Babaylan in Asian Ethnology

Letecia writes:

Dear All,

I was searching today for resources from a cousin in Tacloban, Leyte and ran across an archive I wanted to share.  Some of you may have already visited, but here is the link:

CUMULATIVE LISTING OF ESSAYS & BOOK REVIEWS FROM
ASIAN ETHNOLOGY   [ formerly ASIAN FOLKLORE STUDIES ]

Volumes 1–67/2 (1942–2008)

There are many entries on the Philippines, you just need to search.....here are a few examples:

1978, vol. 37 / 1
Towards an Understanding of Philippine Myths
FRANCISCO R. DEMETRIO, S. J.
Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro (Philippines)
http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/afs/pdf/a320.pdf

The Shaman as Psychologist
FRANCISCO R. DEMETRIO, S. J .
Xavier Uniuersity, Cagayan de Oro (Philippines)
http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/afs/pdf/a321.pdf

1979, vol. 38 / 2
Filipino Myths of Death and Speciation : Content and Structure
By J. Patrick Gray
North Texas State University
For Philippine Folklife and Folklore Center, Xavier University
Cagayan de Oro, P. I.
http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/afs/pdf/a338.pdf

1986, vol. 45 / 2
On Human Values in Philippine Epics
FRANCISCO R. DEMETRIO, S., J.
Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro (Philippines)
http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/afs/pdf/a584.pdf


Wishing everyone a wonderful 2010!

Love, Letty

Submitted by Letecia Layson. Links accessed 12/29/09.

Review of Huling Balyan ng Buhi

http://cinefilipinas.blogspot.com/2009/12/huling-balyan-ng-buhi-2006-sherad.html

about the Babaylan Rising, Dec. 5 2009 Event

date Sun, Dec 6, 2009 at 4:19 AM
subject Re: Babaylan Rising event


Dear all -
It is past 1am and am still awake because of the warm and exhuberant energy of the evening. Tonight we raised [funds for CFBS] -- thanks to Felicia, Jennifer, Marisza, Holly, Baylan, Lizae, Trixie and San Jose State U students, Ingrid, Mylene, Jodie, Mel Orpilla and Sam, your partners, friends, and family. Thanks, too, to the donors of the auction items: Perla's mandala, Jennifer and her artist friends, Christine Balza, Holly, Dustin/Sloat Garden Ctr, and many more. Consul Ver also came briefly and shared the support of the Philippine Consulate for the conference - thanks to Baylan for this connection. Thanks also to the Filipino vegan caterer - No Worries -- for the delicious pancit and the other donors of our vegetarian spread.

I finally got to see the beautiful Dugso ritual. Baylan, Holly, Ingrid, and Jennifer -- Bai Liza will be proud of you! The water ritual by Lizae with the singing bowl is beautiful and the invocation of the seven elements was very moving. Together with the beautiful altar set up in the Talaandig tradition and with Bai Liza's permission -- it all came together. I felt the energy pulsing through. I love how we came back to the altar at the end to partake of the brown and white rice. And what was in that holy water -- it is aromatic and sweet!

Felicia and Jodie - thank you for your poetry. I know your Dad is happy to hear your words of gold, Felicia. Jodie -- am glad you are getting your spoken word out; the dance next time...move those hips. Felicia - we are so proud of Sebastian who relished his bird-man role. That was a brief but good and creative presentation of the creation myth and what made it really special is the participation of the youth - Sebastian, Trixie and her partner (sorry, i'm blanking on his name). Smart props!

Mel - it was good to point out that the warrior in the indigenous community worked alongside the babaylan in protecting the community. Thanks for showing off the tattoos, too, and sparring with Sam. Thank you for sharing the work that you do with youth as they seek indigenous ways of reconnecting to their roots.

Thank you to everyone who made bids on the silent auction items and those who won and came home with the goods. Perla, the beautiful mandala went to Luis, Jen's partner. The kalamansi tree went home with Lizae, the antique baskets went home with Marisza. I came home with Jen's "Peacock" line of beauty products that she made herself. Oh, there are so many other items that I would tell you more about later. (Or you could tell us your story of the evening, too. Please do!)

