This study was conducted to provide an in-depth understanding of the cultural and socioeconomic considerations in the conservation of the Palawan bearded pig in CNCH. Some members of the Batak community sell wild boar meat for cash and/or in exchange for basic commodities.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
In Langogan, the Batak sell to the Lowlanders (Eder, 1987), and the wild pig meat is sometimes supplied to pay off a debt. The wild pig hunting of the Batak, which is for food and rituals, is linked to their culture.
STATEMENT OF THE STUDY
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The specific objectives of this study were as follows
RATIONALE
SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS
DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA
There are only four pure Batak members in the village, pagbelengen, barangay IPMR who is also lagwasan and his two sisters. SOURCE: C N C H (CNCH) F-year management plan modified to identify the three study areas highlighted in blue circles.
METHODOLOGY
- Selection of respondents
- Coordination, COVID-19 protocol, and interview process
- Data collection methods
- Analysis and Interpretation
Approval from City ENRO was received on March 31, 2021, including letters addressed to the concerned Barangay Captains informing them of the clearance issued and recommending their assistance in coordinating the execution of this study. However, due to high cases of COVID-19 around this time, and in the following months, coordination at the barangay and community level for conducting field interviews was postponed. Coordination was then made with the concerned Barangay Captains, Barangay IPMRs and Tribal Chiefs to explain the proposed research and to seek their approval to conduct interviews, identify and confirm target respondents, including their availability.
Primary data was collected from the website by conducting Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) in the form of semi-structured interviews where respondents were asked verbally with open-ended questions. In both methods, the interviews and discussions were open and spontaneous, and the approach was less formal.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Profile of the respondents
He earns as a carrier of the diwan's wild pork for the buyer in the lowlands. 6 Last wild pig captured in 2005, but the last hunt was in 2019, stopped due to health reasons. 10 He couldn't remember the last time he hunted or captured a wild pig, and he stopped because he couldn't catch any more wild pigs.
13* Still hunting, last wild boar caught was 3 years ago 14 Stopped hunting due to old age. 16 Last wild boar hunting and capture in 2017; used to sell; don't consider hunting because he currently works at.
Importance of the wild pig
In Cadelina (1982), the sharing of food between households in Kalakwasan, which extended to the exchange of goods, was identified as an integral part of the Batak food management system to manage cyclical food stress. Respondents in all three locations in this study repeatedly emphasized sharing as currently practiced. The Batak's view of wild pigs as a food source even extends to sales.
One respondent explained that while it is currently sold, they still consider it their food because the cash obtained from the sale of the meat is used to buy food, such as rice, which according to another respondent still provides their family helped in the end. Only one respondent in Tagnaya considered the wild boar as an integral part of the forest, released and cared for by an invisible spirit of the wild boar called diwata by the Batak, like the animals we care for in our homes.
The wild pig as observed by the Batak respondents
- Food and feeding
- Activity patterns
- Movement, home range, and social organization
- Reproduction
- Population status
The daily routine of the wild boar population is to wander through the forest for most of the day already at 5 o'clock in the morning in search of food (Figure 4). The daily routine of wild boars widely covers more than a hectare to three hectares. The population of wild boars is declining, as evidenced by the low encounter rate and zero capture of wild boars as observed in Manggapino and Tagnaya.
Many traditional leaders believe that the population of the wild boar has not increased or decreased, and that wild boars are only in the forest and kept in captivity by Kyudalan to reproduce, invisible to the government and scientists. They said they were li by Kyudalan, the invisible guardian spirit of the wild boars.
Beliefs, traditions, and practices of the Batak on wild pig
- Offering ritual
- Collective hunting of wild pig
- Celebration of first rice harvest with wild pig
The seven red balls or maneks symbolize the red blood of the seven captured wild boars. October coincides with the season of balisangkad fruit, one of the wild boar's favorite fruits. Three days before the sagbay, the babaylan intervenes with Kyudalan/Kyudalan Napantaran/Pagkudalen and other spirits to request the provision of wild pigs and their location.
The next day, the babaylan shares his visions with the men and women about the location of wild pigs in the forest and when to put up fences. They say that wild boars are afraid of women and that they can easily touch the backs of wild boars.
Factors affecting the Batak culture
The Batak in Manggapin welcome the first rice harvest, where men hunt wild pigs with their busogs two days before the actual first harvest. Tarakabut is usually handled by women because men are already in charge of hunting wild pigs in the forest. An old Batak respondent in Manggapin cited poverty as the reason for not practicing their culture on wild pigs.
