A Creative City That's Intolerant Towards Certain Creatives

You don't like their songs? Then don't listen to their songs. You don't like their music genre? Then ignore their music genre. You don't like their messaging and branding? Then ignore everything about them. You don't have to pay attention to them.

You don't want to go to the band's concerts? Then don't go to the band's concerts. You don't want to go to the band's events? Then don't go to the band's events.

You don't want to support the band and their kind of art? Then don't support them and their kind of art.

You can hate their music and their art all you want. That's cool, that's okay, that's perfectly fine. Everyone has his/her personal taste when it comes to music.

Again, you can hate the band. You can hate their music. You can hate their way of artistic expression.

But...

But don't trample on the rights of others who want to listen to their songs or their music genre or their art.

Going out of your way to prohibit the band from playing and even attempt to declare them as persona-non-grata in the city reeks of intolerance.

To each his own.

You're bending to the whims and demands of one group while being intolerant to another group. You call yourself a creative city pero you prevent certain artists/musicians from expressing their art?

Just because a band and their music offends you doesn't give you the right to prohibit them from expressing their art. Being offensive especially within the confines of art is not a crime. You can't just ban an author because his book offends you. You can't just ban a filmmaker because his movie offends you. You can't just ban an actor because he appears in offensive movies.

A city that keeps on announcing itself to be a "creative city" should be more tolerant to all types of creatives and artists and their brand of artistic expression.

Lastly...

Do I Iisten to black metal music? No, I don't. It's not my cup of tea.

Am I a fan of the band that was prohibited from performing? No, I'm not.

So why am I defending the band and the organizers of the music event/gig? Because at the end of the day, they are artists and there are people who like their brand of artistic expression and who would like to see them perform live.

That's it.

Let people listen to the songs they want to hear. Let people support artists they want to support. Let people choose the music genres they want to listen to.

FOR CONTEXT:

Deiphago, a black metal band, was supposed to hold a concert/gig at a bar in Baguio City next week. Some "faith-based leaders and representatives from the academe" went to the Baguio City council to complain about the upcoming concert. They wanted to stop the concert as well as declare the members of the band persona-non-grata in Baguio City.

The city council then passed a resolution prohibiting the event. However, they rejected the request of the complainants to declare the band members persona-non-grata in the city.

Peter Tanan: Igorot Singer

This is Peter Tanan, the singer behind some of the most iconic Cordillera songs like Lumawig, Gingined, Kabanbantayan, Ili Mi ay Kordilyera, Sabsabong, and many more. His songs enjoyed the height of their popularity in the 80s and 90s. Peter Tanan casette tapes were very much in demand back in the day. If you had a radio with a casette player, most likely you had one or two of Tanan's albums/recordings.

Today, decades later, his songs are still being played in heavy rotation in the Cordilleras. His songs have proven to be timeless.

Some people refer to him as the father of Kankana-ey music. It's hard to disagree. Tanan played a huge role in the popularization of Igorot music.

Tanan also sang songs in Tagalog and Iloko. He is from Tue, Tadian, Mountain Province.

Peter Tanan: Igorot singer.

Igorot Dances, Music, And Rituals To Be Featured In Production By California-Based Dance Company

The Cordillera region is a cradle that serves as a home to indigenous groups collectively referred to as Igorots. The thing that differentiates the Igorot people from most other indigenous groups in the Philippines is that a large part of their cultural traditions which include songs, dances, and rituals are still widely practiced or observed.

However, there's the undeniable fact that as older generations give way to newer ones, we start to lose our unique identity. A candle burning itself to oblivion, if you will. The number of Igorot youths knowledgeable of our cultural songs and dances dwindles every year. It's an unfortunate thing but it's a trend that would be impossible to stop.

But amidst this breaking down of our culture, flickers of hope for momentary swells and revivals rear their heads every now and then. And in a lot of times, the flickers come from the most unexpected places. Take for instance an upcoming stage production cooked by a folk dance group based in California. Titled Alamat (Legends), the show will feature songs, dances, and rituals from several indigenous groups in the Philippines including those of the Kalinga and Ga'dang people. Also covered in the production are music and dances by the Tboli, Bagobo-Tagabawa, and Maranao indigenous groups.

