BAGANI, the Filipino television series about the fictitious warriors of a place called Sansinukob became extinct and out of mainstream media perhaps due to the controversy that it has stirred among scholars and indigenous peoples (IP) of southern Philippines.
This further suggests that IP culture or even the terms attached to them should not be taken in ambiguity even if producers and writers mean well in spreading good values of Filipino warriors through the show.
A mall art exhibit that displays a painting that depicts two dogs garbed with Igorot costumes also became the subject of recent bashing in social media because of what is believed to be an inappropriate portrayal that likewise ridicules IP culture.
Over the weekend, I was invited as a resource speaker to discuss indigenous wisdom in arts for a forum that precedes the annual Cordillera Gong Festival.
At first, I declined telling Jocelyn Kapuno that I am not an authority on such subject matter but I acceded to her prodding when I said that I will just say things based on my personal accounts and experiences a an artist.
The event is called “Tudtuchu” which roughly translates to a gathering that discusses common concerns and interests especially on indigenous values and wisdom and the participants are mostly cultural bearers or youth delegates from the Cordillera provinces.
The one-day forum facilitated by Raffy and Jocelyn Kapuno with Lucia Ruiz discussed how the youth of today can go on with their contemporary performances and cultural presentations by also educating themselves and possibly adopting traditional practices as stewards of culture.
I discussed the adaptation or application of indigenous culture in the seven arts from the Ifugao hut’s rat trap for architecture, the use of tattoo symbols for painting, the “bululs”, iconic symbols and totem poles for sculpture, the various interpretations of “Salidummay” and even the Visayan song “Baleleng” for music, the mimicking of birds for dances, the epics “Hudhud” and “Biag ni Lam-ang” for literature and the case of the 70s movie “Igorota” that depicts an upland princess where there is actually none.
In the case of Clemente Delim’s depiction of Igorot dogs, I responded saying that it’s a matter of creative interpretation or personal art expression by the artist and curating that exposes the art to people.
Firstly, it was an artwork meant for the year of the dog without any malice whatsoever with the artist being an Igorot himself and secondly, it was misinterpreted by a viewer who posted the image in social media stating his ill feelings and then the post was shared by others who also felt slighted because of the views of the person who uploaded it.
After partly listening to a day’s forum with Edgar Banasan, Raffy Kapuno, Florence Bayubay, Gary Dongayao, Dr. Agnes Gabuat and Fr. Oscar Alunday (SVD) the participants felt that there is a need for a continued and sustained interaction especially when Dr. Gabuat said that there is a big problem for the Apayao people when it comes to the continuity of their customary practices like their traditional songs and dances.
Jocelyn further explained that the Tudtuchu was actually more of an activity to clinic and correct the wearing of attires of the different cultural groups so that it will conform to cultural protocols when presented in aesthetic ways for audience to interact or even to comment.
At the forum, Gary and Dr. Agnes of NCIP presented an experiential cultural walk with performances for the participants to learn and the interaction that followed became a learning experience especially on correct wearing of attires and adornments. Activities such as the Tudtuchu proved to be a cultural necessity especially at this period where millennials being the new cultural bearers felt the need to flesh-out basic cultural issues and concerns such as protocols and adherence to traditional practices.
In my years of documenting cultural practices, I often heard and recorded chants like the “Bakdiw” of the Ibalois, the Uggayam popularized by Mayor Mauricio Domogan and the Ullalims of the men-folks of Kalinga. With the forum last Saturday, I came to learn more especially on what the “Wasani” being chanted by local folks especially from Kalinga and the Tinguian tribes of Abra. Unlike “Lungayban” which is actually a name of a beautiful maiden sang by folk singers, Wasani as I gathered is an indigenous term to affirm something that cultural bearers are likely to agree.
According to Fr. Alunday, it is actually a term likened to a code that when one wails or chants waaaa to mean that an enemy is approaching, those who hears it will respond by chanting saaaniii to affirm that they are forewarned. The healthy exchange of knowledge and wisdom by among the participants also tackled reasons why gongs are brought out and played with as there should be a particular ritual for it to be used because spirits who may still be lingering around may cause sickness to the living if they cannot find appropriateness in the gongs being beaten.
I believe that we need to know more of these culturally relevant matters and I truly appreciate receiving any inputs at my e-mail: cnatelevision@gmail.com.