SEEKING ETHNIC INSPIRATION

B'laan elders

It's been a while since I've posted a blog entryioI realize that even if I'm online from time to time, it becomes difficult  to upload and post articles to my blog because of the effects of bad weather on the information highway. Take it from me, the pace is dragging especially when one is uploading pictures.

Tabih cloth

In any case, I have been busy: with work... with life... and the many myriad, minutae that comes to my attention each day. Lately, I've been working on a school production slated for January 2016. Yes, it takes at least six months from concept to actual execution of costumes. Even then, when the cast gets on stage, one may have to tweak the designs a little bit if only to make the participants look good.

Tabih panel ready for the market

In previous posts on this blog, I wrote about Senator Loren Legarda's efforts at bringing our local fabrics to the fore through a special exhibit of Philippine hand made textiles. The exhibit was entitled HABI. Indigenous fabric is painstakingly difficult to produce because of the seemingly endless man-hours it takes to make one panel of fabric. I bring this up because my production uses some ethnic influence in manner of dress for both boys and girls. The music is mostly OPM (that's Original Pinoy Music, for the unitiated). So what do I do? I turn to our indigenous tribes for that unmistakable Filino touch.

Bonifacio Guerrero with B'laan school teacher  who teaches native dance to kids

I have an ally on this in the person of an apprentice of Ballet Philippines, dance major at the University of the Philippines and graduating student Bonifacio Guerrero, who is currently working on his thesis as a pre-requisite to earning his degree. 

Tabih specimen

The two of us were inspired by the B'laan: he for their dance movement, I for their clothing! B'laan actually springs from the root word "bla" meaning opposing or opponent and the suffix "an" denotes the people.

Tabih composite weave with border

The B'laan are a proud indigenous people of southern Mindanao. They are mostly situated around the picturesque Lake Seibu and are conveniently, neighbors to the T'boli. The B'laan used to occupy most of the area of General Santos City, formerly known as Koronadal. The name itself is taken from the native B'laan language. Koron means cogon grass and nadal means plains - which is actually a pictographic use of language to describe the area of their location. Eventually, the tribes were pushed back to the hinterlands when Gen. Santos City was established in 1939. The proud B'laan now occupy areas in Lake Seibu, South Cotabato, Sarangani, southeastern parts of Davao, and around Lake Buluan and North Cotabato.

B'laan weavers

Their manner of dress consists of a cloth woven on backstrap looms called tabih; akin to the T'nalak of the T'boli. Their blouses are heavily embroidered by utilizing hand embroidered geometric patterns. Women are also known to wear layers of glass beads on their  neck and waist bands made up of either colorful beads or thousands of links of hand forged brass with tassels of tiny bells. This is how you know they are arriving as they make tinkling sounds from far away.  The men wear vests and sawal (pants done in tabih weave) and sometimes a head scarf called tubaw. 

more complicated designs

The Tabih is different from t'nalak in the sense that the colors and patterns deviate strongly from the dream weavers of the T'boli. One sees more of the red dyes taken from local plants giving it a more vibrant hue. There are also no animated forms of lizards and humans that are sometimes included in t'nalak. Thanks to an exchange of ideas with Bonifacio Guerrero, I veered towards using that same kind of colorful influence for my production for an exclusive Catholic school in the south of Manila. 

Complicated antique patterns on a panel

*Pictures of antique B'lann tabih collection of RMMC by Michelle Lopez Solon through Bonnie Guerrero

Nag Car Lang to Nagcarlan

I know, it's a cheesy title! But hey, the beauty of it is... instant recall! On our roadtrip with Mabuhay Guide Yael Fernandez and her family, we motored down to this small sleepy town which is 103 km south of Manila.

Nagcarlan during its pre-colonial years was ruled by Gat Lakilaw. Fr Juan de Placencia and  Fr. Diego de Oropesa are credited for the town's conversion into Catholicism. The town, however, takes its name after a pious woman by the name of Ana Kalang whose charity was epic. She was said to have given alms to the needy out of her own personal wealth. To commemorate her passing, the town was supposed to have honored her memory by building giant effigies known as Kalang-Kalang. Eventually, the  town became known as Nagcarlan.

