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Let's
start them young: Story-telling for the Young Day Care Pupils
(An effort in re-educating the Boholano Youth)
*by Ms Rose Rara
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Not
all the children may know exactly what an ubi kinampay
is, but they surely were aware and may have tasted ube
jam. The tigmo (rhyming couplets or riddles) given them
may have sounded unfamiliar, but the Day Care pupils recited
animatedly imitating how to say the riddles and in guessing
them; as they have truly enjoyed singing the folksong
"May Kabaw" acting how to "tugway the abaw'ng
gialimahan". The hand puppets were perhaps too simple
and the three |
khouses,
horse, dog, and other artistic props (made of recycled boxes
and twigs of a tree) not exactly sophisticated, and the voice
talents of the KAKA (Kaliwat ni Karyapa Literary Group) members,
amateurish; = but all these surely added life to the lively
story-telling of the legend: "Nganong Humot ug Lamian ang
Kinampay sa Bohol?" (Why the Kinampay of Bohol is fagrant
and delicious, a Boholano folklore as retold by Maria Caseñas,
1954).
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But
the outreach activity, overall, has provided the young
pupils of the Day Care Centers of Tiptip (February 09),
San Isidro (Centro-February 16), and Cabawan (February
23), a chance to dabble in creative expressions: drawing
in pencils and crayons, what they have understood of
the legend, and have enjoyed during their half-day exposure
to Boholano folklore, through the tigmo, folksongs and
the story-telling.
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Telling
bedtime stories to the young is a child's favorite and a regular
Filipino family activity. This, however, is being challenged
by the varied electronic toys and gadgets grabbing the attention
of the modern child. Replacing these stories are the many
computer games and activities which, incidentally, discourage
team effort and cooperation, and instead promote individualistic
personalities.
The outreach program, dubbed as "Istorya: Boholano Oral
Literary Tradition" is one of the activities prepared
by the Literary Committee of the Bohol Arts Culture Heritage
(BACH) Council in cooperation with the Center for Culture
and Arts Development (CCAD) of the provincial government for
the February celebration of the National Arts Month this year,
which bears the theme, "Ani sa Sining, Bahandi sa Kaliwat".
The prepared outreach activity springboards future efforts
of the Literary Arts Committee to re-acquaint the Boholano
youth to his culture and traditions in his search for self-identity.
It is sad to note that these young individuals are daily bombarded
with western culture influences brought about by popular media
of television, radio and the internet.
Finally, in grateful recognition- the Literary Committee would
like to mention the cooperation of Mrs. Teresita Villafuerte,
Social Welfare Development Officer of Tagbilaran City, Day
Care teachers, namely: Catalina Naparota (Tiptip), Natividad
Ugat (San Isidro-Centro) and Emma Ihalas (Cabawan) and the
community leaders, such as Barangay Captains Engr Restauro,
Antonio Caseñas, and Allan Onyot.
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