The Center for Philippine Studies has awarded UHM Ethnomusicology doctoral student José (Pow) Taton, Jr. the Belinda Aquino International Philippine Studies Endowment for his research project entitled “Binagnusan: Documenting and Translating a Panay Bukidnon Sugidanon (Epic). The project involves intensive field research on Panay, recording and interviewing practitioners of this endangered epic, and translation into both contemporary Kinaray-a (central Panay regional language) and English.
“The BINAGNUSAN Project generally aims to: (1) Record the Panay Bukidnon sugidanon (epic) Binagnusan in audio and video formats; (2) Transcribe the epic in its language medium; and (3) Translate the epic into the Contemporary Kinaray-a and English languages,” explains Taton. “
“Within a six-month time frame, the project will produce a comprehensive report grounded in ethnographic research conducted in Siya and Bato-Bato in Panay Island, Philippines. Sourced from two key chanters, the documentation of this Panay epic will expand the scholarship on Philippine folklore, epic studies, and regional studies,” says Taton.