Anthropology Museum, Palma Hall – The UP Diliman Department of Anthropology held a send-off gathering for the Anthropology Field School (AFS) 2014, last March 25 2014.
The send-off was meant as a farewell celebration for this year’s batch of Field School students, before they begin their summer of fieldwork. The event was hosted by Prof. Rolando Esteban, and attended by the faculty members of the UP Department of Anthropology, and the members of AFS 2013 and AFS 2014. Prof. Nestor T. Castro, Chair of the Anthropology Department, and Prof. Efenita M. Taqueban, Field Director for AFS 2014, both formally addressed this year’s batch of field school students during the celebration. Prof. Castro emphasized the Department’s support for the AFS and Prof. Taqueban expressed gratitude to the all the members of the Department for training the members of AFS 2014 for fieldwork, and to all the members of AFS 2014 for their collective work in the preparations.
Kariema Bagas of AFS 2013, and Lakan Umali of AFS 2015, gave their well wishes on behalf of their batches. Luisa Narciso, AFS 2014 Batch Representative, gave AFS 2014’s message of gratitude. Prof. Felipe Jocano Jr., Department Undergraduate Coordinator, also gave his well wishes and habilins to the undergraduates. Prof. Carlos Tatel commemorated the passing on the mantle of Field Director from Prof. Edwin Valientes of AFS 2013 to Prof. Taqueban. In anticipation, Prof. Reginaldo Cruz witnessed as the incoming Director for Field School 2015. Prof. Tatel then introduced the ritual of breaking the palayok as a symbolic gesture for calling on protection and good “harvest” for AFS 2014. Prof. Taqueban broke the hanging palayok to commence AFS 2014’s good start. Songs from representatives of the different Field School batches were rendered as part of the celebration.
AFS 2014 is the 50th Field School of the UP Anthropology Department, “It is an honor and a privilege to be both the 50th field school batch and the first batch to be officially ‘sent-off’ into the field. We will do our best to live up to expectations,” said Ms. Narciso.
This year’s field school, also known as Batch “Mai Sharona”, will leave for Cagayan De Oro on April 10, and return on May 22. The celebration was the first time the Department of Anthropology has held a “sent-off” for a batch of field school students, since the 1950’s.
