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Uwang Ahadas
Uwang Ahadas in 2017
Background information
Born	(1945-02-15)February 15, 1945
Origin	Lamitan, Basilan, Philippines
Died	October 29, 2022(2022-10-29) (aged 77)
Genres	Folk
Instruments	abbang agung kwintangan
Awards	Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan

Uwang Ahadas (February 15, 1945 – October 29, 2022) was a Filipino folk musician of the Yakan people who was a recipient of the National Living Treasures Award.

Background

Uwang Ahadas was born on February 15, 1945. He went near blind when he was five years old. People in his community believed that this was due to retribution of nature spirits which lived in Bohe Libaken, a creek where Ahadas frequently bathed. Ahadas along with his sibling musicians were taught how to play Yakan traditional instruments as children. He first learned how to play the gabbang, a wooden bamboo instrument similar to the xylophone then learned how to play the agung an instrument traditionally played by Yakan men.

By age 20, Ahadas had already mastered the kwintangan which is considered as the most important Yakan musical instrument despite the instrument being traditionally reserved for women. He could also play the tuntungan.

Ahadas taught his children how to play Yakan traditional instruments, including Darna who would later become a teacher of these traditions herself. Ahadas went on to promote these traditions outside his native town of Lamitan, Basilan.

Ahadas was recognized as a National Living Treasure by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in the year 2000. He died on October 29, 2022, at the age of 77.

References

1. "GAMABA: Uwang Ahadas". National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
2. ^ Babiera, Lester (July 9, 2012). "Lamitan in Basilan holds festival to celebrate cultural harmony". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
3. "Official Calendar". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
4. ^ de la Paz, Salve (May 5, 2015). "National Living Treasures: Uwang Ahadas". National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
5. "Uwang Ahadas, National Living Treasure for Traditional Music". ICHAP. International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
6. Maranan, Ed (February 28, 2011). "Songs and music from the heartland". The Philippine Star. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
7. "Passing of Manlilikha ng Bayan Uwang Ahadas". IYIL. October 31, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2023.

• National Living Treasures of the Philippines
• 1945 births
• 2022 deaths
• 20th-century Filipino male musicians
• 21st-century Filipino male musicians
• Filipino multi-instrumentalists
• Filipino traditional musicians
• Filipino Muslims
• Musicians from Basilan