Indigenous Voices in the Philippines: Youth Storytelling Through Film

In the heart of the Philippines, indigenous youth are reclaiming their narratives through film. The Indigenous Voices training initiative led by LifeMosaic aims to equip young indigenous leaders with storytelling and filmmaking skills to amplify their communities’ voices and efforts in biodiversity conservation and cultural revitalisation.

In February 2025, two trainings were held in Davao, Mindanao and Besao, Mountain Province. During these training sessions, 56 indigenous youth gathered representing 12 different indigenous groups from Visayas, Palawan, Mindoro, Luzon, Mindanao and Mountain Province. The aim of the gathering was to explore the power of storytelling and learn film making techniques to create impactful narratives that promote indigenous cultures and territories.

The training program explored essential questions behind making useful films to support movements to defend and promote indigenous cultures, territories, and knowledge.

Led by experienced facilitators and supported by local elders, the trainings started with a fundamental question: How do indigenous communities traditionally tell stories? Participants reflected on the storytelling methods unique to their own cultures, sharing examples of their own culturally rooted expressions of dance, song, oral narratives, weaving, poetry, arts and crafts as well as exploring the terms used in their indigenous languages that underpin cultural storytelling. 

“What we are trying to do is encourage storytelling underpinned by Indigenous Peoples cultural roots,” said Gemma from LifeMosaic, trainer and facilitator of the Indigenous Voices training.

With the growing presence of digital technology in indigenous communities, tools like smartphones and video editing apps have the potential of being used as powerful instruments by indigenous peoples, and especially their youth, for advocacy and cultural preservation.

As one of the training participants in Davao stated:

“As indigenous youth we are at the forefront – we have the power, we are the agents of change, and through this [training] we can bridge the modern technology advancement with our culture.”

By mastering these tools, indigenous youth can document their traditions, struggles, and aspirations in a way that goes beyond their own communities and contributes to the wider national and international indigenous movements.

As Gemma from LifeMosaic shared:

“Many indigenous youth are social media savvy. They really know a lot about (digital) storytelling already. What we do in these trainings is take them on a learning journey and guide them on how to plan, film, and edit their own films about their own cultures, with the national and international context in mind.”

From Concept to Creation

Over the span of two days, participants learned about filmmaking techniques, narrative structures, and video editing using accessible software like CapCut and KineMaster. They developed their short films, each one inspired by the challenges and resilience of their communities.

The sessions were not just technical; they were deeply personal. Youth discussed the struggles of indigenous peoples in the Philippines—cultural integrity, social justice, self-governance, and ancestral land rights —integrating these themes into their films.

For many, this training was about more than just filmmaking—it was about empowerment. As one participant expressed:

“What I liked most about this training is how we can help our communities through filming. This is a big help, so our struggles as indigenous peoples are heard.”

Others echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the friendships formed and the solidarity they felt.

Participants left the trainings not only with new skills but also with a renewed sense of purpose—to use their voices and stories to advocate for their communities.