Indigenous Aeta Tribes need you.
Donation protected
The indigenous Aeta are small, dark-skinned, and kinky-haired people who once occupied the forest areas of Mount Pinatubo, Cenral Luzon, Philippines. They were referred to as Pygmy Aeta or Negritos (little negroes) by the early Spanish settlers in the early 1500s. Ethnologists claim they belong to what is probably the oldest living race in the world. Today, the Filipinos referred to them as “Kulot” meaning curly hair. They appear to have similar characteristics and manner to the Bushman from Southern Africa and the Melanesian from the Solomon Islands.
The Aeta were forced to leave their forest when Mount Pinatubo erupted in 1991. The eruption ejected massive clouds of volcanic material and blanketed the surrounding mountains, forests, old plantations, villages, streams, and rivers with volcanic ash, measuring about 25 centimeters deep. The eruption coincided with a typhoon known as Typhoon Diding, which caused fast-moving mudflows, and these mudflows destroyed crops, livestock, fisheries, and wild animals that roamed the forest. The destruction completely altered the environment and the topsoil and major rivers became clogged with or were covered by sulfuric acid. The violent eruption forced the Aeta to move down the mountain. They became homeless, their future imperiled.
In 1997, approximately 50,000 Aeta or 10,000 families were displaced in resettlement areas at the foot of Mount Pinatubo within the 128,000 hectares of ancestral land without the basic necessities needed for their survival such as water systems, sanitation facilities, electricity, roads, or bridges.
Their survival was at risk. Several major rivers were clogged and the topsoil of hectares of agricultural lands was covered with volcanic ash. Everything they relied on from the forest was completely gone. The water they found on the surface was unsuitable for any aquatic life, and the soil was unsuitable for planting. Their tradition of hunting, fishing, gathering, and farming was fading away. Their culture and tradition of self-sufficiency and independence was on the brink of extinction.
Racial and ethnic inequality affects how the Aeta are treated. They are not given equal treatment and opportunities, and are thus left in extreme poverty. Twenty-five bitter years have passed and they have continued to face difficulty in receiving vital social services necessary for survival such as water and food in their lands and villages. They are constantly pushed back, which makes it impossible for them to have successful lives in the 21st century.
The lack of food, water, employment, and forest resources have forced the Aeta to be totally dependent on the outside and government for food relief, humanitarian aid, and medical services. They have acquired new cultural norms of begging to survive with ongoing helplessness and degradation. Today, the relief efforts have dwindled and in some areas have stopped completely. The emergency and relief efforts had little effect in alleviating poverty and poor living conditions. Instead, the Aeta have suffered from diseases related to nutrition, poor sanitation, and hygiene.
The Aeta Tribe Foundation was formed in April 2015, and is registered with the state and IRS for tax-exempt status as a 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit Corporation. All the money generated throughout the campaign will be used to implement the best cures for the Aeta people, one village at a time. The goal is to generate funds to ensure that the Aeta’s economic, social, and cultural well-being are protected without discrimination as regards their existence, property rights, and ancestral domain.
The Aeta Tribe Foundation does not have employees. All the officers and board members are volunteers who provide in-kind donations of their time. However, we allocate all donated funds in two ways:
• Eight percent (8%) of the donated funds will be used for bank fees (3%), postage, office supplies, and marketing materials.
• Ninety-two percent (92%) of the donated funds will go directly to building water projects, disributing 5-gallon blue plastic containers for each families, and female water buffalos for each village to provide milk for malnourished children and help with reforestation.
Our vision is derived from the concept of sustainable development and we aim to re-build the forest and replace both natural and human-made resources in equal or greater value without damaging or endangering the natural forest system. Instead, we aim to shift the focus to social and economic development for future Aeta generations.
Eventually, the goal for the Aeta is to learn conservation and preservation of water to help restore the forest to the way it was for the Aeta people before the eruption of Mount Pinatubo. We want the forest to be better and richer with natural resources and water that is preserved, recycled, re-used, and protected so that the Aeta can become keepers of the forest. Water will move the Aeta from extreme poverty into a whole new culture where the forest is restored and filled with fruits and vegetables, with fish swimming in the newly created ponds, and plenty of water to drink, cook, bathe, and grow food. Having water means food security and economic development. The Aeta will move from a primitive existence to a more sophisticated one that is more aware of nurturing, restoring, and preserving the forest they once called home.
The eruption of Mount Pinatubo is an opportunity to re-build the forest in a more sustainable and ecological environment and to fight climate change. Native fruit trees and bamboo will be planted to bring strength and comfort to the people who nurture the forest. The weeds will be replaced with more medicinal plants, root crops, vegetable vines, beans, bitter melons, and so on to reestablish the knowledge that have been accumulated for thousands of years by the Aeta’s ancestors. Eventually, the volcanic soil and land will become fertile and more spring waters will be available. All of these resources will complement each other and will not only feed the Aeta, but provide for all who live in nearby regions.
The Aeta’s role as second-class citizen will be elevated as they become survivors and people of importance. Their traumatic experiences will be erased and filed away as part of their tribal wisdom.
The Aeta women will be more likely to work on their own farms growing food and keeping their family healthy. The Aeta children will spend more time in school as they continue to learn many new things. As time passes, all members of the Aeta tribe will be better off and better equipped to care for their families and the forest as they are educated with an understanding of the world in which they live. Subsequently, they will have greater advantages as they become more knowledgeable of both the primitive world and the modern. They will be the keepers of the forest. The volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 will be celebrated as a remembrance, as the year that changed the lives of the Aeta and lead to a greener environment and the Aeta’s independence as the keepers of the forest.
