Indigenous culture and hybrid identity in the Igorot transnational diaspora: A critical perspective

Limited studies on identity negotiation through the lens of cultural sustainability in transnational contexts highlight the absence of a context-sensitive theoretical model on hybrid identity. We critically examine the processes of preserving indigenous knowledge, systems, and practices among Igorot-Americans in the North American transnational diaspora, and how such processes influence the construction of hybrid identities. In investigating these complex, mutual practices that span both the home and culturally bound communal circles, we also theorize identity reconstruction and offer new insights that contribute to knowledge in the social sciences. We adopt a combination of positivist, critical, and interpretive epistemological orientations to our findings obtained through a survey questionnaire, virtual interviews, and focus group discussions. Our findings present novel discourse on identity reconstruction and deviate from traditional paradigms within diasporic contexts. Thus, we contribute to expanding scholarly dialogue on theorizing Indigenous practices in Western contexts, while also offering a perspective on cultural identity in relation to cultural hegemony.