Skip to main content

The Endemic Flora of Cuartero

Tungaw-Tungaw
Kristine Rose M. Fabuna
Acrylic on canvas, 2021
"Sang una nga panahon kun kami ara sa talon
Litik-litik sang Tungaw-Tungaw amon ginakaun
Para maka sapin-sapin
Sang amon nga gutom."
Translation: 
"Once upon a time when we were in the forest
We ate shredded tungaw-tungaw 
To satisfy our hunger."

The Endemic Flora of Cuartero paintings were created by the students of Cuartero National High School in Capiz under the Special Program in the Arts project entitled: Dunang Maduagon,  A Visual Documentation of Cuartero Endemic Flora. Dunang maduagon means naturally colorful. The goals of the thesis and study were to bring to light various flora endemic in the municipality and make the community aware of their importance and uses. Furthermore, the study sought to provide not only written documentation but also visual representation of the flora through these paintings. Mrs. Roda Henorga was the Thesis/Production Adviser and Ramie Capuyan was the Program Head, SPA. The visual artists who participated in this project were:
Cristane Adiong
Christian Lloyd Barla
CJ Delfin
Kristene Rose Fabuna
Erikh James Mestidio

These paintings were executed in 2021, at the height of the pandemic, when locals turned to raising plants to counter the long and stressful days spent at home and to bring color and life amidst the catastrophic effects of the Covid-19 virus that caught the world by surprise. 

I've also included with the paintings their specific luwa (lowa), folk poetry composed of four lines with ending words that rhyme. Luwa were, for the most part, about love. Ms. Roda Henorga wrote the luwa for these paintings 

Luwa was originally practiced at the wake of a deceased person to provide a break or entertainment to the mourners. It was a form of punishment in a game called Bordon where the person caught with the ring (or pebble) that is passed among the participants must recite a luwa. This form of oral poetry has been kept alive to this day by three women who are the cultural masters of luwa. They are Suprema Fabiana, Socorro Basamot and Maternidad Hamasa.

Tapulanga
CJ Delfin
Acrylic on canvas, 2021
"Kung ikaw may uyapos nga mapula
Indi na magkabalaka
Ang dahon sang Tapulanga tuktuka
Kag gilayon ini bulunga."
Translation:
"If you have a red boil
Don't worry
Pound a leaf of Tapulanga
To heal it with."

Lirio
Christian Lloyd C. Barla
Acrylic on canvas, 2021
"Sa pagselebrar sang Flores de Mayo
Ginahalad sa altar ang bulak sang Lirio
Ang iya unod bulong man nga epektibo
Nga ga pakuha sa guya sang itom-itom nga indi maayo."
Translation:
"To celebrate Flores de Mayo (flowers of May)
We offer the Lirio flower at the altar
It is also effective
To clear the ugly black spots from the face."

Malunggay
CJ Delfin
Acrylic on canvas, 2021
"Sa kilid sang balay
May nagtubo nga Malunggay
Ang ido nagalahay
Kay nagpuksi si Inday "
Translation:
"Beside the house
A malunggay grows
The dog barked
When Inday tore a piece from it."

Sampaliya 
Cristane C. Adiong
Acrylic on canvas, 2021
" Sa higad dalan nag sab-it
Kung ilakot sa labog manamit
Sampaliya nga mapait
Sa lawas may benefit "
Translation:
"By the side of the road it hangs
If you mixed it with roselle, it's tasty
The bitter Sampaliya 
Benefits the body as well." 

Saging-Saging
Christian Lloyd C. Barla
Acrylic on canvas, 2021
"Ang Saging-Saging ginagamit pang dekorasyon
Sa mga fiesta kag mga okasyon
Madamo sa palibot kag madali lang kuhaon
Kag wala nagakalaya sa gilayon."
Translation:
"The saging-saging is used for decoration
For fiestas and other occasions
You can find many around you
And doesn't wither easily."

