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European Journal of Applied Sciences – Vol. 11, No. 2

Publication Date: April 25, 2023

DOI:10.14738/aivp.112.13917.

Real, D. V. C., Aniñon, E. C., Aller, F. S., Resoor, N. Q., & Englis, A. L. (2023). Health Care Beliefs and Practices among Atas in

Canggohob, Mabinay, Philippines. European Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 11(2). 161-173.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

Health Care Beliefs and Practices among Atas in Canggohob,

Mabinay, Philippines

Don Vicente C. Real

Villaflores College, Philippines

Elsie C. Aniñon

Villaflores College, Philippines

Francy S. Aller

Department of Education, Mabinay District, Philippines

Nonale Q. Resoor

Department of Education, Canlaon City Division, Philippines

Andrea Luz Englis

Department of Education, Province of Negros Oriental, Philippines

Abstract

The study examined the healthcare beliefs and practices among atas in Barangay

Canggohob, Mabinay, Philippines. There were 25 respondents, 10 of them were Ata

women who had experienced pregnancy and 1 tribal chieftain and 14 tribal healers.

The qualitative-phenomenological research method was used in utilizing focus

group interviews, participant observation, and video documentation. Ethical

approval was secured, and the participants consented to the conduct of the

research. The findings revealed that atas still believed that sickness was caused by

weather and supernatural forces of nature. The diversity of herbal medicines and

the preparation had cultural importance to Atas' different stages of life and healing

practices. There were not much of healthcare practices during puberty,

adolescence, and adulthood except for menstrual beliefs and circumcision which

were relative to their cultural views. Moreover, atas perceived that technology,

media, modernization, and medical missions and outreach programs disconnected

them from their cultural identity, yet, they had been part of society's mainstream.

In doing so, a comprehensive health program is initiated by the Municipality of

Mabinay which will address the unique health practices of Ata mothers and other

members of the tribal group, as a part of the Annual Investment Plan and a mandate

of Republic Act No. 8371 or the Indigenous People's Rights Act of 1997. Towards this

end, a further study on the culture of atas through ethnographic background

immersion be further pursued to develop a culturally congruent nursing care

model that will streamline evidence-based practices for atas.

Keywords: Health Care, Beliefs, Practices, Ata Mothers, Canggohob.

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European Journal of Applied Sciences (EJAS) Vol. 11, Issue 2, April-2023

INTRODUCTION

A defining characteristic of an indigenous group is that it has preserved its unique traditional

ways of living, belief systems, or pertinent rituals amidst the presence of modernity. One of the

indigenous groups residing in the Philippines is the Ata people, found scattered in the

archipelago and are often described as its earliest inhabitants. Atas are pygmy people, nomadic,

and are traditionally animist [1]. One of the unique beliefs of the Ata people is the benevolent,

environmental spirit believed to inhabit the river, sea, hills, and various places. They believed

that the anitos are the original dweller of the earth and living in harmony with them is an

essential part of maintaining their people's health and well-being. For atas, a break in this

balance will bring about an illness in the individual [2].

The Philippines is one of the countries in Asia that has a wide variety of indigenous people. The

Philippines exhibits a diversity of people, languages, and cultures that have fascinated

researchers over centuries. Based on the various definitions of indigenous people, around 10

percent of the Philippine population are indigenous, representing a large geographical and

ethnic complex which includes over 100 major ethnolinguistic groups [3].

The atas, as the aboriginal inhabitants of the archipelago are scattered all over the Philippines.

Their community once called a village, is now a barrio or barangay because of colonization and

improved civilization. The atas were nomadic, living in a hunting and gathering society.

Normally, males went to the mountains where they would hunt wild animals, while females

gathered wild fruits, root crops, and vegetables for their food. However, this mode of living

gradually changed with time. They were rich in their indigenous knowledge and practices that

sustained their communities long before the coming of other cultures [4]. They are now

influenced by different environmental factors that affect their need for health care.

