What is the relationship between spiritual, ritual, myth, and art from the indigenous/tribal point of view?
all is one, like fingers on two hands intertwined.
How do dance, music, visual arts and oral tradition fit into indigenous life?
intimately, synonymously
How do indigenous beliefs and practices survive in a post-colonial/globalized world?
oral traditions, research, recognition of traditions, rituals, creation of new ones in our new context
What aspects of tribal culture evolve and can be embraced by “diaspora” students?
dance, art, literature, history, ritual, evolving ritual...all things...
What from our indigenous past survives to give us strength and purpose in life?
messages from our ancestors, the land
What is the interplay between contemporary Western arts and tribal arts?
We experience now many people who "fuse" traditional and Western arts. I believe the interchange between the arts reflects the ongoing interchange between people. I am surrounded by people looking back to their roots and reclaiming their heritage, yet expressing the heritage in new ways--musically, artistically, spiritually. It's like a rubber band that's been stretched too far apart and now the ends are being pulled back together... or maybe it's like a person looking at himself in a reflected pool of water and with each ripple of the wave the image changes, yet still remains the same.
Art, music and dance are integral to the rituals and survival of the community and of nature. There are many similarities and contrasts not only between different tribes of the Philippines, but also worldwide. I was astounded to see the similarity between how a mumbaki and babalao from different parts of the world can have very similar ways of being. Indigenous people (IPs) maintain their culture in a post-colonial Philippines, because of the necessity of survival and because they live to protect the land. This was evident with every tribal person I met with. Tribal peoples have a deep respect for the spirituality of every living creature, the earth and the universe.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Back in the States
I returned to the United States on August 23, 2008. After Mindanao, I returned to Manila for a few days before embarking back to the Cordillera Mountains to participate in the Centennial Celebration of Provincial Government in Lubuagen, Kalinga. This return trip brought me full circle in my art research, my study of traditional arts, and my reconnection with a community that embraced me with joy.
I really needed to be back in the mountains that overlooked the Chico River, with nature healing me of the grief I felt over the death of Kulpna Mistry in Davao, and the despair I felt at the build-up of war in Mindanao over the failed Memorandum of Agreement between the Philippine government and the MILF. By the time I left Mindanao, at least 160,000 families were displaced by the fighting. Even during my flight out of Manila on June 23rd, I sat behind a friend who told me of the 400 plus families displaced in his own town in North Cotabato. I am compelled to throw myself into intense fundraising. It is a small thing to help those that I feel connected to even though they are so far away.
But it is good to be home. Most things I couldn't post on this blog because I really didn't have internet access, let alone cell phone texting access in some regions...(which is completely necessary for Pilipinos--even farmers in remote areas use cell phones).
It really is good to be home and surrounded by friends and family. It's also good to know that in some regions of the Philippines, people accept me as being at home there too.
I really needed to be back in the mountains that overlooked the Chico River, with nature healing me of the grief I felt over the death of Kulpna Mistry in Davao, and the despair I felt at the build-up of war in Mindanao over the failed Memorandum of Agreement between the Philippine government and the MILF. By the time I left Mindanao, at least 160,000 families were displaced by the fighting. Even during my flight out of Manila on June 23rd, I sat behind a friend who told me of the 400 plus families displaced in his own town in North Cotabato. I am compelled to throw myself into intense fundraising. It is a small thing to help those that I feel connected to even though they are so far away.
But it is good to be home. Most things I couldn't post on this blog because I really didn't have internet access, let alone cell phone texting access in some regions...(which is completely necessary for Pilipinos--even farmers in remote areas use cell phones).
It really is good to be home and surrounded by friends and family. It's also good to know that in some regions of the Philippines, people accept me as being at home there too.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Only Notes on Mindanao
Now I am back in Davao, after a quick trip to Lake Sebu and Cotabato. Due to security issues people here only recommend traveling during the day and there are many that told me not to travel to certain places. The current peace agreement, stalled by the Supreme Court, in the ARMM- Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao area has altered the lives of many in Mindanao. Although I planned to spend much more time in both Lake Sebu and Cotabato, the reality was that I could not get a guide I trusted and knew personally to travel for over a week outside of Davao and even that- I could not travel at all while grieving over the death of a friend.
