Ginaw Bilog

GAMABA Artist

About Ginaw Bilog

Born on January 3, 1953, Ginaw Bilog was a Hanunoo Mangyan from Mindoro who played a key role in preserving the ambahan, a traditional form of Mangyan poetry. The ambahan consists of verses with seven syllables and is passed down through generations by oral tradition or written on bamboo using the ancient Mangyan script, surat Mangyan.

Ginaw understood the significance of ambahan in Mangyan tradition and meticulously wrote this poetry on bamboo and in notebooks to secure their preservation. Ginaw inherited this tradition from his father and grandfather, carrying on their work with dedication.

Throughout his life, Ginaw worked tirelessly to promote and preserve the Mangyan heritage, especially the Ambahan. Even after his death in 2003, his efforts continue to influence many. In recognition of his contributions, he was honored with the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan in 1993 for preserving both the ambahan and surat Mangyan.

In 1997, surat Mangyan was recognized as a National Cultural, and in 1999, it was listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. Ginaw Bilog’s long legacy is still a source of pride for Filipinos and an important element of the country’s cultural history.

Hanunuo Mangyan of Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro, 1953

He was awarded Hanunuo Mangyan of Mansalay for faithfully preserving the Hanunuo Mangyan script and ambahan poetry and promoting it for posterity .

Awards

National Folk Artists Award, 1988

He and other folk artists were awarded the National Folk Artists Award for they reflect the diverse heritage and cultural traditions that transcend their beginnings to become part of Philippines’ national character.

Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan, 1993

Awarded by late President Fidel V. Ramos, he received GAwad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan for his preservation efforts for ambahan poetry.

Ambahan

The ambahan is a traditional form of poetry among the Hanunuo Mangyans, a group of ethnic people living in Oriental Mindoro. The poetry is written in Surat Mangyan, a pre-Spanish script, and has a characteristic meter of seven syllables per line with rhyming end-syllables. The composer tries to conform to the seven-syllable rule by fitting words within the predetermined quantity of syllables, accounting for many elisions and contractions of words. There are exceptions to the rule, including more than seven syllables at the beginning of the ambahan or fewer than seven syllables in a line to preserve its meaning. The most common rhyming syllable is -an, being a regular suffix for verbs and substantives in the Hanunuo-Mangyan language.

It is often presented as a chant without a determined musical pitch or musical instrument accompaniment. Finally, it is meant to express situations or characteristics referred to by the one reciting the poem in an allegorical way, liberally using poetic language. Ambahans are a type of social poetry among the Hanunuo-Mangyans, serving practical purposes within the community, such as educating children, courting, asking for food, or bidding farewell. Verbal contests may arise among Mangyans during festivities, where contestants recite ambahans in response to each other, with the winner determined by who recites last.

Ambahan is traditionally recorded on bamboo. It is inscribed in the material using Surat Mangyan. Ginaw Bilog was recognized for the preservation of his people's tradition in 1993. According to him, ambahan is the key to the Mangyan soul and this was his motivation to continue keeping its scores that were both written on bamboo nodes and in his notebook for this purpose. He has also maintained the ambahan collection of his father and grandfather, which served as his inspiration and guidance in his endeavors. He has shared both collections with his fellow Mangyan and promoted them to other groups on every possible occasion. The mode of transmission of the poetry prevents the carrier from adding his own content or modification, ensuring the purity of the poetry.

Surat Mangyan

Only the Hanunuo and the Buhid from the southern half of Mindoro Island are among the eight Mangyan groups whose writing systems have been verified. Both writing systems, referred to as "Surat Hanunuo Mangyan" and "Surat Buhid Mangyan," were allegedly introduced into Mangyan society from what is now Indonesia sometime in the 12th or 13th centuries. Due to their close geographic vicinity, the syllabic scripts of the Southern Buhid and the Hanunuo Mangyan are similar. On the other hand, the Northern Buhid speak their own syllabary.

Currently, Surat Mangyan, also known as Sulat Mangyan by native Mindorenos become one of the three remaining pre-Hispanic writing systems in the Philippines. It is a variation of the island's historic script, known as Baybayin. The Mangyan people were able to preserve a rich literary legacy because to these pre-Spanish syllabaries, one of the few pre-Spanish writing systems to have survived Spanish dominion (before the early 1500s). Hanunóo writing is primarily utilized to compose love songs or epic poetry known as "ambahan," as well as for casual and passionate correspondence. The writing system is utilized for Hanunóo and other Mangyan languages. Still, it can also be used for other Filipino languages because it essentially follows the same structure as other Baybayin dialects.

Accomplishments

Literary Contributions: He is best known for his poetry, particularly in the "dalit" form, which reflects Filipino cultural themes and traditions.

Promotion of Folk Literature: Bilog played a key role in preserving and promoting Filipino folklore and oral traditions through his writings.

Awards and Recognition: He received various accolades for his contributions to literature, including recognition from the Cultural Center of the Philippines and other literary organizations.

Advocacy for Language: He has been an advocate for the use of the Filipino language in literary works, helping to elevate its status in literature.

Influence on Future Generations: Bilog's work has inspired many writers and poets in the Philippines, contributing to the development of modern Filipino literature.

Appearances

Videos

References

Alegre, E., & Fernandez, D. (2017). Writers & Their Milieu: An Oral History of First Generation Writers in English. Anvil Publishing, Inc. ISBN 978-971-27-2738-2.

Library of Congress. Mangyan Bamboo Collection from Mindoro, Philippines, circa 1900-1939, at the Library of Congress. Retrieved from https://guides.loc.gov/mangyan-bamboo-collection/background#:~:text=Both%20writing%20systems%2C%20called%20%E2%80%9CSurat,the%2012th%20or%2013th%20centuries.

Manlilikha ng Bayan Ginaw Bilog – National Museum. (2022). https://www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph/2022/01/03/manlilikha-ng-bayan-ginaw-bilog/

Postma, A. (1995). Mangyan treasures. Manila: Arnoldus Press, Inc.

Postma, A. (1995). The Ambahan: A Mangyan Poem of Mindoro. Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society, 23(1), 44-61.

Postma, A. (1981). Treasure of a minority. Manila: Arnoldus Press, Inc.

Surat mangayan & Pakudos. Retrieved from https://dfcmtribalmissions.wordpress.com/2016/07/18/surat-mangyan/

MPost. (2023, April 17). Echoes from the forest: The alluring beauty of Hanunuo’s Ambahan. https://mindoropost.com/2023/04/17/echoes-from-the-bamboo-the-timeless-ambahan-poetry-of-hanunuo-mangyan/

Ethnic Groups of the Philippines. (2022, March 31). Hanunoo | Ethnic groups of the Philippines. http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/ethnic-groups-in-the-philippines/hanuno

Members

Apole, Kurt Dion

Cabotaje, Charles Louie

Guinto, Denise

Lacerna, Gabriel Luiz

Monzon, Ryanne Abigail

Nagata, Katsuki

Navaro, Rob

Rosales, Eien Kervi