Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

habi arts / habi ng kalinangan

Habi Arts and Kularts Presents…
MAGUINDANAO MASTER ARTISTS of the PHILIPPINES
an international cultural sharing

Friday, April 28, 2006; 7:00pm
@ SEIU Local 99
2724 West 8th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(near SW corner of W 8th St. and S Hoover St.)

-15 sliding scale
No one turned away for lack of funds

Habi Arts will host Kularts’ Maguindanao Moro Master Artists in a full concert. The night will start with an intimate sharing by the artists of the current political and cultural landscape of Maguindanao. This is truly a rare opportunity for Southern California to experience the vibrancy of sound and color and the depths of ancient tradition as it is delivered directly from the Southern Island of the Philippines. Don’t MISS OUT!

ABOUT THE KULARTS’ MAGUI MORO MASTER ARTISTS

Kularts presents the Magui (MUG-ee) Moro Master Artists of the Philippines. Experience the Buayan and Dolawon style of kulintang playing inspired by typhoon rains and the sound of crashing waves, the playfulness of hidden messages of love in the melodic lines of the gandingan ("talking gongs"), the dazzling virtuosity of the interlocking rhythms of the agung (bass gongs) during competitions, the warrior leaps and prances in mock attacks and the shamanic singing of poetic incantations of ancient verse all performed in sumptuous and vividly colorful traditional clothing.

Abraham Abdulla, Akmad Siao, Faisal Monal, Karatuan Sangkay Kalanduyan, Sata Abdulla, and Teng Emba are from generations of master Maguindanaon music, dance and arts practitioners. They represent the community of the indigenous Magui (MUG-ee) people or Maguindanaon (mug-IN-DAH-non) of Mindanao Philippines. The vigorous penetration of Western Civilization, particularly in urban areas, has eroded many aspects of Maguindanaon culture. Thankfully, despite globalization and constant threat of unrest in this region, many traditional villages and communities of Maguindanao, including the municipalities of Datu Piang, Datu Paglas, Gen. S.K. Pendatun, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Talayan, Shariff Aguak, Ampatuan and in the rural parts of Sultan Kudarat, continue to practice and develop the indigenous Maguindanaon tradition of music, dance, and rituals.

This special appearance of Magui Moro Master Artists highlights the amazing survival and development of the arts and cultural practices of the Magui (MUG-ee) tribe. They have toured all over the Philippines and have performed at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. In 2005, they performed in the US at the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco State University, Yerba Buena Gardens and Brava Theater Center and at La Mama Theater in New York City.

MAGUI MORO MASTERS 2006 LA TOUR

Tour Sponsors/Co-presenters/ Special Thanks:
Lost Souls Café, Spearituals, Habi Arts, Anakbayan LA, Bayan USA Southern California, Pilipino Alumni Association of UCLA, UCLA Department of World Arts and Culture, UCLA Asian American Studies Program, Pilipino Nurses Association of Southern California, Kayamanan ng Lahi, FilAm Arts, Wendell Pascual, Carolina San Juan, The Duller Family, Rani deLeon, KPFK 90.7 FM, Dr. Lucy Mae Pablo Burns, Joel Jacinto.