North-South-East-West at University of the Philippines Davao February 2005.

The North-South-East-West Video Installation with Metis storyteller Graham Thompson was presented at the University of the Philippines Mindanao Cultural Centre, Davao Philippines, February 2005.

The University of the Philippines Mindanao, also referred to as UPMin or UP Mindanao, has as its main focus of education is Mindanao studies through an affirmative action program in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao to attract Muslims and Lumad students.

LUMAD is a Bisayan term meaning “native” or “indigenous”. It is adopted by a group of 15 from a more than 18 Mindanao ethnic groups in their Cotobato Congress in June 1986 to distinguish them from the other Mindanaons, Moro or Christian. At present, Mindanao Lumads account for 2.1 million out of the total 6.5 million indigenous people nationally. (1993 Census)

These fifteen Lumads in the Cotobato Congress were the following: Subanen, B’laan, Mandaya, Higaonon, Banwaon, Talaandig, Ubo, Manobo, T’boli, Tiruray, Bagobo, Tagakaolo, Dibabawon, Manguangan, and Mansaka.  They are found in the following towns and cities: Cotobato, Tandag, Dipolog, Kidapawan, Marbel, Tagum, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Malaybalay, Pagadian, Butuan, Surigao, Ozamis,  Ipil, Digos, Mati and Dipolog.

The presentation was accompanied by The Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Sutherland and attended by  Professor Antonio G. Moran Dean of College of Humanities and Social Sciences , Fritz “Pavitramesh” Balgos an artist and activist, Denis John Sumaylo, Artistic and Managing Director UPMin Kombuyahan, Carlo Figuerao the tour organizer and Public Affairs Officer of the Canadian Embassy of the Philippines , Steven Reault-Kihara Consellor Political/Economic Relations and Public Affairs of the Canadian Embassy of the Philippines and Professor Ricardo M. De Ungria Channcellor.

Mayor of Davao City – Rodrigo “Rody” Roa Duterte

At the time of the North-South-East-West presentation, Rodrigo Duterte had just been re-elected as mayor in Davao and later would become president of the Philippines. Known for saying things that many would consider unsayable in his quest to fight crime, it is reported that his presidential election speeches contained the following oaths “Forget the laws on human rights. If I make it to the presidential palace, I will do just what I did as mayor. You drug pushers, hold-up men and do-nothings, you better go out. Because I’d kill you…I’ll dump all of you into Manila Bay, and fatten all the fish there.”