Senator Loren Legarda brought the Schools of Living Traditions (SLTs) exhibit, “Buhay na Dunong: Bukal ng Pamana,” to the Senate of the Philippines.

In a news release, Legarda, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts, said the exhibit underscores the role of SLTs in preserving and. transmitting Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Skills, and Practices (IKSSP).

The exhibit, curated at the 2nd Floor Corridor of the Senate Buidling from May 4 to 7, recognizes the contributions of cultural masters and partner institutions.

A part of the celebration of National Heritage Month, the exhibit featured cultural artifacts, traditional attire, crafts, and audio-visual presentations from SLT communities nationwide.

Legarda said the exhibit is "not merely for aesthetics; all of these carry memory, skill, and identity. The SLTs remind us that our cultural heritage survives not only in museums and display cases but most importantly, in the life of the communities and who practices it.”

 

The exhibit, organized into zones representing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, showcased traditional crafts including textiles, basketry, beadwork, weaving, and wood carving. 

The displays were accompanied by audio-visual narratives detailing the process of cultural transmission.

"Nawa’y magsilbi tayong mga daluyan ng mas malawak na pagpapalaganap ng suporta para sa ating kultura at pamana. Manindigan tayo at ipagpatuloy nating pangalagaan ang ating mga katutubong kaalaman, itaguyod ang ating mga cultural worker, at palakasin ang mga institusyong nagsisiguro na naipapasa ang ating pamana sa susunod na henerasyon. Sapagkat ang ating kultura at pamana ay ang ating pagkakakilanlan. Ito ang ating dangal. Ito ang nagbibigay kabuluhan sa ating bayan,” Legarda said.

SCHOOL OF LIVING TRADITIONS

Initiated in 1995 by the NCCA, the SLT program has established more than 300 centers nationwide. In 2015, the SLT was enhanced into a five-year framework focusing on capacity building, the development of learning systems, knowledge transfer, and cultural product development.

On December 16, 2021, the SLT Program was inscribed in the UNESCO Register of Good Safeguarding Practices. This recognition highlights the program as a global model for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.

According to the United Nations, SLTS involve "informal, community-managed learning centers where practitioners can transmit their communities’ knowledge, intangible cultural heritage, skills and values to younger generations."

Elders, leaders, and other community members led the identification of safeguarding priorities through a series of consultations.

The UN said the SLT program aims to protect Philippine culture from "rapid devaluation."

-Paraluman News