Let Us Sing And Dance to the Beat of Gongs

Published on February 7, 2009

With the beat of gongs, rhythm of tongatong, tambi, saggaypo, and kubing, and of course with the progressive Salidummay lyrics, the Dap-ayan ti Kultura iti Kordiyera (DKK) has been a channel for safeguarding the Cordillera cultural heritage and promoting cultural diversity since it was founded in 1991.

BY ALMA SINUMLAG
Northern Dispatch
CULTURE
Posted by Bulatlat

With the beat of gongs, rhythm of tongatong, tambi, saggaypo, and kubing, and of course with the progressive Salidummay lyrics, the Dap-ayan ti Kultura iti Kordiyera (DKK) has been a channel for safeguarding the Cordillera cultural heritage and promoting cultural diversity since it was founded in 1991.

Its different member organizations continue to perform at different venues like schools, communities, and streets to contribute in raising the awareness of people of the history and present situation of the Kaigorotan. This is also a way of correcting misrepresentations of our culture as manifested in some television advertisements we see and some books we read.

As an alliance working to safeguard our cultural heritage, DKK performs in open spaces, like what it did at the People’s Park last Dec. 10. The event was a concert titled Safeguarding our Cultural Heritage, Promoting Cultural Diversity: An Ethnic Concert. The performance was the DKK’s contribution to the commemoration of International Human Rights Day.

More importantly, members toured and immersed in the urban poor communities like Cypress, Irisan, Baguio City on Dec. 13; Tacay, Pinsao, Baguio City on Dec. 14; West Quirino Hill, Baguio City on Dec. 18; and recently, in UP Village, Irisan, Baguio City on Jan. 19.

DKK wants to reinforce especially among the youth what they know about their culture. Aside from singing, they also involve the people in community dancing and give way for them to share their knowledge about their identity through cultural performances. What is most enjoyed by young people in these communities are the instrument workshops specifically those on the tongatong (bamboo tubes).

I think they were amazed that Cordillera has that kind of musical instrument and also by the sound it produced. And as they hit the ground with that bamboo instrument, their faces lit up with joy and confidence. They did not want to give the instruments back until the DKK promised to have another concert in their place.

This only meant to us that these young Cordillerans, although they have grown up in the city, are willing to learn what Cordilleran culture is all about. And by that, they would know who they really are; their identity amid the intertwining cultures and races in the city.

Behind the success of these concerts is the National Commission of Culture and the Arts (NCCA), a government institution that supports initiatives for the development and promotion of national culture and arts and also the preservation of cultural heritage. Also a co-sponsor in this project was the Organisasyon Dagiti Nakurapay nga Umili iti Syudad (ORNUS), a people’s organization that is upholding the rights of the urban poor communities here in Baguio.

Before these events, the DKK performed in two concerts for a cause. That was on Dec. 6.

One was in Cordillera College and Development Center (CCDC) in Buyagan, La Trinidad, Benguet. It was mainly an environmental concert to support the victims of the Loakan, Benguet Slide. This was spearheaded by the Dessert Band in coordination with the CCDC administration. DKK supported this activity to share its Salidummay music and inculcate to the students the cultural pride through music.

The other concert was sponsored by the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance and some individual advocates of human rights. Titled Karapatang Pantao, it was held at the Victor Oteyza Community Arts Space (VOCAS) at the La Asotea Building, Session Road. This was also a build-up activity for the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This was also a venue for the promotion of Salidummay’s 6th album titled Chuwassi, which contains 12 original compositions.

Nobody wants the good of our culture to be forgotten. We all want it passed to the next generations. Therefore, let us all be a part in its safeguard. With the beat of gongs and rhythm of bamboo instruments, let us sing and dance and be proud of our identity. (Northern Dispatch / Posted by Bulatlat)