teatro balangaw, marinduque: VIVA MARINDUQUE 2009

The project was conceptualized in response to an invitation from the NCCA to propose a project in line with the celebration of the Philippine Arts Festival in 2008, where the province of Marinduque was involved.

A grant of PHP 100,000.00 was given by the Commission to the Provincial Government of Marinduque, and quick response from all sectors to support the project was likewise accorded.

In 2008 Ani ng Sining in Marinduque was undertaken via a cultural showcase that included the various art forms from February 6-26, 2008. A series of shows was presented in all the six (6) municipalities of Marinduque that involved 100-120 artistic and production staff.

All the municipalities contributed their own showcases/numbers through songs, dances or plays, making it a truly unifying project. It might have been the longest Philippine Arts Festival held in a particular locality.

Critical acclaim to the project by those who were able to watch it was strengthened by two separate resolutions – one from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Marinduque which praised the project for having “exuded the province’s unique culture, customs and traditions which were hailed by most of those who witnessed the various activities and presentations relative to the same”

and “ despite the limited time and budget of the provincial government and the six municipalities, it did not constrain them from organizing a committee that made the event a success and even strengthened a collaborative effort with the national government offices/agencies and other organizations that led to such an achievement”.

The second resolution was adopted by the Sangguniang Bayan ng Gasan which stated that “those who were able to watch the presentation of this theatrical production can not help but admire the depth of its message, the beauty of its choreography, and the craftiness of its adaptation of light and sound effects and musical scoring”,

that “Viva Marinduque is truly reflective of the richness of Marinduque’s beliefs, customs and traditions, and can also be an effective vehicle in the preservation of these cultures”;

further stating that the participation of Gasan youths “in this theatrical production have elevated them to a new dimension of skills, confidence and discipline” and that Viva Marinduque “is worthy of watching again and again and again”.

The project encompassed popularly known Marinduque rituals and traditions such as “Putong” and “Moriones”, as well as pre-colonial beliefs and practices, its native language (Marinduque Tagalog), considered, according to a study, as the root or among the roots from which modern national forms of speech have sprung,

mysticism, native dances, and recently discovered old Marinduque songs and music, original contemporary songs and other artistic expressions (festivities, theatre, traditional crafts, native musical instruments, morion masks and other masks, visual arts and showcase of live butterflies).

Production numbers organized by the various municipalities during the performances in said municipalities shall be part of this project.

In line with NCCA’s stated objectives for the arts festival celebration the project’ objectives were:

1. To celebrate the fruits of the creative efforts of the past year’s artistic creations.

2. To promote the Filipino creativity, specifically of local and indigenous talents, through various forms of artistic expressions.

3. To provide a venue for broader participation in creative activities.

4. To drumbeat “Araw ng Marinduque” as a new avenue for cultural-tourism promotion and development in the province.

The project also aimed to raise the level of cultural awareness among local artists and the community, in general.

It was expected to pave the way for the honing of local talents, as well as strengthening their network among other artists, cultural workers and arts enthusiasts within and beyond the island-province.

The project was, likewise, seen as a rare opportunity to raise the level of local and national awareness on Marinduque’s rich cultural heritage.

Specifically, the following were re-staged:

1. “MORYONAN” – a dance-drama on Marinduque’s famous Lenten tradition). Twelve (12) actors shall perform this new dance that depicting the initial preparation of ‘moriones’ practitioners up to the mock chaseing, capture and beheading of Longhino. Other Holy week rituals shall be incorporated in the re-mounted production.

2. “BULONG” (pronounced Boo’-long) – a dance-drama on teleportation, a belief that old folks and the young in far-flung areas still cling to. The travel into another dimension in time and space is used as a device to present different folk beliefs and episodes in Marinduque’s cultural evolution, i.e. pre-colonial Marinduque, local customs and traditions, belief in anito (Pastores), underworld characters (aswang, enkanto, white lady, duwende, etc; introduction of Christianity, clashes with pirates, etc.

3. “AWIT SA PULANG LUPA” – a dance-drama with original song by Eli Obligacion on the battle of Pulang Lupa, where Filipinos staged a major victory over the Americans. The brief drama shows how the community was disrupted by the arrival of American troops who engaged the local revolutionaries in a battle that exploded at Pulang Lupa; the defeat of the foreign invaders and eventual surrender.

4. “KALUTANG” (Wooden musical instruments) – to be performed by the only known group of young boys and old men who have mastered Kalutang playing.

5. “HARANA” – local songs of courtship

6. “PUTONG” – the local welcome or thanksgiving song-and-dance ritual given to honorees that involves crowning them with flowers, showering of petals and leaves, tossing of coins and fun.

7. LOCAL FOLK DANCES & FOLK SONGS – provided by the Marinduque State College, through its cultural group, "Sambayang Sining Lahi".

Excerpt from Teatro Balangaw's "Bulong" dance-drama, Marinduque, Philippines, Feb 2009. This dance-drama was first staged in Gasan in 2002 as part of the Araw ng Gasan celebration started that year, original cast composed of students from Bangbang National High School. The following year it was mounted in Buenavista with students from Marinduque Victorians College. In 2006 students from Buenavista National High School and Marinduque Victorians College joined in the staging of "Bulong" for the town fiesta celebration. In 2007 it was re-staged as part of the first official celebration of "Araw ng Marinduque" with students from Marinduque Midwest College and presented in all of Marinduque's six municipalities, (VIVA MARINDUQUE! project), the first such performance-tour conducted in the island province. In 2008 the provincial tour was repeated with students of Bognuyan National High School and selected out-of-school youths from Gasan (shown in this video).