Mangyan Cultural Festival (Updated)

7 - 9 February 2008
Jose J. Leido Memorial National High School Gym,
Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro

To celebrate National Arts Month, the Mangyan Heritage Center in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Provincial Tourism Office of Oriental Mindoro - invites you to the

The Mangyan Cultural Festival honors the richness and diversity of the Mangyan cultures through exhibits, theater, dance, and musical performances by the Mangyans themselves.

The original inhabitants of Mindoro, the Mangyans are composed of eight groups – the Alangan, Bangon, Buhid, Hanunuo, Iraya, Tadyawan, Tau-buid, and Ratagnon. While each group has a distinct culture and language, all of them uphold similar values such as non-violence, honesty, sensitivity to ecology, and the sanctity of the community.

The Buhid and Hanunuo Mangyan syllabic writing systems were declared National Cultural Treasures in 1997 and inscribed in UNESCO's Memory of the Word Registers in 1999. Over 30,000 Hanunuo Mangyan poems, traditionally inscribed on bamboo in the syllabic script, have been recorded. In recognition of his expertise in Hanunuo script and poetry, Ginaw Bilog was named a National Living Treasure in 1993.

These are among the many amazing facts to be discovered at the Cultural Festival. The exhibit will feature traditional Mangyan homes, photographs, artifacts and crafts from all the Mangyan groups. Learn to write your name in Mangyan script and sound the shell or carabao horn bugle. Spin cotton into thread, weave cloth and baskets, string beads, prepare bark cloth, and play traditional musical instruments. Support Mangyan traditions by buying their crafts and products. You can even sample native Mangyan food or try their betel chew.

Capping the festival is *Ang Paglalakbay ni Waraan** *(The Journey of Waraan), a play featuring the Mangyans' struggle to retain their identity and celebrate their culture despite the many challenges they encounter. Performing in the play are students from Mt. Tabor Mangyan Formation Center, Tugdaan Mangyan Center for Learning and Development, and Mangyan Education Center.

*Ang Paglalakbay ni Waraan *will be shown at 1:30-3:00 PM and 6:30-8:00 PM on February 8.

Entrance to the exhibit is free, while tickets to the play are sold at P50.00, P20.00, and P10.00 (students).

For inquiries, please call (043) 288-5318 or (0910) 305-3810; see the Mangyan Heritage Center's library at the Bishop Finnemann Compound, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro; or e-mail mangyanhc@catsi.net.ph.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to see the Mangyan tribes of Oriental Mindoro come together to celebrate the beauty of their distinct cultures – all a part of our rich Filipino heritage.

The National Arts Month is a project of the NCCA, which again has chosen Oriental Mindoro as one of the select provinces in the Philippines to conduct activities this February. The Mangyan Cultural Festival is made possible with the participation of Kapulungan Para sa Lupaing Ninuno, the federation of Mangyan Peoples' Organizations in Oriental Mindoro.

For more info, contact: Emily Catapang (+63 910 3053810)

Source: Mangyan Heritage Center

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