The UP Asian Center celebrated Sama Bajau music and dance tradition on 6 June 2024, with "Tampat Pag-addatan Sahaya: Place, Tradition and Light" a series of lectures and performances that highlights the role of UP Diliman as a space for indigenous and marginalized cultures to be expressed. Held at the GT-Toyota Asian Center Auditorium in Diliman, Quezon City, the event marked an exploration of pansak in the field, the University stage, and other spaces, as well as the kinaesthetics, convention, and improvisation of pansak by the Sama Bangingi. 

During the celebration, the exhibit, "Pansak Pusakah: A Visual-Kinetic Cultural Heritage of the Sama Bangingi" was also successfully launched. It featured the pansak dance movements by Radzmina Tanjili and Kiram Ignacio who are part of the diasporic Sama Bangingi communities in San Andres, Manila. The exhibit also looks at the structured movement of the Sama Bangingi traditional pansak dance through literal and figurative lenses of the structured image produced by the discipline and creative expression of photography. 

Using cyanotype prints of the series of movements, the exhibit harmonized the kinetic pansak with the evocative nature of photography, resulting in a skillful portrayal of movement and visual composition.

Captured by Marc J. San Valentin, Associate Professor and Dean of the UP College of Fine Arts, the photos and prints provided a closer look into the intricacies of the pansak movements. Dean San Valentin shared a few words about his creative process in the production of the cyanotype prints. He described how he draws inspiration from nature, utilizing the interaction of light and chemicals to produce vibrant hues of blue. He explained the meticulous steps involved in the process and how each print becomes a unique piece of art. Dean San Valentin also discussed how this printmaking technique can be ideal for archiving, considering different factors such as paper quality, exposure to sunlight, and storage conditions. His work offered a deeper appreciation for the balance between science and art.

The exhibit was launched with a lecture series by esteemed scholars from Sabah, Malaysia. University of Malaya Honorary Professor, Dr. Hanafi Hussin shed light on how igal is embedded in the worldview and belief system of the Sama Bajau in Malaysia (and the Philippines) as illustrated by their rituals and spirtuality, festivals, community-building activities, art, and education. Meanwhile, Datuk Sa'adilah Bin Haji Abdillah of the United Sabah Bumis Organization, shared his experiences in organizing the Igal dance festival and how these types of activities transform how igal is viewed in the community. He also delivered Judeth San Baptist’s lecture which provided a comprehensive overview of the “International Festival of Igal” (FIA) over the years, the challenges, and the future of the activity. During the open forum, the speakers were joined by Dr. Matthew M. Santamaria, AC Professor and project proponent, as they addressed queries from the audience about the practices for culture preservation, sustainability of dance traditions, and the future of igal in terms of pedagogy and community engagement. View the lecture abstracts here.

The highlight of the event were the performances by members of the Sama Bangingi community in San Andres, Manila. Radzmina Tanjili and Kiram Ignacio performed titik umaral, accompanied by a kulintangan ensemble consisting of Marana Kapala,  Lapila Calvi, Merita Adahani, Salasina Hunaini, and Amina Latpi. Music collective Anima Tierra also joined the celebration in a performance of pansak ag-iring and their own repertoire of soulful music combining global influences, indigenous elements, and contemporary sounds.

Organized by the Asian Center, in collaboration with the UPD Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts and the UP College of Fine Arts, the exhibit, lectures, and performances are part of the Diliman Arts and Culture Festival 2024 with the theme “Pamamalagi at Pamamahagi.” 

The exhibit is open to the public for FREE from Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. 

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MORE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT

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The Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman offers M.A. degrees in Asian Studies with four fields of specialization: Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. The UP Asian Center also has an M.A. program in Philippine Studies that allows students to major in Philippine society and culture, Philippine foreign relations, or Philippine development studies. It also offers a Ph.D. program in Philippine Studies in conjunction with the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. For an overview of these graduate programs, click here. As an area studies institution, the Asian Center also publishes Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia, the latest issue of which can be downloaded at the journal's website.For other news and upcoming events at the Asian Center, click here.