays tribute to the farmers, gatherers, and craftsmen who relied on their own strength to build homes, prepare firewood, and sustain their families.

Kagpana

An ancient craft using handcrafted bows and bamboo arrows used to hunt and protect their communities. Among indigenous hunters, accuracy was not just about strength; it was about balance, breath, and purpose, the quiet mastery of one's body and spirit.

SUMPIT

Using a wooden blowpipe, small darts are propelled by blowing through the tube. The sumpit once served as an ingenious hunting tool, crafted from natural wood found in the forest and used with remarkable precision.

BAG-ID

Creating fire using only a pair of bamboo pieces, rubbing them together with speed and rhythm until smoke and spark are born. This is the ancient survival practices of our forebears long before matches or lighters existed.

2. Wearing of Traditional Outfits

It is impossible not to gaze admiringly on the vibrant clothes and accessories worn by the Higaonons during the event. Everyone wore their traditional outfits with a sense of normalcy and familiarity, like it was not a big deal.

You will see how casual they wear them with sunglasses, or pairing them with rubber or doll shoes, or putting a nylon sling bag over their outfits.

3. Using the Binukid Language in the Official Program

According to the Provincial Government of Bukidnon, the Binukid language is not the main language spoken in the entire province. Less than half of Bukidnon’s population fluently speaks Binukid, but many Higaonons generally understand it.

During the IP Day celebration in Impasugong, Binukid was the official language used during the programs and activities. The hosts, activity facilitators, competition judges, and mostly everyone spoke Binukid in the same space. How awesome is that? No wonder the event felt comfortable and there was an “at home” vibe going on all throughout the day.

4. Active Participation Across Ages

This event was amazing because the participants and attendees were not only the older people. It was a mix of locals across ages. There were teens, kids, middle aged, and elders. Mostly everyone was actively involved in the activities, and not only watching from the sidelines.

This is important because it shows the participation and interest of all age groups in community events, especially one that is about their identities and cultures. One would think the future of the Higaonon identity will be safely kept.

5. Showcasing of Local Produce

There was also one Municipal activity, although not officially part of the IP Month, that significantly showed the Higaonons’ lifestyle. It is the market day event that brought together the local products from each barangay in town.

The local produce displayed in the fair were the most common food products accessible to the locals, the kinds of food that most probably feed and nourish them. All grown in the high and low lands of Impasugong.

It is said that you can tell a lot about a person from what he/she eats.

It is truly something to be proud of, the capacity of a group of people to keep, live, and evolve their cultures across generations. Like the Higaonons of Impasugong, they are moving forward as an ethnic group in a manner that might be imperfect, but in a way that is truly their own. It makes you wonder how the rest of our ethnic groups in the country will be like in the future.

Click the “Learn More” button to stay updated and know further about the Higaonon people of Impasugong, Bukidnon.

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