TWIN CELEBRATION MARK TAM-AWAN’S 13TH FESTIVAL

October 7, 2023 Opinion

Baguio City

Thanksgiving and gratitude overflow at Tam – Village as Chanum Foundation Incorporated mark
its 25th anniversary, twin billing with the 13th Tam-Awan International Arts Festival (TIAF) from October 6 -10, 2023. Over 400 artists, artisans, cultural bearers and workers from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao flocked to the arts and culture hub for the celebration which champion heritage and culture, themed “Ajowanan Kaugadian,” 25 Years of Nurturing Culture and the Arts.

There are over 100 works from artists all over the Philippines on display in Tamawan Village’s Ugnayan and the Main Gallery and the SM City Baguio in an exhibit dubbed as “Pengimatonan,”
which combined curated pieces from 116 arts groups. A thanksgiving ritual opens the festival on Friday, October 6, facilitated by Ibaloi elder, Vicky Macay of Onjon ni Ivadoy Association,
Incorporated and Joselito “Bhoy” Shontogan, Barangay Laokan Liwanag Indigenous Mandatory Peoples Representative (IMPR) thanking ancestors and gods for the 25 years of abundance.

Workshops for close to 100 students were facilitated by Lester Rodriguez from Angono Rizal and Baguio artist, Silvino Dulnuan who imparted “Advanced Watercolor Techniques,” and the “Art of Rubber Cut Prints,” respectively with a Monoprint Workshop by Mark Tandoyog. An Art Forum by Olan Dela Cruz, curator and owner of Camp Volkswagen and Horce Jacinto explaining “How to
Make your Art Viable,” and using ideas, expressions, personal evolution to create art while a Performance Art Workshop by Lynette Grace Carantes Bibal was also offered to pre-selected participants from Baguio and Benguet.

A talk by Shontogan, Barangay Loakan Liwanag IPMR on Ibaloi Rituals is set in the afternoon followed by Holistic Coalition of the Willing (HOLICOW) of Cebu led by Kae Batquin, Manager and
Debbie Palao, Founder and Director. Modern and traditional tattoo artists meet in the collaboration dubbed as “Tintatu,” led by Ammin Achaur from the province of Kalinga, Whams from Benguet, Maharlika Handpoke from Manila, Pampanga contingents, Ket Lazatin of
Patatatstatoostudio and Jane Argoso of Once Upon a Tattoo and Mia with Lea of Paraluman
Studio from Pangasinan. Andrew De Guzman, talks about the role of Community Art Galleries in Preserving Heritage followed by Ike Picpican and Jason Saytoc to discuss the Benguet Ibaloi Tribal Dances and Musical Instruments.

The Philippine Art Educators Association will perform the “Pambungad na Ritwal: Saniweng: Aweng ti Kararwa (Oneness of Soul in Rhythm) which aims to enjoin a musical collaboration. The Dazzlers Dance Company led by Yang Bautista will perform the Pangalay, with a creative introduction and demonstration of Pangalay Dance’s meaning and movements. The Sarung Banggi, a dance piece showing the flexibility of Pangalay dance by combining it to Latin Dance and dancing it to a Latin beat.

Chanum Foundation Incorporated was set up by friends, BenCab who has since become National Artist for Visual Art, Chit Asignacion, Jordan Mang – osan, Jackson Bryan, Ann Camdas Micheal
and Dra. Julie Cabato in 1998 and has evolved to become a hub for culture and heritage and top tourist destination in the city. Dances To Perform: Closing ceremonies will be likewise facilitated by Mackay and Shontongan on Sunday, October 10.

The birth of the TIAF started in 2010 as a project of Chanum Foundation Incorporated in tandem with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), under the competitive grants
program. Thirteen festivals later, the TIAF has endured and has been adopted as an NCCA special
project under the Committee on Arts and Galleries.