For most people, teaching music is just a route to extra cash but for Zosima Acuram, a

native of Bohol, it is a mission to change the lives of other people.

On June 14, Philstar.com, together with other members of the press visited the
municipality of Dimiao in Bohol. 

The group was welcomed in a classroom where warm smiles and handshakes from the
natives and the Dimiao Children's Rondalla, who are all set to show us the traditional
Boholano dance "Kuradang," are waiting.

Kuradang is a Visayan courtship dance usually performed in big social gatherings like
festivals, weddings and baptisms. It has been known as the unofficial national dance of
Bohol because of its popularity in the area.

Unlike other folk dances which use big props and grand costumes, Kuradang, according
to Gov. Edgardo Chatto, highlights the dance steps with a lot of hand and feet
movements - brisk, fluid and romantic. Kuradang involves intricate movements that only
few can master.

As the natives settle on the stage and children scrambled to get their instruments ready,
a woman sitting at the other side of the room started to struck the strings of the guitar
she was holding. Softly, she plucked melody from each strings. For the next few
minutes, she continued to play with the chords until the group was finally ready to
present us the Kuradang.

That was when we learned that the woman is Zosima Acuram, a devoted teacher of the
Dimiao Children's Rondalla.

A young dreamer

Zosima, who hails from the Bakilid, Dimiao told us that she has been teaching music
since the 1980s.

"Mayro'n akong relative noon na lahat ng string alam niya kaya gustong-gusto ko siya.
Ang galing-galing niya. Tapos ayun bigla na lang nahilig na rin ako sa musika," shared
Zosima as we sat with her in an interview.

It takes years to master and plenty of time to get good grasp of any instrument. But
Zosima had it in her. At five years old, she began playing the guitar.

As a young girl, Zosima would anticipate school events, hoping that she could finally be
called to perform in front of the crowd. But it did not happen.

"Nung bata pa ako, kasi taga-barrio ako tapos mahirap lang kami. Sa paaralan, ang
kasali sa mga program yung mga mayayaman lang tapos anak ng mga guro at mga
bigatin," shared Zosima.
"Gustong-gusto ko talaga sumali dati sa mga musika sa programs kaya nung lumaki
ako, determination ko talaga na magiging guro ako at magtuturo ako ng mga bata,” she
added.

Learning how to play an instrument and deciding to share what you have learned are
two different things. What she experienced as a kid inspired her to turn her spark into
fireworks that lead to a beautiful show that the universe has planned for her.

Indeed, for a girl who grew up in a small barrio, Zosima had big dreams.

Reviving Filipino heritage

Having lived in a family with a little money to spare, Zosima knew that getting herself a
formal music education would cost her more than what they have. So when she heard
about a scholarship offer from the Philippines Public School Teachers Association, she
openly welcomed the opportunity.

For two summers, she studied music at the Philippine Normal University and honed her
skills with string instruments even more. After graduating under the short music
program, she came back to Bohol and started to slowly turn her dreams into reality. She
started teaching small groups of children, age two to 10 then above. 

“Kapag may nakikita akong bata na nanunuod tinatawag ko talaga. Sasabihin ko halika
turuan kita magbanduria,” she shared.

Since then, she has devoted herself to sharing her talents to children and keeping the
children connected to music and the Filipino culture.

Zosima does not just teach Dimiao Children's Rondalla to play pop and art music but as
well as folk. The Rondalla has become an institution in Philippine music since it was
brought in the country in 1800s by the Spaniards.

“Importante na matutunan ng mga bata 'yung musika lalo na yung mga instumento na

ginagamit dati pa ng mga ninuno – mga banduria, laud, octavina, bajo - Kung wala yang
ganyang musika, wala din 'yung anong meron tayo ngayon,” explained Zosima.

Guitar was her first love, and it remained her first and last. Zosima does not have a
partner, but she was blessed with children she can call her own.

Source: https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/travel-and-
tourism/2016/06/17/1593904/boholana-teachers-tale-once-upon-classroom-there-was-
music