Nuestra Seniora El Triunfo Del La Cruz

Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, Mindanao, Philippines (02 August 2011)– I’m back home for now. It’s always nice to be back home. I’m taking this time to sort through the photos I have taken during my recently completed road trip to Ozamiz and Pagadian Cities and at least post this blog. The second leg of my travel (to the Southern and SouthCentral part of Mindanao) was postponed to next week. Here are some shots from a quick trip to a historic (250-year-old that is) site in Ozamiz City.

A colleague and I finished our data gathering work in one of the local community weekly paper in Ozamiz City so we had time to spare to go around the city. With the assistance of a guide (a Ozamiz based journalist) we had a quick tour of the historic Nuestra Seniora El Triunfo Del La Cruz or Our Lady of the Triumph of the Cross.  The Nuestra is an old fortress or barracks built by the Spaniards in 1756 to house soldiers that guard the coast of Misamis Occidental from marauding raiders from the Province of Lanao.

For many years,  I thought this landmark in Ozamiz was just a lighthouse. I discovered during the quick tour that the lighthouse is not the main attraction. The lighthouse is just but a fixture on one side of the fortress and serves as a guide for incoming vessels to the port of Ozamiz.  Nuestra Seniora is basically composed of a fort with its Southern wall (the wall directly facing the port) having a shrine of Our Lady. In recent years, the Catholic Church built an outdoor chapel fronting the image of Our Lady. This place is now called the Shrine by the locals and is visited by devotees daily.

The fortress has almost the same design as the famous walled city of Manila (Intramuros).  The first obvious difference is the size. The Ozamiz fort is significantly smaller than Intramuros. Unlike Intramuros wherein the Spaniards designed the wall to protect a settlement, the walls of the Ozamiz fort were designed and built basically as a military base. Its location is strategically placed facing the Panguil Bay opposite the Province of Lanao del Norte.

Garage Sale

Hillsborough Pointe Subdivision, Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao, Philippines (30 July 2011) — A one-day garage sale was held by the homeowners association of the Hillsborough Pointe Subdivision today at the subdivision’s clubhouse. The sale was done in order to raise funds for the association and to provide a venue for neighbors living inside the subdivision to meet and know each other better.

Since the subdivision’s establishment, the number of houses and families living in it has significantly increased over the years. Having a community project such as a garage sale does provide neighbors a venue to interact better with each other and get to know each other better. Unlike the place where I grew up (not inside a subdivision), everyone knows everyone in the neighborhood and there was no need to have planned activities such as a garage sale.

Sunday Afternoons

Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao, Philippines – Ever since working with the IOM in Mindanao, I regularly get to spend time with the family only during weekends. I leave Cotabato City every Friday afternoon (arriving Cagayan de Oro in the evening) and go back to Cotabato City every Monday early morning. Saturdays usually is a day spent on catching up on family concerns like going to the bank, attend some meeting or meet with friends. Sundays are always the day spent most of the time exclusively and solely for and with the family.

TREES GROWING ON CONCRETE - Trees seemingly growing out of concrete along the underpass of the Lim Ket Kai Mall in Cagayan de Oro City

On Sundays, the usual fare would consists of attending/participating in Sunday mass and having lunch together afterwards. Sunday lunch has always been a tag of war between the kids opting for the more famous fast food chains (usually McDonald or Jollibee) and us (Azon and I) wanting to try a different place to eat as we would prefer variety over fixed menu of food to eat. After lunch, doing the grocery for the week usually follows. After this, if time permits, we watch a movie that we all would like to watch this is if a movie is showing that is to our liking (and allowable for the kids). If not movies, we do other things that needs to be done in preparation for the coming week like have a haircut. Otherwise after the grocery we go home and watch television, tend the garden/water the plants and prepare a dish or two for dinner.

