20/04/2026
"Using perspectives from sound studies, affect theory, and Indigenous studies, this paper examines how indigenous traditional practices develop through tensions and disagreements over representation and creative innovation among members of indigenous communities, drawing on the history and practices of left-wing activism in the Cordillera Region of the northern Philippines. In particular, it examines how an elderly member of an indigenous Igorot community, who is also an activist and a member of a political organization, responded to members of his community who criticized his use of traditional practices, costuming, music, and dance in street protests. His response, which involves a solo performance that symbolically reaffirms his political convictions, demonstrates how indigenous practice can evolve through an individual’s agency."
Soon after graduating with a Bachelor of Music in Musicology at the UP College of Music, Lisa joined the UP Center for Ethnomusicology team as a junior researcher during the 2013 Field Exchange project in Sagada, Mountain Province with a team from the National Taiwan Normal University.
Check out the article of UPCE Director Dr. Lisa Decenteceo in the Malaysian Journal of Music.
RESEARCH | Street protests led by Igorot left-wing activists feature gangsa (flat gongs), political speeches, and chants mixed with traditional celebratory dances. For many, these protests express important Igorot values such as collectivism, sovereignty, and territorial defense. However, not all Igorots agree with this approach. In 2017, some performances by leftist Igorots sparked debates within the community concerning linking Igorot identity with political activism. This was especially difficult for one elder who had, since his youth, seen Igorots defend their ancestral lands from corporate intrusion using traditional practices.
Using perspectives from sound studies, affect theory, and Indigenous studies, this paper examines how indigenous traditional practices develop through tensions and disagreements over representation and creative innovation among members of indigenous communities, drawing on the history and practices of left-wing activism in the Cordillera Region of the northern Philippines. In particular, it examines how an elderly member of an indigenous Igorot community, who is also an activist and a member of a political organization, responded to members of his community who criticized his use of traditional practices, costuming, music, and dance in street protests. His response, which involves a solo performance that symbolically reaffirms his political convictions, demonstrates how indigenous practice can evolve through an individual’s agency.
Author: Lisa Decenteceo (Department of Musicology, College of Music, University of the Philippines Diliman)
Published in the Malaysian Journal of Music
Read more: https://ovpaa.up.edu.ph/research/tensions-and-disagreements-within-indigenous-communities-over-representation-and-creative-innovation-influence-indigenous-traditional-practices/
