The Office of the Center for Indigenous Peoples Education, under the guidance of Dr. Jandy S. Danzalan, spearheaded a pioneering initiative known as the Bahay-Bahayan System and Philosophy as Performance and Cultural Research Methodology. This groundbreaking program unfolded at the Multi-Purpose Hall in the Innovation Hub Building and the Indigenous Peoples (IP) Village of the Philippine Normal University North Luzon on October 12-13, 2023.

The event commenced with an opening program graced by Dr. Madonna C. Gonzales, the Dean for Academics and Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd), who delivered an opening address. The executive director and provost, Dr. Leticia N. Aquino, extended a warm welcome to the program’s resource speakers, Dr. Ana Katrina De Jesus and Prof. Gio Carlo De Jesus from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). Facilitators from UPLB also joined the event. This was followed by Dr. Jandy Danzalan, the Director of the Center for Indigenous Peoples Education, providing an elucidation of the program’s objectives and introducing the participants from the UPLB Team.

The heart of the program revolved around an in-depth exploration of the Bahay-Bahayan System and Philosophy as Performance and Cultural Research Methodology, with insights and expertise shared by Dr. Ana Katrian De Jesus and Prof. Gio Carlo De Jesus. This gathering of faculty and students actively participated in these thought-provoking discussions, furthering the program’s objective of fostering an understanding of indigenous cultures and methodologies.

On the second day of the program, the morning session witnessed the continuation of the Bahay-Bahayan System and Philosophy as Performance and Cultural Research Methodology. The day began with an engaging demonstration, an introduction to the Bahay-Bahayan concept, and the “pangangapitnbahay” process. In the afternoon, the program shifted to the IP Village, with activities that included exploring the Neo-Oral Tradition and practical demonstrations by the participants. This immersive experience deepened the appreciation and understanding of indigenous cultures and their unique research methodologies, fostering a more inclusive and diverse approach to cultural research and education.