So how has this experience in Mindanao been?
I am experiencing the recovery of a friend in Davao Doctors Hospital, the death of another on Monday in Davao, whose memorial service will take place on Saturday in Sunnyvale, California, the fear of different tribes of the others, the anger of datus over the inclusion of ancestral domain in the proposed MILF peace agreements, the anger of a Bangsamoro Princess over the stalled negotiations by the Supreme Court, the generosity and kindness displayed by this Princess towards us, the frustration of IPs who cannot pay for their children's education, the compassion and unlimited giving of the Katribu artist collective, the joyous appreciation of musicality within a Maguindanaoan family, the gratitude of T'bolis for friendship, the creativity and exquisite compositional skills of one young photographer-Blue, the caring of a family for each other, the simple pleasure of a conversation at Ponce Suites with Kublai, the prayers of a special priest who inspires many and who many have a crush on, the privilege of being an American with money, the warmth of friends holding each up other in the midst of grief, the joy of musicians challenging each other-whether a T'boli love chant (1 is enough, but 4?) or Maguindanaoan agong contest, the peace one feels when sitting in People's Park, the fear one feels when military jumps on your bus or passing through the checkpoints, the sparkle in a weavers eye over recognition that you like her work, the laughter over a good joke or sometimes very bad ones, the comraderie of teachers, the embrace from a dance or music teacher you haven't seen for two years, the smile of an elder, the cry of a child, the friendship of college-age Lumads (Indigenous Peoples)...
Where does one start to even write about this?
So how has this experience in Mindanao been?
I am experiencing the recovery of a friend in Davao Doctors Hospital, the death of another on Monday in Davao, whose memorial service will take place on Saturday in Sunnyvale, California, the fear of different tribes of the others, the anger of datus over the inclusion of ancestral domain in the proposed MILF peace agreements, the anger of a Bangsamoro Princess over the stalled negotiations by the Supreme Court, the generosity and kindness displayed by this Princess towards us, the frustration of IPs who cannot pay for their children's education, the compassion and unlimited giving of the Katribu artist collective, the joyous appreciation of musicality within a Maguindanaoan family, the gratitude of T'bolis for friendship, the creativity and exquisite compositional skills of one young photographer-Blue, the caring of a family for each other, the simple pleasure of a conversation at Ponce Suites with Kublai, the prayers of a special priest who inspires many and who many have a crush on, the privilege of being an American with money, the warmth of friends holding each up other in the midst of grief, the joy of musicians challenging each other-whether a T'boli love chant (1 is enough, but 4?) or Maguindanaoan agong contest, the peace one feels when sitting in People's Park, the fear one feels when military jumps on your bus or passing through the checkpoints, the sparkle in a weavers eye over recognition that you like her work, the laughter over a good joke or sometimes very bad ones, the comraderie of teachers, the embrace from a dance or music teacher you haven't seen for two years, the smile of an elder, the cry of a child, the friendship of college-age Lumads (Indigenous Peoples)...
Where does one start to even write about this?
Many Stops Later & Now in Davao
It has been several weeks since I last wrote in this blog. Access to internet has been very limited for me--either my travels in the provinces or frozen computers kept me from entering anything in this blog. Since I last wrote I have experienced all the emotions life holds-from the joy of newly wedded couples, to the pain and grief of losing a friend tragically. This trip has gone beyond my mere explorations of art and culture. It has been an adventure exploring the deepness of one's soul, the unity in collective effort, the power of community and the comfort of family.
After Lubuagen, Kalinga, I went to Sagada in Mountain Province. We stayed at the house of Anthropologist Villia Jefremova, who has studied the Bontoc people and has participated in Bontoc rituals for thirty years... I listened well to the stories of Ruel and Villia, and of course, learned a lot about the traditional life of the Bontoc. We had many nights of fabulous food from Villa, joined by other friends in Sagada. I visited the pottery studio and received lessons from Siegrid & Manong Jessie--feeling like a failure after watching these fabulous potter do their thing. Good times in Sagada--with Ruel, Villia, Dudes, Siegrid and others...especially the gourmet cooking of Villia!
