𝑺𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒚 𝒐𝒏 𝑺𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑵𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝑨𝒕𝒂 𝑪𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝑬𝒏𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝑺𝑮𝑺 𝑳𝒊𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

In a generous act of academic service, Dr. Jeremias Navarro Perez, a newly hired Ph.D. professor of music at J.H. Cerilles State College (JHCSC), has provided a copy of his doctoral dissertation to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) Library. The dissertation, titled “Selective Commodification as a Context for Sustaining Negrense Ata Cultural Performances, Philippines,” now serves as a valuable addition to the JHCSC’s growing collection of academic and cultural resources.

Completed in January 2022 at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Dr. Perez’s dissertation explores the rich musical and dance traditions of the Negrense Ata people of Negros Island, particularly focusing on how selective commodification contributes to the preservation of their cultural expressions.

The study includes the Ata community’s rituals and healing practices, economic situation, and relationships with other groups such as the Magahat, the Bukidnon, and Lowlander Negrense. It further examines the evolving interaction between the Ata and various government agencies and non-government organizations.

Central to the research is commodification—viewed not simply as a commercial transaction but as a nuanced social process. Dr. Perez analyzes how this intersects with traditional values like tabang (help) and enerhiya (a strong force of kindness and gratitude) and how these are reflected in Ata’s music and rhetorical practices. The work provides insight into how indigenous cultural performances adapt amid modernization and economic shifts.

Now accessible at the SGS Library, the dissertation is expected to benefit a wide range of students and faculty, particularly those in the fields of musicology, anthropology, cultural studies, and community development. It serves not only as a scholarly reference but also as a call to recognize the resilience and creativity of indigenous communities in preserving their heritage.