BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – In the Philippine’s summer capital, a cultural renaissance born from the rubble of a deadly earthquake takes a new turn at the 2023 Ibagiw arts festival.

Visionary Baguio artists led by National Artist for Film Kidlat Tahimik launched an extraordinary venture in 1991 at Burnham Park’s Melvin Jones football field. Where the 1990 quake destroyed the Igorot statues that stood guard on the corners of the field, the artists created a dap-ay, a communal hub.

It wasn’t just a space. The collaboration with the late Ifugao elder Lopez Nauyac was a commitment to nurture the city’s artistic soul and safeguard the community’s cultural inheritance.

In the decades that followed, the dap-ay, a cornerstone of Cordilleran culture, performed its traditional role. The village’s heartbeat, it hosted discussions and decisions shaping community life.

Its raised platform, encircled by stone seats and a central fireplace, was the arena where Igorots wove social, religious, and political narratives for generations.

As Ibagiw 2023 kicks off, this cultural bastion expands its reach at the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center.

The dap-ay, rechristened Bobleh Taku (Our Community), symbolizes a community adapting to changing times while strengthening its roots to the past.

Artist Randy Bulayo spearheads the new initiative, which remains under the stewardship of Kidlat.

Edgar Banasan, a maestro in bamboo art and music, brings into contemporary artistic lexicon the Purchos or Puddong, the traditional totems that stand as guardians of space and spirit.

Banasan’s bamboo installation pays tribute to the Igorot spirit of Binnadang, the age-old ethos of mutual aid.

The community will collectively build a contemporary native house. This structure, more than just a building, will be a beacon of shared effort and unity, a library of art and culture for future generations.

When Ibagiw 2023 ends in a few weeks, Bobleh Taku will host Ipitik, a grand celebration of Cordillera culture.

Picture this: A throng of youth, trained in the intricate Bendiyan dance and the art of playing traditional Benguet gongs, creating a symphony of sounds and movements.

Add to this the Pinikpikan Cook-off, a culinary journey into the heart of local flavors, augmented by the earthy notes of tapuey wine.

Organizers see Bobleh Taku as more than an event. It is a manifestation of enduring Igorot identity, where tradition meets modernity and artistic expression converges with cultural preservation and community solidarity.

In community theater, customs and traditions embedded in the Cordilleras come to life in a contemporary take on the legend of Mt. Dinayao, Kalinga’s Sleeping Beauty.

The indigenous musical rolls out in the mystical starlit realm of the Kalinga.

A meteor shower heralds the birth of revered warrior Binsay, whose love for Dinayao blossoms amidst tribal conflict. A battle with the fierce enemy Tubfiyan culminates in loss. But the couple’s enduring love transforms into celestial whispers that echo across the night sky, helping their villages reconcile in the once-scarred Kalingan mountains.

The shadow play will also feature a 120-piece Bamboo Music Ensemble.

The performers underwent workshops on Bamboo music by Edgar Banasan and percussions by Delfin Torres.

Melvin Morallos is musical director of the shadow play directed Kath Nobleza, with Jocelyn Banasan as storyteller, Marjorie Amla Lingbawan as cultural protocols consultant. Ferdie Balanag is the overall creative director/producer.

– Rappler.com