Gawad sa

Manlilikha ng Bayan
Gawad sa
Manlilikha ng Bayan
What is GAMABA?
• Republic Act No. 7355 of 1992 institutionalized
the National Living Treasures Award or Gawad
sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA).
• Through this law the NCCA,
• “conducts the search for the finest traditional
artists of the land,
• adopts a program that will ensure the transfer of
skills to others,
• undertakes measures to promote a genuine
appreciation of…,
• and instill pride among our people about the Ginaw Bilog, 1993
genius of Manlilikha ng Bayan.” Poet
Hanunuo Mangyan
Oriental Mindoro
 What is GAMABA?

A distinct feature of GAMABA is its emphasis on the intangible and

communal aspects of art production, which are closely aligned with
the process-based and collaborative inclination of some
contemporary art practices.
 What makes a GAMABA artist?

NCCA cited,
“as Filipinos, they bring age-old customs, crafts
and ways of living to the attention and
appreciation of Filipino life. They provide us
with a vision of ourselves and of our nation, a
vision we might be able to realize someday,
once we are given the opportunity to be true to
ourselves as these artists have remained
Masino Intaray, 1993
Musician and Storyteller truthful to their art.”
Pala’wan
Brookes Point, Palawan
 What makes a GAMABA artist?

“a citizen engaged in any traditional art

uniquely Filipino whose distinctive skills
have reached such a high level of technical
and artistic excellence and have been
passed on to and widely practiced by the
present generation in his/her community
with the same degree of technical and
artistic competence.”
Samaon Sulaiman, 1993
Musician
Maguindanao
Mamasapano, Maguindanao
 Guidelines in Identifying and
Recognizing a Manlilikha ng Bayan
• is an inhabitant of an indigenous/
traditional cultural community anywhere in
the Philippines that has preserved
indigenous customs, beliefs, rituals, and
traditions.
• Must have engaged in a folk art tradition
that has been in existence and documented
for at least 50 years.
Lang Dulay, 1998 • Must have consistently performed or
Textile Weavin, tinalak produced, over a significant period, works
T’boli of superior and distinctive quality
Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
 Guidelines in Identifying and
Recognizing a Manlilikha ng Bayan
• Must possess a mastery of tools and
materials needed by the art, and must have
an established reputation in the art as
master and maker of works of
extraordinary technical quality
• Must have passed on and/or will pass on to
other members of the community their
skills in the folk art for which the
Salinta Monon, 1998
community is traditionally known.
Textile Weaving, inabal
Tagabawa Bagobo
Bansalan, Davao del Sur
 Guidelines in Identifying and
Recognizing a Manlilikha ng Bayan
A traditional artist who possesses all the
qualities of a Manlilikha ng Bayan candidate but
due to age or infirmity has left him/her incapable
of teaching further his/her craft, may still be
recognized.
• Had created a significant body of work
• Has been instrumental in the revitalization of
his/her community’s artistic tradition
• Has passed on to the others members of the
community skills in the folk art for which the
Alonzo Saclag, 2000 community is known
Musician and Dancer
Kalinga • His/her community has recognized him/her as
Lubugan, Kalinga master and teacher of his/her craft
Issues related to the award
 Why are there separate awards for
individual expression – the National
Artist Award and for communal
expression – the GAMABA?

 How do these two awards differ in

terms of expressions, places of
production, and artistic merit valued?

 What does the award system suggest

about the challenge defining artistic
excellence on a national level?
The Production Process and the
Changing Environment
The traditional artists’ mode of production continues to be affected
with the dynamics of change. Environmental degradation ushered in
by calamities, modernization, and capitalistic endeavours displace
the indigenous people from their ancestral land.
① TOURISM
 Land areas are converted into sites for tourist
consumption.
② MINING AND INFRASTRACTURE
 The construction of dams and the establishment of oil and
mining companies evict people from their dwellings and
severely damage the environment.
③ MILITARIZATION Frederico Caballero, 2000
Epic Chanter
 It prevents people from having communal gatherings, Sulod-Bukidnon
where exchanges and passing of knowledge can take place. Calinog, Iloilo
The Production Process and the
Changing Environment
④ CHRISTIANIZATION
 The influence of Christianity and the
conversion of natives to a foreign religion
have caused members of the community
to forsake their indigenous rituals and
traditions.
 At worse, people are led to believe that
the latter are primitive and therefore,
their practice has no place in
contemporary world.
 However, in some ways, the community Uwang Ahadas, 2000
finds a way to syncretize their indigenous Musician
ways with traditions of Christianity. Yakan
Lamitan, Basilan
 Difficulties in the Selection Process
• The archipelagic orientation of the
Philippines makes some locations
challenging to reach.
• Places that pose security risks, particularly
the militarized zones prevent the sustained
entry of researchers and possibly diminish
the reception outside of the locality.

Eduardo Matuc, 2004

Metalsmith
Kapampangan
Apalit, Pampanga
Haja Amina Appi, 2004 Teofilo Garcia, 2012 Magdelana Gamayo, 2012
Mat Weaver Casque Maker Textile Weaver, inabel
Sama Ilocano Ilocano
Tandubas, Tawi-tawi San Quintin, Abra Pinili, Ilocos Norte
-END-