Uwang hadas biography sample

Filipino folk musician (1945–2022)

Musical artist

Uwang Ahadas^[1] (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.^[2]

Background

Uwang Ahadas was born on February 15, 1945.^[3] 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^[4] an instrument traditionally played by Yakan men.^[2]

By age 20, Ahadas had already mastered the kwintangan which is considered as the most important Yakan musical instrument despite the instrument being