APART from the multicolored mud covering the bodies of revelers, earth jammers displaying their musicality and peculiar art pieces made from natural wonders, this year's Mudpack Festival is more significant for so many reasons. For one, it has marked its 20th year.
And second, it kicked off with a look back of how it actually started 30 years ago with our local artists thriving to prove that there is more to life with theater arts and drama.
A small crowd of artists, tourism officials, and music and arts scholars gathered to launch this year's Mudpack fest by officially kicking off the community development project of the National Commission for Culture and Arts dubbed as "Mugna."
Pilot localities are the municipalities of Calatrava, Murcia and the City of Kabankalan in Negros Occidental. Simultaneously organizing in the grassroots are counterparts in the Oriental side with municipalities of Amlan and Bacong, together with Bais City, as key areas of implementation.
The program will tap local schools, theater organizations and arts ambassadors to promote the many faces of arts and culture. In a more pro-active term, the program shall spark a certain sense of awareness and interest for arts in the communities. It shall champion activities geared towards introducing local songs, art history, dance and drama, among others.
Last Friday night was a little emotional for artists Rudy Reveche, Louie Dormido and Milton Dionzon to look back on how they started as young performers in the province. A short film produced in then VHS format in the 1990's showed how the group of Tito Rudy would spend so much time in introducing theater and drama among young kids and even adults.
The century old trees of Mambukal have served as living witnesses on how they inspire young kids to engage in the arts using the resort's famous clay. Clips also showed them riding tricycles in full make up while using an improvised PA system to announce in many parts of Murcia, like Hacienda Binitin, that a show is coming up. Kids and their parents would rally to see their comic acts about life, love and even politics. It's thrilling to see how they started.
The amount of dedication these men invested is tantamount to a highly creative life they opted to live. I have nothing but admiration to witness their birthing pains in the film. No wonder all them emerged as the best local artists we have in the island today. Proving that they are not made over night, it's fitting to launch Mudpack by recalling its deep roots on passion for the arts and cultural preservation.
On the other hand, highlighting the Mugna presentation are performances from theater groups under the directorship of Tanya Lopez and Maeng Java, among others. A small crowd so zealous to celebrate life through art, we were all praises for every piece presented: dance drama, comic sketch, an excerpt. Truly a night dedicated to commemorate the flourishing past and at the same time, how it emerged as a strong foundation of development and social understanding in the island today.
The short performances of the students left me to sleep comfortably with the idea that art is alive in our corners. These young artists will continue the passion and fervent hope of their predecessors and coaches that our local taliambong shall continue to touch lives and inspire others to do the same.
Congratulations to the successful run of this year’s Mudpack edition! Indeed, its one time of the year that we climb mountains and cover ourselves with dirt, a testament that we will continue our roles of being stewards of nature and vultures of our culture.
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