BAGUIO CITY– Members of different cultural dance troupes of the municipalities of Benguet has stirred anew the consciousness of the Benguet people of their rich cultural heritage with story-telling through cultural dances and performances.
The Cultural Performances Competition is part of the province's month-long "Adivay" or coming together as one community celebrations. The exchanging of creative cultural performances was showcased on 11 November 2023 at the Benguet Sports Complex, Wangal town in La Trinidad.
It is also a part of the 123rd celebration of Benguet's establishment.
Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas said that the Benguet people are proud of their cultural heritage and through it, they are being bound as one. He added that the performances emphasized the significance of preserving the cultural wealth of the province.
Students from the Lepanto National High School of Mankayan, Benguet told the story of "Sangbo". "Sangbo" features a ritual for good luck brought about by a mysterious event. They received P40,000 cash prize for their performance.
Meantime, the Municipality of Buguias represented by Buguias National High School students performed the story of "Dang-as" highlighting the culture of "Ubbo" or community cooperation. The students went home with P35,000 cash prize for their effort.
The Municipality of Kapangan represented by students of Gov. Bado Dangwa Agro-Industrial School, on the other hand, showcased the Legend of "Pongayan" narrating the story of Sayod, a "beautiful lady with buxom bosoms" as they placed third, earning them the P30,000 cash prize.
In other developments, La Trinidad was awarded the Best in Storyline, Itogon with Best Folkloric Performance, and Bokod as Best in Visual Impact Award. Each was given P5,000 cash prize.