Adventure of Teacher Maita
I’ve known Aunty Rosie Sula for more than five years now. She is a cultural worker from Lake Sebu. Last December 2024, she was hailed as one of several Gawad Manlilikhang Bayan or Living Cultural Treasures by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts. You may have seen her on the front cover of Vogue Philippines.
To me, she is Aunty Rosie, a loving elder from Lake Sebu. Rosie Godwino Sula, whose T'boli name is Boi Lemingon, is a cultural worker of many talents. Boi means princess or lady. She owns three schools and takes care of various communities in Lake Sebu and the surrounding areas. She not only takes care of her fellow T'boli but also the Ovu Manuvu community in the area.
Aunty Rosie grew up like most T'boli children. Their first teachers are their parents. Aunty Rosie's mother is also a chanter. Aunty Rosie's father is a storyteller and weaver. He taught Rosie the stories of Tud Bulul, the T'boli's epic hero.
Aunty Rosie received a scholarship to Notre Dame University of Marbel. Despite opportunities in the big cities, she decided to return to Lake Sebu and practice her culture. She has performed all over the world, from South Africa to the USA and across Asia.
Her skills are vast: she can write 20 original poems a day, chant an epic for three days straight, play all traditional T'boli instruments, dance, chant, and weave. She dedicates her time to teaching young children in her three schools and various other schools. She believes in bringing the community forward by sharing the T'boli culture.
Aunty Rosie hopes to publish her stories, poetry, and riddles soon and wants all the children of Lake Sebu to have a copy. I have volunteered to sketch her books for her. One of the projects she is working on with the NCCA is to record her chants, both traditional epics and her original ones. She is awaiting the NCCA schedule so they can book a music studio for the recordings. She hopes this project will preserve her songs for future generations in the community.
Her heart is one of gold as she always thinks of the community first. Even with limited funds, she tries to find a way to make sure her students and their families are alright. She once funded three nights of chanting, giving the chanters a venue in her school, money for transportation and food.
I am deeply honored to have Aunty Rosie as a friend. Her joyous and generous heart is truly an inspiration to all. She believes everyone can be a cultural bearer and a cultural worker as long as they have the heart for it.