We next visited the Banaue Museum, Batad terraces and Hapao of Ifugao Province. Joined by Lilia & Jim of Chicago, we attend the funnest wedding in Hapao--3 villages merging to celebrate the joining of a newly wedded couple-Ruel's cousins. The rice wine was very potent & I thoroughly enjoyed the tons of food, along with hundreds of villagers, as well as the traditional dances by the groom's family. We left the wedding to venture through the rice terraces to the hot springs, where two locals needed money for more gin (or maybe rice wine) to continue their partying in the fields. The hot springs was relaxing, may too much so because we had to struggle back to Ruel's brother's house across the river (Lily & I were scared of falling off the terraces). I was walking like a little old lady, shuffling my feet ever so slowly only inches apart. We enjoyed good conversation & food @ Ruel's brothers, then we had to walk up the terraces with our flashlights. Ruel had to hold my hand-I was too scared. At the top of the hill the mumbaki was having rituals, but we were too tired, so Ruel brought us back to the homestay. Advice-don't drink rice wine when walking in the terraces if you are a foreigner, like me.
In Banaue we visited weavers from the Immota family. Manong Juan did not allow me to take video of the process, being concerned with his family's source of income and also explaining that many people make videos--but not to the benefit of any weavers. I later taught a mini-art lesson in Banaue at the school of Yolanda Nagulman. The sixth graders were angels & were also very interested in the documentary photography of Ruel Bimuyag... (I forced him to show his work & although hesitant b/c he was unprepared, the children found it fascinating and enjoyed his photography of the indigenous people of the Cordillera Mt. range.
I returned to Manila to rest by staying with family, but managed to squeeze in art lessons for preschoolers, elementary &out-of-school youth at Baseco through the HOPE Foundation. The Baseco Pier is home to many poor people...maybe the poorest in Manila. I felt good doing this one small deed for these children. I hope to return again for another small lesson. I also visited Leo Castro of Sanghabi, a collective of artists that provide music & dance workshops for the community to show the diversity of the Pilipino people. He taught me about Baybayin: The Ancient Art of Reading and Writing of the Filipinos. Very cool art lesson.
Tired fingers now...I guess my next entry will be about Mindanao... the land of contrasts & for me now even the land of contrasting emotions... where I've experienced great joys, but also great pain....
After Lubuagen, Kalinga, I went to Sagada in Mountain Province. We stayed at the house of Anthropologist Villia Jefremova, who has studied the Bontoc people and has participated in Bontoc rituals for thirty years... I listened well to the stories of Ruel and Villia, and of course, learned a lot about the traditional life of the Bontoc. We had many nights of fabulous food from Villa, joined by other friends in Sagada. I visited the pottery studio and received lessons from Siegrid & Manong Jessie--feeling like a failure after watching these fabulous potter do their thing. Good times in Sagada--with Ruel, Villia, Dudes, Siegrid and others...especially the gourmet cooking of Villia!
We next visited the Banaue Museum, Batad terraces and Hapao of Ifugao Province. Joined by Lilia & Jim of Chicago, we attend the funnest wedding in Hapao--3 villages merging to celebrate the joining of a newly wedded couple-Ruel's cousins. The rice wine was very potent & I thoroughly enjoyed the tons of food, along with hundreds of villagers, as well as the traditional dances by the groom's family. We left the wedding to venture through the rice terraces to the hot springs, where two locals needed money for more gin (or maybe rice wine) to continue their partying in the fields. The hot springs was relaxing, may too much so because we had to struggle back to Ruel's brother's house across the river (Lily & I were scared of falling off the terraces). I was walking like a little old lady, shuffling my feet ever so slowly only inches apart. We enjoyed good conversation & food @ Ruel's brothers, then we had to walk up the terraces with our flashlights. Ruel had to hold my hand-I was too scared. At the top of the hill the mumbaki was having rituals, but we were too tired, so Ruel brought us back to the homestay. Advice-don't drink rice wine when walking in the terraces if you are a foreigner, like me.
