Provide a maximum of four academic study/training related awards, prizes or publications you have achieved in the course of your studies - Not specific to any particular qualification you hold (max. 250 words) My paper entitled “Performing the Indigenous: Music-Making Music-Making in the Katagman Festival in Iloilo, Philippines” was accepted as a Lightning Paper at the 4th Symposium of the International Council on Traditional Music (ICTM) Study Group on the Performing Arts of South East Asia (PASEA) to be hosted by Universiti Sains Malaysia and Nusantara Performing Performing Arts Research Center at Penang, Malaysia. It will be read on August 2016 under the Theme – Theme – New New Research: Negotiating Philippine Indigeneity in Dance, Song and Voice. I have participated in the Sing N’ Joy J oy Manila 2013, Philippine International Choral Competition held at Manila, Philippines last December 2013. It was hosted by Interkultur, Germany and by the Manila Broadcasting Compan y. The group won a Silver S ilver Diploma Level 1. I have also participated as a paper p aper presenter in the 2nd National Conference on the Suguidanon (Epic-Chants) of Panay in Iloilo, City last December 2015. I presented m y paper entitled “The Suguidanon as Framework in the Musical Construction, Performance and Aesthetics of Other Panay Bukidnon Musical Genres. Genres.””
On a local level, I was awarded as one of the Young Achievers in the Field of Music and Research in the municipality of Oton. This is an annual competition for outstanding people in the town as a recogitin for their meritorious and exemplary contribution in the municipality. Briefly describe the work of your organisation (max. 250 words) Oton National High School is one of the recognized national institutions that provide basic education to secondary level students in the municipality of Oton, Iloilo. It is considered as one of the big government high schools in the town with a total student population of approximately 3,500 for the school year 2015-2016. The school is a top-performing institution especially in the field of the performing arts. The Special Program in the Arts was started in 2007 with the aim to provide a holistic academic as well as creative arts education to students who wish to enhance their artistic potentials and pursue careers in creative industries. From its inception, it has already bagged several national and international awards such as a Silver Diploma in the Sing N’Joy Manila 2013 Philippine International Choral Competition and the National Festival of Talents Puppetry Competition. Description of your duties/responsibilities (max. 250 words)
As a faculty of the Special Program in the Arts, I teach specialized Music courses focusing on Traditional Performance Arts, Instrumental Music Performance, Music Composition, and Music Technology. Besides that I also have loads in teaching general Music, Art and Health courses for regular students. In addition, I hold research classes for Grade 9 and 10 learners and serve as the adviser of arts-related researches and creative productions. These two requirements culminates student learning in the Grade 10 curriculum. So far, I have advised students to conduct various local cultural researches which would prove to be valuable in the future as knowledge tomes. Besides the responsibilities I hold in school, I also render my services to the municipality as a musician and as an event production committee member if need arises.
Development Relevance
Question One What skills and knowledge do you hope to gain from your proposed study? (max. 250 words)
My interest with the indigenous peoples and their culture started when I took up ethnomusicology. My training as an ethnomusicologist has prepared me to study only one of the major aspects of indigenous cultural expression – music. I am cognizant of the fact that to fully and holistically understand these groups of people I need to have a better worldview and framework as they “see” it. For this to happen, a deeper understanding of indigenous communities and their lives is of primary importance. Through philosophical and methodological discourses in my studies, I wish that I will gain a better lens to fully understand the plight of minority peoples. Moreover, I wish to become more educated in initiating culturally-sensitive capacity-building and communityorganizing activities with the crucial aim of empowering the people. In addition, I hope to be more vocal through writing, research and other advocacy measures that will benefit the communities that I am engaged with. I believe that through writing, I can forge key linkages and prime connections that will help me fully develop my capacity as a scholar and as a cultural advocate. Finally, I believe that by immersing myself with interdisciplinary studies and perspectives, I can gaze upon myself in a global perspective with critical thinking and cultural understanding.
Question Two Why are the skills and knowledge you describe important to your country’s development? (max. 250 words). Where possible you should refer to data and research that supports your argument
Panay indigenous communities are often disempowered due to limited access to good education, facilities and livelihood programs. Moreover, the high costs of living hamper the growth of communities leaving them highly incapacitated. In search for better opportunities, traditional customs and traditions are abandoned and are less performed. More so, issues of cultural grievances that concern ancestral domain are prevalent in various communities. For example, poor marketing strategies threaten the sustainability of traditional embroidery traditions. Moreover, the gradual atrophy of epic-chanting and other vocal music forms has challenged resuscitation efforts. Lately, development aggression has been a key concern among upland peoples with the building of two huge dams that will submerge a sizable portion of the ancestral lands. I see these problems as a result of disempowerment. I sincerely hope that the skills I gain will be highly beneficial in remobilizing communities and encouraging empowerment creating a strong and united people. Through research, I can help resuscitate endangered traditions. For example, my work in creating an archaic Kinaray-a dictionary and conversational module has proved to be very useful in understanding the contexts of Panay Bukidnon vocal forms. Currently, I am involved in documenting most if not all customary laws among this group if people. Research can invigorate not just academic pursuits and general awareness but also the community’s appreciation of their culture.
Question Three How will you use your new knowledge and skills to contribute to the development of your home country? (max.250 words)
Field research and documentation of musical practices in indigenous communities has been my life for three years now. As a cultural researcher, I believe in the power of research as a tool in documenting extant practices and also as a means of renewing the strength of the Filipino identity. Cultural identity and pride are essential in nation-building. Moreover, r esearch can uncover the richness, diversity and beauty of Philippine culture. Through it, Filipinos can ground themselves to their roots and find a common identity to purview the world from within. By educating the youth at an early age about local culture in my province, there is no doubt that their identities can be grounded. As an educator, I have all the means to implement a grassroots working relationship with students in
appreciating and getting involved with culture. I am firmly certain of the key role of the youth in nation-building. Their active involvement in programs that explore, promote and integrate local heritage and traditions are essential cornerstones of a stable and a strong nation. A culturally-grounded youth with a well-developed sense of identity is no doubt a potent catalyst in the development and sustenance of the Philippines.
