Indigenous Peoples’ Voices on Biodiversity: Ms. Maricris Banawag – Philippines

Ms. Maricris Banawag hailing from Kalinga, Philippines shares about the contributions made by her community towards the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of waters, forests, and mountains including the storage of rice and systems of harvesting.

“We adhere to the customs and practices passed down by our forefathers in taking care of our water sources. We strictly prohibit the use of electricity to ensure the protection of small fish and all aquatic life. That is why we are still using fishing rods and nets such as siggay, ugat and tabuki. These are our traditional ways of catching carp, tilaplia, eels, and many more” stresses Ms. Maricris.

In Kalinga, Indigenous Communities are involved in the preservation of traditional seeds including rice and beans. They are also using organic fertilizers to protect land and the environment. Community members firmly believe in the interconnectedness between land, resources, and life. That is why they stand united in protecting and taking care of what they have for the next generation.

Watch on Youtube.