Cultural workers vs mainstream artists

DKK revolutionizing deceptive arts   

By ROCKY NGALOB
www.nordis.net

“Literature, culture and art are part of the whole revolutionary cause; they are cogs and wheels in the whole revolutionary machine.” – Mao Tse Tung

NEW BREED OF CULTURAL ARTISTS. Young members of the Dap-ayan ti Kultura ti Kordilyera internalized their acts deriving their lines and emotions from the actual experiences of the people. The play was part of the 2013 anniversary activities of DKK

I can still remember my first theatre performance with Dap-ayan ti Kultura iti Kordilyera (DKK) entitled “Essence of a Woman” which we performed before IP women delegates in an IP women forum, that changed my socio-political views as a performer from a cultural artist and strive to be a cultural worker.

It was DKK that showed me the difference between an artist and a cultural worker. I am sure most of us have already seen one of their theatre plays along the streets of Baguio or heard one of their songs being played on the radio inside the busses on our vacation trips to our towns or provinces in the Cordillera. But unlike other artist groups, DKK projects deep socio-political messages in their songs, visual arts and theater plays that they want to impart to their listeners and audiences.

OLD AND NEW. DKK dance and sing the 'Mangagawang Pangkultura' to culminate their 24th anniversary concert in University of the Cordilleras 

On its 23rd anniversary which was observed earlier this month, allow me to share a glimpse of its nature that distinguishes a cultural worker from a mainstream artist. Though most of us are confused because both are into visual and performing arts, but on a critical observation of their works will tell you that they put across different socio-political and economic orientations. As the saying goes, “Ang artista ay gumagawa ng isang obra habang ang mangagawang pangkultura ay lumilikha ng sigwa”

AMA MACLI-ING DULAD. DKK, in one of their street plays portray the heroism to the assassination of one Cordillera's Pangat (elder/leader) Ama Macliing Dulag  

A mainstream artist creates works of art to merely express his/her impressions of beauty, crudeness or feelings while a cultural worker’s art aims to liberate the minds of the audience from the shackles or limitations of a rotten and mainstream culture. In crafting words, a typical author jots down words on thick volumes of paper to be sold or to build a profitable career and to be “rich and famous”, while a cultural worker uses pen and paper as a weapon to teach readers how to struggle with the wider community.
               “Ang sining ng isang mangagawang pangkultura ay paglaya ang nais kamtin. 
               Nagsusulat ang artista ng akda upang makilala habang ang akda ng mangagawang                            pangkultura naman ay sandata sa pakikibaka.”

SETTING THE TONE. DKK takes center stage before the community folks of Kalinga as they perform 'Panagsubli'

Images being painted by an artist are illusions while a painting from a cultural worker illustrates the revolution. Furthermore most images painted by a mainstream artist can be very surreal and bizarre whereas limiting the message only to artists alike. In contrast to cultural workers whose paintings and images are simple and easy for the common masses to digest. 
               “Ang bawat imaheng likha ng artista ay isang ilusyon... 
               habang mga imaheng ipinipinta ng mangagawang pangkultura ay ang rebulosyon.”

A soil painting expressing the ills of commercializing culture

Movements from the body of an artist are set to only entertain, so are the usual messages from their music. If movements and music from artists are for entertainment, cultural worker’s movements are based on true experiences from the struggles of the Filipino masses. Also, the choice of venues for performance differ from each other where as artists perform on vast stages inside gymnasiums and theatre centers coupled with camera flashes and spotlights, while cultural workers execute their act adapting to the streets and available spaces inside communities. 
               “Ang bawat galaw ng artista ay nang aaliw... 
               habang ang pilantik ng mangagawang pangkultura ay naghihimagsik. 
               Nota mula sa mga artista ay nanghuhumaling o di kaya'y nagpapakilig... 
               habang sa mangagawang pangkultura ay puspus ng dakilang pag-ibig.”

The grandest stage of them all is before the common masses. Photo taken in Kalinga

Hence, based on what Mao said we can say that the mainstream artist promotes deceptive types of art, disguising the rotten system plaguing society. Meanwhile, cultural workers aim to crush the deceptive art that is continuously hypnotizing apathy upon the oppressed masses. 
               “Ang artista ay artista lamang sa esensya... 
               habang ang mangagawang pangkultura sa esensya ay isang mandirigma”. 
The candlelight DKK still struggles to hold up in the dark of a chaotic system.