Jaehwa Bernardo

Children proudly show off their output after the pastel painting workshop during the Punla arts festival in Ifugao province. Photo from Maya Dulnuan

Article (news)

Why not here? Ifugao artists build creative home

Winkie Bernaldez

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775536301960PHOTO 1.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Children proudly show off their output after the pastel painting workshop during the Punla arts festival in Ifugao province. Photo from Maya Dulnuan</div>In Ifugao, art is not confined to galleries. It lives in the rice terraces, woven textiles, and oral traditions carefully preserved across generations.Yet for many contemporary artists in the province, gaining recognition often meant leaving for places like Baguio, where opportunities, audiences, and established institutions already exist.This situation — a place rich in art but with no space to celebrate it — prompted a question among the local artist community: Why not here?&quot;We recognized the need for artists to come together to find a home. Some artists ang nakikinabang is Baguio. E naisip namin, &#x27;Why not here din?&#x27;&quot; Maya Dalunan, president of the Ifugao Creatives and Mayoyao Artists Guild, told ABS-CBN News in an online interview.This prompted the guild to organize &quot;Punla: When Tradition Blossoms Into Art,&quot; an arts festival seeking to unite and provide a platform for Ifugao artists. The event, a first of its kind, ran from February 20 to March 1 at the provincial capitol in Lagawe town.&quot;We wanted to plant seeds of hope for artists to bloom here,&quot; said DulnuanThe mountainous province, renowned for the iconic Banaue Rice Terraces, is made up of 11 municipalities and is home to the Ifugao people who are rich in cultural traditions. More often than not, however, local artists remained confined to their own hometowns.This sparked the Ifugao Creatives to come together. What began as small conversations, online chats, and casual meetups grew into a festival featuring workshops, talks, and mentorship programs.Spoken word poetry in various dialects gave communities a chance to hear one another in new ways. Discussions on cultural appropriation and appreciation helped artists see their role not just as creators, but as cultural storytellers.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775536350237PHOTO 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Participants and organizers pose for a group photo, celebrating a shared moment of creativity and community at the event. Photo by NikSon Films</div>For festival chairperson Jiya Bogwana, a fashion designer, Punla created a shared presence.&quot;It was about saying Ifugao artists deserve to be seen right where they are,&quot; she said.Artists sold their work to both locals and tourists, while collaborations began to form across municipalities. Teenagers attended not just as spectators, but as young creatives imagining themselves as artists too.For Banaue-based painter Dasha Codimo, who once believed art wasn’t a viable path, the festival was grounding. “For the first time, I felt like I wasn’t alone,” she said.Even the community responded in ways that organizers did not expect, such as parents enrolling their children in workshops. &quot;That’s when we realized, it&#x27;s more than an event, it’s becoming a home,&quot; said Dulnuan.Organizers acknowledged that mounting the event was no easy feat, citing uncertainties in funding. The team relied on partnerships and sponsorships from local and national government agencies, as well as private groups.With growing support, Punla is now set to continue — not just as a festival, but as a year-round platform offering workshops, mentorships, and opportunities that allow artists to grow without having to leave their communities.

In Ifugao, art is not confined to galleries. It lives in the rice terraces, woven textiles, and oral traditions carefully preserved across generations.

In Ifugao, art is not confined to galleries. It lives in the rice terraces, woven textiles, and oral traditions carefully preserved across generations.

Why not here? Festival gives Ifugao artists a home

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Why not here? Festival gives Ifugao artists a home

Winkie Bernaldez,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 07, 2026 01:10 PM PHT

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Updated April 28, 2026 06:44 PM PHT

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Ifugao Creatives and Mayoyao Artists Guild

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