Mission

To preserve the ethnic culture of indigenous tribes in Mindanao and help protect its integrity and authenticity without hindrance to its growth as a living part of the Filipino cultural heritage.

Vission

A well-preserved cultural heritage for all the ethnographic tribes in Mindanao by being a foundation that:

  • Develops a sustainable system of documentation for indigenous knowledge and practices in support of the “oral tradition”;
  • Creates means of keeping traditional arts (i.e., tribal performing arts, musical instruments, ethnic literature, indigenous medical arts, weaving and crafts, beadwork, tribal attire, ethnic cuisine, etc.) alive through practice;
  • Provides avenues for economic progress by developing cultural preservation projects that are income-generating for local IP communities;;
  • Facilitates involvement of IP’s in cultural programs and activities in both local and international scenes; and
  • Instills pride in IP culture among the younger generation through education.

General Framework and Current Thrusts

    E = Enhance community cultural advocacy through annual Mindanao-wide activities participated in by 18 major ethnographic tribes – such as the “Kahalaan Festival”. Other annual events that Epanaw Cultural Foundation engages in are the Mindanao Indigenous Peoples’ Convention, Council of Elders’ Forum, and others.
    P = Participate in national development programs by institutionalizing “Cultural Tourism.” Establishment of Tribal Centers in every region will help sustain cultural integrity in all parts of Mindanao by being “Centers for Cultural Preservation” while also standing as rural tourism destinations.
    A = Assist local IP communities in evaluating their current cultural state and in identifying/developing possible projects on cultural preservation that is most suitable to each community.
    N = Network with existing cultural undertakings such as Schools for Living Traditions and the like and link them with other Mindanao IP Communities
    AW = Awaken the consciousness of general public or mainstream society by participating in major LGU-initiated events such as “Kadayawan Festival”, national celebrations like Indigenous Peoples’ Month and international holidays like the International Day of World’s Indigenous Peoples.