He is Samaon Sulaiman,"Manlilikha ng Bayan" (National Living Treasure), conferred in 1993 for keeping the traditional Maguindanao kutyapi music against all threats of modernity. He is one MASTER FOLK ARTIST in accordance with Republic Act No. 7355. And he indeed dedicated his skills "to nourish traditional crafts threatened by extinction."
Manlilikha ng Bayan Samaon Sulaiman, master of the Maguindanaon musical instrument kutyapi died a year ago. I was not able to watch his performance at Conspiracy. I was not even present for meet and greet nor get togethers but TODAY, on the ocassion of his first death anniversary, I AM ATTENDING!
The National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) will launch TODAY “Mamayog: the Music of Samaon Sulaiman” at the NCCA Tanghalang Leandro V. Locsin. They say this is "a set of audio recordings and a 300-page book containing transcriptions of these recordings and a monograph about the Maguindanaon kutyapi, published by the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan Secretariat."
But my 6-year old son asked me, "Mum,what is kutyapi? To which I answered, " yun nakasabit sa bahay nila Tito RMI sa Antipolo..Papa and I used to strum it hijo depende kung anong mood mo, anak." Then I asked him, "Teka, haven't you seen Tito Diwa and Manong Joey strum it, have you?"..
THIS IS one of the many KUTYAPI!
The kutyapi is a two-stringed plucked lute made of wood, one string for the melody, one for the drone. Eight frets originally held in place placed on the neck of the lute by a sticky rubbery substance, propolis, produced by honey bees to repair damages and openings in the hive. The lute is decorated with floral motives; the tail is carved to represent a stylised crocodile head. And is one of the most technically demanding and difficult to master among Filipino musical instruments. Usually the size would be in dimensions: length: 152 cm., width: 11,5 cm.
The instrument is common to the Ethnic group Maranao located at the West Central Mindanao (muslim south). Similar instruments are played as:
-kudyapi (Tagbanua )
- Kutyapi, Kutiapi (Maguindanaon),
-Kotyapi (Maranao),
-Kotapi (Subanon),
-Fegereng (Tiruray),
-Faglong, Fuglung,kudlung, SE Mindanao
-Kudyapi (Bukidnon and Tagbanua),
-Hegelong (T’boli)
-Kuglong, Kadlong, Kudlong or Kudlung (Manobo, Mansaka, Mandaya, Bagobo and Central Mindanao)
-Kusyapi (Palawan)
And then there's Manong Joey Ayala and Conspiracy.
But when you are a purist like me, I like to meet a T'Boli, Manobo and other Lumad groups, Bagobo, the Maguindanao and Maranao, or then again, maybe, an ethnicity in you?
And if you ask me what the link is? It's all about Pilipino Pride and HERITAGE!
As A FAN and a friend of Diwa de Leon, who is part of Makiling Ensemble, he plays the hegalong with modernity and gusto! He is the son of Dr. Felipe de Leon who I first met at Diwa's birthday celebration and as a "Tito" he once gave me an advice re my dedication to Prof. Edru Abraham's Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino (Kontra-GaPi).
Going back to kutyapi, which I consider Pilipino Pride and HERITAGE, let me share parts of Dr. de Leon's interview from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/7929/master-of-filipino-2-string-lute-dies ...
“With his creative gifts in enriching the playing techniques, styles, sonic and melodic repertoire of the instrument, [Sulaiman’s] crowd-drawing performances here and in foreign lands, and his dedication in imparting his skills to the Maguindanaon youth, he has immensely enhanced the appreciation of his chosen instrument and contributed in no small measure to the strengthening of Filipino musical heritage,” the NCCA said in a statement.
NCCA Chair Felipe de Leon Jr. said Samaon was “a great loss to the country.”
“He was truly one of the shining lights in the non-Western musical heritage of old Philippines. It will be hard to develop another one like him,” De Leon said.
By the way, check http://www.ncca.gov.ph/aboutncca/announcements/announcement.php?i=5868 for the memorabilia exhibit for National Artist Felipe Padilla de Leon -Tito, Sinag and Diwa's roots....
0 comments:
Post a Comment