A respondent in Manggapin commented that if they practice sagbay regularly, they would have already caught many wild pigs because all the wild pigs that happened to be inside the fence will be caught. This points to the fact that although this practice is part of their ritual and allowed by the government, the slaughter of many wild pigs (at once but annually), which is currently considered an endangered species, is perhaps one of the challenges that the Batak have to argue beyond their practice of kaingin, which also faces restrictions and yet is part of their tarakabut.
Current socio-economic situation of the Batak
- Sources and estimated household income range
- Household size and sufficiency of income for food needs
Two of the seventeen respondents earn as intermediaries for the sale of the almaciga resin, because they could no longer attend the meeting due to old age and health reasons. The proceeds from the sale of the wild pork depend on the size of the wild pig caught. This is therefore not fixed or happens monthly. The rest of the meat, including two other wild pigs captured, was consumed by them as community food and was valued at Php 11,700.00.
The average household size of respondents in Tagnaya is five, Manggapino six and Kalakwasan three. Two of the respondents in Tagnaya and Manggapin who feel that their income is sufficient to cover their household needs have a more stable source of income because they are in the government.
Hunting of wild pig
- Hunting methods and potential effects on the wild pig population The ancestors of the Batak used traditional methods of hunting wild pig
- Characterization of hunting area
- Hunting months, frequency, and duration
- Estimated number of wild pig caught by the Batak respondents Two of the six respondents who are still hunting caught wild pig in 2020 and
- Overhunting in the Batak culture
- Outsiders engaging in wild pig hunting and their methods
- Effects on the environment and Batak culture
They only commented that the explosion of the pig bomb disturbs the wild boar population and sends them running in fear. Balatek is designed in a way where it estimates the height of the wild pig they are targeting to catch. The months and frequency of boar hunting are influenced by the weather and the fruits of trees on which the boars feed.
One of the respondents who still hunts felt that overhunting should be stopped to allow the wild pig population to reproduce. They also do not choose which wild pig they catch, whether pregnant, small or large.
Selling of wild pig meat
- Traders
- Reasons for selling wild pig meat
- Selling of wild pig meat back then
- Market, buyer, price, and estimated quantity consumed and sold In Kalakwasan and Tagnaya, the meat market is the lowland and the buyers are
- Common use of revenue derived from selling wild pig meat
- Implication of wild pig meat selling to Ba ak c l re
Respondents have different attitudes about wild boar hunting and meat selling activities in Batak and Tagbanua. A respondent in Kalakwasan reasoned that selling wild boar meat is not their business. Respondents related the frequency of wild boar meat sales to wild boar population and access.
Some claimed that selling wild pork actually goes against Batak culture because it already resembles a business. However, they also justified that the Batak sold wild pork out of desperation and hardship.
Law awareness and enforcement
They are open to the idea of banning the sale of wild boar meat, but they are hoping for it. However, one respondent is not aware of a law that prohibits the sale of wild boar meat. As a result of the kaingina shortage, they were selling wild boar meat, they said.
Raising awareness about restricting the sale of wild boar meat does not necessarily mean responsible environmental action. The Batak are generally aware that the sale of wild boar meat is prohibited, but several external forces also influence them to think or act differently.
RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION
- Defining ha i mean b reg la ing
- Specific recommendations
- Support to community law enforcement
- Conduct scientific studies and integrate indigenous knowledge
- Employment and sustainable livelihood with income sufficient to address the food and non-food needs of the family
- Active role of the barangay LGUs, traditional leaders, and tribal chieftains The barangay officials should lead in reminding their constituents, that selling
- Enhancing public awareness on laws and policies concerning IPs and wildlife
- Conclusion
The ban on the sale of wild boar meat should be strictly enforced on the IP and divan, but the government and aid groups need to present options. An investigation into the divan hunting and selling activities at CNCH should also be launched. In Kalakwasan, according to respondents, wild boar hunting by IP is already controlled.
Some respondents indicated that they disagreed with the diwan's hunting and selling activities. However, it is essential to point out that the hunting of wild pigs and the sale of wild pork in CNCH is not done exclusively by the Batak.
Retrieved from: https://bmb.gov.ph/index.php/e-library/laws-and-policies/denr-administrative-orders/dao-2017-2020?download=383:denr-administrative-order-2019 -09. Towards tribal extinction: depopulation, deculturation, and adaptive well-being among the Batak of the United States. Rice-related knowledge, agricultural strategies and the transformation of swiddens among the Batak of Palawan Island, Philippines.
Approving the 2014 Updated List of Endangered Terrestrial and Marine Wildlife of Palawan and their categories pursuant to Republic Act 9147, otherwise.
