In the very same city where they exiled the man whose words rekindled the fires of revolution, the echoes of the ceremonial gong once again awakened the dormant patriotism buried deep within the people of Dapitan City.
From the humble streets and quaint sea-side scenery, down to the renowned Rizal Shrine and Balay Hamoy Museum telling stories of enduring friendship and a shared vision, this year’s National Heritage Month (NHM) theme “Preserving Legacies, Building Futures: Empowering Communities Through Heritage” is both a mission, and a call to action.
Partnering with Jose Rizal Memorial State University (JRMSU), the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) hopes to bring the NCCA’s projects and programs to different parts of the country and ensure that legacies and traditions from our ancestors continue to live on.
“Heritage is a bridge between the past and the future. It thrives on collective effort by blending traditional knowledge with modern techniques,” said NCCA Commissioner Ivan Anthony Henares of the Subcommission on Cultural Heritage.
As a testament to these words, JRMSU-Dapitan’s theatre group, Teyatro Dasuliman, performed an excerpt musical drama from the play “Pelula”, depicting the arrival of the Subanens to Zamboanga Peninsula.
“National Heritage Month reminds us of who we are and where we come from,” said Jamiel Nangit, outgoing Teyatro Dasuliman president, and a graduating political science student.
“Ang ating sining at kultura ang ugat at pinagmulan ng ating pagkatao. Ito ang pundasyon ng ating lipunan ngayon. Kaya’t sa aking mga kapwa Pilipino, nawa’y isapuso at isaisip natin ang kahalagan nito sapagkat ito ay yaman ng ating bayan na kailanma’y hindi mapapalitan,” she added.
(Our arts and culture are the root of our humanity. It is the foundation of modern society. To my fellow Filipinos, let us embody their importance for these are irreplaceable richest only our country has to offer.)
Throughout the festivities, the NCCA emphasized the importance of story-telling in preserving and continuing to pass down history.
Their Program Management Division Chief, Renee Talavera, reminded the public that heritage is not just found in museums and art galleries, but in the local cuisine, the city’s landscape, and the people’s language.
“Let us walk in the spirit of unity, identity, and cultural pride,” she urged, “for Mindanao’s heritage is not only deep, it is alive.” (EDT/PJF/PIA9-Zamboanga del Norte)
