Thinking out-of-the-box to celebrate heritage
MANILA, Philippines - In her State of the Province address in 2014, Governor Imee R. Marcos of Ilocos Norte asserted, “Because every Ilocano was born with immense heritage, all too often we take it for granted. We must urgently put in place a cultural strategy not merely to protect heritage sites and museums, but to promote art galleries and spaces, endow schools of architecture, design, literature, gastronomy, and renew vanishing indigenous cultures. In Ilocos Norte… heritage is our living.”
The provincial government has shown remarkable initiative in harnessing culture to reap immense benefits. Contemporary art has imbued traditional programs with novelty, and has attracted a much wider audience. The government launched the Himala sa Buhangin Arts and Music Festival in 2012 to strengthen the tourism pull of the Paoay Sand Dunes. This unconventional fiesta was held to honor La Virgen Milagrosa, Ilocos Norte’s patroness. Visual artist Leeroy New, noted for his public space interventions, installed “The Galleon,” a massive vessel fabricated from bamboo, right on the hills. In 2014, New returned to the festival to put up “Chrysalis,” another larger-than-life work that served as the backdrop for popular Filipino rock bands. Gerry Leonardo unveiled his massive fiberglass sculpture of Elsa, the character that superstar Nora Aunor played in the 1980s movie, Himala, set in the sand dunes.
Ilocano sculptor Paul Quiano leaves his mark in another notable tourist attraction. The Kapupuwaran limestone rock formations majestically set off his nine-foot cast bronze likeness of epic hero Lam-ang battling a crocodile.
For Art Fair Philippines 2015, Roberto Feleo will debut “Tao-tao ng Aklasang Basi - Ang hanay ng mga Ñ,” a suite of life-size figures that celebrate the 19th century Basi Revolt, an Ilocano rebellion against the Spanish colonial government. In his essay for the fair’s catalogue, Patrick D. Flores describes the work as an auspicious opus whose magnificent presence lends gravitas to the fair. Once completed, the tableau will have 15 fantastic figures painted in wonderful detail. The work is destined for the province’s museum on the revolt, an out-of-the box commemoration of its history.
Ian B. Raquel, supervising tourism officer of the Province of Ilocos Norte, says, “the Ilocos Norte Culture Ordinance is presently being crafted by
the province to institutionalize policies and mechanisms in the support and management of such programs.” The provincial government’s dedication and zeal in expanding its cultural and heritage projects to encompass contemporary art practices that mingle with time-honored rituals can only augur well for the preservation and constant renewal of its culture.
