B’laan dance and colourful costumes added significance to
the ceremony that marked the recent opening of the Malungon Retreat and Training
Center in Sarangani province. The B'laan are indigenous people of Mindanao known for their intricate bead work and brass work.
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| CCT staff, beneficiaries of its microfinance program, and construction workers who belong to the B'laan tribe worship the Lord through the performance of traditional dance movements during the praise and worship portion of the Malungon Retreat and Training Center dedication ceremony.. |
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| Ruth Callanta, president and founder of CCT joins B'laan staff and community partners (above) and B'laan construction workers (below)in a worship dance.  |
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| Here and in following pictures, B'laan housekeeping and kitchen staff perform a traditional dance in which a childless wife implores another woman to share the blessing of fertility. |
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| Music for the dance is played on a dhol, a B'laan percussion instrument. The dhol above is owned by Flanek (B'laan for sister) Kinsay Tagnaan (left) who says the hollow log instrument is older than her. |
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| White designs on these women's blouses are beads carefully sewn on so that even when the blouses are worn at events like these and handed down to the next generation, not a single bead falls off. |
The
retreat venue is built on a 72-hectare piece of property where the Center for
Community Transformation has been ministering to members of the B’laan tribe
for more than a decade through children’s education, micro finance, spiritual
development and other programs.
For inquiries and booking information, please get in touch
with Eva Lope, CCT partner development officer / guest coordinator at
evaranlope@yahoo.com.ph, evamlope@gmail.com, 09192933157, 09232497605, and
8066912.
Photos: Harold Nacis and Myra Gaculais del Rosario
