Promoting and safeguarding Marinduque’s heritage in folk music

Several provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao, two of the Philippines’ island clusters, boast of well-known folk dances and songs. But in Marinduque, an island province in southern Luzon, its music heritage is yet to be fully conserved, revitalized and appreciated anew. This is what Dr. Rex Emmanuel Laurel Asuncion is embarking on so as to prevent Marinduque’s rich cultural identity from vanishing. His mission is to document its traditional songs and revive this tradition.

Asuncion’s journey began in childhood, when he was captivated by the short songs sung by the elderly in his community. These songs, unlike the popular kundiman and love songs, held positive values and reflected the local culture. This sparked his curiosity and led him to delve deeper into the world of Marinduqueños folk music.

With meticulous research, Asuncion was able to transcribe and document several fascinating selected folk songs, including “Alamat ng Dalawang Puting Gansa” (The Legend of the Two White Geese), “Sulong, Aking Tandang” (Take Charge, My Rooster), “Isang Buong Dayap” (A Whole Lime), “Dalagang Parang” (Lady of the Fields) and many more.

Asuncion’s dedication to preserving Marinduque’s music heritage is evident in his published work, PAKINGGI: Compilation of Selected Marinduque Island Folksongs Piano Arrangement for Early Beginners.

This was first published in 2011 and again in 2018. This book, copyrighted by the National Library, serves as a valuable resource for learning and appreciating the island’s unique folksongs.

His research process ensures the preservation of the original melodic pattern, lyrics and function in the community by prioritizing authenticity, thus making the traditional songs remain true to their original form.

The process involves collaborating with people over 60, as suggested by National Artist Ramon Obusan. By recording their voices and working with them to refine the music, the research is able to preserve the socio-cultural significance of such traditions.

Asuncion acknowledges the invaluable contributions of the elderly, who share their knowledge and feel a sense of ownership in preserving their cultural heritage. This was emphasized to him by Maestro Alfredo S. Buenaventura, his music mentor, who told him how music got passed on from one generation to another by our ancestors because of its richness and historic significance.

Asuncion believes that integrating local folk songs into the music curriculum is crucial for fostering a sense of identity, patriotism and appreciation for the local dialect. He envisions Marinduque getting recognized for its rich musical complexity and aims to further document and refine all existing folk songs, create accessible piano arrangements, and record and produce them for wider dissemination.

Dr. Asuncion’s dedication extends beyond research and documentation. He has actively worked towards the local indigenization of basic curriculum and learning competencies in Art Appreciation and Humanities and music-related courses for college level, ensuring that future generations can learn and appreciate their unique music heritage. He has presented Marinduque folksongs to both local and international research fora.

Also, Asuncion has choreographed folk dances for some of the songs he has documented, bringing these musical pieces to life with captivating movements that reflect the essence of each song. This adds another layer of cultural preservation and allows the community to experience their heritage in a more dynamic way.

Asuncion’s efforts gained national appreciation in 2015 when the transcribed folk songs were featured in a documentary video, “Likhang Yaman ng Marinduque.”

This documentary, produced and presented by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), included an interview by its chairman Prof. Felipe De Leon Jr. It was held at St. Joseph Spouse of Mary Catholic Church, Gasan, Marinduque during the Holy Week in 2015 and can be watched on NCCA’s YouTube Channel.

Hailing from Marinduque’s Gasan town, Asuncion is connected with the Marinduque State College - College of Education, where his crusade continues. In fact, Asuncion’s work is keeping Marinduque’s music heritage alive, if not saving it from total catastrophic oblivion, thus preserving its segment in history and the relevance of its socio-cultural and moral values in modern times.

Today, present and future generations can proudly connect and find their way back to Marinduque’s rich and diverse cultural roots and celebrate the uniqueness of its music heritage in more ways than one.