PASUKADOY Indigenous People Artist Group partnered with the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) for an art exhibit bearing the theme: “Roots reimagined: A journey of traditional belief”.
The IP art exhibit will open to the public on Aug. 21-27 at the Philippine Eagle Center.
Irick Francisco, PEF community education and public awareness officer, said the exhibit not only showcases the talents of the IP youth but also their cultural preservation efforts through the retrieval of history.
“Showcasing indigenous artists and showcasing how arts and culture contribute to the conservation mission. (It is a) very unpopular idea, but we wanted to introduce or reimagine our culture and our environment, this event will bring us to the past,” Francisco said.
Francisco stressed the foundation wanted to popularize the art as a tangible measure of promoting cultural conservation.
Marben Subuan, Pasukadoy IP Artist Group president, said the art exhibit is uniquely different from other exhibits as it showcases not only IP attire but also the tradition, beliefs, and various deities of the tribes, translated into art.
He said 80% of the generated income will go to the Pasukadoy IP Artists Group to help sustain their activities and operations, and 20% will be to the Philippine Eagle Center.
The artworks will be available for online purchase in the Philippine Eagle Center. Prices differ depending on the years of experience of the artists, materials used, and years of creation.
Suboan said that they extend their activities to educate the young to provide hope to the tribe’s efforts in passing down the culture to the next generation.
“Daghan namig naworkshops, unta pinaagi ani nga exhibit, mas molambo pa ug mas daghan pa among matudloan nga mga bata. (We conducted a lot of workshops already, and I am hoping that through this activity we can help more children,” Subuan said.
The Pasukadoy IP Artist Group consists of the Ata, Bagobo-Klata, Bagobo Tagabawa, Obu Manovu and Matigsalug.
PEF on partnering with IP Artist Group
Jimbea Lucino, PEF Culture, based conservation manager said that the organization collaborated with Pasukadoy to uphold the rights of the indigenous people tribes.
“We believe nga sila man gud ang nagpuyo sa atong mga areas nga naa atong mga (they are the ones who reside in the areas with our) Philippine Eagle, they share the same territory, and so they are also the ones who really must take care,” Lucino said.
Apart from promoting their rights, Lucino stressed the PEF uses a culture-based conservation approach to keep the harmony between humans and nature.
