“Tawid ti banbantay, tawid ti puli” The UC ‘Hapiyo Mi’ cultural performing group

“Tawid ti banbantay, tawid ti puli” The UC ‘Hapiyo Mi’ cultural performing group

THE University of the Cordilleras’ cultural performing group, Hapiyo Mi, is no doubt one of the best groups that has keep its vision of preserving the cultural heritage of the Cordilleras through their performances depicting the traditions, rites, and rituals of the indomitable people of the Cordillera from an evolving contemporary perspective.

They awed the nation with their authentic performance of the cultural dances of the Cordilleras that won them 1st runner-up honors in the Sayaw Pinoy Category of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Academic and Cultural Festival held on March 1-5 last year in the University of the Philippines, Diliman Campus.

The grandeur of their performances has challenged the curiosity of this writer to know more about the group beyond their colorful costumes and their fascinating dances.

The Hapiyo Mi started from a Social Science class (society and culture) handled by Professor Maria Catbagan Aplaten under the College of Criminology in 2000. The class is composed mainly of male students from the Cordilleras, fresh from their native towns or ili. To make the subject interesting, Aplaten thought of asking her students to show their love of culture through a class presentation.

What followed is a stunning realization of how the students have authentically presented their cultural dances in class with their complete indigenous costumes.

“I was shocked when my students presented. They dance gracefully and they played the gongs very well. One of them has performed a “baki” in class”, Aplaten related.

A baki is a ritual of prayer offered during wedding, thanksgiving, funeral, and other occasions by a Mumbaki (an Ifugao religious specialist or high priest usually an elderly).

After the class presentation, she initiated the formation of a group to represent the college during intramural intermissions and inter-college sports festivals. Eventually, the group has grown in number from 15 original members, all from Ifugao until it has attracted other indigent students from the different provinces in the region.

“At the back of my mind there was this hope that if the group is adopted by the University, then that is a good start to help the members maybe through a scholarship because I understand they are indigent, and even though we do not like to accept that we are poor, I know that my students are also having financial constraints”, she recalled.

The group was then named Hapiyo Mi, an Ifugao word meaning ‘our shield’ with Professor Aplaten as the adviser. They have struggled to keep the group and performed during occasions even though more often than not they are burdened as to where they would source out their materials for their productions.

“We performed in various places for various organizations before we were adopted as the official cultural group of the University of the Cordilleras in 2001 and upon the request of the school, the group was renamed “Kalasag” (the name of UC’s dance troupe in the 80’s), a Kankana-ey term for “shield”. They were awarded 15 scholarship slots, boosting the group’s morale to perform better”, she revealed.

Since then, Kalasag has become a regular performer of various Cordillera music, dances and practices for local, national and international organizations. The group has also welcomed and performed for various local and foreign visitors and different activities in Baguio City. Further, the Baguio Tourism Office in 2005 requested the group to represent Baguio in the activities conducted for the “Wow Philippines” program of then Tourism Sec. Richard Gordon.

The biggest production of the group was a play held on February 22-23, 2003 at the Baguio Convention Center Entitled “Nan Nataguan Tako”. It showcased Cordillera traditional attires, music, dances, and cultural practices, and was considered as one of the highlights of the Baguio Flower Festival celebration that year.

The old name of the group which is Hapiyoh Mi was reinstated on November 27, 2009 replacing Kalasag to give honor to the pioneers of the group who named it.

“The term Hapiyo Mi for me is unique as compared to the Kalasag that has been used commercially already, it’s like when you hear the word Hapiyo Mi, it sounds like Japanese or Chinese”, Aplaten joked.

Training new members

SINCE the original members of the group have graduated, new members have to be trained to replace them and keep their torch burning as the official cultural group of the university.

Aplaten said that since 2005 had been conducting summer cultural workshops for five days and the fifth day is the recital or production of the trainees. This is where the group identifies those who have potentials commendable of a scholarship.

“What we teach them during the workshop is the proper way of dancing, singing indigenous songs, playing of instrument, and theatrical movements as well as I give lecture on proper way of wearing the attires like the g-string. I also explain to them how to use it and when to use the different attires including the meaning of the colors of the fabrics. After that, we observe on how they will use the attires, if the length is right, whether the g-string is tied properly, and if the overlap is correct”, she furthered.

But she said they also accept those who are interested to join the group even in the middle of the term. They will undergo training also although there are some who join who are excellent enough so immediately scholarship is granted to them.

“We justify the scholarship through capability and performance of the individual not on how long you have been a member”, Aplaten stressed.

Giving back

AS scholars, the Hapiyo Mi cultural group also supports elementary and high school scholars through the UC’s project HELEN (Health, Education, Livelihood, Environment, and Nurturance).

“We are maintaining ten scholars in Yagyagan, Tuba, Benguet. We committed financial help for them until they graduate in high school”, she stated.

Giving back is the most important thing a member of the group must learn as well as paying forward through what they have learned within the Hapiyo Mi family.

“I am just an instrument to help the Cordillera indigents, because financially I cannot help them but in other ways we can be a leader that’s why I always tell them to give back to the community”.

On commercialization of culture

BEING a cultural performing group, the issue on commercialization of culture is also disturbing the group like any other group promoting culture for tourism purposes.

“That is a very vague issue, that’s why when we are performing I always have to study on how we should present so as not to be charged with commercializing the culture. It’s a broad topic and it depends on who is looking at your performance and to what perspective they are looking at”, Aplaten said.

But she said so far they have not been charged of commercialization of culture.

“I make sure that we only perform the authentic, even in the way we use the attires. I do not like seeing g-strings hanged anywhere because it seems to bring a message that you are displaying your brief in public, that’s the symbolism of it”, she mused.

She added that “if there are those who tell us that we are bastardizing the culture, we say please explain to us why. And if there are those who say that what we are doing the wrong thing we are very much willing to learn, as we always say what we perform are the things we have researched, what we have learned from the community and what was taught to us”.

The group continues to grow, and as they look towards new horizons, Hapiyo Mi challenges its fellow Cordillerans to join them in their advocacy of promoting and preserving the Cordilleran culture. As people of the Cordillera region, and as Filipinos, it is our role to promote and preserve the living heritage of our people; a task taken to heart by Hapiyo Mi.* originally published in Baguio Chronicle newspaper