2009 – Bahaghari – Rainbow

Cultural Center of the Philippines
BAHAGHARI
(Rainbow)

in the World Festival of National Theatres
in Korea
Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino
September 20, 2009
The National Theater of Korea Main Hall
September 30 to October 2, 2009
PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGE MANIPULATION BY:
TOUT LORENZO

Cultural Center of the Philippines
LIFE BEGINS ANEW
MESSAGE
The Cultural Center of the Philippines is proud to present the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group and the Sanghiyas Pangkat Mananayaw in Bahaghari, the production which is representing the Philippines in the World Theater Festival of National Theatres in Seoul, Korea.

Bahaghari will unveil to the world the rich and diverse ethnic traditions of the Philippines. Through colorful. pageantry of dance, the show weaves together a narrative about the ritual and lore of the different tribes of the Philippines. An important highlight of this production is the performance of the stage version of the folk epic Labaw Donggon based on Filipino anthropologist F. Landa Jocano’s work.

We bring Bahaghari to Korea to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties with the Korean people. We believe that Philippine participation in the World Theatre Festival will be a good opportunity for deepening cultural exchange between Filipinos and Koreans, and as well as the other groups from the various participating countries.

RAUL M. SUNICO, Ph.D.
Officer-in-charge
Office of the President
PROGRAMME
PART 1
BAHAGHARI (RAINBOW)
RITUAL OF FIRE
Pag-Ampo (Worship) Mystic healers gather bringing vessels of earth, wind and water. They borrow fire from Maaslag Nga Amay (Benevolent Father) to start their healing ritual. They gather to heal the wounded earth.

RITUALS OF THE WIND – DANCES FROM THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES Dugso The animist Talaandig tribes believe that the diwata (spirits) reside in every nook and cranny of nature. The misuse and abuse of the natural abode of these deities can result in sickness and death. The dugso ritual dance embodies the Talaandig’s obligation to the unseen protectors of nature. The dugso bridges the gap between the mortal Talaandig and their gods.

Sugod-Uno / Gin-Um The Bagobos eagerly await the arrival of the thirteenth moon at the foot of the great mountain called Apo. It is the time to come together and renew vows with the diwata. They perform the Sugod-uno with young bagani warriors who emulate newly hatched eaglets testing their wings against the merciless wind. With the help of the babaylan shamans, the wind is overcome and ordinary warriors become Datu chieftains. The feasting ends with the ceremonial planting of the durian – a tree that bears pungent but delicious fruit.

RITUALS OF THE EARTH – DANCES FROM THE NORTHERN PHILIPPINES Imbayah The Ifugao, builders of the majestic rice terraces celebrate a bountiful harvest with the sharing of tapuy (rice wine) to their bulol (rice god).

Pattong / Ragragsakan Pattong celebrates the homecoming of warriors from a successful hunt. Ragragsakan meaning “to make merry” culminates in the celebration involving the whole village and even neighboring tribes. The pattong and ragragsakan celebrate the bounty and gifts of the earth.

Dinuya A festival of the Ifugao tribe, the Dinuya is highlighted by the interpretative dance performed both by men and women. Usually seen in canao celebration, the beating of the gangsa gongs is believed to summon the spirit ancestors to join the dance with the whole community – earth and wind bound spirits commune in celebration.

Salip A successful warrior hunter courts a potential bride in this dance. The bride shows off her skill of balancing layers of banga or earthen pot filled with water on her head while traversing the rice terraces.
RITUALS OF WATER – DANCES FROM THE PHILIPPINE SEA Vinta (Sails) / Tauti Colorful vintas or sails dot the seascape of Mindanao. The boats also serve as diving pads for the seafaring Tausog pearl divers. Pangalay Amil Bangsa / Mag-igal / Kudindang sa Tamlang The Tausog are renowned for taming the wild seas as well as for being conquerors of distant shores. In moments of merriment, the Pangalay is danced.