The town of Nagcarlan is often overlooked since it lies in close proximity to more popular towns of San Pablo and Liliw, Laguna. It's not lacking in attractions, though. Nagcarlan is blessed with waterfalls, a lake, a cool climate, nature resorts and  the magnificent St. Bartholomew church.  But its main draw is the underground cemetery.  Fr. Vicente Belloc, a Franciscan priest who served as parish priest for twenty years started the construction of the underground cemetery. Originally a final resting place for the Spanish friars, the underground cemetery served as a secret meeting place for the Filipino revolutionaries who conspired to overthrow the Spanish colonizers; among them Pedro Paterno and Gen. Severino Taino who planned the Pact of Biac na Bato within those premises.

It is said the when Gen. Emilio Jacinto was wounded in a battle in Majayjay, Laguna, he hid in the underground chambers of the cemetery and was captured there in 1898. The underground cemetery is a dimly lit chamber that is currently succumbing to the destruction borne by draft and time. Most of the frescoes have sadly been fading over the centuries.

If you're on a road trip to nearby Liliw, veer towards the Nagcarlan highway and visit the chapel. Don't forget to sign the guestbook before you descend into the depths of the chamber. Don't worry, it's not as ghoulish as you think. It actually is very welcoming...

HIE OFF TO MAJAYJAY!

Just last week I went off to nearby Majayjay, Laguna to check out some sights for an upcoming tour assignment with colleague Yael and her family. They wanted to take advantage of the long weekend  as well as do some homework for our tour with Ramon Maaysay awardees and their families. It is customary for us Mabuhay Guides to do our homework so we made the more than two hour trip to three places: Paete, Majayjay and Nagcarlan.

I've done my post on Paete. So if you read my blog, you'd know I have a strong affinity with that area. Majayjay and Nagcarlan are two different stories, though. Both lie along the way to the Paete and Pakil areas But I never really had to experience going there. Now I had good reason!

Majayjay takes its name from the sighs elicited by the locals as they were carrying loads of personal belongings owned by friars on their way to the location to evangelize the natives.  Every so often, as they stopped periodically along the way to the site of the church, the laborers would let out a "haaaaay" "haaaay". Hence, the town was named Majayjay.

The town of Majayjay is situated at the foot of Mount Banahaw. It is bounded on the north by Magadalena, on the east by Luisiana, on the south by Lucban and on the west by Liliw. Approximately 120km south of Manila, Majayjay is a small sleepy town that boasts of natural waterways such as three rivers and a waterfall (Taytay Falls). No less than former first lady, Imelda Romualdez Marcos tried to set it up as a tourist destination when she saw the falls. However, it was the World Bank that funded the project. The falls is a short  tricycle ride from the town proper and a clamber through a forest pathway.

The main visual point of the town are its many heritage houses and the magnificent  church of San Gregorio Magno. The church was built in 1575 and  burned in 1576, 1606 and 1660. Built through conscripted labor from the residents, the church sits atop a hill and beside it is the Liceo which retains much of the architecture of the time. Part of it was destroyed during the tropical storm, Melindo. But most of the beams that were not destroyed have the typical colonial style of interlocking notches that hold the roof up... one was even inscribed with the date December 1896 on it. The side entrance has the image of St. Michael over the covered arched doorway. Two plumeria trees flank the entrance, The gnarled trunks belie these aged living sentries having been planted by Spanish friars.

It was fortuitous that as the school principal of the Liceo showed me around the old building, Yael met the current parish priest was I was admiring creaking floorboards. He was gracious and friendly even giving us directions to a shortcut back to Manila. It was worth the trip and since I ruined my chances of taking great photos because I had forgotten to load my SD card into the camera. I think a trip back is forthcoming...

STAKING OUT STA. ROSA AND BINAN

Sta. Rosa de Lima

I wrote about the Advocates for Heritage Preservation tour of Malolos last month. I've been looking forward to this heritage tour Of Binan and Sta. Rosa, Laguna for weeks. Finally, Saturday, the 27th came along. I was up early so I won't miss the carpool ably arranged by Johnson Bernardo. While waiting for the van, I met a few other AHP members I haven't met before, Fritzie Ramos, Waff Recalde and Tan Ocampo.

