Sentrong Pagpapalakas ng Negritong Kultura at Kalikasan

15/11/2025

The "LAMBUNGAN: Kwentuhan sa Pag-oorganisa at Pakikisangkot" at the 2025
International Conference of the Anthropological Association of the Philippines (UGAT) highlighted the Ayta tradition of building relationships and collective decision-making.

Through the film, "Lambungan, Isang Dokumentaryo ng Pakikisangkot Kasama ang mga Katutubong Pamayanan", and an open dialogue with leaders Bayani Sumaoang, Su***de Balintay, Jermie Sumaoang, and engaged anthropologists & practitioners Jane Austria-Young and Dr. Mary Racelis, the leaders shared their experiences of building trust with outsiders, discovering their own agency in community decision-making, and navigating challenges such as dam projects, military reservation, and tourism—underscoring that effective organizing must be culturally rooted, consultative, and grounded in community strength.

In their reflections, Jane and Mary emphasized the role of engaged anthropology in amplifying community voices and informing just policies & programs, inviting participants to reflect on their own responsibilities in sustaining solidarity and supporting Indigenous peoples’ struggles and aspirations. 🌿

03/12/2024

22/10/2024

Do you want to learn about the traditional healing and food preparation practices of our Negrito communities?

Join us in a demonstration workshop on traditional healing with Negrito youth and elders this Friday, 25 October 2024 from 1 PM to 5 PM at Gallery 1, San Miguel Corporation Exhibition Hall, 2/F, National Museum of Anthropology.

This will be followed by a film screening of “Pamaw-a”, a documentary film produced by People and Plant International. It features the convergence of various Negrito groups in solidarity to showcase their knowledge and skills in traditional food preparation and to establish a platform where they can address pressing issues faced by their community in the present time.

Slots are limited, so sign up now through this link: https://bit.ly/47Q18hj.

This activity is another partnership of the National Museum of the Philippines with the 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘢𝘨𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘨 𝘕𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘒𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢 𝘢𝘵 𝘒𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘯 (SPNKK).

Celebrate Museums and Galleries Month and National Indigenous People’s Month with us and our Negrito communities! See you there!

17/07/2024

Last July 12-13, the Batak communities of Palawan hosted the Kururuyan Ka Batak Kat Palawan: Batak Youth Festival at the Balai Ya Pag Adalan Kat mga Katutubo Elementary School in Tinitian, Roxas Palawan. The event themed "Weaving the Pathways for Youth Empowerment and Resiliency,” featured a series of activities designed to engage and inspire the Batak youths.

Mobile Forest School Youth representatives from the Negrito communities of Ati, Ayta, and Ata also participated in the gathering. Activities during the festival included: i) cooking demonstrations, ii) creation of 3D maps showing the Batak ancestral domains, iii) traditional games and skills competitions, iv) workshops focused on the hopes and aspirations of the Batak youth, v) cultural sharing sessions, and vi) dialogue with government officials, providing an opportunity for Batak leaders and youth to voice their concerns and hopes.

This two-day event aimed to foster solidarity among the Batak youth in Palawan, discuss their current realities and aspirations, provide a platform for expressing their concerns, and develop their capacities as future leaders to be culturally connected and aware of the issues affecting their ancestral domains.

06/07/2024

The Ati indigenous cultural community of Tarog, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras, has begun the construction of their water system project! Motivated by their determination to secure safe and sufficient water supply, they have pooled their internal resources, skills, and collective action (Bayanihan) to address their need for access of potable water in the community.

20/06/2024

Big Congratulations, Sir Jenne! Your dedication and passion for working with the Hunting and Gathering societies in the Philippines have been truly inspiring. Looking forward to continued impact of your commitment and experience. This recognition is truly well-deserved!

Johannes Henricus de Beer, also known to many as “Jenne,” has been honored as Member Emeritus of NTFP-EP, marking a milestone in his illustrious career and recognizing Jenne’s role in founding NTFP-EP 26 years ago.