Burong Talo Tausog warriors perform martial arts movements in dance form with drum and gong accompaniment. Silver fans are used to parry knife blows.

PART 2 THE JOURNEY OF LABAW DONGGON Based on F. Landa Jocano’s “Labaw Donggon” with additional notes from Dr. Alicia Magos

Labaw Donggon is born to the goddess Anggoy Alunsina and the mortal Datu Paubari. Mysteriously after right birth, Labaw Donggon becomes a grown-up man and decides to begin his search for a wife. Donning a magic suit, he courts the maiden Abyang Ginbitnan whose mother, Anggoy Doronoon despises him. With the help of his parents, Labaw Donggon succeeds in convincing Doronoon to let her daughter marry him. They marry and beget a son, Asu Mangga

Soon, Labaw Donggon decides to get a second wife, the beautiful Matan-ayon. Before they are joined she is adducted by Masangladon and taken to the seas of the underworld. After beating a giant “kalampay” (crab), Labaw Donggon marries Matan-ayon and begets a son, Buyung Baranugun. Not satisfied with two wives, Labaw Donggon finds Malitung Yawa who is married to a fierce creature called Saragnayan whose powers live in the heart of a boar. In their battle, Labaw Donggon is overpowered and gets imprisoned underneath the earth. Hearing of their father’s sad plight, Asu Mangga and Buyung Baranugun put their strength and wits to free their father. While in battle with the boar, the brothers pluck out its heart and Saragnayan dies. Labaw Donggon is freed and jubilantly returns to his people and land.

Part 3 KASALAN SA DALAMPASIGAN (WEDDING AT THE SHORE)

Pandanggo / Wasiwas Lighted glasses balanced on heads and hands and wrapped with colorful scarves sway like beacons for homebound fishermen.

Kasalan Sa ‘Sang Nayon An invitation to a wedding celebration is sung by the bride and groom, relatives and villagers.

Pandanggo Sa Bulig / Pasiguin. A dance depicting the movements of small mudfish caught by fishermen using a unique fish trap-salakab entertain the wedding guests. Ring nets to catch colorful fishes are shown in this colorful dance.

Kasalan / Gala The bride and the groom playfully compete against each other with their retinue of dancers.

Guitara / Sayaw sa Pinggan Daring young men do headstands to the music of the guitar while another group executes a daring dance with plates.

Sayaw Sa Bangko A couple skip skillfully atop a bamboo bench in this dance.

Tinikling Dancers dart in and out of rapidly capped bamboo poles in imitation of the movements of the long-legged “tikling” bird.

Leron Leron Sinta / Pilipinas / Maraming Salamat po A lively Tagalog folk song that tells of young man’s rather unusual courtship. Followed by a song of invitation to visit the islands of the Philippines. The medley is capped with a thanksgiving song.

RAMON OBUSAN FOLKLORIC GROUP (ROFG)

Founded in 1972, the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group started as a fledgling dance company composed of some thirty performers. Leaning on the vast amount of data and artifacts that he accumulated as he did his research, he thought of starting a dance company that would mirror the traditional culture of the Filipinos through dance and music.

For over thirty years, the ROFG has created a niche in the world of dance as a forerunner of Philippine folk dance performed closest to the original. Boasting over a thousand performances in the Philippines and abroad, the ROFG is one of the leading resident dance companies of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) since 1986.

Under the leadership of its founder, Artistic Director, Choreographer and Researcher – Ramon Arevalo Obusan, it has gone on three successful Asian, American and European tours.

On June 9, 2006 Ramon Arevalo Obusan was conferred by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with the Order of National Artist at the Malacañan Palace in recognition of his artistic excellence in the arts, significant contribution to dance and as a testament to his phenomenal work in Philippine Dance.
Though steeped in international recognition, the ROFG has never forgotten the people who are the very source of its pride. For the past two decades it has documented and performed the dances, music and ritual of more than 50 ethno-linguistic groups in the country. With more than twenty outstanding full length Filipino dance workds, among which are the memorable suites from the Cordillera, Bagobo, T’Bolu, Tausug, Maranao, the Aeta and the Talaandig among others, the ROFG has continuously served to highlight the authenticity of the movements, songs and music of these people.

