KABAYAN, Benguet — The municipal government of Kabayan, in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), launched a two-day training program on traditional Badiw chanting and Tayaw dancing for Indigenous youth on Tuesday, 13 October.
Held at Adaoay National High School in Barangay Adaoay, the initiative aims to preserve ancestral practices and encourage younger generations to carry on their cultural heritage.
Badiw is a traditional form of oral literature in which a lead chanter, usually an elder, delivers improvised poetic verses while participants respond by repeating specific lines or phrases.
The chant is performed during significant community occasions, including weddings, wakes, traditional rituals and spiritual ceremonies.
Meanwhile, Tayaw is a traditional dance practiced by Ibaloi and Kankanaey communities, typically performed in pairs during celebrations and accompanied by gongs and a drum known as the solibao.
Adaoay National High School principal Danny Otinguey opened the program by recognizing the participating organizations and reaffirming the school's commitment to preserving Indigenous cultural values through education.
Municipal Tourism Officer Fernan Bangonan outlined the objectives of the training, emphasizing the importance of passing traditional knowledge to younger generations.
Local official Clarence Badival highlighted the youth's responsibility in maintaining cultural practices, while Kabayan Mayor Rex Alwin Aquisan encouraged participants to become ambassadors of their heritage.
The activity brought together students, teachers, parent representatives, barangay officials and members of other educational institutions.
Organizers said the program seeks to ensure that Badiw and Tayaw remain living traditions practiced by future generations rather than cultural expressions preserved only in historical records.
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