In a world and time when so much is changing, there is still so much of our culture that has to be documented and kept alive. Who are the bearers of these precious living cultures? How do they pass on a knowledge transmitted through the ages? What they represent has survived colonization, conflict, Marginalization. And yet they persist.
Sila ang sisidlang. The living vessels that store dayaw, our knowledge, our pride. In a world that is run by technology or in our own gadget-dependent lives, we often think of indigenous art forms as merely simple handicrafts, folk songs, or melodies.
What we fail to acknowledge is that we are not alone. is the intricacy, both of the finished product as well as the process that these entail. In our continuing series on the Gawad Manlilikanang Bayan Awardees or Gamaba, we look at the intricate processes of a a metal work artist from Pampanga, a chanter from Iloilo, and a musician from Basilan.
From the tangible to the intangible, their work embodies a commitment to the spirit of their communities and their traditions. A man of few words, Eduardo Mutok seems like the proverbial introspective artist who would much rather let his work speak for himself. And what thoughts, what words and memories are revealed by his glistening masterworks?
On altars and carozas, on frontals and other pieces of religious furniture. Mutok's work connects us to the gilded age of our own Catholicism, when altars were replete with the Baroque refinements and excesses. Call or describe it in artsy terms for this quiet man, his is simply the art of Pukpok or beaten metal.
Mga araw kasi yung pinsan ko may antics shop. Namasukan ako sa antics shop. Siya naman ang gawa niya, namimili ng mga antics. Lahat ng mabili niya, pinagagaya sa amin.
Saka tagal ng panahon, natutunan kong magtrabaho ng ganyan. Yung nga may namimili nga sa akin sa gawa ko, yung... Naglalakong nga sa Manila, natagpuan ni Mr. Robusan. Lahat ng ginagawa ko, binibili ni Mr. Robusan.
Nung isang araw, pinasama ko ni Mr. Robusan doon sa binibila niya. Nagkakilala nga kami yan. Doon nagumpisa kami. Nagkakita ko naman sa NCCA yung gawa ko. Nagustuhan niyang NCCA.
Nag-umpisa na noon yung mga gawa ko. Nakilala nga ako sa kaya kanyang ganyan ang ginagawa ko. Nga nung panahon ni Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, noon nag-umpisa makuha sa NCCA. Doon ako nahaward. The masterwork commissioned by the late national artist Ramon Obusan is now the proud centerpiece of Bahay Ni Kuya, the study center that houses Obusan's vast collection of archival footage, folk dance, notations, and material artifacts.
The piece allows a deeper understanding of Mutuk's skill both as a designer and craftsman. Gagawa ka muna ng pattern. Pagkayari ng pattern, gagawa ka ng molde.
Sakawi mo muna yung... Ikuha ni guguit. At pagka guguit ng pattern, yun namang moldy ang gagawin mo.
Pagkakaroon ng molde, yun namang yellow brass ang susunod mo para lumitaw yung design. Pupukuan man, pupukuan yun. Pagkalitaw ng design, sasayang na naman ang lagay.
Bubuhayin mo na naman yung design para pinis na. Pagka-pinis ng design, itutubo mo na naman sa silver. Pagka wala siya silver, gagawa ka naman yung pag pinaka-pray. Mutok's ability to design became evident when he demonstrated how his vision is transformed from a piece of paper to a finished beaten plate.
Ito yung design ng crucifix. Pattern ng crucifix ito. Pagka-yari yung pattern, gagawin mo sa kaon para moldin mo.
Orin ang gumawa nito. Yung mga ganyan, yan. Ako nagmawa nito ang mga pattern nito. Matagal din kasi bago mo gawin sa metal, yung magpapattern ka muna.
Pagkaranong pattern, sa moldy na. Yung moldy may matagal din ginagawa. Kasi inuukit din yan eh.
Kumisan meron isang linggo gano'n. You will find that Eddie Muto very good in this until now. And so he is the inheritor of a long tradition. Unfortunately, there are very few other people who make this, who have continued this tradition in the country.