In Banaue we visited weavers from the Immota family. Manong Juan did not allow me to take video of the process, being concerned with his family's source of income and also explaining that many people make videos--but not to the benefit of any weavers. I later taught a mini-art lesson in Banaue at the school of Yolanda Nagulman. The sixth graders were angels & were also very interested in the documentary photography of Ruel Bimuyag... (I forced him to show his work & although hesitant b/c he was unprepared, the children found it fascinating and enjoyed his photography of the indigenous people of the Cordillera Mt. range.
I returned to Manila to rest by staying with family, but managed to squeeze in art lessons for preschoolers, elementary &out-of-school youth at Baseco through the HOPE Foundation. The Baseco Pier is home to many poor people...maybe the poorest in Manila. I felt good doing this one small deed for these children. I hope to return again for another small lesson. I also visited Leo Castro of Sanghabi, a collective of artists that provide music & dance workshops for the community to show the diversity of the Pilipino people. He taught me about Baybayin: The Ancient Art of Reading and Writing of the Filipinos. Very cool art lesson.
Tired fingers now...I guess my next entry will be about Mindanao... the land of contrasts & for me now even the land of contrasting emotions... where I've experienced great joys, but also great pain....
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
My Visit to Lubuagen, Kalinga Province
From Iloilo--to Baguio--quick visit to Naguilan & then to Kalinga Province!!!
My stay in Lubuagen, Kalinga, was extraordinary! I was blessed to stay with Mr. Cirilio Bawer, who is my new Kalinga friend. I visited numerous Kalinga weavers, an elder rattan weaver, a flutemaker and even the rice terrace for field preparations, where I ate & rested while the farmers worked the land...(UNFORTUNATELY, THIS CITY GIRL IS OUT OF SHAPE--SLIPPING & SLIDING ON THE MOUNTAIN TRAILS, WHILE DRAGGING ALONG ALL THE OTHER MOUNTAIN FOLK). The Kalinga are gracious & giving--I received many gifts from them along with a handmade flute which I'll have to learn how to play...tried Kalinga embroidery on the traditional cloth, but was very slow & quite sloppy, especially compared to the 15 year old who was attempting to teach me.
Traveling with Ruel Bimuyag, Ifugao Photographer, and his Kalinga wife, Irene, has been one of the greatest treasures in my life. I am in the midst of cultural bearers who are able to traverse between traditional life in the Cordillera Mountains and modern life in the cities of Baguio, Manila & countries beyond. Meeting the father of Irene is one of my greatest honors in life--a humble man, yet the wisest of teachers, who has given me a glimpse of Kalinga life and the struggles of passing on the Kalinga way of life. I wanted to record every word he uttered so I could remember the wisdom of it, what sticks now is: we must learn to balance everything... & also >>> TO LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME... something I'd already known, but in the context of the Kalinga, who stopped the building of the Chico River Dam, the meaning has become much more important to me. His family is wonderful...cooking for me each day & so humble--all beautiful from his wife Maria to each of the children. I felt completely at home.
Mr. Bawer explained the history of how he brought Kalinga Dance & Culture to Manila and toured the country with the first ever Kalinga Theatrical Performance. He has worked as a cultural bearer for decades and struggles to maintain traditional arts of the Kalinga against the grain of Western influences.
This Sunday we took the bus from Lubuagen to Bontoc, Mt. Province for a quick visit to Bontoc Museum & then on to Sagada, where I am now staying in the house of Villia--a beautiful home on the edge of the cliff overlooking a magical canyon surrounded by mountains from which I am just now watching the Typhoon pass through--mist like, wave after wave of rainfall. We had a great meal-especially her rhubarb pie (yummy-can't just have one piece!) Earlier today I had a pottery workshop with Siegrid here in the Sagada Pottery Studio & was slightly more successful today than yesterday's session with Manong Jessie on hand building.
