the outstanding work of artists in the Philippines.

Traditional art is based on indigenous peoples’cultures that are largely honed

by oral tradition. A distinct feature of the GAMABA is its emphasis on the intangible
and communal aspects of art production, which as pointed out in Lesson 1, are
closely aligned with the process-based and collaborative inclination of some
contemporary art practices. Traditional art finds deep affinities with nature, place,
society, ritual and spirituality, and everyday life. In traditional integrative art, forms
and expressions do not normally end up as objects distanced from everyday living.
The site of dissemination and knowledge transfer is neither in the formal spaces of
a museum nor a theater. The process of creation is usually shared among members
of the community, and appeals to broader aspects of life. Things produced such
as textiles, hats, baskets, or utensils are commonplace, usually found and used in
people’s homes. Songs and dances are performed as a group as part of ritual and
as a way of affirming one’s cultural identity or sense of belonging.

Figure 4.2. Lang Dulay, GAMABA Awardee, 1998

FAQ Who are the GAMABA awardees?

Form Manlilikha Year of Ethnicity / Expertise
ng Bayan Conferment Location
T’boli / Lake
Sebu, South
Cotabato,
Lang Dulay 1998 tinalak weaving
Mindanao,
southern
Philippines
Tagabawa
Weaving Bagobo /
Bansalan,
Salinta Davao del Sur,
1998 inabal weaving
Monon southeastern
Mindanao
island, southern
Philippines

58 Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions

 Darhata Tausug / Parang,
Sawabi pis siyabit
2004 Sulu, southern
weaving
(d. 2005) Philippines

Haja Amina Sama /

Appi Tandubas, Tawi-
2004 mat weaving
Tawi, southern
(d. 2013) Philippines
Ilocano / Pinili,
Ilocos Norte,
Magdalena
2012 northern Luzon inabel weaving
Gamayo
island, northern
Philippines
Hanunoo surat Mangyan
Mangyan / and ambahan
Ginaw Bilog Mansalay, poetry
1993
(d. 2003) Oriental
Mindoro, central
Philippines
Pala’wan / lyrical poems
Brookes Point, (kulilal, basal,
Palawan and bagit) and
Masino island, central playing their
1993 Philippines accompanying
Intaray
instruments; epic
chanting and
storytelling
Magindanao / playing the
Mama sa Pano, kudyapi
Samaon Maguindanao,
Sulaiman 1993 western
Literature and (d. 2011) Mindanao
Performing island, southern
Arts Philippines

Kalinga / playing Kalinga

Lubuagan, musical
Kalinga, instruments;
Alonzo
2000 northern Luzon dance patterns
Saclag
Island, northern and movements
Philippines associated with
rituals
Sulod Bukidnon chanting the
/ Calinog, sugidanon epic
Federico Iloilo, Panay of the Panay
2000
Caballero Island, central Bukidnon
Philippines

Yakan / Lamitan, playing Yakan

Uwang Basilan island, musical
2000
Ahadas southern instruments
Philippines

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59
 Kapampangan silver plating of
/ Apalit, religious and
Pampanga, secular art
Eduardo
2004 central Luzon
Mutuc
island, northern
Philippines
Plastic Arts
Ilocano / San gourd casque
Quintin, Abra, making
Teofilo northern Luzon
2012 island, northern
Garcia
Philippines

Look at the categories of forms under the GAMABA. How are they similar or different to each
other? Take “Plastic Arts” for example. What does it mean? Is the term more appropriate for
individual expressions of Modern artists discussed in the previous chapters? Does the term
make you appreciate the nature of traditional art as communal expressions that are more
process-oriented? Could you think of another term or category?

FAQ What are some of the issues related to awards?

The Award System

Why are there separate awards for individual expression—the National Artist Award and
for communal expression—the GAMABA? How do these two awards differ in terms of
expressions, places of produc-tion, and artistic merits valued? What does the award system
suggest about the challenge of defining artis-tic excellence on a national level?

