Multi-Awarded Tausug Holds 5th Solo Art Exhibit in Zamboanga City

Multi-awarded Muslim painter Rameer Tawasil gestures as he leads guests to his 5th Solo Art Exhibit at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University’s Gallery of the Peninsula and the Archipelago in Zamboanga City, Wednesday, February 24, 2010. Dubbed as “Tawasil: In retrospect. Celebrating 20 years in Visual arts, Architecture and Design,” the exhibit also coincided with the celebration of the National Arts Month and the 3rd anniversary of the Gallery of the Peninsula and the Archipelago. Tawasil and Fr Antonio Moreno, the president of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, led the opening of the exhibit. (Jung Francisco - Mindanao Examiner Photo)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 24, 2010) – Muslim Tausug painter Rameer Amilasan Tawasil opened Wednesday his 5th Solo Art Exhibit at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University in the southern Filipino port city of Zamboanga.

Tawasil, who is famous for his many paintings depicting Islam and Peace, displayed his many works, some date back in the 1980s, at the Gallery of the Peninsula and the Archipelago.

Dubbed as “Tawasil: In retrospect. Celebrating 20 years in Visual arts, Architecture and Design,” the exhibit also coincided with the celebration of the National Arts Month and the 3rd anniversary of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University’s Gallery of the Peninsula and the Archipelago.

Tawasil and Fr. Antonio Moreno, the president of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, led dozens of guests in the opening of the exhibit late Wednesday. It will run until March 27.

“This is an event that every must see. The works of Rameer Tawasil really will inspire us all,” Moreno said.

Tawasil for his part thanked the Ateneo de Zamboanga University for the holding of his art exhibit. “All these works are special to me and I wanted everybody to see the exhibit and I just hope that these works will inspire more people to love arts and spread peace through pieces of arts they make,” he said.

Tawasil was born in the village of Karungdung in the town of Kalinggalan Caluang in Sulu province. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Architecture at the Western Mindanao State University.

According to the website muslimmindanao.ph which is maintained by the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication and initially funded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the multi-awarded Tawasil is best known for using bright, strong, and bold colors in his paintings.

It said the foundation of his art is "okkil” (in Tausug; “okir” in Maranao), a design form indigenous to the Muslim groups in Mindanao as seen in their woodcarvings, brassware, and textiles, among others.

His masterpieces adorn galleries in London and Kuching, Malaysia and private collections in Germany, Korea, the United States and the Philippines.

Tawasil has been involved in more than 30 art group shows in abroad and the Philippines and his local exhibitions have been held at the main gallery of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Vargas Museum in the University of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and the Arts Gallery, Metropolitan Museum of Manila, and various private galleries, it said.

He has had three past solo exhibits since 2003 in Zamboanga City and the fourth was in Davao City which was sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency.

A recipient of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Award, Tawasil also received the Zamboanga Hermosa Recognition Award, Culture and the Arts Category in 2003. In 2006 he was given the Peace Citation Award by the Peace Advocates Zamboanga for his rendition of the "peace dove" logo which has become a peace campaign symbol locally and globally and has been included in the international collection of peace doves.

Tawasil also organizes art shows and directs musical concerts on his advocacy on peace and the environment. He also conducts art workshops on recycled and environmental art.

He sits as a member of the Zamboanga City Government's Committee on Visual Arts, Council for the Culture and Arts and History. (Jung Francisco contributed to this report.)

Tausug lass wins ‘Hiyas sa Kadayawan’ in Davao City

DAVAO CITY, Philippines - Faizal Ampilani, representing the Tausug tribe, won this year’s search for the “Hiyas sa Kadayawan” in Davao City in the southern Philippines.

Ampilani on Wednesday topped the search where ten tribal women, representing ten ethnic tribes of Davao City, competed with their wits, knowledge and talent in the quest for this year’s festival symbol.

The ten tribes of Davao include the Sama, Maranao, Ubo-Manubo, Crisalyn Bangcas, Klata, Ata, Maguindanao, Matigsalog, Kalagan, Tagabawa and Tausug tribes.

