Another take on the Davao Taboan

The three days and four nights that some 80 Filipino writers from various regions, together with three foreign writers, spent in Davao City from Feb. 9 to 12 were enjoyable to the kris’ hilt, so that these participants were soon gushing over the experience in the Net.

Indeed, credit for the 3rd Taboan Philippine International Literary Festival must be accorded the Davao Writers Guild for its excellent organization, the accommodation and amenities at the Royal Mandaya Hotel, as well as the expansive outreach program that brought writers to various schools, other than the mainstream panel discussions that daily drew large audiences, which not only listened but put in their durian’s worth on whatever topic was taken up.

“Thank you po sa Taboan opportunity! :)” — wrote young writer Zola Gonzalez Macarambon, who teaches and edits a journal in Cagayan de Oro City — a sentiment immediately echoed by CarlJoe Javier of the NCR, who was also profuse in his appreciation for the efforts conducted by ringmaster Ricky de Ungria, our foremost poet in Mindanao. Bar none, I must stress.

The notable writer Xu Xi of Hong Kong, who’s also often based in New York City, described the fest as “a fabulous, fabulous feast of language, music, theatre & dance.”  

National Living Treasures Uwang Ahadas on the kulintang and Samaon Sulaiman on the kudyapi jam along with Bagong Lumad, as part of the audience, including writer Cris Yabes seen at center, join the finale by shimmying up onstage.

She added: “And yes, it was WOW! Many thanks to Ric de Ungria, who gave birth to this amazing literary festival that moves all over the Philippines and showcases regional writers. It was moving to hear poetry, plays, fiction in Visayan, Cebuano, Filipino and other languages. Magical auditory tour!”

That it was, especially when the participants broke off from the regular venue and explored Davao City on their own. There was the parallel creative gig that was the Cinema Region filmfest, for one, with screenings at Gaisano Mall, highlighted by John Sayles Amigo, but mostly of digital indie films representative of all the artistic dynamism going on in the regions.

I had wanted to take in Carmen del Prado’s rich docu on Dumaguete as a creative haven, for one — which I had already previewed right in the City of Gentle People some months back. I was curious to see if Carmen, a DLSU graduate, had tweaked or even expanded her coverage on my adopted hometown’s poets and writers, painters and sculptors, photographers and musicians.

But it wasn’t to be, since its screening at the G-Mall went up against one of Taboan’s culminating panel discussions at the Royal Mandaya — on the topic “In for the Long Haul: Going for the Novel,” where I joined Rony Diaz, Jun Balde and Xu Xi as a confessional panelist.

The closest I got to renewing initial ties with Carmen was on the night before, that Friday when I ran into her older brother Ramon, himself an exceptional film animation artist, whom we had once guest-ed in the “Illuminati with Krip & Trix” TV talk show program on arts and culture at GNN Channel over Destiny Cable.

He was with an extended tableful of Cinema Region stal-warts at the other Taboan, that tent-covered strip at Matina Town Square with a performance stage at one end, and before it rows of tables and chairs for diners and carousers as the show audience, right between parallel rows of resto-bars.

On the panel for a discussion on the novel were Rony Diaz, Jun Balde and Xu Xi from Hong Kong.

Providing a one-man alpha-male escort service for three lovely ladies — Loli Lacuesta, Karina Bolasco and Cris Yabes — proved edifying as we took in the concert billed as “Organik Musik.” Homegrown hero and folk icon Joey Ayala was the main draw, together with the indigenously costumed Popong Landero and the rest of Bagong Lumad, with a new female vocalist having replaced Bayang Barrios.

As usual, they were terrific, dishing out classics such as Aguila — replete with video projection on a large screen behind the bandstand. New recruit and looker Tapita’s voice rang loud, clear and mellifluous, her duet with Joey on Matud Nila etching itself sharply on heart and mind, oh so hauntingly memorable.