The Production Process and The Changing Environment

The traditional artists’ mode of production continues to be affected with
the dynamics of change. Environmental degradation ushered in by calamities,
modernization, and capitalistic endeavors displace the indigenous peoples from
their ancestral land. As their home base, it is considered of paramount importance—
this is where resources are gathered and shared, and where culture is performed.
The following factors affect the traditional artist’s production process:
1. Tourism – Land areas are converted into sites for tourist consumption.
Ecological domains become more susceptible to damage with the combined
forces of natural disasters and tourist mobility. Dances and rituals are staged
for an external audience rather than for the community’s observance of
tradition. Art forms native to the community tend to diminish in quality.
Removed from their original context, the works are transformed into mass
produced souvenirs in order to meet the demands of the tourist trade. Neon
colors and designs woven from synthetic fibers have been made available
in recent years to create appropriations of traditional textile designs for
commercial purposes.

60 Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions

 Figure 4.3. A souvenir shop selling “T’boli Craft”

2. Mining and infrastructure projects – The construction of dams and the

establishment of oil and mining companies evict people from their dwellings
and severely damage the environment. Deprived of the bounty of land,
indigenous groups are prompted to seek short-term employment from these
industries in order to make ends meet in a money economy.
3. Militarization – The insecurity and tensions brought about by militarized
zones arrest the people’s ability to create art. It prevents people from having
communal gatherings, where exchanges and passing of knowledge can take
place.
4. Christianization – The influence of Christianity and the conversion of the
natives to a foreign religion have caused members of the community to
forsake their indigenous rituals and traditions. At worse, people are led to
believe that the latter are primitive and therefore their practice has no place
in contemporary culture. In some cases however, the community finds a
way to syncretize their indigenous ways with traditions of Christianity. The
Manobo community of Mt. Apo, for example initiated a “culture regeneration
movement.” As Christian converts, they sought the revival of their traditions
by holding clan reunions, employing native wedding rites, and recalling
narratives of their culture through painting.

Difficulties in the Selection Process

The archipelagic orientation of the Philippines makes some locations
challenging to reach by land, air, or sea. Places that pose security risks, particularly
militarized zones prevent the sustained entry of researchers and possibly diminish
reception outside of the locality. This is partly why the awarding does not follow
a regular pattern, as the column on Year of Conferment on the table of GAMABA
awardees shows.

UNIT I: ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING

61
 The award-giving body, through its cultural workers, is entrusted with an
equally significant and difficult responsibility of being critical, transparent, and
judicious in the processes entailed by the GAMABA, from the selection, awarding,
and even beyond.

Effect of the GAMABA in the communities

Since the artists are very much entrenched in their localities, the award system
might create a division within the communities when one person is elevated to the
status of a national awardee. The attention and the entry of outsiders may create
a disruption that may also change, not just the social and economic relationships,
but also the people’s attitudes, concepts, and definitions of the art forms and the
processes.

At some point, you will be asked to visit these artists in their homes and workshops. Can
you cite some examples of these changes in attitudes and self-concepts of the artist-
awardees and their families and communities? Point out the positive as well as negative
consequences of GAMABA awards.

The GAMABA and the National Artists Award, which will be discussed in the
next lesson, are the highest national awards for culture and the arts. The GAMABA
recognizes exceptional artists who are engaged in the traditional arts. With the
latter, we refer to forms which are produced or performed within the context of
TMLSS the community. The traditional arts are strongly grounded in culture, spirituality
and religion, and also the environment. Thus, forms produced by the GAMABA,
while having a high aesthetic value, are also functional and accessible in everyday
settings. The changing times continue to pose major challenges to the environment
and the traditional artist’s production process. As culture bearers, the role of the
GAMABA is to pass on their artistic knowledge to the community, to inspire them,
and to ensure that aspects of their cultural identity continue to thrive.

