More Indigenous Than We Admit

More Indigenous Than We Admit 
Rethinking Encounters, Histories, and the Politics of Indigeneity

Edited by STEPHEN B. ACABADO and MARLON M. MARTIN

𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘞𝘦 𝘈𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘵 by Stephen B. Acabado and Marlon M. Martin explores the layered and often contested concept of Indigeneity within the Philippines as a nation shaped by centuries of cultural entanglements and colonial legacies.

Challenging prevailing assumptions that often fail to reflect the lived realities and self-perceptions of Indigenous peoples, this book examines how Indigeneity exists at the crossroads of history, politics, and cultural expression. Indigenous identity is shaped not only by internal factors within communities but also through external forces—colonial classifications, state-imposed definitions, and global discourses on identity and rights—highlighting the contextual, fluid, and dynamic nature of Indigeneity itself.

This diverse collection of scholarly essays, case studies, and personal reflections urges the reader to delve beyond the surface toward a more nuanced understanding of Indigenous agency and lived experiences and an active engagement with Indigenous voices. Stories of struggle, resilience, and victory serve to complicate simplistic narratives and reframe how concepts of identity and resistance have evolved within a rapidly changing world.

REVIEWS:
“In bringing together collaborative and community-rooted research, this volume unsettles static and essentialist notions of indigeneity. The emphasis on engagement, lived experience, and local epistemologies presents Indigeneity as dynamic and negotiated, shaped by histories of encounter, co-optation, and resistance, and by everyday practices in the Philippines.”
— Clement C. Camposano, PhD
President, Philippine Studies Association, Inc. and Chancellor, University of the Philippines–Visayas

“This volume draws on diverse fields like law, linguistics, archaeology, education, and communication studies to shed light on the lived experiences and local knowledge systems of communities across the Philippines. The authors offer examples of how these Indigenous communities navigate, resist, and reshape colonial and national narratives, thereby broadening our understanding of indigeneity from local perspectives. In doing so, the contributors identify historical factors that have influenced ethnic classification throughout the archipelago and emphasize the fluidity embedded in the concept of indigeneity. As a grounded case study in Southeast Asia, this volume effectively illustrates how the term “Indigeneity” has been both weaponized for colonial control and redefined to further sovereignty goals in Philippine history.”
— Miriam T. Stark, PhD
Professor of anthropology, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

“This volume offers critical contributions to Indigenous studies by centering community-engaged research that challenges essentialist notions of Indigeneity in the Philippines. Through ethnographic case studies and collaborative approaches, it provides theoretical and methodological tools for understanding Indigeneity as fluid, historically situated, and politically charged—valuable for scholars, educators, and community advocates alike.”
— Aomar Boum, PhD
Professor of anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles

Publisher: Vibal Foundation, Inc.
Imprint: Academica Filipina+
Size: 6 x 9 inches
Number of pages: 360
Available: Softbound
Copyright: 2025

About the Editors: 
Stephen B. Acabado, PhD, is a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and an advocate for Indigenous and community-engaged archaeology. His research examines Indigenous histories and landscapes, focusing on Southeast Asia. As the principal investigator of the Ifugao Archaeological Project, he has challenged colonial-era narratives about the antiquity of the Ifugao Rice Terraces, demonstrating their role as a response to Spanish colonization. He also directs the Bicol Archaeological Project and is actively involved in the Taiwan Indigenous Landscape and History Project and the Highland Ecology Project in Morocco. His work emphasizes the agency of Indigenous communities in shaping their histories and landscapes, integrating archaeological evidence with local knowledge systems.

Marlon M. Martin is a cultural heritage advocate and the chief operating officer of the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITMO), a community-based organization committed to preserving Ifugao heritage. As a member of the Ifugao community, he has been instrumental in integrating Indigenous knowledge with archaeological research, particularly through his collaboration with the Ifugao Archaeological Project. Recognized as one of the foremost experts in cultural landscape management, his work focuses on Indigenous histories, landscape management, and heritage conservation, emphasizing community participation and the revitalization of traditional practices. He is a key figure in heritage education initiatives, promoting local stewardship of cultural landscapes and challenging colonial narratives that have shaped perceptions of Ifugao history.