GAMABA Notes: National Living Treasures Award – Comprehensive Study Notes

Overview

• GAMABA stands for Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan, known in English as the National Living Treasures Award.
• Institutionalized in $1992$ through Republic Act No. $7355$.
• Administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) via the GAMABA Committee and an Ad Hoc Panel of Experts to conduct the search for awardees.
• Purpose: preserve the rich tapestry of Filipino cultural heritage threatened by modernization and globalization; recognize artists whose craft is traditional, distinctive, and passed on within their community. The GAMABA awards are a crucial mechanism for cultural preservation, ensuring indigenous arts and crafts are celebrated and transmitted to future generations.

Emblem and Logo

• The award emblem represents the human form used in traditional cloth.
• Below the logo is the phrase “Manlilikha ng Bayan” written in Baybayin, the ancient Filipino script used in the Philippines in the $16^{th}$ century.
• The award title is rendered as: GAWAD SA MANLILIKHA NG BAYAN (National Living Treasures Award).
• Note: Some slides also show a variant reading “NOCA” which appears to be a typographical form error; the official body behind the award is NCCA.

Rationale and Significance

• The GAMABA initiative addresses the preservation of indigenous arts and crafts that are at risk due to modernization and globalization.
• By acknowledging and documenting senior masters, the program creates role models and legitimizes traditional arts as important national heritage.
• Recipients are recognized as masters who have contributed to the development, vitality, and transmission of their tradition within their community and beyond.

Criteria for Selection

1) Eligibility: Should be a Filipino citizen or a group of citizens belonging to an indigenous/traditional cultural community anywhere in the Philippines, engaged in Filipino traditional art in the following categories: folk architecture, maritime transport, weaving, carving, performing arts, literature, graphic and plastic arts, ornament, textile or fiber art, pottery and other artistic expressions of traditional culture.
2) Commitment and Longevity: Should have been engaged in the tradition and craft for a significant period of time with at least $50$ years of existence and documentation.
3) Quality: Should have produced and performed artistic, distinctive, and superior quality work.
4) Mastery and Reputation: Should possess mastery of the tools and materials needed for the art and must have a reputation for being an art master and craft maker in the community where he/she belongs.
5) Transmission: Should have passed on and/or will pass on the traditional crafts and skills to other members of the community by teaching.
6) In cases where a candidate is incapable of teaching due to age or infirmity, additional criteria apply:

• A. Should have created a significant body of work and contributed to the development of the tradition and craft.
• B. Should have played a role in the preservation and revitalization of the artistic tradition in the community.
• C. Should have been recognized as a master of his/her craft and admired for character and integrity in the community.

Eligibility and Selection Process (Summary)

• NCCA conducts the search for awardees via the GAMABA Committee and an Ad Hoc Panel of Experts.
• Awardees represent indigenous or traditional communities and must demonstrate long-term dedication, mastery, and transmission of a living tradition.

Categories Recognized (Examples from the transcript)

• Folk architecture
• Maritime transport
• Weaving
• Carving
• Performing arts
• Literature
• Graphic and plastic arts
• Ornament, textile or fiber art
• Pottery and other artistic expressions of traditional culture
• Note: The list reflects the broad spectrum of traditional Filipino arts highlighted by GAMABA.

Notable GAMABA Awardees (selected exemplars)

