An Invitation from Marlene Po, President of the Museum Volunteer of the Philippines (MVP)
Please reserve MONDAY, 3rd DECEMBER 2007 from 6:00 pm onwards for a very special event at the National Museum of the Philippines. (Finance Building,Agrifina Circle, Manila)
The event is the launch of a village museum initiated by an indigenous group, the B’laan.
The village has the lovely name of Lamlifew
and it is in the highlands of the province of Sarangani, Mindanao.
The village museum will be devoted to the propagation
of information and seedlings of the impressive number of
upland rice varieties that, surprisingly,continues to exist in the B’laan highlands.
More than 100 varieties have been documented.
The colors alone are astounding. Ten varieties will be for sale
in 2, 4 and 5 kilo volumes packed in their basket weave.
On December 3, we will be partaking of preparations
of some of the rice varieties.
Four Lamlifew women are coming, and one of them will
be singing for us traditional B’laan songs.
We will also be viewing the first elements,
mainly photographs, that will be part of the Lamlifew Village Museum.
A bit of backgroundA few years ago, Lamlifew women formed
an association to manage the trading of their beadwork and weaving.
Eventually, they registered that association with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
The villagers of Lamlifew have now decided that
they wish to have a museum.
They also decided on what they intend the focus to be:
rice, food, and associated traditions of the B’laan ethnolinguistic group.
Aware of a research study on rice conducted by the
Indigenous Peoples Development Program (IPDP)
of the Government of Sarangani,
the Lamlifew residents—all B’laan—have a fresh
appreciation of the value of the more than 100 varieties
of rice documented during this study.
Many of these upland varieties of rice are
only planted in extremely interior villages of Sarangani,
most of which are practically inaccessible.
This modest effort of creating a village museum
has considerably great dimension.
Curating this museum for them, Marian Pastor-Roces
subsequently introduced them to the leadership of the National Museum.
At the provincial level, it was Governor Migs Dominguez himself
who instituted the Indigenous Peoples Development Program (IPDP)
of the Sarangani Government – the first-ever agency under
his office created in response to a demographic fact:
more than 50% of the population of his province is indigenous.
The IPDP, with a staff speaking indigenous languages,
has been quite consistent with sustaining independent
initiative on the part of villagers.
As for myelf, it is such an exciting and enriching experience
to help Marian Pastor-Roces(my “role model”, who is a museum designer,
tectile expert and regular MVP lecturer)
on this project and to collaborate with the B’laan of
Lamlifew, the IPDP staff and... Gov. Migs!
So don’t miss out on this evening of singing, wining,
dining, shopping, and engaging interacting!
See you there!
The National Museum of the Philippines
The Provincial Government of Sarangani
TAOINC
and The Lamlifew Tribal Women’s Association
cordially invite you to an evening gathering on the
occasion of the launch of The Lamlifew Village Museum
The first Philippine museum being initiated by our kin
The indigenous B’laan of Sarangani
The Lamlifew Village Museum takes for its topic
the numerous varieties of upland rice, which the many villages in the
upper reaches of Sarangani continue to propagate.
Ten varieties of upland rice, of various colors,
will be sold by B’laan women from Lamlifew,
Malungon, Sarangani, during this occasion.
Examples of upland rice-based foods will be served.
The B’laan women will also present traditional songs
and instrumental music.
6 in the eveningMonday, 3 December 2007
Superb cocktails to be served.
Ground level, Museum of the Filipino People
National Museum of the Philippines (Former) Finance
Building, Agrifina Circle, Manila RSVP (0917) 970-0052 Marlene Po
