Tabawan

The Island of Pre-Islamic Rituals and Traditional Practices in Tawi-Tawi

16 May 2021 – 02 January 2021

Virtual Launch
15 May 2021 | 2 PM

Photographer’s Talk featuring Paul Quiambao
18 May 2021 | 2 PM

4th Floor, Reception Room
National Museum of Anthropology

As part of the celebration of the National Heritage Month this May, and as we honor the Muslims among us in commemorating the Eid’l Fitr, the #NationalMuseumPH will virtually launch “Tabawan: The Island of Pre-Islamic Rituals and Traditional Practices in Tawi-Tawi”, a photo exhibition by Paul Quiambao, on 15 May 2021, Saturday at 2:00 PM. You can view the launch here at the NMP’s Facebook page, or at our YouTube Channel.

Showcasing the photos taken by Quiambao in the island of Tabawan, Tawi-Tawi in 2019 and 2020, the exhibition highlights the blend of indigenous traditions and Islamic beliefs as practiced by the Sama-Tabawan in their seven rituals from paggunting, pagtubas, pagkawin, pai baha’u, pagduwata, pagjamu bohe’ deya, to pagkambo’an. These rituals are interconnected and experienced from cradle to the grave, marking the passage of life for the Sama-Tabawan.

The exhibition begins with an overview and introduction on Tabawan Island and its inhabitants, followed by seven sections that feature a ritual each. These contents provide a glimpse of the worldview and cosmological beliefs of the Sama-Tabawan that influence their rich culture and heritage as Muslim Filipinos. Highlighting the balance between nature and the spiritual realm, the remembrance of ancestors, and the importance of thanksgiving and strong kinship ties, among others, the traditions captured in the photos emphasize how the Sama-Tabawan inculcate into their consciousness respect and peaceful co-existence among and between communities.

“Tabawan: The Island of Pre-Islamic Rituals and Traditional Practices in Tawi-Tawi” photo exhibition will run from 16 May 2021 until 2 January 2022 at the Reception Room of the National Museum of Anthropology. While we #StaySafe at home due to the community quarantine restrictions, you may still view the exhibition through our virtual tour during the launch.

About the Photographer

Paul Allyson R. Quiambao is a freelance photographer with more than 10 years of experience in documenting landscapes, cultures and remote islands of the Philippines. He has won grand prize in many photography competitions, such as “Digital Photographer Philippines Magazine and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: On Assignment Shoot in Amsterdam” (2014). His work was featured in solo and group exhibits like “Inner Landscape” (2017), featuring iconic mounting peaks, “Kaplag | Sto. Niño: Hope of the People” (2015) in celebration of the 450th anniversary of Sto. Niño de Cebu, and “Dear Yolanda” (2013). In 2020, he became an Individual Grant Awardee of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.