About IGO

WHAT IS THE IGOROT GLOBAL ORGANIZATION?

IGO is an organization of persons who trace their roots from the Central Cordillera (mountains) of Northern Luzon, Philippines, who choose to maintain the ethnic identity, “Igolot” or “Igorot”, literally meaning “people of the mountains”.

For almost four centuries since the 1500s when Spain occupied the Philippines, in spite of superior weapons of war, the Spaniards were unable to completely subjugate these mountain people. This Spanish failure of conquest resulted in Spain’s failure to control the famed Central Cordillera’s rich natural resources, including the famed Igorot gold and silver and the mountains’ natural beauty and cool climate. Embarrassed at its failure to conquer the Igorots that make up a tiny portion of the Philippine population, the Spanish conquerors embarked on a campaign of words against the Igorots. The Spaniards called the Igorots primitive, savage, headhunters, ugly, ignoramus, recalcitrant, without manners, with tails, and incapable of domestication.

Unfortunately, this caricature of the Igorot by the Spaniards swept the thinking of the mainstream Filipino, from the Spanish occupation through the American occupation of the Philippines at the end of the 19th century and, to a significant extent, up to the present. And even while the Igorot has leap-froged into the later part of the 20th century to become nurses, doctors, engineers, educators, lawyers, bishops, congressmen, governors, businessmen, ivy-league students as cum laudes, topping professional national examinations in the Philipppines, etc, they are still perceived by many as “primitive”. This has caused embarrassment on the part of many Igorots themselves who now prefer not to be identified as “Igorot”. It is, however, the conviction of other Igorots not to hide from his true identity because of negative connotations but to turn the word , Igorot, “from a name of shame to a name of pride.”

It is this group of proud Igorots who initiated the formation of an Igorot Global Organization or IGO. Conceived during the 1st Igorot Intgernational Consultation (IIC1) in West Covina, California in 1995, it was formally endorsed during the 2nd Igorot International Consultation in Lexington, Virginia in 1997, and formally organized at the 3rd IIC in Baguio City, Philippines in April 2000.

The general purpose of IGO as provided in its Mission Statement is: “To preserve for future generations the diverse heritage of the Igorot people and proactively promote their upliftment, advancement and interests and those of related people.”

In pursuance of this Mission, it has adopted a list of short and long term projects and programs which it has prioritized according to immediacy of need, practicality, and affordability. Some of these projects are:

An Igorot Scholarship Program (in progress)
A dormitory for Igorot college students in Baguio City (reclaiming the former Bibak dormitory, now in progress)
A campaign to editors of general reference materials that still define the Igorot as primitive to update their Igorot definition (in progress)
Monitoring current discussions on the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of the Philippines or IPRA (in progress)
Managing the periodic Igorot International Consultations (in effect)
Encouraging the full participation of the youth in IGO affairs (in progress)
Formation of an Igorot International Dance Troupe
Holding of mini-consultations in the barrios and towns in the Mountain provinces
The establishment of an Igorot Hall of Fame, Cultural Center, Museum, and Library
Concern and support for worthwhile socio-economic, health, and environmental programs in the Cordillera
Other dream projects

As of July 2002, membership to the IGO is about 1,300 from the USA, Canada, London, Ireland, continental Europe, the Middle East, and the Philippines which has organized a Philippine IGO chapter. Other IGO chapters are being organized in Europe.

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