Great Igorot Digital Arts

“If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.”

I saw this first in Dan's Blog. Take a look at these digital art works by one “Squeegool” of DeviantArt.com. Take a look at how beautiful and remarkable we are portrayed by a foreigner (I think so.) Sometimes, we are only reminded of who we are (and our roots) from the eyes and expressions of outsiders.

More of his works here: Squeegool's Art

Ubbog: Cordillera Young Writers

Ubbog: Cordillera Young Writers

In their book launch last year, these talented young writers described how they came up with a name for their group. In their book, they said that "Ubbog" is a word that means "a fresh water spring" in the Iluko language. As a metaphor, it is a spring where overflowing ideas from the youth inside and outside the Cordillera region spill out a melange of different views that will eventually quench the thirst for new Cordillera literature. The group was created to foster fellowship among the youth who are interested in writing, pseuodowriting and reading. It was born and kept alive mainly through sheer bravado, teeth-clenching determination and an enthusiasm that can be found only among the so-called youth. 

Some of the members here are my school mates, and even former workmates. To join them, they said that  the interested person should attend their workshops and seminars first (an alternative they suggested is to get them drunk, they said jokingly).

Cordillera Music: "Nan Layad"

Because Part of me is from Bontok, about a third of my blood, it was really imminent that I feature the most popular, and possibly the best i-fontok song in its history : "Nan Layad nan Likhatan" (it was even jokingly referred to as the "anthem" where all i-fontoks must stand-up and put their right hands in their chests in an event that this is played, haha). 'Nan Layad', for brevity, is an old and very popular song in Bontoc, which tells a story of a love that has gone sour yet suggesting hope for another chance. If you ever get lost at bars in Baguio City and La Trinidad, you will most probably hear a modern version of this song, that is, if you chance upon Cap. Peter Wasing, and other Cordilleran Bands at BCS, Kinouboyan Bar or Ginawang Bar(Ask direction from the taxi driver please). If gongs are being played accompanied with distorted guitars and upped tempo drums, then it is probably it - yup, 'Nan Layad' has a Rock version. I'm not kidding, the version has existed as long as 8 years ago when I was still a college student. It was popularized by the Ifontoc Band, P'etune. Just Listen to this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdEzh3UmQII

Here are the lyrics. Sing-along with it!

Nan Layad Nan Likhatan
Nan layad ensikhafan
Tet-ewa'y sikhab
Layad ay nenlikhatan
Nar-os cha am-in.

Seg-ang yangkhay nan wad-ay
Sik-a et achi mampay
Ya ngag kasin ta angnen
Nar-os cha't am-in.

San enta nenfowekhan
Ad-im ngen semken
San enta nenpachangan
Nar-os cha am-in

Seg-ang...

Layad ta'y chachama
Ento pay kasin chachi
Nar-os cha't am-in.

Tak-en mo mimowasan
Someg-ang ka man
Ta kasin ta lomanen
San layad ta'y chwa.

San layad ta'y chachama
Wedwecha's fangonen ta
Ta't ampay en-among ta
Omafong ta'y chwa.

Layad...

English Translation (I must think Bontok Ikholot for this):

A love beset with difficulties
It is truly hard
A love that has been given much effort
All of them have faded away.

Pity is all that is left
It is really up to you
What else shall we do then?
All of them have faded away.

The times when we were together
Don't you think (about them)?
The times when we held hands
All of them have faded away.

Pity...

Our love so great
Where did all of it go?
All of them have faded away.

So that everything will be alright
Have pity on me
So we can bring back
Our love once again.

Our love so great
It is better if it is revived
So that we can be together 
Let us then get married.

Our love...

Gawis inya? hehe