Performer and artist Waway Saway said the art works will be a centerpiece for the annual celebration on October 10, 2010, touted as a visual showcase of the Talaandig culture, identity, and history.
He told MindaNews the paintings will feature characters of the Ulaging or Talaandig epic, the Talaandig history of creations, and other facets of the Talaandig experiences.
Saway said artists from the Talaandig and friends from other tribes are collaborating for the arts festival. He said the event, to feature also indigenous people’s handicrafts and food, including coffee, will extend for weeks in the Talaandig community in Songco.
He said this would be an opportunity for the tribe to showcase its life and identity and for the public to see some of the treasures of the Talaandigs.
He said students, art enthusiasts and others could visit and view the street exhibits and experience life in the Talaandig community.
But Saway admitted they need to prepare for resources for the needs of artists and those who will be helping them.
He said they are filming a documentary on “war on waste” to help raise awareness and funds for the 1001 paintings project. He said they are open for grants but they do not have plans to depend on it.
Saway started shooting the film earlier this month, and will use the film for a nationwide fund-raising campaign starting June next year.
The environmental film, he said, is meant to raise consciousness on the cleanup drive as part of the action against global warming.
But he said they planned to raise funds, too, for the paintings with the environmental campaign.
He said it is not effective to address the environmental hazards of proper waste management by ordering people to do this or that.
“The film plans to showcase how even Talaandig children are doing the cleanup,” he said.
Saway told MindaNews last year he was also interested in publishing illustrated books on the Talaandig nanangen (oral stories) for children. At that time, he was fresh from attending the 4th Nami Island International Children’s Book Festival from May 1 to June 30 last year. (Walter I. Balane / MindaNews)