Today, the ROFG celebrates 37 years of fruitful existence and service to the Filipino people. To the members of the ROFG, there is no stopping in the pursuit of recording and staging the fast fading Filipino traditions.

CAST
Christine Carol O. Singson
Romylyn R. Frias
Abigail G. Calma
Sheena Lou L. Tesalona
Rechelle A. Signo
Mila Reyna C. Rivera
Jemmema Mikee M. So
Maricar M. Dacuno

Jhunnard Jhordan S. Cruz
Lyle Eymard A. Villahermosa
Percival V. Carel
Kenneth Christopher R.Torres
Alvin P. Cano
Erwin B. Abanilla
Mark Allan A. Ferreras
Jason T. Valdez
Ace E. Villanueva

MUSICIANS:
Michael A. Bayani
Benjie G. Bitoon
Ma. Jubelyn D. Alcantara
Franklyn R.Lobos

ARTISTIC AND PRODUCTION STAFF

Ramon Arevalo Obusan
Research/ Choreography
(National Artist for Dance)
Stage Manager
Raul A. Nepomuceno Jr.

Christine Carol O. Singson
Jhunnard Jhordan S. Cruz
Rehearsal Masters

Iris Obusan Isla
Administrator

SANGHIYAS PANGKAT MANANAYAW
(The Resident Folk Dance Troupe of the Philippine High School for the Arts)

The resident folk dance troupe of the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA), Sanghiyas Pangkat Mananayaw was formed in February 1992.

The Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) is a government-run secondary school for the artisticallygifted Filipino youth. The inclusion of folk dance as one of the school’s major art disciplines goes back a few more years. It started in 1986 when the school, realized the need to offer the course to its young arts scholars. Mrs. Josefina Guillen, the present Dance Division Director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and PHSA visiting instructor, initiated the program and handled the first batch of students.

“Sanghiyas” was derived from the words “isang” and “hiyas” which in English literally means “one gem”. One of the most valuable gems, which we consider precious, is the pearl. Metaphorically, the student-artists are the pearls that the school considers as precious gem. After four (4) years of honing their individual talents and skills, they will then have to separate from their “mother pearl”. Highly skilled and motivated, they are expected to continuously strive to better themselves and become the future socially responsible cultural leaders of the country.

The troupe’s primary vision is to provide its very young folk dance artists with the necessary skills; training and discipline needed to make them professional artists. Sanghiyas also aims to consistently showcase outstanding performances for audiences here and abroad. .

CAST
Labaw Donggon – Joshua Pinca
Saragnayan – Paul Christian Deriquito
Datu Paubari – John Ken Mark Vincent Santelices
Alunsina – Jeezreel Valeza
Masangladon – Vinnie Estefan Espina
Kalampay – Honey Lynn Juntila
Durunuon – Yasmin Sarah Sehob
Ginbitinan – Anne Hera Monares
Matang-ayon – Ayumi Oquiño
Malitung-Yawa – Shea Alpine Montaras
Asu Mangga – Mark Robles
Baranugan – Joshua Jasper Narvaez
Chanter Clottie Gealogo-Lucero
Koro Gebbvelle Ray Selga
Michael Barry Que

ARTISTIC AND PRODUCTION STAFF
Choreography Agnes D. Locsin
Restaging Biag Gaongen
Music Joey Ayala
Set Design Roberto B. Feleo
Set and Props / Execution Marc Vincent Cosico/ Gerry Leonardo
Costume Design/Rehearsal Master Victor Emmanuel L. Flor
Light Design, Technical Direction Joseph Matheu
Dance Master Alden Lugnasin