Filipino GAMABA Awardees and explain their roles and contributions to contemporary arts and how traditions become contemporary or vice versa.

GAMABA stands for Gawad ng manlilikha ng bayan, the very purpose of this award is to give honor and pride to those traditional folk artist and to preserve their works, skills and crafts.

It is important to keep traditions and ingenuity alive for future generations to see the culture and identity of any nation. Furthermore, they should have revitalized the community's artistic tradition and are recognized in their community as a master and teacher. Gamaba influence the artist to acknowledge the importance of traditional folk artists; revitalize the artistic traditions of communities; provide mechanisms for identifying and assisting qualified traditional folk artists to transfer their skills to the community.Tradition is called a cultural or social practice that remains in use for several generations, generating a rootedness with the society in which it develops. Thus, when a tradition becomes so ingrained in society that it remains in force during the present, the traditional becomes contemporary and current.

This are some of Gamaba awardees and their roles:

1.GINAW BILOG (+ 2003)

Poet

Hanunuo Mangyan

Panaytayan, Oriental Mindoro

1993

A common cultural aspect among cultural communities nationwide is the oral tradition characterized by poetic verses which are either sung or chanted. However, what distinguishes the rich Mangyan literary tradition from others is the ambahan, a poetic literary form composed of seven-syllable lines used to convey messages through metaphors and images. The ambahan is sung and its messages range from courtship, giving advice to the young, asking for a place to stay, saying goodbye to a dear friend and so on. Such an oral tradition is commonplace among indigenous cultural groups but the ambahan has remained in existence today chiefly because it is etched on bamboo tubes using ancient Southeast Asian, pre-colonial script called surat Mangyan.Ginaw Bilog, Hanunoo Mangyan from Mansalay, Mindoro, grew up in such a cultural environment. Already steeped in the wisdom that the ambahan is a key to the understanding of the Mangyan soul, Ginaw took it upon himself to continually keep scores of ambahan poetry recorded, not only on bamboo tubes but on old, dog-eared notebooks passed on to him by friends.

Most treasured of his collection are those inherited from his father and grandfather, sources of inspiration and guidance for his creative endeavors. To this day, Ginaw shares old and new ambahans with his fellow Mangyans and promotes this poetic form in every occasion.Through the dedication of individuals like Ginaw, the ambahan poetry and other traditional art forms from our indigenous peoples will continue to live.The Filipinos are grateful to the Hanunoo Mangyan for having preserved a distinctive heritage form our ancient civilization that colonial rule had nearly succeeded in destroying. The nation is justifiably proud of Ginaw Bilog for vigorously promoting the elegantly poetic art of the surat Mangyan and the ambahan. (Prof. Felipe M. de Leon, Jr.)

2.MASINO INTARAY (+ 2013)

Musician and Storyteller

Pala’wan

Brookes Point, Palawan

1993

An outstanding master of the basal, kulilal and bagit is Masino, a gifted poet, bard artist, and musician who was born near the head of the river in Makagwa valley on the foothill of Mantalingayan mountain. Masino is not only well-versed in the instruments and traditions of the basal, kulilal and bagit but also plays the aroding (mouth harp) and babarak (ring flute) and above all is a prolific and pre-eminent epic chanter and story teller.He has the creative memory, endurance, clarity of intellect and spiritual purpose that enable him to chant all through the night, for successive nights, countless tultul (epics), sudsungit (narratives), and tuturan (myths of origin and teachings of ancestors).Masino and the basal and kulilal ensemble of Makagwa valley are creative, traditional artists of the highest order of merit. (Prof. Felipe M. de Leon, Jr.)

SAMAON SULAIMAN (+ 2011)

Musician

Magindanao

Mama sa Pano, Maguindanao

1993

Samaon Sulaiman achieved the highest level of excellence in the art of kutyapi playing. His extensive repertoire of dinaladay, linapu, minuna, binalig, and other forms and styles interpreted with refinement and sensitivity fully demonstrate and creative and expressive possibilities of his instrument.Learning to play the kutyapi from his uncle when he was about 13 years old, he has since, at 35 become the most acclaimed kutyapi master and teacher of his instrument in Libutan and other barangays of Maganoy town, deeply influencing the other acknowledged experts in kutyapi in the area, such as Esmael Ahmad, Bitul Sulaiman, Nguda Latip, Ali Ahmad and Tukal Nanalon.

Aside from kutyapi, Samaon is also proficient in kulintang, agong (suspended bossed gong with wide rim), gandingan (bossed gong with narrow rim), palendag (lip-valley flute), and tambul.

Samaon was a popular barber in his community and serve as an Imam in the Libutan mosque.

For his exemplary artistry and dedication to his chosen instrument, for his unwavering commitment to the music of the kutyapi at a time when this instrument no longer exists in many parts of Mindanao, Samaon Sulaiman is worthy of emulation and the highest honors. (Prof. Felipe M. de Leon, Jr.)