Mariano Marcos
State University

CTE researchers present NCCA-funded “tumbatumba” study at nat'l arts colloquium

By Myrrha Prima Rosa Muli

Faculty researchers from the Mariano Marcos State University College of Teacher Education (CTE) presented a local study on the Ilokano tradition, Tumbatumba, at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Research Colloquium 2026 on September 29 at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.

Research team members Asst. Prof. Jacquleyn Griffin and Ms. Niña Christelle Sumintac presented the paper titled “Panangibangon iti Tumbatumba: Documentation and Investigation of an Ilokano Fiesta on Remembering the Dead,” which they co-authored alongside Asst. Prof. Leonardo Tejano, Assoc. Prof. John Paul Vallente, and Mr. James Cesar Metiam.

The first from CTE to be funded by and presented in the NCCA, the study examined the traditional practice of Tumbatumba in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, focusing on its cultural significance and the Ilokano philosophy and epistemology underlying the practice.

The research, funded by a ₱500,000 NCCA research grant in 2022, was one of the 11 research presentations during the colloquium that explored Philippine culture and the arts through diverse perspectives on heritage, history, and identity.

The presentations highlighted the importance of scholarships, academic interventions, and community collaboration in documenting cultural heritage, deepening understanding of Filipino identities, strengthening communities, and informing the continuing development of Philippine culture and the arts.