Hey there, everyone! Today, I just want to chat about something that's been on my mind - the importance of valuing our oral traditions and not letting anyone ignore our stories.
So, here's the scoop: Maura, an Igorot woman from the past, has been a hot topic lately. While I do understand why some people may cast doubts on Maura's existence due to what they perceive as a lack of credible proof -- like her name not sounding typically Igorot, discrepancies in the stories told by a Suyoc family interviewed by KMJS, and the gaps in information from limited documents obtained by The Washington Post --I don't think these reasons are strong enough to deny her existence.
Now, don't get me wrong; I'm all for critical thinking and careful consideration. But, deep down, I believe that the appearance of Maura's story in our time serves a crucial purpose. That is, to urge us to truly scrutinize the history we've been told, much like how we don't disregard our ancestors' oral traditions as mere hearsay.
And why shouldn't we? They're the stories of our ancestors, the wisdom they shared, and the struggles they faced. These stories are our windows into our past. Hence, we should hold them close.
Back to Maura, think about this - if, in time, Maura's story is proven true, dismissing it would be a disservice to her and us.
Oh, and here's something I want to make clear. I'm not particularly interested in digging into the motives of TV shows like KMJS for picking up Maura's story. What I am interested in, though, is giving a shoutout to Janna Langholz.
She's a dedicated researcher who genuinely cares about unraveling the details of the struggles faced by indigenous Filipinos following the 1904 St. Louis Fair. She isn't just uncovering history; she's uncovering a piece of OUR history.
You see, it's not about whether someone's chasing fame or ratings. It's about the truth, our truth. And Janna, she's got her heart in the right place.
Now, for an update. Janna recently shared on Instagram that she discovered some intriguing information. It appears that the remains of Maura and a young man named Suyon from Bontoc may not have been repatriated to the Philippines, contrary to what previous articles claimed. This discovery adds a new layer to Maura's story.
So, here's the deal: let's stay open to both our oral traditions and these new findings. Let's not hastily brush off any of our ancestor's stories, especially when they're part of the big picture that makes us who we are.
As for Maura and Suyon, I believe more details about their backstories will surface in the future. Why should we care? Simply because it's about respecting our past, our people, and our truth.
