Tatlo sa Isa,Great Convergence: A Twist in my Story

                The MSU-IIT IPAG( Integrated Performing Arts Guild) produced a very substantial event, a cultural show which they named “Tatlo sa Isa” in line with the Mindanao Week of Peace and in resemblance with the different tribes/culture originating in the aforementioned island. From here, a very crucial engagement of mine sprouted that night of November 30,2012. This is how it all went through.

                Being obliged to watch the cultural show for a reaction paper purpose, I paved the way to the MSU-IIT gymnasium that Friday night though it’s contradictory to my will. Cultural shows? They’re kind of boring. They’re stuffs I could barely relate with. But, it’s a required thing so I must go with the flow no matter what. Overpowered by my opposing will, no wonder, I came to the gym late and tried to locate the perfect place to sit on while all the screams of the audience came perturbing my head, which was still unconscious of what’s going on. Right there, from where I sat, I caught the perfect view towards the stage. With my naked and surprised eyes, I witnessed the performers of IPAG, wrapped with colorful costumes and adornments, performing a dance number. The instruments used also caught my attention because those were native instruments like improvised drums and agong which were beaten perfectly by the instrumentalists.  It was very evident  that the performers of IPAG are very skillful artists and most likely international artists in a very high-class performance. From body gestures to facial expressions and from simple to complex stunts, they brought it out to the spectators flawlessly with no noticeable lapses.  It was like “ perfect flexibility + perfect gracefulness = incredible performance”.  By that, I was starting to enjoy the show with their hard-to-reach skills engrossing me so much.

                As the show progressed, with IPAG at the peak of their greatness, I was slightly interrupted about the whole “watching” thing. The show was named “Tatlo sa Isa”and I actually expected that there would just be 3 presentations, be it a dance, song or drama but what happened was there’s a series of dance numbers depicted from the different kinds of people (distinguished through their costumes). My doubts were all washed out when I finally conceived the essence of the show. This is now the idea behind it: Tatlo Sa Isa, because it’s a GREAT convergence of the three kinds of people in Mindanao: Moros, Lumads and Christian settlers. For me, it was not just convergence alone but  it’s more on unification of the people in different culture and tradition which defines “PEACE”.  That made me explicitly proud of the directors and all the persons involved in their production for such a unique arrangement .

Consequently,for a moment, I became sentimental. I was preoccupied with the beauty of the past where the origin of my identity lies. “What was Mindanao many years ago?, I asked myself”. Then,  I felt regretful of how the diversity of the Philippine culture and tradition transcends over time that I became so unaware and even not giving importance to the unaltered one. This diversity of culture, it’s not completely a destruction though because it has also been beneficial to some extent, became the main reason that most Filipinos already neglected and took for granted the core of its existence. I know that I’m already part of the modernized Philippines embracing partly a Hollywood lifestyle. Yet, I felt insecure with that simple and productive lifestyle of the past which I once tried to underestimate.

The whole idea I presented defines the “TWIST” I was mentioning at the commencement of this essay which basically constitutes to the distortion of my previous views. Twist of my story, because through my engagement/experience of  watching such a wonderful show, I came to the idea of treating  the minorities (people in different tribes) with respect and even pride because they remain firm to withstand their culture over the presence of surrounding influences. Perhaps, they altered their tradition a bit, but not as severe of discarding everything.

Past defines our identity and not knowing ‘bout it  is the greatest mistake one could ever commit. Thus, I got to learn from my past, connect it with the present and perhaps I could see more trifling things that are absolutely of great importance.  I therefore salute the IPAG for letting me realize what I’ve MISSED. Two thumbs up! J