We leave for Banaue on Thursday--Ifugao territory...yet another adventure.
My stay in Lubuagen, Kalinga, was extraordinary! I was blessed to stay with Mr. Cirilio Bawer, who is my new Kalinga friend. I visited numerous Kalinga weavers, an elder rattan weaver, a flutemaker and even the rice terrace for field preparations, where I ate & rested while the farmers worked the land...(UNFORTUNATELY, THIS CITY GIRL IS OUT OF SHAPE--SLIPPING & SLIDING ON THE MOUNTAIN TRAILS, WHILE DRAGGING ALONG ALL THE OTHER MOUNTAIN FOLK). The Kalinga are gracious & giving--I received many gifts from them along with a handmade flute which I'll have to learn how to play...tried Kalinga embroidery on the traditional cloth, but was very slow & quite sloppy, especially compared to the 15 year old who was attempting to teach me.
Traveling with Ruel Bimuyag, Ifugao Photographer, and his Kalinga wife, Irene, has been one of the greatest treasures in my life. I am in the midst of cultural bearers who are able to traverse between traditional life in the Cordillera Mountains and modern life in the cities of Baguio, Manila & countries beyond. Meeting the father of Irene is one of my greatest honors in life--a humble man, yet the wisest of teachers, who has given me a glimpse of Kalinga life and the struggles of passing on the Kalinga way of life. I wanted to record every word he uttered so I could remember the wisdom of it, what sticks now is: we must learn to balance everything... & also >>> TO LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME... something I'd already known, but in the context of the Kalinga, who stopped the building of the Chico River Dam, the meaning has become much more important to me. His family is wonderful...cooking for me each day & so humble--all beautiful from his wife Maria to each of the children. I felt completely at home.
Mr. Bawer explained the history of how he brought Kalinga Dance & Culture to Manila and toured the country with the first ever Kalinga Theatrical Performance. He has worked as a cultural bearer for decades and struggles to maintain traditional arts of the Kalinga against the grain of Western influences.
This Sunday we took the bus from Lubuagen to Bontoc, Mt. Province for a quick visit to Bontoc Museum & then on to Sagada, where I am now staying in the house of Villia--a beautiful home on the edge of the cliff overlooking a magical canyon surrounded by mountains from which I am just now watching the Typhoon pass through--mist like, wave after wave of rainfall. We had a great meal-especially her rhubarb pie (yummy-can't just have one piece!) Earlier today I had a pottery workshop with Siegrid here in the Sagada Pottery Studio & was slightly more successful today than yesterday's session with Manong Jessie on hand building.
We leave for Banaue on Thursday--Ifugao territory...yet another adventure.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
from KAPWA2 in Iloilo to Baguio
On Iloilo & KAPWA2 CONFERENCE:
The sadness was the knowledge that ships went down, more than 800 drowned and the question of why did the ships leave port when the typhoon was clearly headed towards central Visayas...this is the Philippines...where corruption is often blatant...on the plane ride I read many articles, including one which said that the company involved had many ship that have sunk during storms like this.
Once in Iloilo, our ride from the airport showed downed shacks, and trees, but the people here are resilient. Outside of homes, many had their belongings out to dry--furniture, clothing, etc.. One young girl, Adele, a conference coordinator, had lost her home, yet once the Kapwa2 Conference began she was back at work--organizing and handling all the needs of the foreign guests. I tried to give her my things, but she insisted all her family needed was perhaps more mosquito repellant, even refusing the small eco-flashlight I brought along (sorry mom). It's hard to see the devastation from where we are, the downtown now cleared of water. But on our ride past Antique, we saw where the concrete bridge was washed out, and yet they had already built a small replacement bridge, enabling us to visit the art studios of Momo.
This Kapwa2 Conference is a huge blessing for me. I was blessed to find many of my friends here, a huge surprize and so wonderful...these friends from Lake Sebu, Camiguin, Manila & making new ones from all over the PI. The Conference is on Pilipino Psychology-I'll explain more later, but it is filled with many culture bearers who have inspired me with their profound work in maintaining their living traditions. Also, there are many famous people here, in particular, the organizers are Kidlat Tahimik, International Filmmaker, and his wife, Dr. Katrin de Guia. Their story is a unique one, but you can google them yourselves... I am quite honored to be able to walk this path and find that in the crossroads there are many kindred spirits to be found who have much knowledge to pass to me.
