Home | To bottom

Grupong Damili

From trivial to magnitude

Besides my interest in writing, I have engaged myself in some other cultural work (as I have countlessly mentioned over the past issues). I can’t help myself admiring a painting not only for its aesthetics but considering also its meaning and depth. I can’t help smiling if I see the best works of art - the children. They have been masterfully crafted with sunshiny personalities, highlighted with the prism of a thousand flowers and the sparkle of the stars.

What would make me grin all day long is a day filled with tint, laughter and nonchalant kids.

Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary packed up with children and colorful sarongs under the high noon sun. The children danced cheerily to the Filipino folk song, “Leron, Leron Sinta,” together with some UP Baguio Communication I and Children’s Literature students.

Grupong Damili organized an exhibit called “Sa Panahon ng Bata,” so as to celebrate this month of February as the Children’s Month. Their exhibit featured various forms of visual arts – paintings, improvised native toys, hopscotch, or the famoso piko, made from different grains, pebbles, and other natural materials.

Their exhibit was launched last February 10 to run until March 7, 2006, at the Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary Gallery.

In 2003, several UP Baguio alumni gathered to conjure up an organization of individual artists from the diverse fields of theater or performance arts, literary and visual arts. Grupong Damili came from the Ilocano word damili meaning forming clay into pottery. Thus, these artists chose to be named after the Ilocano term to enlighten people that they are one in spirit of creating something from nothing.

Since their founding, they have been invited to several activities. In November 2003, the Philippine Ad Congress held here at the Camp John Hay, the group was invited to post a booth catering face painting, henna tattooing and sketching.

They have ventured in marketing the play “Magno Rubio” as presented by Tanghalang Pilipino. The Committee on Culture and Arts in UPB also gave Damili the chance to spearhead a Summer Arts Festival. Just last year, the Camp John Hay hired them to host its first Summer Arts Festival called Tawid, meaning inheritance or the Tagalog pamana in Ilocano.

The Cordillera Peoples’ Alliance (CPA) has also asked Damili’s assistance in conceptualizing a mural-making activity for the children of Abra.

Damili has also supported a production dance-and-musical production in the University of Baguio. They have featured former dancers of the famous group Bayanihan Dance Troupe who performed several dances from different regions all over the country. With that, it explains Damili’s aim to feature groups and coordinate shows that are mainly informative and amusing.

Just recently, the National Delfic Council (NDC) has acknowledged Damili as one of its official members. Liza Ilagan, a UP Fine Arts (FA) teacher and Damili founding member, shared that the NDC gratifies the Olympics for culture. Appealing concerning culture alone, what more if one would witness an Olympics for it.

Ma’am Liza, as the children at Maryknoll and her students call Ilagan, shares the works behind Damili. She reveals that some of its members were her former FA students who have been seeking jobs, yet find no luck in pursuing the career they really wanted. Thus, Ma’am Liza told them to be a part of Damili, so as to somehow supplement their financial needs at the same time they are educating and entertaining children- their main target audience.

They have been sponsoring and organizing shows that fit the children’s interest. Film animation, interactive art exhibit and storytelling are only a few of the activities they have lined up for the children that would visit their exhibit.

Ma’am Liza clarifies that in every performance, their group sees to it that they give their spectators time to reflect on what they just shared. They also allow workshops so their participants could express themselves and realize the artist within.

Future projects of Damili were also shared by Ma’am Liza. She told me about their preparations for a project focusing on women visual artists.

Based on her field work about women artists of Mt. Province, Ma’am Liza found out that some women, especially housewives, have low self-esteem when it comes to their creativity. These women think that the only artists are those who have had once an exhibit, an elite concept.

“They don’t need an exhibit to be called an artist. Di lang sa painting, kahit sa pagluluto, andun ang creativity. Kaya naisip namin na mag-organize ng isang conference for these women,” Ma’am Liza enlightens.

The project is the First Northern Luzon Task Force on Creative Women.

The conference is to be held also at the Maryknoll Sanctuary. They will invite women all over the region. Damili aspires to let the women discover and strengthen their self-concept as an artist, and establish a bond with co-artists. As Ma’am Liza puts it, they have to carry out the ‘real self’, ‘conception’ happens afterward, and ‘re-birth’ of the confident artist surfaces.

They have women artists from Manila as guest speakers to share their own experiences and also teach some theories about visual arts. After each discussion, participants are given a workshop for application. Subsequent to the conference, an exhibition of the participants’ output will be created.

As we were doing the interview, the children lined up to finally go home after the Damili’s show. Ma’am Liza could not help greeting them, and asked if they have enjoyed the performance and the exhibit. Despite the dripping sweats from playing, the children simultaneously thanked Ma’am Liza for a great day.

Regardless of the looming gray skies, it was a sunny day to everyone. Cheers and smiles never left the guests’ and participants’ faces as they went home guided with what they have learned. #

Post your comments, reactions to this article

Home | Back to top