As “Hiyas sa Kadayawan”, Ampilani hopes she can help provide musical instruments to the Tausug community in Davao City so that she will be able to help sustain and preserve her tribe’s rich culture.

Ampilani won P50,000 cash prize and an additional P30,000 for her chosen community development project.

Placing second and third are Mary Le-Lainie Coronel of the Tagabawa tribe, who won P40,000, and Amera Amal Ameril of the Maranaw tribe, who won P30,000. The women were bestowed the titles “Hiyas sa Kauswagan” and “Hiyas sa Tingusbawan”, respectively. They were also given P30,000 for their chosen community development projects.

Senator Pia Cayetano, the chairwoman of the board of judges, announced in the program that she will be adding P50,000 more to the community development project of this year’s “Hiyas sa Kadayawan”.

The “Hiyas sa Kadayawan”, one of the main highlights of the Kadayawan Festival, is an annual search for the festival symbol, an indigenous woman who is knowledgeable of her own culture and wisdom. (Ian Garcia)

Ateneo De Zamboanga To Host Tausug Confab

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The Ateneo de Zamboanga University will host a National Conference on Tausug History and Culture.

The conference will be held on February 21 and 22 at the Carlos Dominguez Conference Hall, Learning Resource Center (LRC) Building here, organizers said.

The event is part of a series of conferences aimed at promoting awareness, understanding and appreciation of the ethno-linguistic groups in Western Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago.

The conference series is one of Ateneo's contributions towards the promotion of the integration of local history and culture into the regular instruction curriculum in Western Mindanao schools, colleges, and universities. This long-term work is, in turn, part of the greater efforts to promote peace through better inter-cultural understanding and appreciation.

In the past, Ateneo de Zamboanga University has hosted well-attended conferences on Western Mindanao in 1899 (May 10-11, 1999), on Chabacano Language (Nov. 11-12, 1999), on the Culture and History of Bajau (Feb. 26-27, 2001), on Subanon Culture and History (Feb. 18-19, 2002), and on Yakan Culture and History (Feb. 23-24, 2004). More than a hundred participants are expected to attend this year's Tausug Conference, composed mainly of educators, media personnel, church, government, and NGOs, students, researchers, and cultural promoters.

The Conference's main offering is a series of paper presentations by historians, anthropologists, folklore researchers, and Tausug resource persons.

To be discussed are topics on Tausug: History (by Dr. Asiri J. Abubakar of UP-Diliman), Art (by Dr. Abraham P. Sakili of UP-Diliman), Language and Literature (by Dr. Calbi Asain of MSU-Jolo), Food (by Dr. Norama A. Abdulla of Jolo, Sulu), Customs and Beliefs (by Atty. Mehol Sadain), Gender and Kinship (by Dr. Carmen A. Abubakar of UP-Diliman).

Politics and Governance (by Prof. Julkipli Wadi of UP-Diliman), Conflict (by Dr. Jamail A. Kamlian of MSU-IIT), Pangalay (by Ms. Ligaya Amilbangsa).Peace and Development (by Dr. Santanina T. Rasul), and Preservation of Intangible Heritage (by Dr. Jesus T. Peralta of the NCCA).

The papers will be published in the Culture and Peace Studies, the Ateneo de Zamboanga University journal on peace and culture. The conference will also feature special cultural presentations by local Tausug groups. In addition, some Tausug artifacts, attire, food, music, and dance are to be showcased and appreciated.

Taking the lead in organizing this conference is the Ateneo's Institute of Cultural Studies for Western Mindanao (ICSWM). Also, part of the organizing team are personnel from the Ateneo Peace Institute (API), Center for Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA), Scholarship's Office, President's Office, Project's Office, Campus Ministry, College of Liberal Arts, and some Ateneo friends.

For more information about the conference and pre-registration, please contact Ellery Ivan E. Apolinario at the ICSWM Office, ADZU, telephone number (062) 991-0871 local 4200 (email: icswm@central.adzu.edu.ph).

For those who wish to provide financial assistance and/or donate printed materials and cultural artifacts, please contact Tricia Mae D. Manulong at (062) 991-0871 local 4201 (email: drapizatrir@central.adzu.edu.ph).