Uwang Ahadas

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]

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

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 traditionally reserved for women.^[2] He could also play the tuntungan.^[5]

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.^[4]

Ahadas was recognized as a National Living Treasure by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in the year 2000.^[6] He died on October 29, 2022, at the age of 77.^[7]