Masalon Dulo: Celebrating a victory
A project commissioned by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for Senator Loren Legarda's DAYAW show
Photographs and Art Direction by Dino Dimar
Written by Floy Quintos
How does it feel when an entire community comes together to celebrate an honor bestowed on a clan matriarch?
Dayaw visited with the Blaan of Polomolok to document three days in the life of Bai Yabing. The 104-year-old Blaan matriarch has recently been named a Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan honoree.
Weaving bonds of affection with strangers as she was at weaving the prized abaca ikat that she had gained renown for.
It was a trip worth remembering for the trust that the Dayaw team earned from the community, and from Bai Yabing herself. Initially shy and distant, Bai Yabing revealed herself to be a funny, sensitive, caring host. As adept at weaving bonds of affection with strangers as she was at weaving the prized abaca ikat that she had gained renown for.
Over three days, the Dayaw team documented the process of abaca ikat weaving, from the gathering and processing of the abaca fibers, to the complicated tying and dyeing of the fibers, to the laying out of the threads on the loom. But there was also so much else happening, from a ritual in the river (presided over by Bai Yabing herself) to ordinary encounters with Bai Yabing’s extended family of weavers and assistants. All who were proud of her accomplishment. All who had found, in the honor bestowed on Bai Yabing, a common pride.
These encounters with Filipinos of outstanding grace and beauty are what make the Dayaw trips so rewarding.
This story has been published in the book called Dayaw.
Senator Loren Legarda proposed the idea for the Dayaw documentary series, which is now available as a book, as part of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts' (NCCA) roadmap. Using print and broadcast media, the objective is to popularise both our tangible and intangible cultural legacy.
Senator Loren Legarda is a supporter of Philippine arts and culture as well as the preservation of our national legacy.
For the book, Dino has been commissioned as both the art director and photographer.
For assignment and print inquiry, please send a message to dinoldimar@gmail.com
All images are copyrighted property of Dino Dimar © All rights reserved
These stories offer us a glimpse into a world that we may never have the chance to experience ourselves.
These are a few that made it and are worthy of global dissemination.
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A fragment of Filipino DNA
The HeadOn Photo Awards are among the most prestigious photography contests worldwide, attracting over 10,000 entries from photographers in more than 30 countries. The portrait category is one of the most competitive, with entries from some of the world's most renowned portrait photographers.
Carrying the Talisman story, photographer Dino Dimar from the Philippines has been selected as one of the competition's finalists out of over 10,000 entries from 30 nations.
The winning photographs are now on display at the Bondi Pavilion in Sydney, Australia, from November 10 to December 3, 2023.
Together, let's explore what lies ahead for us.
You can tell me the story you have in mind, and together we can make it come to life.