ROASTED COFFEE - Imported roasted coffee beans displayed for sale at the grocery section of the Robinsons Mall in Lim Ket Kai Center in Cagayan de Oro City

Sunday afternoon for us is pretty simple but offers us with the needed time to do things together as a family (considering that I work far from Cagayan de Oro and I’m basically away the whole week). In one particular Sunday afternoon, I decided to bring my point and shoot camera and take random shots of our activities. After downloading the photos in my computer and as I was going through the photos one-by-one to select the “best” shots or at the very least the shots I have a liking, my attention was drawn to the set of photos taken while we were doing our grocery. The series of photos showed abundance. A variety of vegetables and fruits filled the racks.  The canned goods section had different brands and types of processed food. All racks in the grocery section were filled to the brim with food products for sale. While going through the photo set, I was immediately reminded of the time I was in Zimbabwe. I enter a shop (any shop for that matter) and I in most cases am presented with rows and rows of empty shelves.

TAKE YOUR PICK - Various types of vegetables displayed for sale at the vegetable section of the Robinsons Mall Grocery Section.

While doing grocery in the Philippines was a matter of choosing a preferred brand or the cheapest brand/product, in Zimbabwe, as soon as you see the product you need, you don’t think twice, you just get it. There was very little room for one to choose between white sugar or brown sugar. There was no room for one to choose between Castle Beer or Eagle or Bolingers. This makes me think that there are indeed a lot of things that we (in the Philippines) should be thankful about. In the midst of plenty, it is easy to forget that on another part of the world fellow human beings are experiencing the opposite.

The 4432 Project: First All Baaoeno Artists’ Exhibit

Baao, Camarines Sur (26 December 2010) – With nothing in particular to do for the rest of the afternoon after arriving from Cagayan de Oro, Azon and I decided to go for a stroll around the town center of Baao. On our ride from the Airport we learned that a new cafe is operating in town and that the cafe is having an art exhibit. We wanted to visit the cafe and see the art exhibit knowing too that the owner of the cafe, Bernadette de los Santos, is a good friend of Azon.  Bernadette or “Bidibidi” as she is fondly called, together with a handful of local artists embarked on a project called “The 4432 Project”. The number 4432 is the ZipCode of the town of Baao. The project is the first (hopefully of a series) all Baaoeno artists exhibition held in the town.

4432 - The official zipcode of the town of Baao, Camarines Sur. Signage posted in the entrance to the Cafe Des Artes located along the national highway in Baao, Camarines Sur.

The cafe was simple and the artworks exhibited were a combination of paintings and a few sculpture pieces. We got to meet some of the artists as they were sharing a simple “merienda”.  In her facebook page, Ms. de los Santos wrote “The arts are essential to human development and the well being of society. Cafe Des Artes is dedicated to providing a nurturing environment for artists at all levels of their creative journey, encouraging participation in the arts through advocacy, education and outreach, and serving as a vital creative resource for the community. . .”

Train Station Signboard - Below is an old train station signboard that was saved from a typhoon that hit the town a few years back. The signboard was said to be almost used as firewood by some residents.

Despite its simplicity, I admired the initiative. Art is indeed essential to human development and the well being of society. Art can be considered as the manifestation of the soul of a community. While admiring (and taking photographs) the art pieces in the gallery, I can’t help but look back at my own city (Cagayan de Oro) and feel the contrast. This very small town in the Province of Camarines Sur, no matter how small, exerts effort to highlight, develop, and nurture art and its artists. I admired Baao and the people who initiates small beginnings such as this. I admired Baao in the same way I admire Iligan City, Butuan City, Bukidnon, Davao and the other localities/communities in Mindanao that shows their love for the arts and culture. Cagayan de Oro, while has lots of museums, lots of writers and poets (even Palanca Awardees), lots of painters and sculptures and photographers and not to mention we have a declared heritage site, seem to have not elevated the arts to a level of appreciation, respect, love and care it deserves.

LOMO Wall - This particular section of the cafe showcases the lomography artwork of a New York based Baaoena, Ms. Fae Clarisse Barandon who recently passed away. This wall is dedicated to her and her work.

While going through the various artwork in the gallery, the curator/organizer/owner/friend, Ms. De Los Santos entertained us and she shared her excitement and her plans which included the conduct of workshops for young artists and schedules for more exhibitions in the future. Ideas of expanding the genre of art work was also explored (i.e. showcase Baaoeno culinary and performing arts – Baao is known for producing good musicians/composers/singers as well). Ultimately, the vision is to develop the Cafe Des Artes to be an icon of the town for art and artists, in the same way as Angono in the Province of Rizal is known.

