What to Expect at the 1st Budayaw Festival
A grand festivity celebrating the rich creative diversity of four ASEAN nations has been set afloat—the first BUDAYAW Festival, dubbed as 2017 BIMP-EAGA (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines – East ASEAN Growth Area) Festival on Culture and Arts, will happen on September 20 to 24 in General Santos City, Mindanao.
“Budayaw” was coined from the combination of Budaya, a Malay Indonesian word for ‘cultural,’ and Dayaw, a Filipino word for ‘celebration.’ /IMAGE Budayaw Festival Facebook page
This multidimensional and multidisciplinary festival of arts and culture will be kicked off with the theme “Taking Pride in the Creative Diversity of the BIMP-EAGA Region,” throwing a spotlight on the harmony and diversity of creative expressions of contemporary artists and indigenous cultural masters that come from the four countries that include the Philippines. It will also serve as an avenue to increase public awareness and foster solidarity among the peoples within the intertwined cultures of the BIMP-EAGA region.
Budayaw Festival is full of events to look forward to! /IMAGE Budayaw Festival Facebook page
FORMAL OPENING. Budayaw Festival, with a lot of exciting and inspiring activities in store, will officially commence with an opening ceremony at the Greenleaf Hotel in General Santos City on September 20.
EXHIBITIONS. Artists from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines are coming together to showcase their works in different parts of General Santos City. Among the many exhibits to look forward to are Under One Sky: Visual Arts Exhibition in Veranza, an outdoor art installation which will be unveiled during the opening ceremony; Tapestry of Dreams: Ikat Pavilion Showcase in SM City GenSan Trade Hall 1, wherein Ikat weavers will demonstrate their mastery of this unique weaving technique; Muslims in the Philippines Culture and History in SM City GenSan Atrium.
ART TALKS AND INTELLECTUAL DISCUSSIONS. Budayaw Festival is indeed loaded with a lot of events that can give insights into the history, culture, and society of the BIMP-EAGA region. For one, the BIMP-EAGA Colloquium on Cultures and History, a grand conference of scholars, researchers, policy makers and cultural workers, will be held for four days at the Audio Visual Room of the Graduate School of the Mindanao State University.
PERFORMANCES. The festival also has a grand staging of cultural performers and choral singers from the four countries. Group of performers from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines will each take the stage each day of the festival, and will then lead to a collaborative performance on the last day of Budayaw Festival on September 24.
TOURS AND TOURISM FAIRS. To promote the real beauty and harmony of Mindanao that is less often acknowledged by people outside of this Philippine region, there will also be special tour packages offered during the event.
Budayaw Festival is meant to foster a closer relationship among the BIMP-EAGA countries. /IMAGE Budayaw Festival Facebook page
Budayaw Festival will be a biennial celebration, with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines taking turns every two years as hosts of the festival. The Philippines had the honor of hosting the first Budayaw Festival in view of its role as host of the 50th ASEAN this year.
Written by Rizelle “Rei” Leaño
Sources: Budayaw website, Budayaw Festival Facebook page
Images grabbed from Budayaw Festival Facebook page
