Saturday, August 2, 2008

What can be done to preserve the Ibanag culture?

What can be done?

The Tuguegarao City Government met with several Ibanag scholars and researchers. They brainstormed and met several times. They listed many things to be done.

So far, the efforts are the Pav-vurulun Festival to celebrate the city's Patronal Fiesta on August 16-17 and the Ibanag Festival to celebrate the city's Charter Day on December 18. Ibanag songs and dances are performed. That's about it.

The only permanent effort to preserve the Ibanag Cultural Heritage is by the Catholic Church Sunday Masses in Ibanag. The Mass Presiders and Lectors prepare well for the readings, the Eucharistic celebration and especially the Homily. My favorite homilist in Ibanag is Reverend Father Ranhilio Callangan Aquino, the Vice President for Academic Affairs of the Cagayan State University, the Dean of College of Law of San Beda University, columnist of the Philippine Star and the Musical Director of the Coro de San Jacinto. Excellence, grace and humor are his hallmarks.

The Archdiocese of Tuguegarao worked and published a Missal in Ibanag, the one lasting heritage of Msgr. Juan Quinto to us Ibanags. Mr. Humberto Guzman Bauza worked on a dictionary in Ibanag as his Masteral Thesis at the Ateneo de Manila University. An Ibanag-Spanish Dictionary was given by Reverend Father Clement Daelman, CICM as a gift to Hon. Randolph S. Ting when he was recognized as Outstanding City Mayor of the Philippines. Today, these are the only Ibanag treasures. The city needs to build a Museum as a bridge to the past to help the young generations understand who is the Ibanag.

1 comment:

Jake said...

these said methods are not enough. what ibanags need to help preserve their identity, especially their language, is documentation. ari kamu mavurung, mattura na^ ta nakakkannak nga libru sonu mag-gradua na^ ta kolehiyu. balinak ku y historya, antropolohiya, pagigyammu ta artes anna lingwistika para laman matolay y uvovug tam.