MANILA, Philippines—Her story has the elements of a Filipino fairy tale: an ethnic tribe, a royal lineage, colorful court dances, and New York.
For Potri Ranka Manis, her noble Muslim heritage is not something to be closely guarded but shared with the world. And she has been doing just that in the Big Apple, through the Kinding Sindaw dance troupe which she founded in 1992.
The group pushes into the international limelight the indigenous and pre-colonial culture of the Philippines by performing, in particular, royal court dances of the Maranao lake tribe, from which Manis hails from.
They also showcase Muslim Mindanao arts and traditions by performing its epics, legends, myths, and martial arts, and holding cultural forums and workshops on ethnic Philippine culture.
Manis is a Bai a Labi a Gaus, daughter of a late Sultan a Gaus, in Borocot village, Maguing municipality in Lanao Del Sur. According to precolonial tradition, Borocot is considered the 15th Pagawidan, or “pillar,” of the Pat a Pangampong ko Ranao or the four “states” of Lanao.
Manis grew up in Borocot, immersed in her tribe’s traditions. A registered nurse, she started work in Saudi Arabia in 1985, before moving to the United States in 1990. Though now based in New York as Kinding Sindaw’s artistic director, she proudly affirms: “I am 100-percent living my Maranao roots. It is this heritage that keeps me and Kinding Sindaw going.”
December last year, Kinding Sindaw was conferred the Banaag award in the Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas. “The President recognizes its sense of pride and dedication to the promotion of indigenous Filipino culture and art forms, particularly from the Southern Mindanao region, through its world-class performances,” organizing government agency Commission on Filipinos Overseas wrote in its program.
‘Dance of Light’
The group’s name is the Maranao term for “Dance of Light,” and so far, the 40-member team has been living up to it by illuminating a culture that would otherwise be overlooked.
Through dance they tell the stories at the heart of the Philippine Muslim community, from “Rajah Mangandiri,” an adaptation of the Indian epic “Ramayana;” the T’boli epic “Lemlunay;” the Mindanao moon and sun legend “Irimun O' Banag;” to the historical “Sultan Kudarat,” about the ascent to leadership of a
Maguindanao chief; “Parang Sabil,” an original play written by Manis based on a Tausug ballad; “Phetanding Ko Bayanan,” about Maranao life and history;. and the most recent “Pandibulan,” about the Yakan people from the Basilan Island.
The poised dancers often don traditional colourful silk robes and scarves, “batik malongs,” shimmering accessories, fans. They would sway, spin, and mimic nature movements to percussion-based music from gongs, the bronze kettle drum set “kulintang,” and other ethnic instruments like the bamboo zither “salunay,” the lute-like “kudlung,” or the bamboo harp “kubing.” Kinding Sindaw has even employed “silat” martial artists to add to its authenticity.
When they are not onstage, the group also visit museums, schools, libraries, educating the public about the culture, history and current status of Filipino Muslims. They also collaborate with Filipino agencies and hold benefit shows for immigrants, indigents, disaster victims in the Philippines.
With its exotic charm, it is no wonder the group has attracted even non-Filipino members. While the group is mostly composed of Pinoys, some of them from Muslim tribes.
“Kinding Sindaw has an open-door policy of being an international group. Our membership includes African-Americans, Puerto Rican-Americans, Jewish-Americans,” Manis says.
In 2000, Kinding Sindaw was signed as a resident of the La Mama Experimental Theater Club in New York, where their performances have earned accolades from the American art community, getting nods from publications such as the New York Times and the Village Voice. They have performed across the United States, and occasionally, in the Philippines.
Irony
Ironically, while Kinding Sindaw is a hit among Westerners, Manis admits the group has yet to gain the full support of Filipinos.
“In the beginning, Filipinos in America were not really supportive of Kinding Sindaw. Some even tried to convince their neighbors and friends not to let their kids join because they said it was Muslim. Some of them even campaigned that I was not authentic,” Manis revealed.
But Manis pressed on despite the wariness, wishing only that Filipinos would conquer the habit one day in light of a bigger dream.
“I was conscious that if this tradition that was transmitted to me by my elders did not continue by teaching and by performance, it would be forgotten, cut off from our identity and eventually our self-esteem,” Manis shared.
She called on every Filipino to proudly reclaim what she describes as an “ancient, noble heritage.” “Instead of allowing a colonial mentality to persist, reclaiming this heritage will remind every Filipino to bring out the ‘bayani’ (hero) consciousness and the ‘bayanihan’ (communal) consciousness again.”
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Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer
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