Sta. Rosa de Lima Church

And then the van arrived on the dot. We loaded up and sped off towards Sta. Rosa and Binan. Sta' Rosa is approximately 38 km south of Manila. Named after, St. Rose of Lima, the town was elevated to city status covering an area of 54.13km2. Discovered in 1573 by Spanish explorer Juan de Salcedo, the area was annexed to Tabuco, now known as Cabuyao, Laguna. Then it was annexed to Binan and by 1688, it was separated from Binan to be named Barrio Bucol (Bucal?) Then by 15 January 1792, the city of Sta. Rosa was founded. 

Zavalla house

Formerly an agricultural area, it's rich soil and abundant water was a hot target for Tulisanes (bandits) during harvest time for them to replenish provisions and stock up on supplies for long, lean months of fighting against the guardia civil. Yes, some revolutionaries were branded as merely bandits who were discontented with their lot in life. That's where the short sighted vision of the Spaniards failed them. They didn't realize the discontent would fester into all out revolution. 

Tiongco house

Anyway,  the Jesuits usurped the lands from the local landowners. They gathered the residents into communities and hamlets and the prominent families were given prominent positions in their barrio. Upon expulsion of the Jesuits, the Dominicans took over the management of these friar estates and remained under the control of the friars reaching as far out to the north in San Pedro de Tunasan and as far south west to Silang and Amadeo, Cavite.  

Gonzales house

General Pio del Pilar fought alongside Filipino revolutionaries against the Americans in this area. Its rich history is further enhanced with the city's participation against the Japanese forces. As the American forces were pushing their way to Manila from Tagaytay, the Japanese continued to wreak havoc in areas they retreated to. By 5 February, 1945 the Japanese had abandoned Sta. Rosa. 

Almeda Heritage house

Binan, on the other hand was the richest city in Laguna prior to American occupation. It is approximately 34km southwest of Manila. It was used as a base for Spanish forces to combat the Tulisanes. Eventually, it became a hub for business. Then the area became more popular as an industrial hub when then Governor of MetroManila, Imelda Romualdez Marcos wanted to decongest Manila of factories. Some of them moved to Sta. Rosa and Binan. 

Former munisipyo, then hospital

This visit was made special as the AHP members were allowed access to ancestral homes in Sta. Rosa. We visited three homes The Zavalla, Tiongson and Gonzales homes before we moved on to Binan, Laguna to experience the Almeda and another Gonzales home then visited the Cuarteles.of We got to visit and see for ourselves, the former detention cell occupied successively by three controversial detainees: Nur Misuari, Erap Estrada and Janette Lim-Napoles. That was pretty cool! before the sun went down, the AHP group disbanded and went our merry way.

Cuarteles 

Looking forward to our next heritage tour in Sta. Ana, Manila next month. That's 25, July, 2015! If you're looking for a brilliant way to spend a lazy weekend... you're invited to join the Advocates for Heritage Preservation. Look up the Facebook page headed by Tito Encarnacion. It isn't just a fun way to learn history and culture, it's a cool way to meet new people and embrace your identity as a Filipino.

piitan ni Janette Lim-Napoles, Erap at Misuari

NYMFA'S WOMEN OF CURIOSITY

I've known Nymfa Maligaya Ursabia for a couple of years. The first time I met her was while she was still in college at the Philippine Women's University finishing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Of course, both she and now husband,  Victor Ursabia were still courting back then. Victor had become an apprentice and moved on to become a company member at ballet Philippines. After a few more years, he had become director of the Ballet Philippines Dance School.

Me with Nymfa Ursabia

Eventually, she and Victor got caught up in making a life together and raising a family. Meanwhile, both have pursued different careers. Nymfa stuck to making art. Her first show was at Whitespace in Pasong Tamo, Makati where she collaborated with other visual artists. That was a success. But you know what they say... you're only as good as your last exhibit...

