Monday, April 7, 2014

B'laan Dance, Costumes Add Meaning to Retreat Center Opening


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.   

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..

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. 


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. 


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.






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