Designing the Stage for the Creation Story

Which of the art forms from the GAMABA awardees could best fit into your
developing version of the Creation Story? Which element will it serve? Dress?
Telling the story through chant? Production design? Musical or dance element?
D-I-Y Etc. Would you need to give it a more contemporary look or will you retain the
traditional form, depending on the tone of your story?
Construct a maquette or a sketch if the art form you are going to appropriate
is visual. Create a dance or song if the element is performance-based or theatrical.

62 Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions

 1. What is the significance of the GAMABA? Do you think having two national
awards for the arts underscore the divide between individualist expression
and everyday, community-based rituals and art forms?
2. Select a form in which any of the Manlilikha ng Bayan practice. Give specific
examples of how that form has undergone appropriation or transformation
PIN IT —both internally or by the community itself, and externally by outside
forces, or both—to create new meanings and appeal to different publics. For
example:
Form Examples of appropriation
1. t’nalak weaving a. t’nalak as souvenir items (wallets, bags,
and t-shirts) sold in Manila-based shops like
Kultura or Island Souvenirs
b. t’nalak and other traditional textiles as
inspiration for the high-end fashion label
Filip+Inna (http://filipinna.com/about-us/)
c. t’nalak as a “national costume”designed by
Ivan Raborar for the Philippine representative
for Miss World 2014
d. t’nalak as a full-blown festival initiated by the
local government of South Cotabato
3. Name one traditional art form in your community. Create a poster to promote
it. It can be on a cartolina or you can digitally make the poster with a computer.
Discuss your concept in class. Share where you plan to post it.

Watch any of the following documentaries:

a. Dreamweavers (1999), directed by Fruto Corre, 45 mins.
b. Katutubo: Memory of Dances (2001), directed by Antonio Jose Perez, 50
mins.
LEVEL UP c. Ifugao: Bulubunduking Buhay (1998), directed by Fruto Corre and Nancy
Rodriguez, 45 mins.
Write a reaction paper based on the following guide questions:
a. What forms of traditional art can you identify in the videos?
b. What do these narratives tell us about the character of traditional arts?
c. How are the artists portrayed in the videos? Take for example, the
Dreamweavers, which talks about how a Manlilikha ng Bayan like Lang
Dulay derives her patterns from dreams. Does Lang Dulay’s dreamwork
come across as strange or exotic? Or do this account of dreams and
creativity give you another perspective on the process of creation? And
that it is possible to create something out of dreams? Click this link for
more information on Lang Dulay: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/212579/
what-will-happen-to-the-dreamweavers-now-that-lang-dulay-is-gone
d. What specific factors cause changes in art production?

UNIT I: ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING

63
 Maceda, Jose. 1998. Gongs and Bamboo, University of the Philippines Press.
Peralta, Jesus (ed). 2003. Enumerations from the Philippine Inventory of
Intangible Cultural Heritage, NCCA and UNESCO-ICHCAP.
Respicio, Norma. 2014. Journey of a Thousand Shuttles: The Philippine Weave.
TL; DR NCCA.

64 Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions

 LESSON 5: NATIONAL ARTISTS OF THE PHILIPPINES

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

• identify the works of National Artists and recognize their contributions to
Philippine art and culture through a research project report;
• analyze the works of National Artists in relation to the public sphere;
QUEST • evaluate the criteria of the National Artists Award (NAA) through creative
group projects; and
• explain issues related to the NAA through a report or a critical paper.

FLAG
modernist
commissioned work
tableau
CHAT ROOM
transept and nave
terrazzo
libretto

In the previous lesson, we learned about the GAMABA as an award given to

exceptional practitioners of the traditional arts. Here we will learn about another
national award for artists who engage in particular disciplinal areas, such as the
visual arts. We might encounter some of the artists we have cited previously. In this
lesson, we look at their works more closely , especially in terms of collaboration and
THREAD exchange, as we view the National Artist Award in the spirit of the public sphere, to
whom artists and award-giving bodies are held accountable.

