…of things, thoughts, and happenings.
Old artwork
from a photograph that I took in Hong Kong
Bangan Art Space
BUDOTS: THE CRAZE
an enlightening film that shows how BUDOTS is not just street music. It is grassroots music that evolved into a culture of its own. Budots, as the film will show you, is not just beats but a compilation of sounds and rhythms found in the community of it’s maker. It is not cheap. This perception is class based. It’s movements were a mash of our own indigenous dances + the youth’s improvisations. But because most of the dances were done in the street and not in the posh side of town, it is being dismissed as inappropriate– even tagging the women dancing to it as whores or low-level prostitutes and its dancers as drug users. Thus the birth of the group slogan’s “YES TO DANCE, NO TO DRUGS”.
This music was intentionally created for the community to enjoy and how it went viral shows how it did not fall short from it’s maker’s objective. Tv networks and political figures are using it to connect to the masses and has amassed popularity and profit for their own gains. Not only did they no ask permission, they ignored Dj Lav’s requests to be credited and properly compensated.
All, during the post discussion, agreed, that Budots needs to be anthropoligally discussed.
Visited Bangan Art Space as part of Cinema Rehiyon’s Roadshow. Bangan Art Space is an alternative creative space by visual artist Mideo Cruz and his wife, performance artist Racquel Cruz. It is located in Nueva Ecija.
Set Designer Anj Estrella. She recently received an award for her set design work at the 20th Mindanao Film Festival.
Noah and Uma
Mindanaw
So privileged to part of this creative team for this video.
“Mindanaw” written by Tunog Bobongan and music written and arranged by veteran Pinoy musician Onie Badiang of Yano and Asin, is a song that talks about the richness of Mindanao and the importance of preserving the land where the Lumad communities are located, because to preserve the land is to preserve not only the lives of the Lumads but our lives as well, as these lands hold the rich mineral and other natural resources that will sustain our livelihood as a people, as a country.
Headed by veteran musicians such as Gary Granada, Popong Landero, the Tres Marias composed of Lolita Carbon, Bayang Barrios and Cookie Chua, Maan Chua, Pol Torrente, Brownman Revival and hip-hop artists Blkd and Gloc-9, with the special participation of kudlong players from the Manobo communities from Talaingod and Bukidnon, and the voice and speech of one of the fiercest woman chieftain Bai Bibiyaon Bigkay from the Manobo, Talaingod community; and directed by activist-film maker King Catoy.
“Mindanaw” calls on us to pledge our commitment to defend Mindanao as the last frontier, against development aggression and extractive mining.
Video taken by Ilang Quijano, JL Burgos, Jaja Necosia, and Barry Dacanay
Production Design by Leah Valle
Mindanaw track available for purchase, please visit Salugpongan.org
All purchases will be donated directly to National Alliance for Filipino Concerns’ (NAFCON) Adopt A Community project. To learn more about the Adopt A Community project, please visit nafconusa.org/faq-on-adopt-a-community.
