Bangsamoro history is on the other side of the history that they teach in school.
Bangsamoro history exists on the other side of the history taught in our schools.
The problem is that, while Bangsamoro students feel alienated in the classrooms from this side of history, it also keeps them unaware of where they came from.
But if we really want to produce Bangsamoro citizens who feel pride in their identity and wish for their land to prosper, whether by their own making or standing up against those who wish to corrupt it, we should invest in their education.
Because if we don’t, they’d grow up mistaking that our fight was a fight for democracy. Years from now, BARMM may be filled with Western liberal ideologies they see on Facebook because, after all, it’s “a democratic region”.
But it’s not.
Our ancestors didn’t die in the battlefield just so we could do whatever we wanted.
They did so because they wanted our unique customs and beliefs to continue. And they only used democracy as a tool.
Related: The Danger Of Not Knowing Your History
Here’s why Teaching them Bangsamoro History Will Help Us:
Sense of Belonging
Unlike national narratives that many Bangsamoro students struggle to relate to, learning their own history gives meaning to their personal lives. It teaches them where they stand in the world and affirms that their story matters.
Feel Pride in Their Own Skin
Right now, they may feel ashamed of who they are because they hear everywhere that their people are poor or illiterate. However, if they learn their side of history, they will appreciate how their people have resisted colonisation over time.
They Will Make A Dream That Benefits Society, not Just Themselves.
Understanding the sacrifices made for self-governance encourages them to guard the autonomy of the Bangsamoro, value integrity in leadership, and reject corruption among officials. This will encourage them to contribute meaningfully to the Bangsamoro nation.
Why Not?
Some people fear that if you tell children how the oppression their ancestors faced, it will provoke unrest or resentment.
But these are recorded history.
Ignoring it does not cure old wounds. It’s just that, ignoring it.
The point of teaching it is to foster understanding. It’s to remind the next generation that autonomy that we have now is not something to be taken for granted. It’s something to protect and sustain, even from their own selves.
Because the goal of education, and governance alike, is to teach people how to think, not what to think.
And teaching them their roots will provide them in the future a solid ground to produce their own position.