Hence, this study examined the healthcare beliefs and practices accompanying the life cycles of

atas in Canggohob, Mabinay Negros Oriental, Philippines. Furthermore, it examined the factors

affecting their healthcare beliefs and practices over time. Along this line, the researchers

believed that a better understanding of the various healthcare beliefs and practices of the atas

is the call of time. This would show the appropriate assistance that may be given to the atas in

rural communities.

METHODOLOGY

This study used qualitative research through the phenomenology-descriptive method. It is the

method of discovering and structuring the meaning of human incidents through interviews

with people involved in the real-life experience [5]. The descriptive stream utilizing in-depth

semi-structured interviews, participant observation, video documentation, and field notes

were adopted to draw from the informant-respondents reliable and valid information to

answer the formulated questions. Although the interviews were time-consuming to conduct

and analyze, they provided rich insights that could not be collected from large survey samples

[6]. It is noteworthy to mention that the researcher is a member of the tribal group and a

teacher in Barangay Canggohob, which established a participant observation role in the study.

And to complete the information-gathering processes, Husserl's Descriptive Phenomenological

Research Approach (DPRA) is adopted by the researcher to describe the phenomenon

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Real, D. V. C., Aniñon, E. C., Aller, F. S., Resoor, N. Q., & Englis, A. L. (2023). Health Care Beliefs and Practices among Atas in Canggohob, Mabinay,

Philippines. European Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 11(2). 161-173.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.112.13917

investigated and free themselves from any bias that may likely be expressed during the

investigation.

The participants of the study were 25 ata mothers, tribal chieftain, and tribal healers in

Barangay Canggohob, Mabinay, Negros Oriental. The Ata or Agta or Ayta are indigenous people

who live in scattered, isolated mountainous parts of Barangay Canggohob, Municipality of

Mabinay, Negros Oriental. They are negritos, who are dark to very dark brown-skinned and

tend to have features such as a small stature, small frame, curly to kinky afro-like textured hair

with a higher frequency of naturally lighter hair color relative to the general population, small

nose, and dark brown eyes. They are thought to be among the earliest inhabitants of the

Philippines. Their traditional clothing is simple. The young women wear wrap-around skirts.

Elder women wear bark cloth, while elder men wear loin clothes. The old agta women wear

bark cloth strip that passes between the legs and is attached to a string around the waist. Today,

most atas who have been in contact with lowlanders have adopted the T-shirts, pants, and

rubber sandals commonly used by the latter.

In qualitative research, the researcher is the primary research instrument. What the researcher

brings to the investigation from his/her background and identity should be treated as his/her

bias [7]. Since qualitative research is descriptive or interpretative or analysis-based research,

the researchers’ biases, beliefs, and assumptions can intrude into the analysis of data [8]. Social

researchers should attempt to neutralize or bracket their biases through full disclosure [9]. In

this direction, the researchers of the study acknowledged that their circumstance and cultural

background could enhance the interpretation of data, and validate the authenticity and

reliability of the information gathered from the participant-informants setting aside personal

biases on the research problem pursued. This study was conducted in Barangay Canggohob,

Municipality of Mabinay. This is the place where atas is found. The Municipality of Mabinay is a

first-class municipality in the province of Negros Oriental.

The interview schedule was conducted to gather the necessary information. The interview was

conducted in Sinugbuanong Binisaya, (Cebuano/Visayan language of the Central Viayas of the

Philippines) to gather the correct and reliable information from the participants of the study. It

started with five questions but were followed up with other questions which emerged as data

evolved from the responses of the participants. The researchers obtained permission from the

proper authorities to conduct the study specifically, from the Director of the National

Commission of Indigenous People. This study focused on the healthcare beliefs and practices of

atas in Canggohob, Mabinay. To understand these beliefs and practices of ata, the researchers

conducted the study in several stages, as follows:

Stage 1: Preliminary visit among the atas and identification of informants. After the permission

was obtained the researchers went to Barangay Canggohob for a preliminary visit and

identification of possible informants. The informants of this study were selected from among

the Ata women. Then, the researchers asked for assistance from the Barangay Captain,

concurrently the tribal chieftain to acquaint the researcher with the atas and to ask their

consent to be the informants of the study. A preliminary observation and a tape-recorded

interview were conducted after their approval.