TODAY, a state funeral will be held for folk national artist Federico Caballero, a respected elder of the Panay-Bukidnon indigenous people, in Calinog, Iloilo.
In the passing of Nong Pedring, the Philippine cultural landscape has lost a stalwart, a guardian of the rich oral traditions of the Panay-Bukidnon. Yet, even in mourning, there is a profound acknowledgment that Caballero’s contributions will ripple through generations, providing a continuous source of knowledge, identity, and inspiration.
A venerated “National Living Treasure”, Caballero dedicated his life to the preservation and propagation of the sugidanon epics — a series of intricate, poetic narratives that chronicle Panay’s mythic heroes and histories in the ancient Ligbok language. These are vessels of philosophy, ethics, and community wisdom, encapsulating the cultural DNA of the Panay-Bukidnon. By safeguarding these narratives, Caballero has ensured that future generations have a tangible link to their past.
The impact of his work extends beyond the confines of cultural preservation. In a world rapidly losing its diversity to globalization, the detailed documentation and promotion of indigenous stories, languages, and traditions form a crucial counterbalance. Educators and scholars can draw upon Caballero’s recordings and texts to craft curricula that foster a deeper appreciation and understanding among young Filipinos of their nation’s rich cultural mosaic.
A model for cultural activism, Cabellero’s work demonstrates that individual dedication can lead to national recognition and support, encouraging other cultural practitioners across the archipelago to engage in similar endeavors. His collaborations with scholars and artists to reconstruct and promote the sugidanon tradition is a successful synergy between community efforts and academic scholarship.
His legacy should prompt a reevaluation of how cultural heritage is valued in modern society, and the necessity for ongoing support from both government and private sectors to invest in cultural preservation as a means of education and national pride. Investing in our cultural heritage is investing in the intellectual and moral development of future citizens — it fosters a populace that values its history, learns from it, and feels a profound connection to its community.
In honor of Federico Caballero, let us commit to a sustained effort to discover, document, and disseminate the wealth of knowledge stored within our nation’s many cultures. Let this be a call to action for cultural enthusiasts, government officials, and the general public to strengthen efforts in preserving our heritage. By doing so, we ensure that the wisdom of the past continues to enrich the minds and spirits of future generations.
