Ballet, balagtasan in Heritage Festival

The Filipino Heritage Festival opened April 30, and on May 14, 8 p.m. and May 15, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., it will present at the CCP main theater the Philippine Ballet Theater’s “Darangen ni Bantugan”, Gener Caringal’s choreographic interpretation of the Maranao epic, Bantugan. On May 24, it will be staged at the Star Mall, Las Piñas, and later in Cagayan de Oro.

The Maranao epic was named by UNESCO as one of 43 new “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritages of Humanity”.

Epics are long narratives on the lives, adventures, beliefs and customs of tribal heroes. “We are blessed with a vast wealth of oral traditions. By sharing these, we ensure the continuity of the legacy from one generation to another,” declared FHF president Armita Rufino. “The idea is to ‘see the epic in motion’ through the weaving together of breathtaking pirouettes and leaps with age-old chants,” observed Festival director Bambi Harper, now Intramuros administrator.

The Maranao epic is composed of 26 chapters of lyric verses that narrate the travails and heroic exploits of Bantugen, a prince who is banished, dies, and is brought to life by the spirits. Jesse Lucas created the music, National Artist Salvador Bernal designed the set and costumes.

Literature enthusiasts hie off to Bulacan for poetic jousts (balagtasan) among poets or makatas. The Balagtasan is named after Prince of Tagalog Poets Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar.

A sampling of the renowned oral tradition will be given by the Filipino Heritage Festival and the NCCA which have lined up performances which will feature Bulacan’s best debaters.

“Over the past few years, we have featured the Balagtasan during the annual Heritage Month celebration. It is not only one of the most popular literary inventions of the 20th century in the Philippines, but is also a great source of pride for Bulakeños,” FHF director Anna Maria Harper said.

Palihang Hagonoy led by artistic director Crispin de Luna of Bulacan’s premier Balagtasan group, will have its makatas follow in the tradition of prominent Bulakeño Balagtasan champions Jose Corazon de Jesus, Florentino Collantes, and Emilio Mar Antonio.

The month-long Balagtasan tour brought Palihang Hagonoy to the Heritage Month opening in Cagayan de Oro from April 29 to May 2.

On May 7, 6 p.m., the makatas will perform in their native Hagonoy.

The poetic jousts will also be featured on May 12, 10 a.m., at the Quezon City Hall Grounds; May 14, 2 p.m., at the University of Makati, Little Theater; and May 27, 7 p.m., at the Malihaw Arte Kag Kultura Center in Victorias City, Negros Occidental.

In Filipiniana costumes, performers Recher DL Tamayo, Ricardo Gutierrez, and Jocelyn Dagalea will take turns as debaters and moderators. Topics include “Pamayanan Noon o Ngayon?”  and “Tabo o Toilet Paper?”

The Balagtasan is limited to two debaters and the debate moderator called lakambini or lakandiwa. The protagonists deliver long verses in rhymes and meter, recited with flair.

The Tagalogs' Balagtasan is said to have inspired other literary groups to organize their own poetic jousts. The Ilocano have Bucanegan named after poet Pedro Bucaneg; the Kapampangans have Crissotan named after Juan Crisostomo Soto.

“Bringing this folk form to thousands outside Bulacan will enable the province to share its values, customs, and traditions with the rest of the country,” FHF president Armita Rufino said.