A Basket and Five Paintings - Artwork displayed at the Cafe Des Artes in Baao, Camarines Sur as part of the 4432 Project.

I surely look forward to the time when Baao becomes what Angono, Rizal is today. Congratulations to all the Baaoeno artists and congratulation and keep up the good work Ms. Bidibidi. The 4432 Project (The first Baaoeno Artists’ Exhibition) runs from the 20th of December 2010 to the 2nd of January 2011.

Brother In-Law Wall - Three of the paintings on the wall are creations of my brother in-law, Manuel Gaite. The artwork is exhibited as part of the 4432 Project in Baao, Camarines Sur

Two Events and a Wedding

Cotabato City, Philippines, 20 December 2010 – “Be careful of what you wish for, you might get it!” For the longest time, I wanted to shoot the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival of Cotabato City. I was not able to shoot last year’s celebrations (even when I was already stationed in Cotabato City) due to conflict in schedules between work and the festival activities. This time, I was looking forward to rushing back  (from General Santos City) to be in Cotabato City in time to attend the wedding of a staff of mine on Sunday morning. I got an SMS message however while still in General Santos from a colleague and I discovered that the City of Cotabato and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) government was hosting a “Pagana” or a feast to welcome and showcase Muslim hospitality to guests and visitors. I saw this as a chance for me – finally, to shoot at least one major event of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival.

Traditional Muslim dance performed by students from the Mindanao State University (MSU) of Maguindanao during a "Pagana," a Maguindanaon and Maranao way of entertaining guests. The "Pagana" was hosted by the ARMM government and the Department of Tourism-ARMM in celebration of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival.

I arrived Cotabato City at around 4 in the afternoon and had to prepare and rush to the ARMM Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex to be in time for the start of the cultural night. I was so excited. Finally, I am able to have access to an event of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival and shoot. Aside from the speeches given by dignitaries from the ARMM government and Cotabato City Hall officials, guests and visitors were treated to a “Pagana” or a feast in the tradition of Maguindanaons and Maranaos way of welcoming and entertaining guests and visitors. While the guests were enjoying the meal prepared, students from the Mindanao State University of Maguindanao (MSU-Maguindanao) entertained everyone with performances of traditional Muslim/Mindanao dances on stage.

"Singkil", a traditional Muslim dance performed by students of the Mindanao State University (MSU)-Maguindanao during a "Pagana" in celebration of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival

Towards the end of the cultural night, I felt happy that finally I was able to shoot an event. I was looking forward to going home and rest as I came from a travel. On my way out of the cultural complex, colleagues from the United Nations (who were invited guests too of the event) invited me to watch a hip-hop dance competition in the Notre Dame University school grounds. The Mindanao-wide Hip-Hop dance competition was again part of the various events outlined by the City Government in celebration of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival. I was feeling a bit tired already but decided to go and shoot this event as well. I have been wishing to shoot the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival and here I was presented with the opportunity so why pass the chance? From the ARMM cultural complex we convoyed to the Notre Dame of Cotabato campus and paid our tickets and waited for the competition to start. This was the second event (totally unexpected but very much welcomed) I was going to shoot for the festival.

Guest of the ARMM government and the City government of Cotabato were treated to a feast or a "Pagana". The "Pagana" was in itself part of the showcasing of the cultural heritage that Cotabato City and other Muslim communities in Mindanao have received through the coming in of Sharff Kabunsuan to Mindanao in the year 1515. Shariff Kabunsuan is known to have been the person that introduced Islam to the natives of Mindanao and also established a way of living that Muslim Mindanaons now practice.