Sentimento
Cristane C. Adiong
Acrylic on canvas, 2021
"Sang ako nasandad
Tuhod ko nasamad
Ang akon ginpuga
Iya sang Sentimento nga duga."
Translation:
"When I tripped
My knee broke
I squeezed 
A Sentimento."

Rosas de Baybayon
Kristine Rose M. Fabuna, 
Acrylic on canvas,2021
"Kun bulong sa altapresyon
Sa palibot lang pangitaon
Gamot sang Rosas de Baybayon
Laga-on kag paga imnon."
Translation:
"If you're looking for treatment for high blood pressure
Find it around you
The medicine from Rosas de Baybayon
Boil then drink it."

Many thanks to Fretzie Henderin Feria from Balay Mapanag in Cuartero and Ms. Roda Henorga for allowing us to exhibit these paintings at Bitoy's and giving us the opportunity to learn about the  flora of Cuartero and its unique folk poetry.

These paintings will be on display at Bitoy's on Baybay Beach, Roxas City, Capiz beginning  February 21, 2023. 


*****

Images by TravelswithCharie 
Labels:
Location: Cuartero, Capiz, Philippines

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Filipino Struggles in History - Carlos Botong Francisco

In 1968, Antonio Villegas (then Mayor of Manila), commissioned Carlos "Botong" Francisco to paint the history of Manila for Manila City Hall. The series of large scale paintings was called  Kasaysayan ng Maynila  (History of Manila).  The paintings deteriorated over time and no attempt was made to preserve these historical canvases until 2013 when Mayor Amado Lim sent them to the National Museum for extensive restoration. Four years later, in 2017, Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada and the Manila City Council signed an agreement with the National Museum to leave the paintings at the museum so they may reach a larger audience in exchange for museum grade reproductions to replace the originals. Kasaysayan ng Maynila was later renamed Filipino Struggles in History and is now on display at the Senate Hall of the National Museum . Carlos "Botong" Francisco died in March 1969, a few months after completing the paintings. He is one of the first Filipino modernists and
Post a Comment
Read more

The Art of Carlos Botong Francisco - Progress of Medicine in the Philippines

Pre-colonial period Pag-unlad ng Panggagamot sa Pilipinas (The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines) is a group of four large-scale paintings depicting healing practices in the Philippines from pre-colonial times to the modern period. Carlos Botong Francisco was commissioned in 1953 by  Dr. Agerico Sison who was then the director of Philippine General Hospital (PGH) together with   Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing of the National Museum, Dr. Florentino Herrera, Jr. and Dr. Constantino Manahan. These oil on canvas paintings measure 2.92 meters in height and 2.76 meters in width (9.71 ft x 8.92 ft) and were displayed at the main entrance hall of PGH for over five decades. Owing to its location, the artworks were in a state of "severe deterioration" at the beginning of the 21st century from exposure to heat, humidity, dirt, dust, smoke, insect stains, grime, termites and an oxidized synthetic resin used in an earlier restoration. These canvases were restored three times, the last was
1 comment
Read more

8 Heritage Houses of Iloilo

Lizares Mansion The province of Iloilo on the island of Panay has a rich trove of heritage houses, left over from the sugar industry boom in the 19th century. Iloilo also had the largest port in the Philippines at that time which facilitated the export of sugar to foreign shores and deposited money in the hands of the sugar barons. The barons dropped their earnings into the acquisition of properties in Negros and the construction of beautiful homes in Iloilo, many of which are located in the vicinity of the Jaro Cathedral. The Lizares Mansion was built in 1937 by Don Emiliano Lizares for his wife, Concepcion Gamboa and five children. The family fled to safety when World War II broke out and the house was occupied by the Japanese military. The family returned to the house after the war but left once again after the demise of Don Emiliano. It was sold to the Dominican order in the 1960s and was converted in 1978 to a private school, Angelicum School. The mansion now houses the
2 comments
Read more