Sagada's Dennis Faustino in Spotlight

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Sagada Dennis FaustinoDr. Dennis Faustino, an adopted i-Sagada is featured in Inquirer's "An accidental tourist gives back to Sagada". The article described how Dr. Faustino first visited Sagada and how the former school administrator at the International School in Makati eventually became a principal of Sagada's St. Mary's School. I last saw him on my last visit to Sagada in November 2007 - during the 1st death anniversary of my aunt. He kindly offered to give my mother and I a lift from Nangonogan to Dagdag. What's interesting is his new Sagada project - he and his staff are preparing to stage another musical, “Fiddler on the Roof” in Kankana-ey with the working title “Mengasa id Atep” (A Gangsa Player on a Thatched Roof). This version retains the original’s melodies and storyline but is adapted to the local culture. It would be a treat to watch this as he has done great work in Sagada's community musicals in the past. Too bad it wouldn't be possible for me at this time. Photo Credit and Article Link at Inquirer.net.

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Igorots in Seattle: 100 years later

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Jerry Large, a Seattle Times staff columnist wrote a feature on the recently held annual festival that recognized how shabbily the Igorots were treated in a human exhibition in 1909. He starts his article with "After a century, the Igorots are back with an update on how they fit into the world". The writer noted that "Filipinos and Filipino Americans have tended to view the Igorot as a backward culture". He countered that what is really backward is that view. The article mentioned his conversation with several Igorots - Lulu Fang-Asan a professor at Benguet State University; Tony Gomowad, an Episcopal priest and Igorot activist; Caridad Fiar-Od, a retired professor; and Gloria Golocan, president of BIBAK of the Pacific Northwest, and an Igorot nurse based in Seattle. Full Article: Getting it right 100 years later; Photo Credit: Igorot Village: Then & Now

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