The Artists
The Enigmata artists share a reason for being grounded in the ARTs as the highest expression of our soul as a people rooted in our culture. Enigmata started in the meeting of minds of kindred spirits in Davao and the heart of Bukidnon. We take the responsibility and accountability in our everyday life. We hope this will open the eyes of other people. The world is going through a great transformation and so we are… as we start within ourselves. To bring them together is also limited by time, space, resources and other responsibilities.
Enigmata artists are multi-faceted and multi-tasked.
Rodelio “Waway” L. Saway (Music Director/Co-Founder from Talaandig Tribe, Bukidnon)
Waway (Enigmata Musical Director and co-founder) popularized soil painting on canvass, a theater artists and a great story teller. As cultural warrior and theater artists, Waway has traveled extensively in Europe and America as artist and workshop facilitator. Waway heads the delegation to the Centennial Celebration in the Smithsonian Grounds in Washington DC, USA. Waway has now released his own music in CD and recorded also the music of the Talaandig tribe. Waway has evolved into a film maker and has exhibited in works locally and internationally. As a professional musician and performance theater artist, Waway has performed in many places in the Philippines and many countries in Europe, Asia and USA. He has always showed his deep love as a father to six children and his commitment to his Talaandig community. The Talaandig village known to the Mindanao Peace Advocates as Talaandig City of Peace is the most neutral ground for the dialogue between Tri-People (Muslim, Christian, Lumad) in Mindanao where Waway is the one of the soil painting artist/teacher. Talaandig artists conceived “1001 Soil Painting” mellenium project as an indigenous self-determination project as a creative enterprise to raise funds for the survival of Talaandig cultural heritage. The project was launched last October 14, 2010 during the Talaandig Tribal Festival.
Waway recenty received special citation for his film “Colors of the Earth” in CineMagis Mindanao Digital Film Festival Feb 2011 and was screened in SM cinemas in Cagayan de Oro and Davao City organized by Xavier University and The National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Waway’s film debut in a feature film “Sakay sa Hangin” directed by Reggie Romano had its primmiere screening March 1, 2011 in Malaybalay City, Mindanao, Philippines sponsored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Kublai Ponce Millan (Enigmata Visual Arts Director and co-founder)
Kublai, sculptor, visual artist, book illustrator, photographer has made a name with his versatile mind-blowing art hotel in Davao with his multi-textured ART, gravity defying structural engineering and most especially his ingenuous concrete sculptures which has graced many parts of Mindanao. One should not miss the People’s Park in Davao beside Apo View Hotel where Kublai, as a story teller immortalized his indigenous chracters. As an ultimate satisfaction, Kublai dreams of giving honor to each of the ethnic group in Mindanao as a living cultural symbol in a form of a sculpture. In the short years of exploration, Kublai has learned very fast in his intuitive work as a sculpture which turns out to be more of a spiritual journey in redifining his roots, his art and passion. A fine arts graduate from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, QC Kublai, keep himself entertained as he moves his hands with passion. As a family man, Kublai shares most of his playful time with equally talented musician artist partner Maan Chua, and children.
Recently Kublai showcased the Filipino Nativity Scene in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy as his first European exhibition Dec 2010. He is known for his massive sculptural works which one finds in theme parks, cathedrals, landmarks in public places and his famous art hotel Ponce Suites, Davao City, Philippines.
Rosalie (Creative Director/Co-founder)
Rosalie bridges multi-characters as a poet, chanter, dancer, performance artist, recycling/functional and self-taught video/multi-media, artist. She was born in Negros Occidental, Philippines and speaks four dialects. She initiated grassroots Biodiversity Art education through popular media as Enigmata Creative Director and co-founder. She and the local artists conducts Biodiversity Education, Earth Camps, regular art camps for local children and ecotourism forums and cultural tourism with her students. A graduate of psychology, she combines her community work with creativity and spirituality.
She is presently back to school, pursuing her Masters Degree in Educational Theater for Communities at New York University with sponsorship from Ford International Fellowship Program – Institute of International Education.
As a multi-media artist she combines puppetry, animation, installation and graphic design in film, performance and workshops. She received trainings on basic mime and puppetry and mask making from her Physical Theater class with Nancy Smithner at NYU and Study Abroad with Deborah Hunt and Teatro Y No Habia Luz in Puerto Rico. Her previous theater trainings in the Philippines ranges from improvisation, storytelling, shadow and puppetry, dance and movement and visual arts.
She was one of the chosen grantee for Arts Network Asia, Singapore 2007-2008 with her Magic Sound Playground Project. South East Asian Center for e-media (SEACeM) sponsored her internship for video production for e-media and web management. She made children’s film for Culture of Remembrance “Tell Me a Story Mr. Cloud Project” sponsored by Patrimoine Sans Frontieres, France. Her short film dubbed “Ovarian Chants” also entitled “Windows of Dreams” won Best Musical Score and Best Film (first runner-up) during the Cine Magis First Digital Short Film Festival organized by Xavier University co-sponsored by NCCA and later was shown during Sine Rehiyon and Cinemalaya screenings in 2009 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. She mounted a short documentary film “Yellow Bridge” as artist in residence at the 2009 Biennially Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival in Japan sponsored by Japan Foundation.
