GAMABA: The

Contemporary in
Traditional Art
What is Gawad Manlilikha ng
Bayan (GAMABA) or
National Living Treasure?
The Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or National Living
Treasures Award is the highest state honor given to a Filipino in
recognition of their outstanding work as a traditional folk artist. At
present, 16 individuals conferred from 1993 to 2017 are featured in
the gallery. This exhibition was made possible through the
collaboration among the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan Executive
Committee of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts,
Office of Deputy Speaker and Representative Loren Legarda, and
the National Museum of the Philippines.
 How does tradition become
contemporary, and the contemporary
traditional?
Philippine traditional art, though based on long-standing, established practices, has always been
contemporary in a sense that it is art that is being made now, and that it persists as part of a continuing
performance of tradition. Although traditional artists do not consider their work as a contemporary art
form, its similarities to contemporary art practices can be discerned.
How does tradition become contemporary, and the
contemporary traditional?
Teofilo Garcia

He is a 2012 awardee is a farmer in the town of San Quintin, a municipality

in Abra Province, better known for tending a plot of land filled with enlarged upo or
gourd. After planting the upo in November and harvesting the mature fruit during
the summer months of March to May, Garcia would transform the harvest into
durable hats protecting people, especially farmers exposed for long hours under the
heat of the sun. Each upo or tabungaw (in Ilokano) is hollowed out, polished, and
varnished, which gives the tabungaw hat a distinctive yellow sheen.

The process of making the tabungaw hats for example, involves the interface of local scientific knowledge and
art. Prior to crafting the hat, the growth of enlarged tabungaw is made possible through techniques that manage
the interplay of seed, earth, and forces of nature within a particular duration.
 What is the purpose of instituting the
GAMABA or National Living Treasures
Award?

The purpose of this award is to give honor and pride to those

traditional folk artists and to preserve their works, skills and
crafts.
 Who are the
GAMABA and
their works and
expertise?
 WEAVING
■ 1928-2015
■ Textile Weaver
■ T’boli
■ Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
■ Received her award in 1998

She is known for maintaining the use of traditional motifs in

T'nalak weaving amidst commercialization of the craft which saw the
introduction of more modern designs by non-T'bolis. She notably had a
mental repertoire of around 100 patterns and designs; some of these were
based on her dreams, hence her description as a "dreamweaver".

Bed Gondong
Lang Dulay
 WEAVING
■ 1920 - 2009
■ Textile Weaver
■ Tagabawa Bagobo
■ Bansalan, Davao del Sur
■ Received her award in 1998

Salinta Monon started weaving traditional Bagobo textiles from her

mother at the age of 12. Her family is among the remaining Bagobo weavers
in the community. Her ardent desire to excel in the art of her ancestors
enabled her to learn quickly. She developed a keen eye for the traditional
designs, and now, at the age of 65, she can identify the design as well as the
author of a woven piece just by a glance.

Inabal
Salinta Monon
 WEAVING
■ Died on March 12, 2005
■ Textile Weaver
■ Tausug
■ Parang, Sulu
■ Received her award in 2004

Darhata Sawabi is one of the master weavers in the island of Jolo.

Like most women in their tribe, she has learned the art of weaving the pis
syabit, the traditional cloth tapestry worn as head cover by the Tausug of
Jolo, from her mother. Sawabi remains faithful to the art of pis syabit
weaving.

Pis Siyabit
Darhata Sawabi
 WEAVING
■ 1925 - 2013
■ Mat Weaver
■ Sama
■ Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi
■ Received her award in 2004

Haja Amina Appi is recognized as the master mat weaver among the
Sama indigenous community of Ungos Matata. Her mats are known for their
complex geometric patterns, proportion, and unique combination of colors.

Rainbows Haja Ammina Appi

 WEAVING
■ 1924 -
■ Textile (Inabel) Weaver
■ Ilocano
■ Pinili, Ilocos Norte
■ Received her award in 2012

In her profile, it was reported that Magdalena has taught herself the
traditional patterns of binakol, inuritan (geometric design), kusikos (spiral
forms similar to oranges), and sinan-sabong (flowers). She learned the art of
weaving from her aunt and started harnessing her innate skills at the age of
16.