So this exhibit is special for both artist and patrons. This is Nymfa's first solo exhibit where she showcases her identity as an artist. I asked her what took her so long... the ever soft spoken Nymfa coyly smiles and shrugs her shoulders... She had nothing! Honestly, Nymfa is so self effacing you'll wonder how she mustered up the courage to come up with her first show.

Her style is elegant and understated.  Most of the frames are small, 81/2 x 11 inch standard sizes. One can either acquire two to three frames and cluster the pieces together. But they are good enough to stand alone. She has mastered her mixing different media to a point where one can't tell how the collages are pieced together to form a whole.

Russian lady mesmerized by Nymfa's work

All the pieces were immaculate! It was hard to tell where cut pieces of paper met acrylic or oil paint. The focal point of every frame was the portrait of women, naturally. Hence, the title. I get the concept, though. Nymfa manipulates the pictures of different women: from Infantas, to Madonnas to La Gioconda, even and gives them her own spin. Perhaps, culled from her own journey of growth and maturity. she imbues the women with different characters and flavors.

She also has little installations of  winged creatures. Heads of madonnas have been embellished with head gear: crowns, tiaras and diadems. The wings were mounted on pine card boxes and the insides were  decked with different items like coins, tinsel and sundries. These are rather small and can be used  as accent pieces  for coffee tables or mantles. Interesting... very, very interesting!

Somehow, her works remind me of a Primo de Rivera but a more feminine and starkly simple one. Her pieces are different because they command a second... even third look. What he uses for scroll work, Nymfa makes up for in subtle details of torn pieces of paper and splotches of deep color. Somehow, the Ayala Museum's Artist Space is the perfect venue for Nymfa's maiden outing. The subtlety of her work matches the stark interiors of the gallery. Do I hear a husband and wife exhibit in the offing soon?

Women of Curiosity will be at the Ayala Museum from 24-June until the 8th of July.

TRAIPSING THROUGH TAAL

St Martin de Tours

I've been to Taal countless times. And from time to time, I am assigned some local tours in the area. This  trip is quite different as I have an American family with me and a balikbayan who has made a name for herself in the medical field in the US. 

Merienda at the Gliceria Villavicencio gift house

What is so special about Taal? It has remained one of the better preserved heritage towns close to Manila. Aside from that, Taal has great historical value in the sense that it was a hotbed of  the Philippine revolution against Spain and a breeding ground for heroes and heroines at the time of our democratic awakening.

Felipe Agoncillo monument

Gliceria Villavicencio monumnent

Wedged between Taal lake and Balayan Bay, it's location is both a blessing and a curse. Volcanic eruptuons have ruined the town many times over and the waterways make it prone to flooding during torrential rains. The volcanic soil however, makes it lush and green all year long. 

Getting to Taal is so easy peasy, one doesn't even need a guide map to get there. One can hop on a bus at Cubao, Buendia or Pasay City. There are buses that have regular trips to Taal, Batangas. Or if you must drive, One can take a scenic route to Tagaytay and take the detour before reaching the junction to Nasugbu. This is a great drive that goes along the ridge of Tagaytay leading all the way to Batangas. 

Felipe Agoncillo ancestral home

The houses are very well preserved and maintained and sometimes, even much lived in. Remarkably, some homes have been opened as museums and some have been lent to adaptive re-use, which makes it interesting  spaces for convenience stores like 7-11. You can have lunch or snacks in the many coffee houses and restaurants that have sprung up there too.

St Martin de Tours, patron of the church of Taal

The main visual draw to Taal is the St. Martin de Tours basilica. The largest in all of Asia, this imposing structure was built 1575 and completely dominates the entire town as it is built on a hilltop with a commanding view of the town. Destroyed time and again by the devastation of Taal volcano's wrath, efforts to maintain and manage the church's integrity is a point of contention between well meaning advocates of the town and the parish priest and archbishop who are in hot water for their beautification efforts that undermine the church's original grandeur.

Apacible heritage house

There's a lot to do in Taal. Visiting the heritage homes alone can easily take up an entire day... a week even if you're the type who will pore over every detail of these genteel structures. I can enumerate all the lovely heritage homes one can find in Taal, but they're just too many to enumerate. you'll have to visit just to experience its old world charm. Every minute spent there is so worth it. Get yourself steeped in so much history and culture you walk out of town a changed person.

