Monday, July 21, 2008 Legendary T'nalak weaver in exhibit
KORONADAL CITY -- Aimed to raise public awareness of her existence and to pay tribute to a lone national living artist in South Cotabato, a young photojournalist featured through a photo exhibit the country's famous T'nalak weaver. The ongoing exhibit is among the highlights of the T'nalak Festival, which concluded on Friday.
This developed as the Department of Tourism (DOT) vowed to continuously promote domestically and internationally the T'nalak festival of South Cotabato as a "unique tourism product" of the country.
Lang Dulay, more than 80-year-old Tboli woman who has mastered the art of weaving Tnalak--an indigenous cloth of Tboli tribe made of abaca fiber woven in traditional ways, was featured in a photo exhibit at Notre Dame of Marbel University.
Jose Aurelio Lozano held the exhibit entitled "Lang Dulay: The Dream Weaver, A Tribute to the Living Legend" from July 16 until July 23.
"Lang Dulay has been weaving T'nalak for most of her life," said Jose Aurelio Lozano, a young photojournalist from this town.
Lozano, who took photographs of Lang Dulay's efforts in preserving T'nalak weaving in the nearby T'boli town for the exhibit, said: "This is my personal tribute for her contribution in keeping weaving T'nalak alive."
"We need to tell the people here that in South Cotabato there exists a living treasure who is responsible in transferring the art and skills to the young generation of weaving this indigenous cloth," Lozano said.
The photojournalist related that Lang Dulay feared their art and tradition might be lost with the fast-paced development,
"She have trained young T'boli women on how to master the art of T'nalak weaving," Lozano said.
"While we practice different cultures, we must not forget our own culture," Lozano added. "It is our pride having our own and distinct culture such as T'nalak weaving."
Lang Dulay was conferred the national living artist through the Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan Awards (Gamaba Awards) by the National Government.
The award was institutionalized in 1992 by virtue of Republic Act 7355. Gamaba is equaled to Gawad ng Pambansang Alagad ng Sining or National Artist Award.
A graduate of fine arts, Lozano is a recipient of a scholarship program on Diploma in Photojournalism under the World Press Photo in Konrad Adenaeur Center for Journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University.
He is also an advocate against child labor. He looks forward to featuring child labor in his second photo exhibit.
Lozano indebts the realization of his exhibit to supportive friends, NDMU, and to South Cotabato second district Representative Arthur Y. Pingoy Jr.
Tboli tribe is indigenous in South Cotabato. It dominates the towns of Lake Sebu and T'boli in this province. They are also found in the highlands of Maasim and Kiamba towns Sarangani Province.
Meanwhile, Tourism Undersecretary Oscar P. Palabyab, also the national coordinator for the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga), appeared bullish over the tourism potentials of the T'nalak festival.
The festival ended on Friday with tens of thousands of spectators lining up the streets and converging at a stadium to watch various groups of street dancers strutting ethnic-inspired choreography in colorful costumes.
"We should not only promote beaches but also unique festivals such as yours that reflect cultural richness," Palabyab told the crowd.
With the help of the tourism department's regional directors across the country, he said the T'nalak festival could further attract domestic and foreign tourists.
Last year, tourist arrivals in the country reached three million, contributing $4.8 billion in the economy, Palabyab said, adding that a foreign tourist stays in the country for an average of 16 days.
With the cultural dancing he witnessed on the streets, the official noted that the T'nalak festival could already be considered "an international tourism destination."
But he cited the need for a massive promotional blitz.
On the other hand, Senate Majority Leader Francisco N. Pangilinan hailed the Provincial Government for staging the T'nalak festival, now on its ninth year.
The T'nalak festival's culmination every July 18 coincides with the province's foundation anniversary. The province is now 42 years old.
"The festival, which is unique to me, is good because it allows more income for small businesses like those who are selling drinks, foods, and souvenir items," Pangilinan said.