In a matter of hours, my senses were bombarded with two distinct and different dance renditions or traditions. The first dance performances presented at the ARMM cultural complex were traditional Muslim dances complete with elaborate and colorful costumes and props. Just across town, at the Notre Dame School for boys campus gymnasium, I was presented with the complete opposite of traditional dances. This time these were dances with heavy western influence. Dancers too (including the audience) were composed of the younger generation. While traditional Muslim dances were done with snobbish facial expressions and calculated graceful movements, the modern hip-hop dance steps had a lot of jumping, acrobatics, make-up and weird hair styles. Most of the group that competed (except for at least two groups) almost had the same angry, full of angst, facial expression during their dance routine. The make-up they placed on their faces even exaggerated the angry, “fighting mode” posture. Over at the ARMM cultural complex a few hours back, one hears traditional musical instruments played (i.e. Kulintang ang gongs) to accompany the dances, here at the Notre Dame of Cotabato campus, the music utilized to accompany the dances was produced through modern electronic instruments.

As our group entered the gymnasium (one of us in the group is a foreigner) we were joking around because we felt that all eyes (of the young crowd) were on us. We even believed that some would have mistaken us to be members of the board of judges. Over-all the competition went well. The second runner-up went to a group from Cotabato City. The first runner-up went to the group from Davao City and the grand prize winner was the group from General Santos City.

Trixzone, a dance crew from Cotabato City doing their thing during the Mindanao Wide Hip-Hop Dance Battle held at the Notre Dame School for Boys gymnasium. The Hip-Hop dance contest was in celebration of the city's commemoration of the arrival of Shariff Kabunsuan.

Dance crew from General Santos City competing in the Mindanao Wide Hip-Hop Dance Battle held at the Notre Dame School for Boys in Cotabato City. The event was held in celebration of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival. This particular group from General Santos City won the grand prize.

Just like the first event, I got another invitation to watch (for me to shoot) the fluvial parade along the Rio Grande the next day only after the hip-hop competition ended. By this time I was already exhausted. To get a good view of the colorful and elaborately adorned boats of the Fluvial parade, one has to be at the port of origin at around 5:30 in the morning. The hip-hop competition ended very late and in my mind I still had a wedding to attend the next day at around 10am. While I had enough time to watch the fluvial parade and attend the wedding of one of my staff, I was already exhausted. My mind was very much wanting to be in the wharf early but my body was already complaining and I was craving for extra time for sleep. I said yes to the invitation but early morning the next day, I woke up early just to SMS my colleagues informing them that I have decided not to join the group anymore. As soon as I got confirmation, I went back to bed. I wished to have the opportunity to cover/shoot events of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival, I was presented with the opportunity and I blew it. Had I made it to the fluvial parade, this particular blog would have been entitled three events and a wedding instead of two.

"Kalilang" - a Maguindanaon word associated with weddings. I was one of the principal sponsor to the wedding of Bong and Betcha. Both have been engaged for a little over two years and they finally tied the knot last 19 December 2010.

The newly wedded couple with the bridal entourage.

With sufficient rest from the previous nights activities, I prepared myself for the wedding that I was about to attend. I was looking forward to this particular wedding as this is the first wedding I will be witnessing following a Muslim/Maguindanaon rite. I have been to a lot of weddings in the past but all of these were following the Christian (mostly Catholic) rite. This time around I will be witnessing something new, something completely unfamiliar to me. I was excited to see how the Muslim/Maguindanao rites go. The closest Muslim rite wedding I have attended was the wedding of my staff in Afghanistan. However, I was pretty sure that for the Maguindanao, it will be completely different. I know for a fact that the men and women will not be separated (unlike in Afghanistan where the males will never get to see the female guests and even the bride and vice versa).

The wedding was held at the El Manuel Hotel and Convention Center. I came early and was ushered to the Principal Sponsors table. As soon as I sat down, I realized that there was no one on the table with me that I know. Everyone was a complete stranger to me as I to them. Feeling a bit uneasy, I took my camera and started to roam around and shoot. Being unfamiliar with how the ceremony goes, I just followed the flow. What made it more difficult for me was the rites were done using the Maguindanaon language (with some Arabic as well).

The Groom Getting Married. I was told that in a Muslim wedding, it is the groom that is married. An Ustadz presides over the ceremony.

This was the busiest weekend (photography wise) I have had experienced in Cotabato. The activities photographed happened close to each other so I had very little time left for downloading and post processing. The experience was exhausting but over-all was exciting. I have always wanted to take photos of events and this particular weekend provided me with so much opportunity. However, I did experience too that sometimes when what you wish for is given, you find yourself not ready to take on the challenge.