📚𝗔𝗻 𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗻𝗼-𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿: Jenne highlighted the importance of forest products for local livelihoods and sustainable development. He helped forest communities protect their lands and manage forest resources sustainably, ensuring their future.

🎭 𝗔 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆: Jenne started his journey in conservation and community empowerment in The Netherlands, where he studied and worked in social work. He then became "Sloom," a clown with a donkey, before doing extensive research in Borneo, especially in Sarawak and West Kalimantan. There, his passion for environmental conservation and community welfare grew stronger.

🌿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: In the 1990s, Jenne's support for Philippine organizations and indigenous groups helped secure land titles and NTFP concessions. He boosted the morale and visibility of Negrito tribes (the first Filipinos) through cultural festivals, fostering a federation of Negrito tribes and advising diverse NGOs and academic institutions.

🌏 𝗔 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Jenne's initiatives like the 'Mobile Forest School' and his advocacy for indigenous rights have empowered forest-based communities, ensuring sustainable resource use. Awarded the Darrell Posey Fellowship, he continues to inspire and support traditional foodways and environmental renewal across Southeast Asia.

This special recognition event was a heartfelt tribute to Jenne’s visionary leadership and enduring contributions to our organization and the broader community. His dedication and passion have been the cornerstone of NTFP-EP’s mission, inspiring countless initiatives and collaborations.

Cheers to more years of linking peoples and forests!

Read more: https://ntfp.org/featured-listing/jenne-de-beer-recognized-as-ntfpep-member-emeritus/

22/05/2024

Burn-out is not an isolated issue but one that affects many across social movement. Collective care involves a commitment to care for each other. It is about making sure that we address the systemic issues of the society, but also attend to keeping the fire burning without burning ourselves out.

13/05/2024

The Ayta community members of Sitio Setler have initiated a new livelihood project by planting banana trees.

Their objective for this year is to allocate 10 hectares of land within their ancestral domain for banana cultivation. The aims of this effort are to generate income to support the community members and contribute to the education of Aeta children.

To ensure the sustainability of the project, they are planning to establish a community cooperative. Through this cooperative, they plan to directly sell their produce to larger markets in town, with the goal of negotiating better prices.

If successful, they hope to replicate this cooperative model in other Aeta villages, extending support to those communities as well.

16/04/2024

Students from various provinces in the Philippines participated in an enriching lecture-workshop activity organized through the collaboration between the National Museum of the Philippines and the Negrito students of the Mobile Forest School Program last October 2023.

The participants from Guimaras, Palawan, Tarlac, and Negros Occidental learned how to collect and document natural materials. The National Museum’s Ethnology, Botany, and National Herbarium Divisions instilled in the Negrito youth a deep understanding of the rich cultural and botanical heritage of their communities by underscoring the interdisciplinarity of their culture and environment in the workshop.

The Negrito youth were also empowered as they were taught to become agents of cultural documentation by actively taking roles in preserving and showcasing their heritage.

The lecture-workshop collaboration between the National Museum of the Philippines and Negrito students fostered pride and ownership of their identities through cultural preservation and community empowerment. It is also a testament to the importance of education, cultural conservation, and community engagement in nurturing an inclusive and vibrant society.

06/04/2024

"ANNOUNCEMENT: SPNKK WELCOMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS!"

1. CONCHITA CALZADO (former NCIP Commissioner)- Chairperson
Agta-Dumagat of General Nakar, Quezon
2. JOVER OCAMPO- Vice Chairperson
Ayta Hungey of Capas, Tarlac
3. ROBERTO ALMONTE (former NCIP Director)- Secretary
4. VINCE MICHAEL DOCTA- Treasurer
5. DANILO BONALES (Tribal Chietain)
Batak of Roxas, Palawan
6. FATIMA BALACANTA (Tribal Chieftain)
Ati of Nueva Valencia, Guimaras
7. BAYANI SUMAOANG (LABAYKU Chairman)
Ayta of Capas, Tarlac
8. RAMCY ASTOVEZA (former NCIP Commissioner)
Agta-Dumagat of General Nakar, Quezon
9. NORBRERTO GARDOCE
Ata of Cadiz, Negros Occidental