Banayoyo’s School of Living Tradition

PUNCHLINE
Onnie C. Duran

BANAYOYO, Ilocos Sur -- Aiming to preserve and promote the traditional dances, songs and musical instruments of the Bago Tribe here, a School of Living Tradition was established.

Phase I of the project was funded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, amounting to P200,000. The teaching and learning process for students started in January 2006 and ended December the same year.

The first 40 SLT students, all members of the Bago here were selected from students enrolled at Naguimba Elementary School, Candon National High School, Banayoyo National High School and Saint Joseph Institute.

The students were taught by three masters on traditional dances likekam-an si gamit, sayao, lablabbaan, pinnanyuan, sapatiar, binnakes and puggapug. Traditional songs like bulakengkang, iddumdum, malleyda and on musical instruments like gangsa, tonggatong, tambor, burangkang, kulaleng and suggaypo.

Classes on Phase – I were held every Saturday at the Naguimba Elementary School, Banayoyo, Ilocos Sur. With the success of the SLT Phase – I, trainees were invited to perform in many places prompting the Parents Teachers Association and tribal leaders of the community to recommend the SLT to be institutionalized to make sure that the dwindling customs and traditions of the Bago Tribe would be perpetuated among the younger generation.

With the indulgence of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, another P200,000 was granted for Phase – II of the SLT which tuaght 30 students ages 8-10 years old and are all enrollees of Naguimba Elementary School.

The Phase –II of the project was implemented through the local government unit of Banayoyo under the administration of Mayor Severino P. Galanga which culminated Nov. 7.