We expect our initiatives and other activities and programs to cost approximately $25,000 a year for the next five years. Your support will allow us continue these life-saving practices by bringing water to the Aeta villages one at a time.
Please consider donating to help provide these essential resources and send a resounding message to the indigenous Aeta that our commitment to them is unwavering.
The Aeta were forced to leave their forest when Mount Pinatubo erupted in 1991. The eruption ejected massive clouds of volcanic material and blanketed the surrounding mountains, forests, old plantations, villages, streams, and rivers with volcanic ash, measuring about 25 centimeters deep. The eruption coincided with a typhoon known as Typhoon Diding, which caused fast-moving mudflows, and these mudflows destroyed crops, livestock, fisheries, and wild animals that roamed the forest. The destruction completely altered the environment and the topsoil and major rivers became clogged with or were covered by sulfuric acid. The violent eruption forced the Aeta to move down the mountain. They became homeless, their future imperiled.
In 1997, approximately 50,000 Aeta or 10,000 families were displaced in resettlement areas at the foot of Mount Pinatubo within the 128,000 hectares of ancestral land without the basic necessities needed for their survival such as water systems, sanitation facilities, electricity, roads, or bridges.
Their survival was at risk. Several major rivers were clogged and the topsoil of hectares of agricultural lands was covered with volcanic ash. Everything they relied on from the forest was completely gone. The water they found on the surface was unsuitable for any aquatic life, and the soil was unsuitable for planting. Their tradition of hunting, fishing, gathering, and farming was fading away. Their culture and tradition of self-sufficiency and independence was on the brink of extinction.
Racial and ethnic inequality affects how the Aeta are treated. They are not given equal treatment and opportunities, and are thus left in extreme poverty. Twenty-five bitter years have passed and they have continued to face difficulty in receiving vital social services necessary for survival such as water and food in their lands and villages. They are constantly pushed back, which makes it impossible for them to have successful lives in the 21st century.
The lack of food, water, employment, and forest resources have forced the Aeta to be totally dependent on the outside and government for food relief, humanitarian aid, and medical services. They have acquired new cultural norms of begging to survive with ongoing helplessness and degradation. Today, the relief efforts have dwindled and in some areas have stopped completely. The emergency and relief efforts had little effect in alleviating poverty and poor living conditions. Instead, the Aeta have suffered from diseases related to nutrition, poor sanitation, and hygiene.
The Aeta Tribe Foundation was formed in April 2015, and is registered with the state and IRS for tax-exempt status as a 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit Corporation. All the money generated throughout the campaign will be used to implement the best cures for the Aeta people, one village at a time. The goal is to generate funds to ensure that the Aeta’s economic, social, and cultural well-being are protected without discrimination as regards their existence, property rights, and ancestral domain.
The Aeta Tribe Foundation does not have employees. All the officers and board members are volunteers who provide in-kind donations of their time. However, we allocate all donated funds in two ways:
• Eight percent (8%) of the donated funds will be used for bank fees (3%), postage, office supplies, and marketing materials.
• Ninety-two percent (92%) of the donated funds will go directly to building water projects, disributing 5-gallon blue plastic containers for each families, and female water buffalos for each village to provide milk for malnourished children and help with reforestation.
Our vision is derived from the concept of sustainable development and we aim to re-build the forest and replace both natural and human-made resources in equal or greater value without damaging or endangering the natural forest system. Instead, we aim to shift the focus to social and economic development for future Aeta generations.
Eventually, the goal for the Aeta is to learn conservation and preservation of water to help restore the forest to the way it was for the Aeta people before the eruption of Mount Pinatubo. We want the forest to be better and richer with natural resources and water that is preserved, recycled, re-used, and protected so that the Aeta can become keepers of the forest. Water will move the Aeta from extreme poverty into a whole new culture where the forest is restored and filled with fruits and vegetables, with fish swimming in the newly created ponds, and plenty of water to drink, cook, bathe, and grow food. Having water means food security and economic development. The Aeta will move from a primitive existence to a more sophisticated one that is more aware of nurturing, restoring, and preserving the forest they once called home.
The eruption of Mount Pinatubo is an opportunity to re-build the forest in a more sustainable and ecological environment and to fight climate change. Native fruit trees and bamboo will be planted to bring strength and comfort to the people who nurture the forest. The weeds will be replaced with more medicinal plants, root crops, vegetable vines, beans, bitter melons, and so on to reestablish the knowledge that have been accumulated for thousands of years by the Aeta’s ancestors. Eventually, the volcanic soil and land will become fertile and more spring waters will be available. All of these resources will complement each other and will not only feed the Aeta, but provide for all who live in nearby regions.
The Aeta’s role as second-class citizen will be elevated as they become survivors and people of importance. Their traumatic experiences will be erased and filed away as part of their tribal wisdom.
The Aeta women will be more likely to work on their own farms growing food and keeping their family healthy. The Aeta children will spend more time in school as they continue to learn many new things. As time passes, all members of the Aeta tribe will be better off and better equipped to care for their families and the forest as they are educated with an understanding of the world in which they live. Subsequently, they will have greater advantages as they become more knowledgeable of both the primitive world and the modern. They will be the keepers of the forest. The volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 will be celebrated as a remembrance, as the year that changed the lives of the Aeta and lead to a greener environment and the Aeta’s independence as the keepers of the forest.
We expect our initiatives and other activities and programs to cost approximately $25,000 a year for the next five years. Your support will allow us continue these life-saving practices by bringing water to the Aeta villages one at a time.
Please consider donating to help provide these essential resources and send a resounding message to the indigenous Aeta that our commitment to them is unwavering.
Organizer
Fernando Briosos
Organizer
San Francisco, CA