Sunday, June 22, 2014

Fugtong: A Kalinga Folk Tale By The Aanak Di Kabiligan Theater Group

Last May 31, the Aanak Di Kabiligan, a Cordillera-based youth theater group, performed a play called Fugtong: A Kalinga Folktale at the TIU Theater in Makati City.

With a cast of over a dozen performers (most of whom are from Kalinga, Ifugao, Mt. Province and Benguet), the play tells the story of a family banished from their community after choosing to keep and raise a black dog. Keeping a black dog was considered taboo in ancient Kalinga traditions as it was believed to bring bad luck.

Here's Angelo Aurelio, director of the play, talking about the group's relation to the Cordillera Green Network, how community theater evolved to "organic community theater", and the story behind they play which was inspired by a folk tale from Balbalan, Kalinga.