The man who found life in the indigenous arts of maharlika
Momo ‘Weird’ Stuff and the
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he bamboo fences soaked by the passing of time stood there - silent and open - and waiting for those who are brave enough to climb the stairway. With hands shaking in nervousness, I had second thoughts of going up. But my curiousity and drive for adventure pushed me to give it a try. I cowered a little when a squad of beings in human form and clothed in folk garments greeted me. When my senses went back, I became composed upon realizing that those were mere statues created and erected in a manner that would showcase the traditional way of living prior to the invasion of the foreign conquerors.
Uncertain of what lies ahead, my heart beat faster when I traced the rough and narrow pavement that lead to the house of the owner of the creations which I’ve seen. On my way to my destination, plants of varying heights and thickness guarded both sides of the alley. When I got to the top of what appeared to be a very steep mound of soil, my mind got clouded with this thought: “Who would live in such a place full of out-of-this-world ornaments?” I thought that any member of generation Z who was born in the digital age would ask the same question. But this was not a big deal to Danilo Dalisay, the man who found life in the indigenous arts of Maharlika.
The Passionate Advocate A native of Brgy. Lawigan, San Joaquin, Iloilo, Dalisay, whose nickname is “Momo,” manifested his strong interest in the arts since he was a young [14] The Augustinian Mirror
boy. Momo has an inclination towards gardening, visual arts and music. “If I have nothing to do, I stay here at my garden. This is my way to commune with Mother Earth. I also do sculptures and paintings. Because of my interest in music, I am now beginning to compose Ilonggo songs,” Momo said. But things do not always go well for Momo. He recalled that there were instances when the lack of money needed to craft his realistic statues would put a halt to his work. However, this does not sap Momo’s persistance towards his passion for the arts. “If I have no budget, then I just keep calm. Once I have acquired some [money], then that’s when I resume my work. Otherwise, I keep myself busy with gardening. I use the income I generate from other projects (like paintings) to do more sculptures,” Momo explained. Momo is an active member of Maharlika
Artists and Writers Federation for 12 years now and had served as its president last year. The said nationally-acclaimed group of cultural-minded individuals advocate the importance of the arts to help in the development of one’s culture, which is inherent among the people in a community. “Through Maharlika, we want the Filipinos to know and to appreciate the different forms of the indigenous arts of the Philippines. This is our advocacy. This Balay Kaliwat is nothing but a witness of our humble beginnings in forming this organization,” Momo said.
Of Support and Monetary Value For Momo, what makes his passion more valuable is knowing that his family and friends are happy with what he is doing. “My family is very supportive. They even made this place as a hang out haven. I also have lots of friends who visit here every week,” Momo shared. Volume 81, Number 2 | April 2015