The group behind Alamat (Legends) is the Parangal Dance Group which is composed of Filipino-American artists in the San Francisco Bay Area. In its mission statement, the group says that it aims to "give tribute to Philippine heritage by preserving and promoting ethnic attire, music, and dance through research, workshops, and performances." The group said that for the Kalinga and Ga'dang segments of the production, they sought input from Jenny Bawer Young, Amparo Mabanag, and Margareth Balansi.

Showtime for Alamat (Legends) will be on October 3, 2015 at the Skyline College Theatre in San Bruno, California. The first staging will happen at 2 pm with a replay at 7 pm. For more information about the dance group and their projects, visit their website here. Below are two videos that will give you an idea on how the production presented the Kalinga and Ga'dang bits. The first one is a teaser trailer for the production. The second is footage from the group's recent performance in the television program Asian Pacific America.

Image credit: This Is It Photography via the Parangal Dance Company Facebook page.

Nan Layad Nan Likatan Song (Lyrics And Videos)

Nan Layad Nen Likatan Song Lyrics (Kankana-ey)

by Pedro Chinalpan

Nan layad ensikhafan, Tet-ewa’y sikhab

Layad ay nenlikatan, Nar-os cha am-in.

Seg-ang yangkay nan wad-ay, Sik-a et achi mampay

Ya ngag kasin ta angnen, Nar-os cha’t am-in.

San enta nenfowekhan, Ad-im ngen semken

San enta nenpachangan, Nar-os cha am-in

Layad ta’y chachama

Ento pay kasin chachi, Nar-os cha’t am-in.

Tak-en mo mimowasan, Someg-ang ka man

Ta kasin ta lomanen, San layad ta’y chwa.

San layad ta’y chachama, Wedwecha’s fangonen ta

Ta’t ampay en-among ta, Omafong ta’y chwa.

English translation:

Note: This translation is from a literature book of the Saint Louis University.
The love of a lifetime, It's really full of hardship

The love which has been labored, It's all in the past

Commitment and care are all, That exist now

What else can we do, It's all in the past

The time when we were together, Can't you reminisce them?

The time when we had helped each other, It's all in the past

Take on me, Let's reflect once more

Our love with each other

Our love so true, Let us again awaken

Let's come together finally and get married

Our love so true, Every hardship that we faced

It's all in the past

Videos

An here's another version with somewhat slightly different lyrics:

Baguio City Musician Being Ran Over By An Out-Of-Control Car Caught On CCTV Camera

Last February 11, the city of Baguio lost one of its most talented resident musicians. In the early morning of this tragic day, Raymond "RJ" Tacis, a guitarist and vocalist who regularly performed in several watering holes in the city was ran over by an out-of-control car. The 21-year-old musician and engineering student died on the spot. Making matters worse was the fact that the driver of the red Ford Everest who swiped him on the street decided to speed away and evade accountability.

Fortunately, the car was tracked down by the Baguio police and was found parked somewhere along Marcos Highway. The car didn't have a plate number but it did have a conduction sticker. The driver has also been identified and the authorities are currently investigating as to his whereabouts.

A closed circuit television camera (CCTV) installed near the street where the incident happened also showed that the car was running at a very high speed. The footage which was released to the media shows Tacis alighting from a jeepney in front of the main gate of the Saint Louis University along Bonifacio Street. As he was crossing the pedestrian lane, he glanced to his left and saw the oncoming car. He tried to quickly sprint away to safety but the speeding car got to him.
Words of support and expressions of sympathy from friends and people who have listened to his music poured online. A series of fund-raising concerts were also held at the Concoctions Bar and Resto to celebrate the late musician's life and music.

In an update posted on their Facebook page, Concoctions Bar ad Resto divulged that an amount of at least 100,000 pesos was raised through ticket sales and donations.

Here's the update in full:
"Thank you for helping ‪#‎JusticeForRJ‬ raise P101,500+ through ticket sales and donations. Thank you 18BC, Conflate, Zyver, Kaffe Kleutsch, Bohemian Cafe, and other establishments that participated in this endeavor to celebrate RJ's life and provide assistance to his family.

Thank you to the 60 plus bands who, without a second thought, joined the cause, shared their passion, sacrificed their sets, brought their friends and even bought tickets themselves, eagerly.