Competency Questions The following questions will ask you to provide examples that demonstrate particular skills and abilities (competencies) that are important to your future success as a New Zealand Scholar.
It is important that you respond to these questions by: 1) Describing the situation – provide only a brief summary of the setting, the problem, and the people involved. 2) Stating what action you took – this is the most important part, explain what you did to address the situation, what your role was, and why you did the things you did 3) Describe the outcome – did you achieve what was needed? If not, what lessons did you learn? When you write your answers please: Be careful to choose an example that will let you clearly demonstrate how you display the skills and abilities we are looking for Be careful using “we”, be very clear about what you specifically did Keep your answers concise and close to the word limit Be truthful with your examples, as they may be checked through your references An example of a typical question and answer: Describe a situation when you had to identify a problem and generate a solution.
Describe the situation (100 words) The National Festival of Talents holds an annual Shadow Puppetry Competition. This year, I served as the Artistic Director of a team composed of 6 students and 2 teachers. The group showcased the Panay Bukidnon epic “Tikung Kadlum” which earned the championship in the Division and Regional levels. It is a product of my
engagements with the Panay Bukidnon community. This qualified the team in the National Competition held at South Cotabato in Southern Mindanao. Because of the distance and the number of team members, the delegation is financially drained. Thus, the pre-made puppet-theater screen cannot be brought to the competition venue because it will incur additional baggage costs. On a later day, the team has found out that the scene and background dimensions prepared are short for the standard size of the screen suggested by the competition organizers.
What action did you take? (150 words) I made necessary linkages with the local government as well as sought the help of other school and community agencies to help with the finances. Upon arrival in the competition venue, I hired a local carpenter to create a new puppet theater screen. In just two days, I delegated the repair work of damaged puppets due to travel to the students while I fixed the adjustments to the scenes and background by making the screen appear full even if the scenes are short in width. I created the screen appear like a big scroll with the scenes appearing between it covering up a sizeable portion of the screen. What was the outcome? (100 words) With the setbacks and difficulties the team has experienced, happily, the team emerged as the National Champion in the competition.
Relationship Management
Describe a situation when it was important for you to work with someone you didn't know. Describe how you built a good working relationship in a school or work setting. Describe the situation (100 words) I am a performing musician and often gets to meet new fellow musicians on certain performances. For example, I have worked with Korean, Spanish, German and Filipino str ing players for a performance of Vivaldi’s Spring in a local school. A lot of foreign guests will arrive during the event as well as the attendance of school children who are eager to listen to classical music. What action did you take? (150 words) Excellent and sensitive communication skills that are sensitive are necessary to have the music practice finished in time. This is even more challenging considering the differences in language, culture and behavior but music has provided a “proper” practic e decorum that transcends these dissimilarities. I have scheduled practice dates and time in advance for 3 weeks.
For an hour of practice, I and the team are much focused on the practice. After the sessions, I would often invite them to a coffee shop or to a local diner to get to know them personally. Talking about things that are mutually interesting for all, that is music, is a plus factor. Being comfortable with the people I work with is a priority. Harmony in sound as well as in human relationships is still the goal of every musical performance.
What was the outcome? (100 words) The performance was well appreciated by the guests. In fact, they asked for an encore to which the performers played a well-known piece by Ennio Morricone, Gabriel’s Oboe, which I specifically arranged for a flute quintet.
Self Drive
Describe a situation when you had to work very hard to achieve what was required. Describe the situation (100 words)
What action did you take? (150 words)
What was the outcome? (100 words)
Studying Overseas Why did you decide to apply to study in New Zealand or other Pacific location? (max. 250 words)
I am always fond of new adventures and I satiate my curiosity and cravings if I can. More importantly, I like learning something new every day. It is my lifeblood. It makes my mind active and wander to many directions New Zealand has struck a good impression for me ever since I was in high school – as it offers scenic backgrounds along with a rich cultural heritage and of course some hobbits. For me, it is one of the best parts of the world where I can engage with different cultures different from my own and the Pacific region is diverse with this. As a person living in the Pacific area, I am interested to know the link, congruence and dissimilarities of Pacific cultures to my own culture.
From these, I can gain a better purview of the peoples of the world with sensitivity – a trait needed and demanded in a very highly global society. Besides that, New Zealand is an entrepot of scholars trained in diverse disciplines. I can engage with these peoples in the academe that possess a different perspectives and top notch credentials which I believe will mold me to become a better scholar, a researcher, a cultural advocate, an educator and an agent of social transformation.
If you are successful in being awarded a scholarship, what challenges do you think you will face living and studying in a different country, and how do you intent to overcome these? Include both study and family requirements. (max 250 words) Although I have been to many places in the Philippines, I have not encountered problems in communicating with different peoples who come from different social backgrounds because of the relatively close cultural milieu. On the other hand, being in a new environment such as in New Zealand where I do not have first-hand knowledge of the customs, traditions, work ethics, taboos and personality schemas can be very challenging. However, I learn fast especially if there are people who can assist me through the adjustment phase. Thus, gaining good friends in a new country is vital. For my studies, I need to be clear on how the educational system works so that I can strategically manage my time and resources to successfully finish, fulfil and meet the requirements of the degree. I have a clear focus in achieving my goals. My family understands this and are confident in having me pursue what I want. It is already a normal occurrence for me to be away from home as I strive for independence in whatever undertakings I have.
