THE VOICE:
Salima
By Aveen Acuña-Gulo
MindaNews / 18 October 2003
HOW can a concert make you cry?
This is exactly the experience one can get witnessing a unique concert that was born with the pain and hurt of a war.
Salima, produced by EarthMusic Foundation (composed of powerhouse musicians like Gary Granada, Popong Landero, Eric Gancio, Gauss Obenza, Geejay Arriola, Icoy San Pedro, Eugene Villarino, Maree Contaoi, Maan Chua, Paolo Sisi, and Mualang Nacion) and written by Palanca Awardee for Short Story writing in Cebuano Arnel Mardoquio, is dedicated to all the victims of the war in Mindanao.
Named after a child whose name means enlightenment, Salima also invokes images of a hand (lima in Maguindanao) reaching out to all shreds of hope of having to live a peaceful life.
The group had seen the suffering of the evacuees that they had the inner calling to express what they had seen. With their respective experiences in Pikit, Pagalungan and Pagagawan, they had a workshop so they could flesh out the lyrics and the music together.
"We dream of performing in the heart of the war itself," relates Arnel in the middle of the production mounting. "It is only fitting that the evacuees know we are one with them."
In time for the 54th Foundation Day Celebration of Pikit, it was indeed in that town that they launched the first of a series of their tour, which will culminate on this year's celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace in November 27-December 3. Organized by the Mindanao Peace Advocates Conference (MPAC) and supported by MindaNews and the GOP-United Nations Multi-Donor Programme, the concert was held in the Immaculate Conception Parish Gym.
"We will also come up with a video CD of the concert for wider dissemination," says Geejay Arriola, Concert Director.
"Art and music is a powerful messenger of peace," says Lyndee Prieto, Culture of Peace Coordinator for the GOPUNMDP3. "What people all over the world cannot express in speeches and writing, they express in song."
An interplay of rock, blues, rondalla, folk, country, jazz and pop music, the concert was actually telling a story, with a narrator in between songs. Even as they sang, the group was able to trigger what seemed so real that many in the audience can relate to.
"Gusto na naming bumalik sa paaralan (We want to go back to school)," was a simple but profound wish of Putri, an IDP child who relayed her experiences onstage.
In the evening the group had an audience with DWSD Secretary Dinky Soliman, who came to grace the foundation day celebrations. The group performed acoustically for her group, which included Mayor Farida Malingco. Each word in their songs had the full attention of the secretary in such an intimate setting, and needless to say, brought tears in the eyes of both women. The secretary herself expressed interest in supporting the group so they can perform in more areas.
"We also want to bring Salima to Southern Christian College," says Victoria Bat-og, a teacher who brought along a busload of students to Pikit just to witness the concert.
Hands down, the performers are really professionals - and over and above that, dedicated advocates for peace. Indeed Salima is a production many students (and other people for that matter) can benefit immensely from. EarthMusic hopes that through its music, peace can be an exciting endeavor for everyone.
