“Performing has become my lifeline,” writes Plan International Pilipinas youth advocate Sanira, who was only 13 when the crisis erupted and displaced her family. “Dancing helped me cope with the trauma.
Sanira found in dancing a sense of purpose amid 2017’s Marawi siege that displaced her family. The artform gave her an escape, a new identity, while helping preserve that of their proud Maranao heritage. Dancing allows them to remind people of who they are and where they come from.
Assalamualaikum, mapiya gawii. I am Sanira, and this is my story as a young girl at the time of the Marawi siege. Life as an internally displaced person was a constant struggle. We lived in a cramped makeshift shelter, sharing limited resources with countless others. The fear was palpable, the uncertainty overwhelming. I missed my school, my friends, and the carefree days of childhood. In the days that followed, my parents struggled to make ends meet, and I couldn’t continue my education. I felt as if I needed to carry the burden of our family.
The Kalombayan sa Ramain Meranaw Cultural Troupe, as we’re now called, has become more than just a dance group. It’s a family, made up of students, out-of-school youth, farmers’ children, and IDPs. We’ve faced countless challenges together, but we’ve also celebrated countless victories. As I look back on my journey, I see my younger self with empathy. I was just a child. I didn’t know how to cope with the change in environment or the loneliness of having no friends.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
DBM releases P1B for Marawi victimsTHE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Tuesday approved the release of a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) of P1 billion for the 2024 Marawi Siege Victims Compensation.
Read more »
MILF commanders nabbed for illegally selling firearms in MarawiLatest Philippine news from GMA News and 24 Oras. News, weather updates and livestreaming on Philippine politics, regions, showbiz, lifestyle, science and tech.
Read more »
Families of missing persons from 2017 Marawi conflict urge government for answers and supportFamilies of missing persons from 2017 Marawi conflict urge government for answers and support
Read more »
Suspects arrested in Marawi City bustThe Philippine National Police (PNP) Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) personnel together with other law enforcement units successfully arrested two individuals and confiscated approximately 150 grams of suspected shabu, with an estimated street value of P 1 million during a buy-bust operation conducted around 7:00 PM...
Read more »
Bacolod ranks 5th among national top-performing citiesSunStar Publishing Inc.
Read more »
Non-performing loan ratio rises to two-year high in JulyPHILIPPINE banks' bad loan ratio hit a two-year high in July, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed, edging up to 3.58 percent from 3.51 percent in June and 3.43 percent a year earlier.
Read more »