Magdalena Gamayo
Inubon a sabong Inuritan
 WEAVING
■ 1943 -
■ Sinaluan and Sputangan Yakan Traditional Weaving
■ Yakan
■ Pinili, Ilocos Norte
■ Received her award in 2016

Ambalang was renowned for her mastery of the crafts of sinungaling'

and sputangan, two of the most intricately designed textiles of the indigenous
Yakan community. She learned weaving through her mother, who was
previously reputed to be the best weaver in Basilan and first practiced the
craft by using coconut strips.

Ambalang Ausalin
Inalaman
 WEAVING
■ 1940 -
■ Blaan traditional weaving
■ Bantilan
■ Malapatan, Sarangani
■ Received her award in 2016

Bai Estelita Tumandan Bantilan (born Labnai Tumndan on October

17, 1940) is a Filipino textile weaver from the municipality of Malapatan,
Sarangani. She was given the National Living Treasure Award by the
Philippines through the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in
2016.

I-gem Mat
Estelita Bantilan
 WEAVING
■ 1914 - 2021
■ Blaan traditional mabal tabih weaving and dying
■ Blaan
■ Polomolok, South Cotabato
■ Received her award in 2016

Fu Yabing Masalon Dulo (8 August 1914 – 26 January 2021),

commonly referred to as Fu Yabing, was a Filipino textile master weaver and
dyer, credited with preserving the Blaan traditional mabal tabih art of ikat
weaving and dyeing. At the time of her death, she was one of only two
surviving master designers of the mabal tabih art of the indigenous Blaan
people of southern Mindanao in the Philippines.

Mabal Tabih Yabing Masalon Dulo

 Literature and Performing Arts
■ 1953 - 2003
■ Poet
■ Hanunuo Mangyan
■ Panaytayan, Oriental Mindoro
■ Received his award in 1993

Ginaw Bilog helped preserve the Mangyan literary tradition by

documenting the pieces of ambahan recorded not only on bamboo tubes but
also on notebooks passed on to him. The ambahan is a poetic literary form
composed of seven-syllables. The Filipinos are grateful to Hanunoo
Mangyan for having preserved a distinctive heritage form our ancient
civilization that colonial rule had nearly succeeded in destroying.

Ginaw Bilog
Ambahan
 Literature and Performing Arts
■ 1943 - 2013
■ Musician and Storyteller
■ Pala’wan
■ Brookes Point, Palawan
■ Received his award in 1993

Masino Intaray has mastered the traditions of his people—the

Palawan, Batak, and Tagbanwa in the highlands of southern Palawan. He is
skillful in basal (gong music ensemble), kulilal (lyrical poem expressing
passionate love sung with the accompaniment of the kusyapi), and bagit
(instrumental music depicting nature).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haS7c8XSWvE&t=204s
Masino Intaray
 Literature and Performing Arts
■ 1953 - 2011
■ Musician
■ Magindanao
■ Mama sa Pano, Maguindanao
■ Received his award in 1993

Samaon Sulaiman is a master in the use of the kulintang and kutyapi

of the Maguindanaons. His extensive repertoire of dinaladay, linapu, minuna,
and binalig has demonstrated not only his own skills but their culture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv3uMaZCHs4&t=1s
Samaon Sulaiman
 Literature and Performing Arts
■ 1943 -
■ Musician and Dancer
■ Kalinga
■ Lubuagan, Kalinga
■ Received his award in 2000

Alonzo Saclag has worked for the preservation of Kalinga culture.

He lobbied that the abandoned Capitol Building be turned into a museum,
that schools implement the practice of donning the Kalinga costume for
important events, and that traditional Kalinga music should be broadcasted
alongside contemporary music in the local radio station. He also formed the
Kalinga Budong Dance Troupe to guarantee that his knowledge in the
performing arts is passed on to others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_JgjviKc-A
Alonzo Saclag
 Literature and Performing Arts
■ 1938 -
■ Epic Chanter
■ Sulod - Bukidnon
■ Calinog, Iloilo
■ Received his award in 2000

Federico Caballero, a Panay-Bukidnon from the mountains of

Central Panay, has worked hard to document the oral literature of his people.
He has preserved the epics that use a language that has long been dead by
working together with scholars, artists, and advocates of culture.

