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| Photo by the Author |
Art is the underbelly of a great beast, burdened with the purpose of keeping it upright. The slow pace of this sluggish creature is weighed down by the preconceptions it carries, a pressure that is all too crushing.
And yes, said beast is our country.
Not just art—culture. Woven fabric, paint on easel, and ink on the skin make up the foundation of this country's rich history. Although worse for wear, our culture remains vibrant, and with enough attention and appreciation from the masses, there's hope for our artisans yet.
This hope was awakened in me when I first heard of the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bahayan (GAMABA), now known as National Living Treasures, when I was in Senior High School. It was included in my Art Appreciation curriculum, and it stuck simply because appreciation for the arts is so foreign to me. Growing up, praise was only ever attached to doctorates and numbers, never to words that manifest grand illusions.
Through the GAMABA, awards are given to artists who make notable contributions to the Philippines' cultural heritage. It came to fruition when Republic Act No. 7355, also known as the Manlilikha ng Bayan Act, was established in April 1992. Under this act, The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is tasked to curate programs to ensure that our artisans will be able to pass down their skills to future generations.
Of course, there are some things to consider before granting this award, the most important one being the awardee must be part of an indigenous group. They must also possess a mastery of whichever craft they choose, including but not limited to textile weaving, literature, music, poetry, and even pottery. These works must also be consistently produced with utmost quality and must be a documented folk art tradition for at least fifty years. They shall be passed down to members of the community as well, so these works of art may live on.
Indeed, these efforts to give our artists the recognition they deserve are commendable, especially since they help one of our most marginalized groups. However, for me, these criteria remain rigid. The hands that work tirelessly to create must first be wrinkled and worn before they ever get the chance to touch gold. These artists should be supported from the day they decide to pick up a brush or weave their first needle, because only then will art be recognized as something worth pursuing.
So, on this World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, the amplification of the voice of the Filipino remains relevant, and we must sing our songs of praise and encouragement for art as loud as we can, so that our echoes may be heard for many more generations to come.
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