Chanum Foundation

 NCCA supports Tam-awan Village's international arts festival

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) celebrated Tam-awan Village's 13th International Arts Festival in Baguio City. This year's theme, "Ajowanan Kaugarian," speaks of how the village has taken care of practices passed down through the ages by Cordilleran ancestors.

After twelve festivals, the Tam-awan International Arts Festival has endured and has been adopted as an NCCA special project under the Committee on Arts and Galleries.

"We are also celebrating our 25th year of nurturing the culture and the arts, and our community that's part of the Cordilleran heritage. Tam-awan Village focuses on Ibaloi culture and traditions. Our dances and rituals are still seen and appreciated by younger generations,"shared Jordan Mang-osan, president of Chanum Foundation, the entity that runs and operates Tam-awan Village.

The month of October is Museum & Galleries Month. It also celebrates the Indigenous People's Month.

"We are more flexible, more creative, and more resilient after the pandemic. We came back more resounding. The Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (PCIDA) has given value to all disciplines in the arts and culture banner; with the nine domains under the Department of Trade and Industry as lead agency," intoned NCCA executive director Oscar Casaysay, during an open forum at the Ugnayan Gallery grounds.

The lecture-workshops on Dance were the most participated in during the four-day festival. Aside from the cañao, which is the wedding dance ritual, dances from Mindanao were also eagerly welcomed. For instance, the Pangalay, a dance ritual from the Tausug tribe of Zamboanga got a facelift by combining traditional steps with Latin dances; as homage to Zamboanga's Castilian heritage.

"The dissimenation and conservation of culture and the arts is an annual celebration; being a national evolution of our identity - how we are doing now and how there's so much more to do. After staring at mortality, we have an increased cultural awareness.

"There's happier energy on cultural expressions whether ephemeral or long-lasting, especially na may pinagdadaanan tayo. Sometimes loss is on not remembering," enthused Trixie Cruz Angeles, NCCA's legal counsel.

With the advent of artificial intelligence, the debates goes on regarding AI and human art.

"Art as an expression is human. AI programming is not yet perfected. There's still a human hand/mind behind it. So, it is not art unless it's human; though we need to prepare for AI's inherent dangers. Artists need to control AI. With the discussion now out in the open, you cannot put the genie back into the bottle," Angeles continued.

The Tam-awan International Arts Festival started in 2010. Today, it has evolved into an artist-led platform; attracting 116 art groups and 400 artists from all over the archipelago. From a simple community celebration, the festival has become a country-wide campaign that has sparked the interest of art communities here and outside the country.

"Our workshops in years past had snakes and monitor lizards as surprise guests. Yet, this festival thrived as the watering hole of artists and budding cultural workers. My challenge as teacher/author is how to weave narratives to chronicle these experiences," shared panelist E.J. Jacinto from the Philippine Art Educators Association. 

The PAEA group performed the "Pambungad na Ritwal: Saniweng - Aweng Ti Kararwa (Oneness of Soul in Rhythm) which aimed to enjoin musical collaborations.

Chanum Foundation Incorporated was set up by friends - Bencab, who has since become National Artist for Visual Art, Chit Asignacion, Jordan Mang-osan, Jackson Bryan, Ann Camdas Michael, and Dra. Julie Cabato - in 1998 and has evolved to be home and the hub for culture and heritage, as well as becoming a top tourist destination in the City of Pines.