Nueva Era fuses ‘Oggayam’ in HS curriculum

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff reporter

Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte—As one of the cultural communities in the province of Ilocos Norte, the municipality of Nueva Era has integrated Tingguians’ traditional “Oggayam” in Nueva Era National High School (NENHS) curriculum.

NENHS senior high school coordinator Geralyn Nabaysa said the Oggayam is now being taught in all high school levels of the said school.

Ms. Nabaysa said the Oggayam integration in their curriculum helps preserve their culture. She disclosed that Tingguians, an indigenous peoples (IP) group in this town, comprise at least 80% of their school population.

She added that the integration was based on a study made on the students, and which was presented last year in the first Singapore Institute of Multidisciplinary Research Festival held in Taguig City

The Ilocos Times learned that of the 150 studies presented, the NENHS-owned research entitled “Effectiveness of Simulation in Developing the Student’s Skills in Chanting the Oral Tradition “Oggayam” of the Tingguians” were recognized as a “Reviewers Choice Awardee” from the 11 qualified studies.

“Our study aims to develop the oral skills of the Tingguian youths as well as revitalizing their connection into their Tingguian oral tradition through simulation trainings assisted by the local chanters in the community,” Ms. Nabaysa explained.

Relative to this, Ms. Nabaysa also noted that the school continuously bring Tingguian elders to the school to personally teach the students the proper skills in chanting and reciting the Oggayam.

“We are very lucky to have the opportunity of creating something significant for my fellow Tingguian youths especially [in] our own Tingguian community because the oral tradition Oggayam is obviously fading because our elders who are very competent of the oral tradition are getting old,” Grade 12 student Judielle Mae T. Inong said.

Ms. Inong further stressed that this endeavor would help in the preservation of their culture since the younger generations would learn the proper chanting skills.

NENHS head teacher Henry Langgisan admitted that oral tradition like Oggayam is really fading in this town wherein Tingguian elders are already hard to locate, especially during special occasions where they are needed to join and participate.

“This is the reason why we started to train the students more so that I am also a Tingguian by blood,” Mr. Langgisan said.

Mr. Langgisan usually performs the Oggayam during special occasions in this town.

The Oggayam is a kind of song, which is commonly sang by leaders to celebrate a certain occasion dressed in their native attire and own dialect. It originally comes from the colorful culture of people from Ilocos and Kalinga.

Comments

Free dormitories eyed for Nueva Era students in LC, Batac

Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Nueva Era , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, headed by Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida is planning to establish dormitories in the cities of Laoag and Batac that will exclusively cater to college students from the said cities. “Sapay la kuma ta maituloyen iti mabiit tay ar-arapaapen tayo ken iti munisipyo a maipatakderan kuma dagiti annak tayo a college students nga agbasbasa idiay siyudad iti Batac ken Laoag iti libre a dormitoryo a bukod da ngem inggana nga awan pay ket an-anusan mi paylaeng nga ibaklay kenni apo bise mayor iti pagbayad da iti kasera aggapu iti bukod mi a suweldo malaksid dagitay it-ited iti munisipyo ken iti barangay nga stipend da kada semester, ” Garvida said. Garvida added that the proposed establishment of dormitories would be a big help to the students’ parents as this would shoulder the expenses of their children for rent and likewise they would feel more secured

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

P29 per kilo rice sold to vulnerable groups in Ilocos region

BBM RICE. Residents buy rice for only PHP29 per kilo at the NIA compound in San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. The activity was under a nationwide pilot program of the government to sell quality and affordable rice initially to the vulnerable sectors. (Lei Adriano) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte —Senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents availed of cheap rice sold at PHP29 per kilogram during the grand launching of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice held at the National Irrigation Administration compound in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. “ Maraming salamat Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa inyong pagmamahal sa Region 1 lalong-lalo na sa bayan namin sa San Nicolas,” said Violeta Pasion, a resident Brgy. 18 Bingao in this town. The low-priced grains were sourced from the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) contract farming with irrigators' association members in the province. Along with Pasion, Epi

The Ilocos Times

Search This Blog