FERDINAND EMMANUEL R. MARCOS, JR.
President
ENRIQUE A. MANALO
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
MARIE YVETTE L. BANZON ABALOS
Consul General
NATIONAL HERITAGE MONTH 2020 – BATEK/BATOK
In the Philippines, there is a tradition that has been practised by women for many years. This is popularly referred to as “batok” meaning the art of tattooing your body with tribal designs using bamboo stick and thorn.
Batok is believed to have been practised for about one thousand years. Usually, Filipino women who have reached the right age are allowed to get tribal designs to enhance their beauty. But this art of beauty is not just left to women only. Men that have proved themselves worthy enough to get the mark of beauty are allowed to participate in mambabatok tradition.
Apo Whang-Od, known to be the last ‘mambabatok’ has been tattooing women and headhunters in the region of Kalinga for more than seventy years.
Meet the legendary woman and learn about the stories of ‘batok,’ Buscalan’s traditional tattoo.
Dive into the Philippines intangible heritage culture!
WATCH: “Ang Babae sa Likod ng Mambabatok”
https://www.youtube.com/
NATIONAL HERITAGE MONTH 2020 – PUNNUK
Tugging rituals and games in the rice-farming cultures in East and Southeast Asia are enacted among communities to ensure abundant harvests and prosperity. They promote social solidarity, provide entertainment and mark the start of a new agricultural cycle. Many tugging rituals and games also have profound religious significance.
In the Philippines, the Punnuk of the Ifugao has been around for at least a thousand years but has only been revived about 20 years ago.
Both the local and national governments are exerting efforts to help organize the punnuk to further ensure community involvement and
to further preserve the punnuk tradition and the culture of the people as a whole.
Dive into the Philippines’ intangible cultural heritage!
MORIONES FESTIVAL OF THE PEOPLE OF MARINDUQUE
Marinduque’s Moriones festival is one of the most colorful festivals in the country. The participants use morion masks to depict the Roman soldiers and Syrian mercenaries within the story of the Passion of the Christ.
Under the domain of rituals and festive events, the Moriones Festival is being proposed for nomination by the Philippines for inclusion in the intangible cultural heritage lists within the coming few years.
Keep this tradition alive, dive into the Philippines’ intangible cultural heritage!
INTERNATIONAL ART CONTEST “UNTITLED LAND”
In “Untitled Land,” artist Joel L. Geolamen envisions a world where natural resources are protected and conserved, and the environment is well taken care of, with ecosystem preserved.
Let’s show support for the Philippines and vote for his work at “The Future We Want,” an international art contest organized by the UN Offices in Geneva (UNOG) in celebration of the United Nation’s 75th Anniversary.
Voting starts on 15 May and ends on 15 June 2020. Visit https://
NATIONAL HERITAGE MONTH 2020 – KAPAYVANUVANUWA
Another element of our intangible cultural heritage that is being proposed for nomination for UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list is the KAPAYVANUVANUWA, a fishing ritual of the Ivatan of Batanes.
Learn more about the Ivatan’s Kapayvanuvanuwa ritual and their stories of deep connection with the sea and help preserve this cultural heritage.
DIve into the Philippines’ intangible cultural heritage!
WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/
Transparency