And we value the work of Eddie Muto because he has really preserved it. And I hope he can teach this to the people in his community. In the work of Eddie Motok, I am reminded of that old Jesuit motto, that all things we do, we do for the greater glory of God.
Ad Majorem De Gloriam. Intricacy is most often seen in works like those produced by Eddie Mutuk of Pampanga. Our eyes take in all the details of his work and our hearts are full. It is a bit more challenging to open our minds and hearts to the intricacy of Federico Caballero's powerful chanting. When the interview was conducted, Federico Caballero had just lost a son.
But he bravely went on sharing his knowledge and his passion for the chant that he had been recognized for. Perhaps in the tragedy that had befallen their family, he was all the more deeply aware of the impermanence of life, as well as a need to continue an epic tradition that he was only a vessel of. A sulot bukid nun from the mountains of Central Panay, he has mastered the ten important epic tales of his people.
He chants these in the Kinaray-a language. This great oral tradition would have been lost had not Caballero persevered in committing the epics to memory. Traditionally sung while lying on a hammock, the stories of mythic heroes like Labau Dungun and Humadap Nun come to life, much as his own grandmother's chanting brought them to life for the young Federico.
Damong pangasiyay kapangay patuko at dagapa. Dito na ang kukid na. From generation to generation.
Since birth now, nag-aaral siya sa... Nanay namin dahil yung mga late grandparent namin hindi nalang nabotan kaya sinahalin sa nanay namin. Bahalin sa bata pagkakukuran.
Walang oras daw. Pag maganda ang modo niya parang hanta lang naman yan. Tapos yung kakaramihan, yung chance, sinachant yan mga tapos sa hapunan bago matulog. Yan ang damod.
Kaya nabuhay ko sa gandaan. Pagkakataon ko sa aking laba, ito ang aming lugar sa ibang community. Dahil parang dito ang source ng lahat-lahat na talimto. As far as Panay Bukimnon tribe. Master sa Epiko, Master sa Dance, Master sa lahat-lahat.
na chant. Yung binibigas is archic language. Maraming hindi naka-entindi. Ang ibig sabihin ng archic language, the famous language of the past. Today he continues to work with the Bureau of Non-Formal Education, traveling from barangay to barangay, and encouraging older folk to learn to read and write.
Ang mga apo, mga pamangke, mga pinsan, lahat-lahat na. interesado sa ipig. Yung si Huganaan na isang chanter doon, lola rin namin.
Bigaling din sa lola namin yung kaalaman niya. So, mas maano po yun sa kanya, mas lamang pa siya. Dahil yung pinanggalingan ng ipig ni Huganaan, sa lola din namin.
Yan ano palaki sa kanila dahil nauna sila sa amin. Lahat na daw kapatid niya, marunong mag-chant na ano. Kaya lang, noon, parang wala nagka-interest dahil wala.
Parang ikinakahiyak itong epiko eh. The presence of a chant is an indicator of the creativity of the community. The moment a chant disappears, that means the community has already become consumerist. Just like the many urban centers in this country.
That's why it's important that we preserve this chanting tradition of the Sulut Bukidnon in the person of Federico Caballero. And Federico Caballero was able to teach only a very few people in this community. But now, his...
The teaching has spread to many many parts of Tapas, Capiz and even in Kalinag-Iloilo. That's why the chan has become much more alive in this area now. He knows the importance of committing to paper, the vanishing epics and life ways of his people. In many ways, Federico Caballero is his own epic story.
When I first listened to the music of Uwang Ahadas, I had to keep reminding myself that this virtuoso was in fact blind. Sophisticated is the word that comes to mind upon hearing the full yakan and psalm led by the virtuoso Uwang Ahadas. I can't help but wonder if his deep understanding, his exploration of these intricate overlaying of beats have anything to do with his blindness.
