Coinciding with the annual observation of National Indigenous Peoples Month, “Begnas”, which means festival, shall gather the IP members of 23 ancestral domain areas and Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICC) in Ilocos Sur through Provincial Ordinance No. 0131, s. 2022, which aims to unite and gather them to celebrate, interact, and discuss issues the ICCs or IPs face today.
“This is a celebration you can call your own. Not just a part of our Kannawidan Festival, but a distinct and separate festivity organized by you and to be enjoyed by you,” Governor Jeremias Singson said.
It can be remembered that in the previous Kannawidan Festival, IP members celebrated their customs and traditions through the IP “Balliwes” parade and “Begnas” cultural night.
In the province, IP members of three major ethnolinguistic groups, namely, Tinguians/Itneg, Kankanaeys, and Bagos, and other minority ethnic groups such as the Applais and Ibalois reside in the city of Candon and/or the municipalities of Cervantes, Qurino, Gregorio Del Pilar, San Emilio, Alilem, Lidlidda, Banayoyo, Sigay, Sugpon, Suyo, Tagudin, Narvacan, Nagbukel, Burgos, Santa Cruz, Santa Lucia, Galimuyod, Salcedo, Cabugao, Magsingal, Santo Domingo, and San Juan.
“Celebrations like this (Begnas) is one of the few opportunities we have to show who we are as members of the community, and for that, I commend the municipal mayor of Lidlidda, Atty. Sherwin Tomas, for his unwavering support to the IP community by hosting ‘Begnas di Ilocos Sur’ 2023. Likewise, I extend my utmost thanks to Ilocos Sur Provincial IPMR Elpidio Quines, Sr. for his endless effort in advocating for the best interest of the IP community, and in making sure that the IP Month celebration through this Begnas becomes a yearly event,” National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Regional Director Harriet Abyadang said.
