CCP celebrates National Children and Indigenous Month with 'Kutitap'

The 4th Kutitap: Isang Piging ng Kabataang Makasining implemented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Cultural Exchange Department from October 23-26, 2012 was a fitting celebration of the National Children’s Month and the National Indigenous Month as it presented the creativity of the children and highlighted the richness of the Philippine indigenous culture. On its third day, two group leaders expressed their contentment on the outcome of the project:

 

“Maganda ang programa kasi ito ang magiging daan para lahat ng pangkat etniko sa buong Pilipinas ay magkaroon ng ugnayan sa pamamagitan ng kanilang mga tradisyonal na awitin, sayaw, nang sa ganoon ay lalong mapagtibay ang kanilang samahan na bubuo sa kanilang tunay na pagka-Pilipino.”  -Henry Balbon, leader of the Maguindanao group from General Santos City  

 

“Ito ay nakakatulong sa mga bata na makiisa upang malaman ang kultura ng bawat probinsya sa buong bansa.  We hope there will be more Kutitap to follow to cover all provinces in the entire Philippines.  Thank you to CCP for organizing Kutitap because it makes our children, parents & teachers more aware & develops their mind & heart about our arts & culture.” 

-Elena Giner, leader of the Ilonggo group from Guimaras Island

 

Similarly, the children participants age 7-13years old shared their unique experiences and thoughts about Kutitap:

 

“Natutunan ko po sa Kutitap na hindi importante kung sino ka, taga saan ka o kung ano lengwahe mo, basta ang importante ay Pilipino tayo at dapat ay ipagmalaki natin ito”.

-Maria Gwenn Lectura, Siquijor

 

“Ang maging marespeto, mapagmahal, matuklasan at ipagmalaki ang ating katutubong kultura.” - Johainba Osie,  Maguindanao-General Santos City

 

“Nagkaroon po ako ng mga bagong kaibigan at napakasaya. Mahalaga na ingatan at palaganapin natin ang ating sariling sining at kultura.” - Christian Audrey Mendiola, Gawad Kalinga Paradise Heights

 

“Naranasan at nakita ko po ang iba’t ibang sining at kultura ng Pilipinas. Bawat bata ay may karapatan sa buhay.” -Rogeann Felipe, DepEd NCR, Taguig City

 

Since the first gathering in 2009, Kutitap has already reached over 2300 children from 38 local communities nationwide. In 2011, the project was redesigned for the benefit of the children in Northern Luzon (Hagonoy, Calumpit, Macabebe-Pampanga, & Jaen-Nueva Ecija) which was badly affected by typhoons Pedring and Quiel. 

 

One hundred children and youth representing various cultural communities all over the country were gathered at the CCP for a three-day celebration of arts, culture and traditions.  Kutitap was conceptualized to instill among the Filipino children and youth a deep sense of understanding, appreciation and pride for Philippine arts, indigenous culture, as well as to promote creativity and positive social values.  

 

This year’s participants were children ages 7-13 years from the following cultural communities:  Manobo, Maranao, Maguindanao, Mansaka, Calbayog, Siquijor, Guimaras, Aklan, Ilonggot, Ifugao, Bulacan, Las Pinas, Taguig, Navotas and  children from Gawad Kalinga Paradise Heights in Smokey Mountain and Parañaque-Muntinlupa. Kutitap 2012 was implemented with the support of Museo Pambata, Star City, LJC Restaurants, San Miguel Foods Inc.-Purefoods and SAS Batch 1979.

 

Kutitap’s interactive, engaging, motivating program (which included mini-workshops and performances, storytelling, crafting, traditional games, film viewing, sharing of local delicacies, group discussions, creative collaboration, educational-exposure tours) is indeed a complete concoction of the necessary ingredients that would certainly nourish young hearts and minds.    Press release and photos from the Cultural Center of the Philippines