From art exhibits to winemaking demos: National Heritage Month in May

Summer is almost over, but there are still plenty of events to catch as the entire month of May is devoted to celebrating the cultural and artistic treasures of the Philippines. All over the country, various festivals, exhibits and other activities help Filipinos discover a different kind of wealth.

 

The celebrations are led by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Subcommission on Cultural Heritage which has organized this year’s activities for the National Heritage Month. The theme for 2012 is "Taoid: Crossing, Caring, Carrying on…" 

 

According to an NCCA press release, National Heritage Month aims to give us “a glimpse of the legacies of the past and how it remains to shape the present and the future.” 

 

It is also “a recognition and celebration of the different aspects of our national cultural heritage—our traditional art forms and practices, important cultural structures both movable and immovable, and other objects of national importance whether tangible or intangible.”   

 

Events

 

From art exhibits to winemaking demonstrations, Santacruzan processions to concerts, here are some of the activities for National Heritage Month:

 

The grand launch was held in Romblon on May 1, where an exhibit, a culinary festival, weaving demonstration, and a marble sculpture demonstration kicked off the monthlong event. 

 

In Laguna and Las Piñas, Filipino Heritage Festival Inc. (FHFI) held Santacruzan processions, while the Society of Ecclesiastical Archivists of the Philippines held the Angat Kabataan Cultural Heritage Pilgrimage in Iloilo from May 1-4.

 

The Santacruzan is a popular Filipino festival which celebrates the Finding of the Cross by Empress Elena, mother of Emperor Constantine. 

 

The outdoor procession features various religious icons, and is often also a beauty pageant.

 

Art galleries, design firms, and gourmet restaurants in Makati City held a three-day street art festival with Likha ng Sining sa Reposo along Nicanor Garcia Street. 

 

FHFI also held a series of exhibits at Robinsons Galleria, SM Mall of Asia (May 6), SM Sta. Rosa (May 7), SM Bicutan (May 14), and Robinsons Malate (May 17).

 

On May 16, FHFI and Galerie Joaquin opened "Legacies," an exhibit featuring the works of National Artists Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, Arturo Luz, H.R. Ocampo, and Abdulmari Imao, and Presidential Medal of Merit Award Winners Mauro Malang and Juvenal Sanso.   

On May 21, there will be a tribute to Manlilikha ng Bayan Samaon Suliman and the book launching of “Mamayog: The Music of Samaon Suliman."

 

In Baguio City's Tam-awan Village, the 3rd Tam-Awan International Arts Festival will be held on May 25-27, in sync with the National Heritage Month. According to a press release, Chanum Foundation Inc., which founded the artists' center, hopes to stage the region's biggest festival of the year with the theme "Brewing with the Arts."   

The festival opens with the cañao, a traditional Cordilleran wedding dance. Guests include winemakers from Ilocos and Germany, and wines from different Cordillera provinces will be featured during the three-day festival. Elders will demonstrate the winemaking process, while artists Annie Bungauen, Benny Sokkong, and Danny Acuña will hold workshops on song, dance and comic art.

 

There will also be talks on Intellectual Property Rights, Art Conservation, Museum Restoration, Cordillera Culture Ethnic Attire with Fashion Show, Chinese Art and Culture, and Tattoo Art.

 

On May 28, FHFI will hold a Santacruzan in Makati, while NCCA will open the exhibit “Gawa ng Sining,” a tribute to the 100th birthdays of Prof. Felipe Padilla de Leon (National Artist for Music) and Carlos “Botong” Francisco (National Artist for Painting).

 

There will also be a concert in honor of De Leon at the Philamlife Auditorium.

 

The National Heritage Month closes in Intramuros from May 29-31. For the full schedule of activities, see the calendar here. 

 

May was declared as National Heritage Month through Proclamation No. 439 in 2003. 

 

The declaration was made “in recognition of the need to create among the people a consciousness, respect, and pride for the legacies of Filipino cultural history, and love of country." –KG, GMA News