“TINGNI IDI” is a local expression in Gasan that means
“tingnan ito” or “look at this”. It
calls for the attention of the people of Gasan to see the congregated data and
information on the town’s historical culture, old and living traditions,
religion, nature, institutions, and reverent personalities who made great
contributions and gave a unique identity to Gasan.
The project “Cultural Mapping of the Municipality of Gasan,
Marinduque” was developed through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Local Government
Unit of the Municipality of Gasan.
In a worldwide context, cultural mapping is a technique that
leads to the preservation of both the tangible and intangible cultural assets
of a certain place as everyone needs to understand the factors influencing
perceptions of places while at the same time giving focus to personal and community
interpretations of culture. It is a
collaborative endeavor to identify and document local cultural resources.
As a response of the Mayor of Gasan to the opportunity given
by the NCCA, training was conducted for the Local Tourism Officer, Lead Mapper,
Cultural Mappers, and Editor. The training was rigorous and required much
attention to detail. The acquisition of
relevant data and information that comprise historical notes and photos from
identified informants made it even more demanding given the 4-month timeline
from February to May 2021 to include the community validation with invited
internal and external validators for the elements vetting. The target of 150 elements for mapping was
even exceeded as 180 elements were mapped with 160 elements finalized for
inclusion after the vetting process.
The challenge brought by the Covid-19 pandemic did not
hinder the goals of the NCCA and the Local Government of the Municipality of
Gasan. The Cultural Profile of Gasan
which accounts for its heritage is finally realized. A treasure of the townspeople of Gasan. - Gasan Tourism Office