To the organizers, coordinators, very energetic ticket booth trustees, hosts, artists, staff and supporters who put together #JusticeForRJ in less than 24 hours and saw the event through. Thank you for breathing life into this event and making sure it gets to where it was set to go. Your efforts will be long remembered, as will you.

To the thousands that attended #JusticeForRJ in one or in several event locations, once or for three days straight, thank you for making RJ and his family feel the warmth of your extended cares. Thank you for reassuring our belief that we are not alone in this cause--definitely not alone, at that.

RJ, you've inspired so many with your life and have brought about a sense of unity that this city has not witnessed for some time with your passing. You couldn't make us prouder to have walked this life with someone like you. You are a hero.

We love you dearly and will miss you sorely. May your spirit live on!"

Cordilleran Theater Group Brings A Kalinga Folktale To Life In A Colorful And Energetic Play

The traditional dances and music of the Cordilleras were accorded a theater treatment in a play concocted by the Aanak Di Kabiligan Community Theater group. Last May, the group which is composed by young artists from Mt. Province, Benguet, Kalinga, Ifugao, and Abra performed one of their creations in front of a lively audience at the TIU Theater in Makati City.

The theater play which was inspired by a Kalinga folktale was called Fugtong: A Kalinga Folktale. It chronicles the story of a family being banished from their village because of them owning a black dog. Dark-colored dogs are considered to be sources of bad luck.

The half-hour production is rather hard to understand if you haven't fully read the synopsis. The characters in the play spoke mostly in Kankana-ey with sprinklings of Iloko, Tagalog and English. Taking the Makati crowd in mind, it was probably a huge effort for them to follow the progress of the story as the actors played it out.

With that said, before you watch the full play in the video embedded further below, it's highly recommended that you read the play's synopsis. 

Photo from the Aanak Di Kabiligan Community Theater Facebook page.

Here's the synopsis for Fugtong. Source: Angelo Aurelio's Facebook page. Aurelio is the director of the play. Also credited with directing the production are Setsu Hanasaki and Poleen Carla Rosito.

Photo from the Aanak Di Kabiligan Community Theater Facebook page.

"Once in a village in Kalinga, there was a family who owned a black dog named Fugtong. However, the Community had a belief that a black dog is bad luck. So the people asked the family to choose between killing the animal and staying in the village or leaving the village with their dog with them. The Family chose the latter. They Settled at a foot of a hill away from the community.

One day, the parents asked their two children, Gammi and Mannay, to stay home so they can go to their new UMA (farm). The parents would be staying in their farm for the night so they advised their children to lock their door of the house because there is an anito called a Tangob, a malevolent spirit roaming around. When night came, the anito came knocking on the door. The children refused to open the door but the anito insisted on trying to get in for he would rip off the bamboo floor and use it to stitch the children's intestines and eat it.

Fugtong the black dog, got enraged and was able to kill and behead the Tangob, while the children hid at the ceiling of their hearth. Morning came the parents arrived. They saw Fugtong sleeping beside the head of the Tangob, and got worried about their children. They found their children hiding in the hearth, and the children told them how Fugtong protected them. This is how the black dog Fugtong was accepted in the community."

And here's the play:

Gloc-9 Live In Baguio City For Panagbenga Festival 2014

Here's a bit of good news for fans of homegrown rap and hip-hop music. Filipino rapper Gloc-9 will be hitting the stage this coming February 21 at The Atrium in SM City Baguio. The live concert will start at 5 in the afternoon.

With seven studio albums under his name (Ako Si, Diploma, G9, Liham At Lihim, Matrikula, MKNM: Mga Kwento Ng Makata, Talumpati), Gloc-9 is among the most accomplished Filipino musicians today. He is the recipient of awards from almost every music award-giving body in the country. These include Globe Tatt Awards, Awit Awards, Myx Music Awards, and Katha. He has collaborated with other artists including Noel Cabangon, Francis Magalona, Parokya Ni Edgar, Joey Ayala and Kamikazee.

The concert will be on February 21 at 5 PM. That's a Friday afternoon so it's probably best that you start making plans, cancelling appointments, or asking permissions from your boss this early.

Photo from Gloc-9's Facebook page