That winning performance by the Kalivungan Festival of the Province of Cotabato in last Sunday’s Sinulog was spectacular. But didn’t it occur to you that the presentation smacked of cultural appropriation?
Cultural appropriation is defined as the inappropriate act of adopting elements from one culture by individuals from a more dominant culture without regard for its significance or context.
Two years ago, the Cebu Technological University (CTU) earned flak on social media after its dancers performed a Sinulog presentation while wearing Muslim cultural attire which was deemed “culturally insensitive.”
The Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage demanded a public apology from the CTU contingent that presented the traditional Muslim dance in an event that praised the Sto. Niño de Cebu.
The CTU issued an apology. The school also stated that a significant lesson has been learned out of the experience and that it will ensure that “such mistakes are not repeated.”
Fast forward to last Sunday. The Cotabato contingent featured dancers that wore traditional T’boli clothing with rich beadwork and other key tribal elements. On top of textiles that made use of various geometrical patterns and the tribal red, black and white colors, the dancers also donned the malong, a large wrap-around garment used by the Maranao and Maguindanao from southern Philippines.
The Kalivungan performance was likewise enhanced with props that included the kulintang and agung which are percussion instruments for Muslim ceremonies. Following what appeared like mostly tribal choreography, the dancers also carried kudyapi pieces, traditional two-stringed lutes mostly used for rituals by Lumads and the Bangsamoro groups.
So, wasn’t the use of such choreography, attire, accessories and instruments associated with Muslims and indigenous peoples from Mindanao in a dance presentation for the Sto. Niño not culturally insensitive? The performance was even more lavish and elaborate than the CTU incident two years ago, yet nobody raised a whimper this time.
I’m sure the dance contingent knows what it was doing, coming from a place with a significant population of Muslims and other ethnic groups. But an explanation should be in order, as the dance performance involved cultural elements of the Bangsamoro and other indigenous groups which seemed to have been taken, used and misrepresented in another context.
Without any explanation from the contingent, people who watched last Sunday’s Sinulog might be led into thinking that there’s nothing wrong with using cultural heritage wantonly or that doing so will even make them win contests.
And while we’re at this Sinulog discussion, Sen. Imee Marcos who apologized for entering the Basilica del Sto. Niño in an inappropriate attire last week also reminds me of another case of cultural appropriation. Two years ago, she chose to wear a traditional Cordillera attire to the State of the Nation Address, complete with henna tattoos.
An advocacy group called out her fashion statement as an insult to indigenous peoples, as she allegedly wore their clothing improperly and misused tattoos that supposedly symbolize courage and honor.
Point is, let’s be more culturally sensitive and show our people that values, norms and practices must be respected at all times.