FAQ What is the National Artists Award?

Among the various institutional awards and recognition instruments, the
National Artist Award (NAA) bestows the highest form of recognition to Filipino
artists for their significant contributions in the arts and letters. It shares the same
prestige as the GAMABA and the National Scientist Award. The award is conferred
every three years through a rigorous deliberation and selection process jointly
facilitated by two major cultural offices, the National Commission on Culture and
the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

UNIT I: ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING

65
 NAA was established in 1972 under Presidential Decree No. 1001 issued by
then President Ferdinand Marcos. The first recipient was Fernando Amorsolo,
who was conferred the award posthumously. Much has changed since the
institutionalization of the award. As of this writing, the roster has included 66
awardees from seven disciplinal areas, namely: (1) architecture, design, and allied
arts (2) film and broadcast arts (3) visual arts (4) literature (5) dance (6) music, and
(7) theater. In the history of the NAA, other categories have been considered by
virtue of the president’s prerogative, among them, historical literature, and fashion
design.

FAQ What are some examples of works of National Artists?

A. Works of National Artists in Public Spaces: A Look at UP Diliman
A good number of works by National Artists can be found in university
campuses. One such example is the University of the Philippines (UP) campus in
Diliman, Quezon City. The iconic school symbol is based on the Oblation,1935, a
sculptural work by the classically trained sculptor Guillermo Tolentino (awarded
1973) depicting a male nude with arms outstretched as a gesture of sacrifice and
freedom. It was later cast in bronze also by Guillermo Tolentino (awarded 1973).
In the historical overview of Lesson 2, we remember Tolentino as a proponent of
the academic tradition in sculpture much like Fernando Amorsolo (awarded 1972)
is in painting. Amorsolo’s romantic paintings of bucolic landscapes and idealized
portraits of prominent individuals from the Commonwealth Period and the
Second World War can be viewed at the Jorge B. Vargas Museum in UP. Aside from
monuments or statues in public spaces, as of this writing, many of Tolentino’s works
can be viewed at the National Museum. Both National Artists served as professors
at the UP School of Fine Arts and have been influential as teachers and artists. On
the other hand, Abdulmari Asia Imao’s calligraphic work done in the ‘80s (awarded
2006) at the sculpture garden of the Vargas Museum is one of the largest public
sculptures he made. Benedicto Cabrera’s (awarded 2006) iconic Variations of Sabel,
2015 made of aluminum sheets can also be found at the UP Theater.

Figure 5.1. Oblation at Quezon Hall, UP Diliman

66 Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions

 Of modernist sensibilities, the painter Jose Joya (awarded 2003) and
sculptor Napoleon Abueva (awarded 1976) produced commissioned works that
have become part of the university’s visual arts heritage. Joya’s mural in the
Virata School of Business titled Barter of Panay,1978 is rendered in the Abstract
Expressionist style and consists of soft, overlapping planes of black, white, orange,
brown, and golden yellow. Without rendering human forms, the solid color palette
establishes links to the legend, referencing the trade between Datu Puti and
King Marikudo, the former bearing gold accessories to purchase the lowlands
of Panay from the latter. Fronting the same school, Abueva’s abstract sculpture
Spirit of Business,1979 seems to be drawn from science fiction, composed of a
metal disk with sharp-looking poles jutting through it. Abueva has produced a
significant number of public sculptures for the University using various materials
from wood, to stone and metal; with themes ranging from figurative tableaus to
abstract sculptures that embody the spirit of the academic unit. Both Joya and
Abueva served as faculty and deans of the UP College of Fine Arts and taught in
UP. Gaining further art studies in the United States, the two were influenced by
modernist sensibilities of the period. It is also worth noting that in 1964, Abueva
and Joya represented the Philippines in the Venice Art Biennale, one of the oldest
international art exhibitions worldwide.

Figure 5.2. Exterior of the UP Chapel

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67