7/7/2008 (We are 15 hours ahead PST):
My condensed schedule & limited access to the internet has not allowed me to report my experiences. The conference in particular was so intense that I still have yet to process my experience there...yet....
The adventure continues...hung out in Baguio, mostly with manong Kidlat Tahimik. His home is so cool and I was so blessed to be allowed to spend so much time with him and learn about all of his films and his filmaking process...besides touring around Baguio, I also mostly hung out with my friends Violeta, Jason & Ruel @ VOCAS- Victor Ortesia Community Art Space...viewing films from Japan on the Ainu Wedding & Bear Rituals & a brief excerpt of a film from Okinawa. Met lots of artists @ VOCAS, but also met a few @ Tama-wan Village & the gallery of Ben Hur Villanueva, the Arko ni Apo Gallery. I was blown away by his scultures & was blessed with the opportunity to interview him... One giant sculpture would've been beautiful in my house...oh, well too much $$$ to spend! Read about him here:
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2004/11/15/life/an.artist.for.others.html
Silly me, while trying to back up photos & half eating my meal, i also met the famous photographer, Tommy Hafalla, who was checking out my images on the computer while we talked...I was so stupid--didn't realize who he was & I asked him does he love black & white photography...DUH!!!! MEANWHILE, Ruel's wife Irene is giggling & laughing & trying to whisper to me that he's famous for his work!!! Nice guy, he mostly documents rituals in Sagada, but also cares for his elderly father here in Baguio. Read about these artists here:
http://www.homegrownart.net/history.htm
Tonight we leave for Kalinga Province & Mountain Province...This is quite a wonderful artistic & spiritual adventure for me!
The sadness was the knowledge that ships went down, more than 800 drowned and the question of why did the ships leave port when the typhoon was clearly headed towards central Visayas...this is the Philippines...where corruption is often blatant...on the plane ride I read many articles, including one which said that the company involved had many ship that have sunk during storms like this.
Once in Iloilo, our ride from the airport showed downed shacks, and trees, but the people here are resilient. Outside of homes, many had their belongings out to dry--furniture, clothing, etc.. One young girl, Adele, a conference coordinator, had lost her home, yet once the Kapwa2 Conference began she was back at work--organizing and handling all the needs of the foreign guests. I tried to give her my things, but she insisted all her family needed was perhaps more mosquito repellant, even refusing the small eco-flashlight I brought along (sorry mom). It's hard to see the devastation from where we are, the downtown now cleared of water. But on our ride past Antique, we saw where the concrete bridge was washed out, and yet they had already built a small replacement bridge, enabling us to visit the art studios of Momo.
This Kapwa2 Conference is a huge blessing for me. I was blessed to find many of my friends here, a huge surprize and so wonderful...these friends from Lake Sebu, Camiguin, Manila & making new ones from all over the PI. The Conference is on Pilipino Psychology-I'll explain more later, but it is filled with many culture bearers who have inspired me with their profound work in maintaining their living traditions. Also, there are many famous people here, in particular, the organizers are Kidlat Tahimik, International Filmmaker, and his wife, Dr. Katrin de Guia. Their story is a unique one, but you can google them yourselves... I am quite honored to be able to walk this path and find that in the crossroads there are many kindred spirits to be found who have much knowledge to pass to me.
7/7/2008 (We are 15 hours ahead PST):
My condensed schedule & limited access to the internet has not allowed me to report my experiences. The conference in particular was so intense that I still have yet to process my experience there...yet....