Cultural dancers performed on the stage apron to spice up some of Bagong Lumad’s numbers. But what took centerstage, as well as the crowd’s infinite attention and awe, were the individual performances by two of our National Living Treasures: Samaon Sulaiman of Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, playing on the two-stringed kudyapi, and Uwang Ahadas, a Yakan from Lamitan, Basilan, on the kulintang.

Both amazed us with their mesmeric music. And stoic miens. Not once did either cast a smile as they struck up their intricate beats and melodies, respectively. It was as if both of these Gawad Manlikilkha ng Bayan awardees were in serious communion with the deities of song. The titles of their pieces, flashed on the screen, were just as engaging, such as Samaon’s Himig ng Pamamaalam and Uwang’s Mga Tugtog na Masalimuot.

At some point, Samaon even cradled his long, wooden kulintang on his shoulders, against his nape, and plucked on, recalling (for this senior citizen) the early days of Pablo Virtuoso on guitar at the old Clover Theater by the foot of Manila’s Jones Bridge.

What an enchanting evening it was, made even more lip-smacking by a platter of my fave sinuglao (sinugbang baboy at kinilaw na tuna). Taking a smoking break away from the canvas tent cover, I noted another brand of entertainment proceeding on another stage across a grass lawn: a beauty pageant that may have had leggy, Adam’s-appled contestants parading their charms, judging by the shrill shrieks of that audience.  

Bagong Luma with Joey wrapped it up with yet other classics, chanting: “Lupa, laot, langit/ lahat ng bagay ay magka-ugnay... hayop, halaman, tao... magka-ugnay ang lahat!” And for an encore, as I had hoped, the lovely Walang Hanggang Paalam — making me realize again how much of a genius this guy is, despite his alcohol allergy, haha — this beloved son of Davao, brother of the equally talented Cynthia Alexander, and son of our dear dear friends, the poet-painter Tita Lacambra Ayala and the late fiction writer Joe Ayala.

When I cried Gangway! to part the horde of groupies backstage, and lauded idol Joey for his and Tapati’s cover of Matud Nila, he asked if it had really been that good. And when I said yes, and that it should be recorded, he grinned that kilometric grin of his and said something like “Consider it done.” I decided against making another hirit, for them to add Usahay na rin please. Well, I hope he reads this.

Organik Musik is actually on a road tour, having played initially at the CCP, its laudable sponsor. Puerto Princesa had its blessing last night, and for a gig-ender it’ll be Dumaguete on the 25th.

The Big 3 of Davao’s literary community: Tita Lacambra Ayala, Ricky de Ungria and Aida Rivera Ford

Magka-ugnay ang lahat! I do hope some writers in Mindanao, led by a clique in Iligan that is reportedly penning a protest letter over not being invited to Taboan 3, reconsider this action that is only typically a petty peeve.

The reason some Mindanaoan writers couldn’t be invited this time out is simply because the sponsoring NCCA’s National Committee on Literary Arts has a policy of having participants in the two previous Taboans skip a third consecutive attendance, so that other writers may get the opportunity. That way, those who may have had a lock on regional representation can give way to other, younger writers who can even be more deserving

Unfortunately, much of the insidious inggitan and eventual petty politics that occur in an otherwise commendably run institution like the NCCA (well, at least where it comes to literature, with which I’m more acquainted) is engendered by insignificant Sunday poets and writers who don’t even have any body of work to regard in high esteem. Once they get into a committee, they get to be kapit-tuko, and at best can pass for devoted cultural workers.

For such a one to initiate a poison-pen campaign against the Taboan leadership, inclusive of a needless attack on what is a private relationship, can only eventually prove to be karmic. The uninvited lady who began to text an acerbic note that ends with “Ds guy s dangrus dtermning d drection f mind litrur” — in reference to Mindanao literature while alluding to Taboan festival director Ric de Ungria, is so way off, insidiously off. Can’t even spell right, or keep enough of a cp load to do so.

Cease and desist, I prithee. Read what Xu Xu had to say in FB. Yes, I have joined the “friends” there. And you’re unfriended before you even try to get into my good Christian graces. Yeah, we had fun in Davao City with all its taboans, so there. Beh!