Tuesday, 6 July 2021

WATCH: A Journey on Wings on YOU TUBE Film + Cultural Identity

 INDIGENOUS CULTURAL IDENTITY : A Journey

by PJ Arañador
Photo: Culture masters and bearers of Panay Bukidnon Sulodnon of Iloilo
WATCH for the world premiere of "A Journey on Wings" a film on Panay Bukidnon Sulodnon on their crafts, music and dance. A documentary film by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in celebration of the Dance Xchange in collaboration with Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc. PJ Aranador I Story writer and Film Director.
The cultural identity of Panay Bukidnon Sulodnon of Calinog, Iloilo, central of Panay Island, Philippines, can not be defined in compartmentalized elements but rather in a mix of attributes making it one of the richest cultures in the Philippines, if not,one in the world.
The mix is all about creative expressions of its people from its beginning preserved today in a modern world in its core relevance.
What are these mixes which form the distinctness of its cultural identify of Panay Bukidnon Sulodnon?
1. SENSE OF ORIGIN and PLACE.
Their identity has been defined from when it begun and where it started.
Its long history commenced from their pre-Spanish migration from the lowland of Panay to the uplands hinterlands and mountains of Central Panay, the geographical heart of the Philippine, archipelago.
It took along with them experiences along the river route and "katalunan” ( wilderness) , encounter with animals, foliage to eat, mysticism and the values in life and it's inter-relationships were synthesized and cleverly pictured into visual expressions in their music, folklore, beliefs and practices.
Therefore, the Panay Bukidnon identity is by itself a narrative of their ancient past and which they only know how to immortalize them into many creative forms such as in chants, songs, dances and storytelling.
2. SENSE OF DIVERSITY.
The Panay Bukidnon tribe is one of the most diverse in range of topics and interests, take for example, their “Sugidanon” with epics one after the another and takes over 20 days to deliver continuously, it is the second longest in Asia, and one of the longest chants in the world, worth a nod to be a world heritage.
It is so diverse in its stories that only people with sheer imagination can be gifted with.
3. SENSE OF SOUL.
They are very soulful which in this context is defined with the meanings of every art forms, everyday life and indigenous culture they can only manifest.
The soul of a culture is never expressed in statistics or data much more not with figures or reports, else everything will be excellent but rather they express their sensitivities to humanity, how they value themselves and how they accept and develop themselves not less than any person in the bigger arena of our society.
4. SENSE OF AUTHENTICITY.
Authenticity is defined as being true and real.
While sometime in the recent past the Panay Bukidnon culture was diminishing because its young people were introduced to modern, global and urban culture and mindset, the Panay Bukidnon as a cohesive tribe was able to rediscover its own identity.
Their elders refered to as cultural masters have consistently been teaching the young generation their formerly languishing arts and crafts which today have been fully restored as sparkling and living.
The wave of the recent sixth generations who are the younger set are now adept in carrying the torches as multiple culture bearers.
Take for example with the epic chants using a dialect that is no longer spoken, called "Igbok", yet this has been wonderfully conserved now and passed on to the next in line, at least in their most popular epic chants.
When it is authentic, the transparency of a culture shines. Why because it comes from the heart. It is felt immensely imbedded in their own blood.
5. SENSE OF GIFT.
The Panay Bukidnon peoples are highly intelligent and creative as well.
Education does not measure the cognitive abilities or mental faculties of anyone but rather on how these individuals and as a group of peoples, indigenous they may be, process their own beliefs and traditions while respecting the culture of their lowland friends whose measure of being learned men is often on academic grades and diploma earned.
With Panay Bukidnon, they have their own distinct system by which a member is recognized full of wisdom through immersion and passing on their ancient culture beyond themselves but to those who inherits tomorrow. One fine practice is the " Binukot" , one of the breath taking scenes in the film.
Once a member becomes an elder, his and her status in the community becomes the summit of wisdom the younger ones will emulate.
6. SENSE OF REFINEMENTS.
Their "Panubok " which is an ancient embroidery and the only heritage needlecraft in the Philippines, is a great example how their skills in highly refined crafts become unique.
With design motifs borrowed from nature, they create the most stunning embroidery pieces which rivals the microchips in computers in terms of how the mathematics in counting and proportioning the stitches to create harmony in the design.
Modern world has artificial intelligence, theirs is innate.
7. SENSE OF SUCCESSION.
The close knit tribal groups of Panay Bukidnon has been an opportunity for them to generously teach each one in all forms of their arts and traditional crafts.
The elders will always think of the young ones, thus, they do not work nor they create for themselves but for their children and grandchildren.
8. ORAL LITERARY TRADITION
Their deep penetrating chants, perhaps the most distinct cultural identity of the Panay Bukidnon Sulodnon, are like chirping mountain birds we all would like to listen to. Even we do not understand the spoken words but we are engaged with its melody and rythmn.
It sets them unique from our other indigenous peoples of the Philippines because few of their oral literature were written and recorded.

Few have heard them sing while on their own upland settings, shown in the film, while they murmur to our ears in the same manner of enchantment as we heard them the last time, if ever one did as a privilege.
They are the songbirds of the uplands with their voices which echo the soul of many ancient inspiring stories for the listeners of the lowlands in a modern world which is the story of the film.
These are all encapsulated in the film "A JOURNEY on WINGS". Watch for it.
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PJ Arañador is the first Filipino international lifestyle designer. He is also a design-led product and merchandise development expert and branding consultant.
His body of works spans across 25 countries mostly in South and North America, Caribbean, Europe, Africa, India and SouthEast Asia.
He is a co-founder of the Fashion and Design Council of the Philippines.
Multi-awarded, the University of the Philippines Diliman, where he finished college, honored him with the Outstanding Professional Award in Arts and Letters.
He received the Golden Shell Award in Design Excellence, the highest of award bestowed by the Department of Trade and Industry.
He is a social entrepreneur, visual artist, fashion and design professor, slow food culinary enthusiast, blogger, documentary film maker, creative director, beauty pageant partner, grassroots mentor and business development coach in green tourism, wearable and homestyle industrial design.
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Rey Aranador, Jing-jing Jutare and 122 others
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