• Federico Caballero — Panay-Bukidnon of Calinog, Iloilo. Mastery of chanting the sugidanon, the Central Panay epic tradition. Known for performing while lying on a hammock; documented 10 Panay-Bukidnon epics in an extinct language with ties to Kinaray-a. Awarded in $2000$.
• Masino Intaray — Palawan (Palaw’an) of Brookes Point, Palawan. Master of basal (gong music ensemble); ritual musician and epic chanter. Played during rice cooking (tambilaw) and sharing (tinapay) rituals, gathering the community to honor the rice god Ampo’t Paray. Awarded in $1993$; passed away in $2013$.
• Samaon Sulaiman — Maguindanaon of Mamasapano, Maguindanao. Outstanding artistry on the Magindanao kuliyapi (kutiyapi) and proficient in kulintang, agong, gandingan, and tambul. Influential teacher. Awarded in $1993$; died in $2011$.
• Uwang Ahadas — Yakan of Lamitan, Basilan. Dexterity with Yakan instruments such as kwintangan, gabbang, agung, kwintangan kayu, tuntungan, among others. Hands-on, student-focused teaching style. Awarded in $2000$.
• Haja Amina Appi — Sama of Ungos Matata, Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi. Master mat weaver; mats used for sleeping, prayers, or gifts to newly-weds. Created mats with geometric designs, developed own tints. Awarded in $2004$.
• Lang Dulay — T’boli of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. Weaver of the abaca ikat cloth called t’ nalak. Known for faithful adherence to traditional patterns (e.g., bulinglangit, kabangi, crocodiles, flowers). Valued purity (she reportedly never washed t’ nalak with soap). Awarded in $1998$; died in $2015$.
• Magdalena Gamayo — Ilocos Norte. Weaving binakol (abel weaving) with high thread count and uniform weave. Teaches younger generations (cousin’s daughter-in-law and sister-in-law). Awarded in $2012$.
• Salinta Monon — Bagobo (Tagabawa) of Bansalan, Davao del Sur. Demonstrated creative and expressive aspects of Bagobo abaca ikat weaving (Inabel) despite threats of extinction. Taught others and built a path for new weavers. Awarded in $1998$.
• (Other listed craft areas such as Metal smiths, Gourd hatmakers/casque appear as sections without detailed biographies in the transcript.)

Cultural and Educational Impact

• Artistic achievements and cultural impact include:
  • Contributed to the revival of traditional arts and inspired younger generations to engage with heritage.
  • Facilitated cultural exchange and education through workshops and performances.
  • Elevated international recognition of Filipino arts and heritage.
• Impact on traditional arts:
  • Increased public awareness and appreciation for traditional arts.
  • Greater youth engagement and participation to ensure transmission of practices.
  • Heightened cultural pride and reinforced Filipino identity locally and internationally.

Educational Activity: “Weaving Our Heritage” (Resource for students)

• Materials needed:
  • Colored paper, scissors, ruler, pencil, glue, Oslo paper as base (1 size only).
  • Note: The activity emphasizes weaving-inspired craft using strips.
• Instructions:
  • Prepare the strips ($1\text{ inch}$ width).
  • Make a weaving mat.
  • Secure the edges.
  • Decorate.
• Rubric (Total: $25$ points):
  • Creativity and Design: $5$
  • Technique and Execution: $5$
  • Attention to Detail: $5$
  • Material Use: $5$
  • Overall Impact: $5$

Related Weaving Traditions and Terms

• Inabel: Bagobo weaving tradition, notably used for cloth like Ilocano abel weaving but represented here as a notable Filipino woven art (examples include Salinta Mononon’s and Magdalena Gamayo’s context).
• T’Nalak: T’boli abaca ikat weaving from Lake Sebu; Lang Dulay’s renowned work.
• T’Nalak: A famous T’boli weaving tradition related to the sacred patterns and dyes used in t’ nalak fabrics.
• PIS SIYABIT, ON INABEL, and T’NALAK: headings listed in the slides indicating focus areas or exemplar pieces (content not provided in the transcript). These indicate major weaving traditions connected to GAMABA honorees.

Connections to Foundational Principles and Real-World Relevance

• The GAMABA program exemplifies intangible cultural heritage preservation by recognizing living custodians of traditional knowledge, aligning with broader cultural preservation and UNESCO-like objectives.
• It demonstrates how communities maintain continuity of practice while adapting to modern contexts, promoting pride, resilience, and identity among Filipino communities.
• The emphasis on transmission (teaching) highlights intergenerational continuity as a core ethical and practical pillar of living heritage.