Tikum Kadlum Federico Caballero

 Literature and Performing Arts
■ 1945 -
■ Musician
■ Yakan
■ Lamitan, Basilan
■ Received his award in 2000

Uwang Ahadas has made it his life’s work to preserve and promote
Yakan culture through the traditional music and instruments of his tribe. He
has mastered the gabbang, the agung, the kwintangan kayu, and others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNzGscgPvaU
Uwang Ahadas
 Material Making
■ 1959 -
■ Metalsmith
■ Kapampangan
■ Apalit, Pampanga
■ Received his award in 2004

Eduardo Mutuc dedicated his life to sculpting retablos, mirrors,

altars, and carosas from silver, bronze, and wood. Some of his works can
exceed 40 feet while the others feature smaller size and delicate
craftsmanship.

Calado Eduardo Mutuc

 Material Making
■ 1941 -
■ Casque (tabungaw) Maker
■ Ilocano
■ San Quintin, Abra
■ Received his award in 2012

Teofilo learned how to make gourd casques and weave baskets from
his grandfather at the age of 16. Since he learned the craft, he never stopped
experimenting with other designs. He previously used nito (vine trimmings)
to decorate the headgear and then used other materials such as bamboo after
his supplier from Cagayan passed away.

Tabungaw Hat Teofilo Garcia

Criterias to Receive GAMABA

01 Should be a Filipino citizen or a group

of citizens belonging to an indigenous /
traditional cultural community
anywhere in the Philippines, engaged
in Filipino traditional art
 Criterias to Receive GAMABA

02 Should have been engaged in the

tradition and craft for a significant period
of time with at least 50 years of
existence and documentation.

03 Should have produced and

performed artistic, distinctive, and
superior quality.
 Criterias to Receive GAMABA

04 Should possess mastery of the tools and

materials that are needed for the art and must
have a reputation for being an art master and
craft maker in the community where he / she
belongs.

05 Should have passed on and/ or will pass

on the traditional crafts and skills to
other members of the community by
virtue of teaching.
 Criterias to Receive GAMABA

06 In case when a Manlilikha ng Bayan candidate is incapable

of teaching further his/ her craft and skill due to age or
infirmity:
■ He / she should have created a significant body of work and has contributed to
the development of the tradition and craft
■ He / she should have played a role in the preservation and revitalization of the
artistic tradition in the community.
■ He/ she has been recognized as a master of his / her craft and admired for his
character and integrity in his / her community.
The Product Process and Changing Environment

Tourism
● Land areas being converted into sites for tourist consumption.
The Product Process and Changing Environment

Mining and Infrastructure Projects

● Construction of dams and the establishment of oil and mining companies evict people
from their dwellings and severely damage the environment.
The Product Process and Changing Environment

Militarization
● The insecurity and tension brought about by militarized zones arrest the people’s
ability to create art.
The Product Process and Changing Environment

Christianization
● The influence of Christianity and the conversion of the natives to a foreign religion
have caused the community to forsake their indigenous rituals and traditions.
 Effects of GAMABA in the Communities
01
Since the artists are very much entrenched in
their localities, the award system might create
a division within the communities when one
person is elevated to a status of national
awardee.
02
The attention and entry of the outsiders may
create a disruption that may also change, not
just the social and economic relationships, but
also the people’s attitudes, concepts, and
definitions of the art forms and the processes.
Significance of GAMABA for the Filipino Society

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.

It also helps traditional folks to instill their pride as manlilikha ng

bayan.

GAMABA also helps the traditional work of artists to promote their craft
both local and international.
Significance of GAMABA for the Filipino Society

GAMABA aimed to preserve old aged

customs, crafts and way of living of the
people.

It also aimed for Filipino people to

appreciate and realize their Filipino life.
This also promotes the preservation of the
Filipino culture through arts.
THANK
YOU
Aragoncillo, Concepcion, Gonzales, Padilla, Rosel, and Wong