She was Philippine participant in the Gwangju Human Right Folk School sponsored by May 18 Foundation in South Korea in 2005. She participated as presenter to the First Asian Environmental Educator Workshop organized by Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, Naminara Republic, South Korea in 2007 and participant to the Jeongju Youth Eco-camp GAME-for Children project in 2008. She participated in Culture-Future Visioning session with artists in Copenhagen, Denmark sponsored by Asia Europe Foundation in 2009.
Oliver Ratunil “Padi” Paderanga (Enigmata Adviser)
Padi, a marine biologist by profession is now in his Ph.D. program with Siliman University in Dumaguete City as a scholar of Department of Science and Technology. He is the Director of former Institute of Marine Biology and college instructor of subjects for Bachelor of Science in Ecoturisn at the Camiguin Polytechnic and State College. Padi as he is fondly called is one of the prolific researher and resource on the marine biodiversity in the island. A musician at his own right, Padi has explored the visuals of the sea being part of the Coastal Resource Management Resource Research Team funded by the New Zealand Aid in Camiguin conducted in 15 Marine Protected Areas around Camiguin and other commercial dive sites and snorkeling sites and fish sanctuaries. A talent in technical writing is a product of a rigid academic training and influenced by parents of high achievements. Recently Padi was one of the invited experts in the JENESYS Japan Foundation cultural exchange program in Japan with other scholars from Asia.
Miriam “Mimi” A. dela Plaza (Enigmata Adviser)
Ate Mimi soft spoken strategist is an agriculture expert with major in economics minor in animal husbandry. She further took up her masters in agricultural economics. Presently she is our Provincial Science and Technology Director. A mother of three and a talented folk singer in her younger days.
Christopher “Tupi” Salem (Enigmata Resident Artist)
Tupi is a craftsman, installation artist and support staff in Enigmata community projects. Tupi has all around interest and enthusiasn in many forms of visual arts and music. A nephew to Waway Saway, the blood of being a natural indigenous artisan and musician runs in his veins. Tupi is naturally gifted with craftmanship and patience for details useful in his indigenous instrument making such as tribal drums, bamboo flute and multi-dimensional dream catchers. Recently trained in eco-building and exposed to organic farming practices in Bahay Kalipay, Palawan. Tupi never stopped learning and finished his commercial cooking course at the Camiguin School of Arts and Trade. He is at the same time a student of Polytechnic State College taking up computer course. Tupi was Enigmata participant to the international/Asian Youth, Culture, & Development conference held in Davao, Mindanao, Philippines from 18-22 May 2009 sponosred by SEAMEO-SPAFA.
Venson Ian Tagupa Constantino (volunteer artist)
Venz is an excellent master wire artist… His craftsmanship and installation is a gift of abstract intelligence. His recent come-back as volunteer staff in Enigmata community projects was such an evolution of an independent creative process. Venz has the talent very rare in the island. A dragon wire art embedded in this picture is available for a close-up touch-experience at the treehouse community gallery. You may order on line or request for specialized designs. He plans to go back to school next year and follow his calling as a teacher which can eventually transform the classroom into museums.
Mario Guerra (local artisan)
Mario is a seasoned carpenter who learned this skill as a young man. His exposure from previous jobs and projects made him one of the experts in the island on bamboo craftsmanship as walling for traditional houses common to the Philippines but most especially intricate and elaborate in Antique province in the Visayas where he learned the process. In a series of product development project with Enigmata creative enterprise, Mario discovered his skill on wood art and wood cuts in details such us in exploring okil art patterns on ventilating light screens.
Sai Collado (Enigmata Volunteer Artist/Consultant)
Sai, a young talented international artist performer from Butuan has professional training in dance, theater and choreography who has been a prime mover in deconstructing the stage with his powerful productions that has been performed in wide audiences here and abroad. Sai has travelled to Spain and Japan as artist in residence and performer. Sai collaborated with Enigmata with several projects for many years such as the Earth camps through theater arts, with major productions brought to Camiguin such as Lunhaw, an Environmental Concert Theater sponsored by the local government and The National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Sai also was main facilitator of Enigmata’s 2010 Summer Theater Dance Workshop “Dagayday sa Nagdanguyngoy nga Tubig” showcased as public art sponsored by Hawaiian Peace Voyagers/Aloha in Action. Sai volunteered again with his Team of artist from SAIYAWI Transcreative Dance Collective and mounted an environmental theater dance piece this in Enigmata’s ECO Art Challenge Summer 2011. His productive time is spent as festival director, community artist, camp organizer, production choreographer and recently staged a challenging entry to Pilipinas Got Talent in 2010 and the Kulture Rock Festival Revival. His Mindanaoan roots as Sining Kambayoka alumna has very strong influence in the integrity and quality of his trainings and productions.
The BENefactor Ben Aicha
Ben Aicha, Enigmata Treehouse benefactor fondly called Tarzan built the original ARTchitecture he named Tarzan’s Nest which is now home to Enigmata artists (new management) with their added recyled artworks, sculptures, paintings and interior eco-designs. With a degree of PhD in matehmatics and mechanincal engineer by profession and a musician by heart, Ben discovered his other creative qualities as a portrait artist, architect, non-writer writer and healer during his journey in the Philippines. Back in Europe with his roots from many colors and religions he continues his spiritual healing work and wrote his autobiographical mind map in his new book “Be Wise.”
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