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 from Semporna, Malaysia; Bongao, Tawi-Tawi; Apalit, Pampanga; and San Andres, Manila. The dance forms are characterized by fluid and graceful arm movements that evoke the swaying of palm fronds, the drifting of sea grasses, and the curling of the waters of the ebbing and flowing tides reflecting the marine environment of its birth place.
Because of Pesta Igal concert series, I could not help but feel joyful for the Sama-Bajau people, knowing that they are the most marginalized among the Muslims in the country. This event has indeed provided them a long way from the seas of Southern Philippines and the streets of Metro Manila to one of the country’s newest performance space, the University of the Philippines.
Most importantly, Pesta Igal has provided a way of giving indigenous culture a space in the public scene in our task of building the Philippine nation.
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 from Semporna, Malaysia; Bongao, Tawi-Tawi; Apalit, Pampanga; and San Andres, Manila. The dance forms are characterized by fluid and graceful arm movements that evoke the swaying of palm fronds, the drifting of sea grasses, and the curling of the waters of the ebbing and flowing tides reflecting the marine environment of its birth place.
Because of Pesta Igal concert series, I could not help but feel joyful for the Sama-Bajau people, knowing that they are the most marginalized among the Muslims in the country. This event has indeed provided them a long way from the seas of Southern Philippines and the streets of Metro Manila to one of the country’s newest performance space, the University of the Philippines.
Most importantly, Pesta Igal has provided a way of giving indigenous culture a space in the public scene in our task of building the Philippine nation.
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