Retablo of the Caysasay church

There's also a side trip to the church of the miraculous Virgin of Caysasay. The centuries old image of the virgin, a mere 12mm tall but the miracles attributed to her are legendary. Her image is currently in the basilica for veneration and brought back to a smaller church dedicated to her where she was originally enthroned. The Caysasay church is a stone's throw away from the basilica but near it is a well where the image was said to be found intermittently when she was missing from the main altar of her church. And get this, a casay-casay, the local name for an egret was supposedly guarding her image everytime she   gets displaced. The water from the well is said to have healing powers.

The site of the Caysasay well where the image of the virgin is usually found when she's missing fro the altar

The South Luzon expressway makes for easy exit from the area. It shortens the trip by at least an hour or two depending on the traffic situation. Taal is a mere 132 km south of Manila. Go visit! You might even bring home some panutsa (sweet peanuts in caramel) or a balisong (fan knife) for that matter...

vendors selling delicacies

OLD MAPS AT YUCHENGCO MUSEUM

Selfie with the Yuchengco Matriarch and Patriarch behind me

I make it a  point to maximize the precious little hours in my days off work. So today, as I was able to proceed to the Department of Tourism to work on my accreditation, Ronnie Gador and Yael Fernandez decided to visit the Yuchengco Museum at RCBC Plaza along Sen. Gil J Puyat in Makati.

Special showcase of Leonor Rivera's intimate personal effects

We planned to catch the ongoing  exhibit of  Antique Maps which are rarely, if ever, publicly displayed. I  found that the collection of the Yuchengco Museum is quite impressive. We started from the fourth level which had  two sections: the Yuchengco memorabilla and the Rizaliana collection which was very interesting. 

Leonor Rivera's hair and fashion accessories

On the left side of the room, one is treated to an inside look of the Yunchengco clan's humble beginnings from a small migrant family of Chinese traders from Nanjing to their current prominence in Philippine society. The other half of the room shows Jose Rizal's "more human" side. Intimate items like the peineta of Leonor Rivera and portraits of the women who have had a lasting influence in his love-life. The love-seat from which Rizal courted Leonor Rivera is displayed in a vignette with a blow up of the parlor at the Rivera home together with sepia portraits of Rizal and his Maria Clara.

a love-seat in crewel featured in Leonor Rivera's home

It was here where all three of us had a lively discussion of the whereabouts of Josephine Bracken and the side evenets leading to her death in HongKong after the war broke out. The security guards were so amused by the stories they were hearing from the Mabuhay Guides that we chided them for listening to gossip. that was very funny!

Rizal's girlfriends sections

A flight of steps down is the featured collection of antique maps of the Philippines published during the American occupation. The collection starts with a section on the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898. Then it goes further into the areas occupied by the Americans upon arrival in the Philippines. There's also a section on the short-lived Malolos Republic. The extensive collection features rare pieces of PHIMCOS (Philippine Map Collectors Society) ergo, no photos are allowed. I managed to have a selfie at the landing where the collection is being introduced.

Map collection entrance

Another level down features contemporary pieces and installations that are just intriguing. A favorite of mine is the gown made of rope that ends in a cascade on the floor and a series of collages by Hy Dee which effectively combines minimal patterns in swathes of cool colors as pools of tranquility.

Rope Gown installation

I liked the ground floor a lot for its merry mix of the works of classical masters: Luna, Amorsolo, Hidalgo; all the way to the mavericks of modern art:  Edades, HR Ocampo, Manansala, Kiukok and Botong Francisco.  Yael and I were moved by Botong's unfinished work of the Kamote Diggers, an unfinished work at the time of his death that I had only seen in reproductions. This original frame, though done halfway, is very powerful... social realism at its finest!

Modern Art Masters wall

By the time we had reviewed the collection at the Museum, it was  nearly rush hour and it was time to go... go visit a museum! This one's worth the admission...

Botong Francisco's portrait of Dona Maria and Don Antonio Yuchengco