DAGUPAN CITY – Pangasinenses are being reintroduced to the music from different parts of the country through the ongoing arts festival in the province’s fourth district.
Among the highlight of the 17-day Galila (Come on!) Arts Festival was “Himig Himbing: Mga Heleng Atin” featuring lullabies with lyrics in the dialect.
The event held at a mall here over the weekend was a project of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) to promote the country’s indigenous lullabies with music videos based on the research of ethnomusicologist Sol Trinidad, musical arrangement by Krina Cayabyab, and music videos directed by Filipino filmmakers Zig Dulay, Jerrold Tarog, Sheron Dayoc, Doy and Ida Del Mundo, Ma-an Asuncion Dagñalan, Vic Acedillo Jr, Arden Condez, and Christopher Gozum.
Part of the repertoire are 16 lullabies written and sung in Pangasinan, Ilokano, Bicolano, Tagalog, Cebuano, Kalinga, Hiligaynon, Boholano and Kapampangan, among others.
Through its Audience Development Division, CCP looks to nurture an understanding of Philippine songs and lullabies by integrating them into workshops and performances.
“Layunin nito na ipadama sa makabagong henerasyon na muling mahumaling sa mga himig na binuo ng kalinga at pagmamahal. Layunin buhayin at ipalaganap ang hele na sariling atin. (Ito ay) Isang inisyatibo upang itaguyod ang paggawa ng (It aims to make the new generation appreciate the music formed with love and care. It aims to reawaken and spread our very own lullabies. This is an initiative to promote the creation of) creative contents,” Lino Matalang Jr., senior culture and arts officer of the CCP Arts Education Department, said.
Matalang said the lullabies are also available on digital platforms Spotify, YouTube and iTunes, while a children’s book is also available in select bookstores nationwide and in other countries.
The Galila Arts Festival that runs until Sept. 29 has other events being held in public spaces and small businesses, such as the Cyanotype Workshop led by Tessa Martinez, a photography workshop focusing on developing an appreciation of the medium through the historic cyanotype printing technique; and Brewed Expressions: A Fusion of Art, Aroma and Craft using coffee culture as a method of artistic expression, with facilitators guiding participants on basic coffee brewing and latte art.