The adventure continues...hung out in Baguio, mostly with manong Kidlat Tahimik. His home is so cool and I was so blessed to be allowed to spend so much time with him and learn about all of his films and his filmaking process...besides touring around Baguio, I also mostly hung out with my friends Violeta, Jason & Ruel @ VOCAS- Victor Ortesia Community Art Space...viewing films from Japan on the Ainu Wedding & Bear Rituals & a brief excerpt of a film from Okinawa. Met lots of artists @ VOCAS, but also met a few @ Tama-wan Village & the gallery of Ben Hur Villanueva, the Arko ni Apo Gallery. I was blown away by his scultures & was blessed with the opportunity to interview him... One giant sculpture would've been beautiful in my house...oh, well too much $$$ to spend! Read about him here:
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2004/11/15/life/an.artist.for.others.html
Silly me, while trying to back up photos & half eating my meal, i also met the famous photographer, Tommy Hafalla, who was checking out my images on the computer while we talked...I was so stupid--didn't realize who he was & I asked him does he love black & white photography...DUH!!!! MEANWHILE, Ruel's wife Irene is giggling & laughing & trying to whisper to me that he's famous for his work!!! Nice guy, he mostly documents rituals in Sagada, but also cares for his elderly father here in Baguio. Read about these artists here:
http://www.homegrownart.net/history.htm
Tonight we leave for Kalinga Province & Mountain Province...This is quite a wonderful artistic & spiritual adventure for me!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Seeking Answers: Excerpts from My Grant
When thinking about my teaching practice, I would like to learn how indigenous knowledge, spirituality, and consciousness affects the learning of students. Many of my students experience extreme violence and post-traumatic stress, due to gang violence, or living through war in their home countries. I have observed that these students are extremely at-risk, yet still excel when I utilize traditional, indigenous or tribal-based art concepts from what seemed to be grounded in metaphysics, or the nature of being. I began asking myself, why does a student respond more to a project exploring death, as in “Dia de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead” activities? Do students innately sense the deeper philosophical or even existential meaning of what they’re learning when the activity has a higher level of consciousness?
The key questions I have are: What is the relationship between spiritual, ritual, myth, and art from the indigenous/tribal point of view? How do dance, music, visual arts and oral tradition fit into indigenous life? How do indigenous beliefs and practices survive in a post-colonial/globalized world? What aspects of tribal culture evolve and can be embraced by “diaspora” students? What from our indigenous past survives to give us strength and purpose in life? What is the interplay between contemporary Western arts and tribal arts? I am interested in finding out how and why art, music and dance are important to the rituals of the community. I am looking for similarities and contrasts between different tribes. I am curious to see how indigenous people maintain their culture in a post-colonial Philippines.
The passion that drives me in this fellowship is my own realization of how students respond positively and with passion to aspects of their own culture and heritage. I have observed that incorporating Latino and African American curriculum into the way I teach art has increased their communication, thinking skills and creative expression. I want to build upon that success by exposing all my students to indigenous tribal arts and culture of the Philippines, thus enabling them to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between different cultures and their art expressions. I believe this understanding will help limit the black on brown and brown on brown violence happening in our schools today, with non-Filipinos able to learn about their neighbors through the arts.
The key questions I have are: What is the relationship between spiritual, ritual, myth, and art from the indigenous/tribal point of view? How do dance, music, visual arts and oral tradition fit into indigenous life? How do indigenous beliefs and practices survive in a post-colonial/globalized world? What aspects of tribal culture evolve and can be embraced by “diaspora” students? What from our indigenous past survives to give us strength and purpose in life? What is the interplay between contemporary Western arts and tribal arts? I am interested in finding out how and why art, music and dance are important to the rituals of the community. I am looking for similarities and contrasts between different tribes. I am curious to see how indigenous people maintain their culture in a post-colonial Philippines.
The passion that drives me in this fellowship is my own realization of how students respond positively and with passion to aspects of their own culture and heritage. I have observed that incorporating Latino and African American curriculum into the way I teach art has increased their communication, thinking skills and creative expression. I want to build upon that success by exposing all my students to indigenous tribal arts and culture of the Philippines, thus enabling them to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between different cultures and their art expressions. I believe this understanding will help limit the black on brown and brown on brown violence happening in our schools today, with non-Filipinos able to learn about their neighbors through the arts.
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