finally some pictures!
some photos during our 2003 expedition to various areas of mindanao. as i put together the slide show for the exhibit at the Asian Art, i couldn't resist posting these photos which we used for the exhibit at Zeum Gallery last year.
B'laan maidens in At'Morok share a giggle when i asked them to "strike a pose". My time with them proved to be more spiritual than educational. This ancestral B'laan domain was certainly a sacred place.
Re-visiting the K'lagan in Nian, Saranggani. I first met these K'lagan folks in 2002 during the end of my trip. I was like, K'lagan? i've never heard of the K'lagan! They invited me back for the harvest celebration the following year. Here's some really fantastic musicians and dancers perform a dance using the udol...
Tall and towering master musician Datu Landas demonstrates for us traditional Bagobo music in Davao. He is one of the few left who can still play. This was a heartbreaking and humbling moment, as we had to go to a rich man's house to borrow Datu Landas' gongs. He had sold them in order to buy his land back. I could see the transformation in his eyes as he played the gongs with passion.
The Talaandig in Bukidnon strives to bring back their culture. The elders built a school to promote Talaandig traditions. Children are required to learn both in Tagalog and in Talaandig. They perform the dugso for us after the welcoming ritual. The drums thundered as the women welcomed us with a sacred dance.
Ganay Dalican serenades us with beautiful music from her hegelung. Datu Ma'fil was kind enough to let us stay in his home, a traditional T'boli long house of bamboo built without the use of nails. Rafael was able to capture a breathtaking moment as a rainbow appeared over Lake Sebu while Ganay played haunting music.
our crazy family with new manobo/matigsalo friends. the man seated next to isa is furiously working to complete weaving the basket which now hangs in my kitchen. he sold it to me for P200 (about $4). the matigsalo performed a welcome ritual for us, and it took us by complete surprise. there was maybe 50 people involved, dancing, playing music. visiting them was quite an ordeal - we had to hire "skylabs" - dirt bikes to take us through the mountains, across rivers. we were there only overnight, but we plan to return soon. the kids absolutely loved riding the skylab. it's the most exhilirating way to see Mindanao!
B'laan maidens in At'Morok share a giggle when i asked them to "strike a pose". My time with them proved to be more spiritual than educational. This ancestral B'laan domain was certainly a sacred place.
Re-visiting the K'lagan in Nian, Saranggani. I first met these K'lagan folks in 2002 during the end of my trip. I was like, K'lagan? i've never heard of the K'lagan! They invited me back for the harvest celebration the following year. Here's some really fantastic musicians and dancers perform a dance using the udol...
Tall and towering master musician Datu Landas demonstrates for us traditional Bagobo music in Davao. He is one of the few left who can still play. This was a heartbreaking and humbling moment, as we had to go to a rich man's house to borrow Datu Landas' gongs. He had sold them in order to buy his land back. I could see the transformation in his eyes as he played the gongs with passion.
The Talaandig in Bukidnon strives to bring back their culture. The elders built a school to promote Talaandig traditions. Children are required to learn both in Tagalog and in Talaandig. They perform the dugso for us after the welcoming ritual. The drums thundered as the women welcomed us with a sacred dance.
Ganay Dalican serenades us with beautiful music from her hegelung. Datu Ma'fil was kind enough to let us stay in his home, a traditional T'boli long house of bamboo built without the use of nails. Rafael was able to capture a breathtaking moment as a rainbow appeared over Lake Sebu while Ganay played haunting music.
our crazy family with new manobo/matigsalo friends. the man seated next to isa is furiously working to complete weaving the basket which now hangs in my kitchen. he sold it to me for P200 (about $4). the matigsalo performed a welcome ritual for us, and it took us by complete surprise. there was maybe 50 people involved, dancing, playing music. visiting them was quite an ordeal - we had to hire "skylabs" - dirt bikes to take us through the mountains, across rivers. we were there only overnight, but we plan to return soon. the kids absolutely loved riding the skylab. it's the most exhilirating way to see Mindanao!
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