If that is true, then his eye ailments have made his internal life so much deeper and much more rewarding. A native of Lamitan, Basilan, the young uwang was said to have been punished by offended nature spirits because of his child play. If this is true, then the spirits must have given him an even deeper gift. A mastery of the complicated rhythms and instruments that make up the yakan musical and song. From the gabang or bamboo xylophone, to the agung, to the deceptively simple kwintangan kayu, to a gamut of other instruments, Uwang Ahadas has mastered them all.
and performs with an energy and bravura that matches the vibrancy of yakan music. Among the yakan, the kulintang usually has only five notes. You cannot play so many melodies with only five notes.
That's why there... Ang konsepto ng musik nila ay higit ritmik. At sa mga interlocking rhythms, ang interlocking rhythms ay magiging magiging mabuti.
rhythms at the same time, you are able to create melodies. We can call this nuclear melodies. It's able to play nuclear melodies using interlocking rhythms.
I think the most rapid way of playing the kulintang is found among the yakan, especially in the playing of ahada. and other Huling Tang performers. Simply because of the rhythmic way of playing the Huling Tang to create nuclear melodies, you have to really make sure that you... Anyway, you mesmerize the audience with the speed of your playing.
Kaya niya naisip na gumawa ng gabbang dahil noong una, wala pa silang agong. Kaya sabi ng tatay niya, mauna muna siyang matuto sa gabbang. But perhaps the most joyous aspect of his music making is the fact that an entire family gets together to help him create this tapestry of sound. When dressed in their yakans, They become a living work of art where the textiles, the colors, the movement, and the energy become one with the music. What I do know about Uwang is that he has a fantastic family.
They probably should be given a group prize. But they do almost anything. And music-wise, dance-wise, weaving-wise.
All of them are really amazing and beautiful people. I recall seeing them all dressed up to play in their traditional... textiles in their clothing. And you will be bowled over by them talaga because they look so stunning.
And they display so much artistry. The problem is is that because of the demands, Because of the demands of the search, it has to be done so slowly. Kasi ilan-ilan lang naman yung makakago out into the field. Sa mga bundok-bundok yan eh, no?
At saka sa mga islang, medyo kukukunti ang tao, ano? It's hard to find researchers, one, who have the savvy. A young researcher sometimes will miss what somebody who knows the field will immediately notice.
So yung enlarging the pool and providing the necessary logistics for that, I think that's the way. Making it easier to send out teams. Kasi ilan-ilan lang yan. It's unbelievable how small the search groups are.
And the red tape that's involved. Alam mo naman, red tape sa gabi ero. I think if...
there are more people involved, then faster. Faster. Faster din ang development. So, that will be one way the government can help because, of course, Gamaba doesn't have a very big budget and it has a limited number of people working under it. We were working on a review.
A review of the entire law. It's been several decades. And I think it's time to review. Actually, there has been some transitioning into a new set of guidelines.
Pero hindi pa yata naging very thorough. So I think a very thorough review and evaluation first. And then based on that review and evaluation, then a projected direction.
One of the problems of Bramaba was... was really, how do we make sure that we don't transform the awardee into a so-called celebrity? Because when a person is singled out as an individual, a so-called artist, Ito na ang concept of artist in our traditional culture.
Because every person is supposed to be an artist, a farmer, a cook, and everything else. So the moment we just confine one person to the role of an artist, We somehow extricate, somehow isolate this person from his community. We weaken somehow the sense of community because this person will no longer function as an integral part of the community.
Another problem, aside from let's say a superstar developing some kind of ego and therefore no longer care for his community, another problem that we encountered in the beginning, until now actually, is that whenever they stipend. because the National Living Treasurer, Manitik Hanabayan, received a regular stipend from the government, just like every national artist. One of the problems we have encountered from the very beginning until now, is that whenever the stipend comes, all the relatives try to get a piece of the pie. Kamaba is a definition of home.
It's home. Because you have to go home. And that's why we have to go home. And what will you find there? And that is the Gamamba Artist.
Eddie Mutuk, Federico Caballero, and Uwang Ahadas. Three traditional artists who have faced indifference, marginalization, even armed conflict in their own communities. But from these adversities has...