Teatro Nacional de Catalunya Unveils the Barcelona Premiere of the Creative Visual Art Performance Bajau
Mr. Bagalay with the creators and staff of Ponten Pie Company together with Ms. Ana Sala Montoro, from the Ikebanah Artes Escenicas (Barcelona PCG photo)
BARCELONA 22 December 2023 – Fresh off the heels of the successful exhibit Sama-Bajau: Nòmades de la Mar at the Maritime Museum of Barcelona, the city of Barcelona extends its tribute to the resilient Sama-Bajau people with the Teatro Nacional de Catalunya’s (TNC) hosting of “Bajau,” a cultural homage to the Philippines’ Sama-Bajau people held on 16 December 2023 at the Sala Tallers of the TNC.
Now in its second year, Bajau has been captivating audiences with its productions in Spain and beyond. The Barcelona premiere of the production was well-received by the nearly 400 guests in attendance.
Mr. Sergi Ots, the director and co-creator of the production, said that one of the reasons he crafted Bajau was to pay homage to the Bajau people, drawing inspiration from their seafaring way of life. The extraordinary deep-sea diving abilities of the Bajau people serve as inspiration for the show's dominant red color scheme, a symbolic nod to their remarkable adaptation of increasing red blood cell count for prolonged underwater endurance. Spanning 45 minutes, the program artfully intertwines the theme of humanity's intrinsic dependence on liquid environments, particularly water, mirroring the journey of human life from its very inception through to adulthood. This thematic exploration not only celebrates the Bajau's unique lifestyle but also resonates with the universal experience of human growth and survival.
The Bajau’s legacy as a sea-bound community, spanning generations, found striking expression in the visual performance. A unique element of the show saw the protagonists, Ms. Natàlia Méndez and Mr. Borja Nieto, spend half of the presentation submerged in a specially designed glass enclosure, mirroring the Bajau’s remarkable ability to dwell underwater for extended periods.
Ms. Méndez, who has been to the Philippines, expressed her aspiration to return as a performer, with the hope of bringing Bajau to the Sama-Bajau people.
The Bajau production of the Ponten Pie Production Company, will run until 30 December 2023 at the Teatro Nacional de Catalunya (https://entrades.tnc.cat/). END
(Left photo) Poster courtesy of the Teatro Nacional de Catalunya; (right photo) Facade of the Teatro Nacional de Catalunya showing the “Bajau” banner.
“Bajau” visual art performance (photo credits to Aniol Resclosa - Ponten Pie Company)
For more information, visit https://barcelonapcg.dfa.gov.ph/, https://www.facebook.com/PHinBarcelona/ or https://twitter.com/phinbarcelona.