Finding God in lived experiences with indigenous and Muslim communities

A small group of Jesuit scholastics, composed of two Indonesians, two Filipinos and one Korean, and a lay woman travelled to Southern Philippines for a lived experience of the contextual realities of indigenous peoples, known as Lumad, and Muslims in Mindanao.

Their three-week immersion was part of the Asia Pacific Contextual Theology for Engagement Program (APCOTEP), a joint initiative of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific’s Jesuit Companions in Indigenous Ministry and the Secretariat for Interreligious Dialogue. It is offered as an intersession programme for students of the Loyola School of Theology (LST) in Manila under its Asian Theology Program.

APCOTEP provided the participants the opportunity to appreciate the spirituality and cultures of the Talaandig indigenous peoples and Maranao Muslims, and reflect on their realities in the light of the faith. They were guided by Fr Greg Soetomo SJ, the conference coordinator for Dialogue with Islam and professor of Islam at LST, Fr Robin Koning SJ, who teaches systematic theology in Melbourne, and Fr Jojo M Fung SJ, assistant professor of contextual theology at LST and conference coordinator for Ministry to Indigenous People.

The first part of the programme was immersion with the Talaandig community in Songco, Bukidnon. Upon their arrival, the group was invited to participate in a welcome ritual, which involved offering the blood of five chickens to Apo Magbabaya (their highest deity) and all the spirits to ask that they bless the participants during their stay with the families. On the second night, the children and teenage girls and boys showcased their Talaandig dances, accompanied by the rhythmic sounds of the gongs and drums. The night culminated with the mystic melodies of the flute.

Village chief and anthropologist, Datu Migketay V L Saway, shared how the Talaandig community of Songco endeavours to preserve and promote the Talaandig religio-cultural traditions and the sustainable livelihood of their members. The Talaandig is the biggest of all the tribes in Bukidnon and Songco is known for the celebration of the Kinship Covenant with the other tribes of the South, such as the Higaonon, Maranao, Umajamnen and Pulangiyen.

The second part of the programme was immersion with Maranao Muslims. The participants interacted with the family of a sultan, students of Mindanao State University and Maranao Muslims in Cagayan de Oro and Xavier University. They were taught the Muslim ritual of prayer that begins with the wudhu (ablution), the shahadat (profession of faith) and the tawhid (finger pointing skyward), sujud (praying in community), repeating after the Imam, kneeling, standing and bowing in a row, and reciting the prayer that is equivalent to the “Glory Be”. The visit to Marawi’s “Ground Zero” impressed upon the participants the painful memories of a rebellion in which the local grievances of the Maranao Muslims were, willy-nilly, instrumentalised by the Maute Rebels.

Finally, the group spent a week of reflection in Miarayon, Bukidnon. Divided into two small groups, the participants reflected on their lived experiences among the Talaandig and the Muslims in the light of Scripture, the Papal and Catholic theologies and the readings. The first small group articulated a contextual theology of ritual while the second small group articulated a contextual theology of Islamic prayer.

Fr Felipe Yohan SJ, the parish priest of Miarayon, also shared about the joy and struggles of living out his calling among the Talaandig believers in Miarayon, and Fr Soetomo recalled his childhood experience of living among Muslims. He related how he took up Islamic Studies in Indonesia and his engagement in dialogue with Muslims as Secretary for Dialogue with Islam through two Jesuit dialogue networks: Jesuits among Muslims in Asia and the wider global network Jesuits among Muslims.

As an education advocate and member of the Open Government Partnership national steering committee, lay participant Olie Lucas joined APCOTEP to gain a better understanding of the motivations, values and worldviews of Lumad and Muslims to facilitate interreligious conversations that proceed with more fluidity.

“My participation in the programme has met these expectations”, she shared. “I understand better the challenges faced by the Lumads and Muslims in negotiating modernity, accessing public services and finding their collective voice.”

Korean Scholastic and fourth year Theology student Min Ho SJ was reminded of the beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven”. He was touched by the hospitality and simplicity of the communities:

“In Songco, the indigenous people welcomed us with warm hearts and shared their own culture. We partook in simple meals together. Anyone who came to the house could share in the meal and conversation. In Marawi, where the majority religion is Islam, I saw the brokenness brought by the war. I felt the Holy Spirit dwelling in the students. In Miarayon, I reflected on the simple life that the village people have lived out for themselves.”

At the missioning Mass, each participant offered a symbol of their learning at the offertory. The missioning rite began after communion with a guided contemplation on the “Trinitarian gaze” on the world and the voice of Jesus saying, “As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.”

Then each one stood up, placed both hands on the shoulder of the next person and missioned her/him with the words: “As the Father missioned Jesus, so in place of Jesus I mission you”, subsequently tracing the sign of the cross on the person’s forehead. At the dismissal rite, Fr Koning offered an aboriginal chant and all the five priests blessed all those present.