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| (Image Source: Cultural Center of the Philippines) |
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) through its Cultural Exchange Department (CED) and the Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges Marbel Inc. (RMMCMI) recently opened the PANAGHIUSA: Indigenous Peoples - Moro Arts Festival and Forum last February in Koronadal City, South Cotabato. Panaghiusa (unity/oneness) is one of the CCP Kaisa sa Sining (KSS) Mindanao Collaborative projects for 2023 which was planned during the KSS Regional Caucus and Dialogue held last June 11–13, 2022 in Koronadal City. The key representatives of the KSS Mindanao crafted action plans to prioritize and implement attainable cultural and artistic programs and projects that would benefit the community.
Panaghiusa highlights the various experiences, voices, and expressions through exchanges of ideas and knowledge, performances, and interactions. It is in the purview of the Mindanao Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and the Moros themselves so settlers understand and appreciate IP–Moro’s right to self-determination and sovereignty. As advocates of IP-Moro culture, Mindanaoan artists and cultural formators converge to let their voices be heard and take the necessary actions to make an impact in the lives and future of the IP-Moros in Mindanao. Datu Victorino Saway of the Talaandig community, Nestor Horfilla of Davao City and other prominent leaders of various cultural communities and organizations led in the open discussions and strategic planning on priority concerns of the IPs and Moros to include food security, women leadership, disaster risk reduction, resiliency building, and cultural appropriation, among other activities.
The activities were aptly titled as Kastulen (conversations), Hegefan (performances), Pagana (traditional cooking), and Kalyak (valuable material). A total of 20 cultural communities were represented in the 2-day fest and forum including Manobo, Talaandig, Daraghuyan, Tagolwanen, Blaan, Iranun, Tboli, Arumanen, Sama, Tausug, Sangir, Maguindanao, Teduray, Maranaw, Subanen, Yakan, Kagan, Higaonon and Mamanwa. Special performances were also lined up and showcased the rich and colorful dances, music and rituals of some of the groups with special participation of the Hinugyaw Dance Troupe, Bayang Barrios, Carlito Amalla, Helobung Cultural Dance Troupe and the Marbel Youth Choir.
The Pagana cooking demos featured traditional cuisine of the Maranaws, Sama, Tboli and Subanen. A General Santos City artist, educator and curator built an exhibition titled Tawid: Shifts in Gender Roles in Traditional Visual Arts. The exhibit featured the Iranun Art of Binalodan Inaul, an enduring expression but threatened as there was only a small community of weavers who produce these Cultural Resources. It is Ikat (resist dyeing technique) on weft thread. Works by Moamar A. Garcia and Jala Daudl were exhibited and had a balod (tieying of the patterns) demonstration.
