SLT undertakes revivial of Panay Bukidnon cultures, traditions

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Dec. 4 (PIA6) – Three Panay Bukidnon traditions were the focus of a study in a 72-day School for Living Tradition (SLT) Phase I of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) which ended in a graduation ceremony last Nov. 17 at Barangay Jaena Norte in Jamindan town.

Panay Bukidnon is a group of Indigenous Peoples that boasts of a rich tradition and cultures.

The revived traditions are the Binanog/Agong Dance which is a dance of courtship that resembles the movements of the “binanog” bird, Ambahan (songs welcoming a visitor) and Hilinawod chant, the longest epic in the country that recounts the bravery of Panay folklore heroes.

Jaena Norte Punong Barangay Isidro Natabio, Jr. has thanked NCCA for the attention extended on the needs of Indigenous Peoples (IP) as he underscored that the SLT is “a great help for the IP leaders to revive our culture, customs and traditions in order for the Panay Bukidnons to have their own identity.”

Natabio, who is also a Tribal Chieftain and chairman of Jamindan Bukidnon Tribes Association (JABTA), also thanked the Municipal Officials for supporting the program by allocating funds for IP activities.

Aside from reviving IP culture, the initiative also provided livelihood to the four masters and IP children as P250.00 and P50.00 fees were given to them, respectively, per session for 72 days.

Jamindan town mayor Ethel Jinon also contratulated the IP children and their parents for participating in the project.

She also pledged to continue allocating funds for IP activities every year and will double the P50,000.00 assistance starting year 2013.

Twenty-four IP children graduated from the SLT.
For his part, NCCA representative Ruel Doce said that the SLT graduation is the start of the graduates long journey towards representation of their own culture in local, national and even international settings.

He also reminded the children that the culture and arts that they learned could help them develop their lives for the IP cultures are among the tourism attractions in the municipality.

The graduation was attended by Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Officer Alphonsus Tesoro, some town councilors and IP members. (JCM/Alex A. Lumaque/PIA6 Capiz)