When my aunt asked me to help her market her co-production of Pesta Igal 2016 along with her friend, Dr. Santamaria of UP Asian Center and Bunga Arts Link, at first I was kind of hesitant thinking that cultural stage shows are already over-the-hill for a society with abounding technology and with a declined interest in its own culture and traditions. But I got it all wrong. It is, in fact, an opportunity for me to serve my country. If other people excel in music or in sports as a way of glorifying the country, why not with preserving or reviving its own indigenous culture through stage performances, especially when collaborated with neighboring countries that also share the same dance labels suchlike Malaysia? Pesta Igal is a rare festival-concert that enjoins audiences to partake of the rich performance traditions of the Sama-Bajau people of the Southern Philippines. This features igal and pansak dance pieces and kulintangan ensemble music pieces from four Sama-Bajau performing groups...