On this night there were so many events going on around the Bay Area and I thank all those who chose to spend the night with us. We didn't get a full list of attendees, pls help me compile the list by sending us the names of those who were present because you invited them.

Each one of you inspires me.I never thought I would live to see this day ...a beloved community of babaylan-inspired women and men, young and old, gay and straight, long-haired, short-haired -- coming together to honor our babaylan ancestors, reclaiming our indigenous spirituality, and sharing this with our community and beyond. We bear and bare the beautiful fruit of our decolonizing process as we reach out to our families and friends and tell them about the necessity of decolonization. Together we manifest our gifts of Kapwa, Pakikiramdam, Loob through our deepening connection to our inner selves and each other.

I am looking forward to the holy days/holidays with gratitude and appreciation for all of you, for all of us. We've only been together a few months and already I feel like I have been adopted into a clan of the wise and compassionate. May our tribe increase.

It's past 2am and I will write more tomorrow and I look forward to your sharing. Please post photos on facebook.

Love to you,
Leny

Reflections by Mila Coger on the Los Angeles event

For the past nights, I've been in and out of dreams, the mind barely remembering details, but the imprint on one's consciousness so finely etched that one simply knows of a different traveling, of a different realm. The Babaylan event last Sunday, Nov 22, in L.A. at Tribal Cafe has been like a dream, softly flowing, almost magical, and yet at the same time, impelling and transfixing in the images and meanings created.

There we were, sharing our various expressions of music, dance, poetry, story, visual and healing arts; artists and audience engaged in this beautiful ritual of coming together for a purpose. We were all defining and honoring the Philippine indigenous healer, not only those who were figures from the past or practicing in the present. We were most of all, honoring the healer within us, acknowledging it at first with a tentative smile, and then later, the acknowledgment fully emerging as joy filled laughter and resounding applause. In that moment, we have all realized and felt the truth of our indigenous roots, and now in celebration, were ready to embrace its full expression within ourselves, and with one another!

Danny Espiritu, the L.A. Deputy Consul General and Vice Consul Charmaine Chua, expressed their appreciation when they cited L.A.'s usual endless social events but none more deep and meaningful than the one on the babaylan. Danny reiterated that the time has come for us to rediscover ourselves and our inner essence through expressing and strengthening our indigenous culture. He also strongly encouraged the continuation of similar presentations and stated his willingness to support the babaylan cause.

It was an evening that capped weeks of preparation, an event whose structure was formed not simply by positioning people and time frames together, but more from intuitive listening of what guiding signs emerged and the subtle messages they whispered. Mostly, we listened while we helped one another and watched ourselves flow like rivers, merging, just in Lizae's closing ritual harp music, as sacred waters of the great ocean. It was an incredible flowing, individually and collectively, as thread after thread of artistic and healing expressions from different sources wove themselves together and the wondrous tapestry of a babaylan event unfolded.

As time moved towards the event, so did people. Some came in, others went out. Leny flew out to Florida to be with her family; Lizae flew in from Frisco and met a new harp friend; Virgil drove away in meditation and weeks after, drove back again in full commitment; Vedel in the meantime danced with the babaylan mandala, while Mila contemplated on it some more; Venus and Frances cheered from Hawaii, Bernie danced her way from south to north, Tita brought stunning visual amulets and son Jose; Mandala admonished his tongue, Lilibeth plunged into pandan tea, Virgie crooned while she cooked Bicol Express dishes, Ben strummed his heart strings, Rudy serenaded and read people, Charmaine came and left with Michael, Aqui waged her brave battles on stage, Ric floated with his wonderful notes and Bibiana came toothless but told the Bernardo Carpio legend anyway, and with gusto!

There were more people than usual at Joshua's Tribal Cafe that evening. First they trickled in and then during the next moments after 5 pm when the program started, they made it into a full house! So full was it that one cozily sat shoulder to shoulder with another, while I had to do the indigenous incantation "tabi, tabi po (please pardon my passing)" just to navigate from one point of the cafe to the next. Towards the end, after announcements on the babaylan website and the forthcoming April 2010 Babaylan Conference were made, and appeals for generous donations delivered, a number of books from Linda Nietes were excitedly being plucked, a number of people stated interest in registering and attending the conference, and donation funds were gathered (cash and checks) .

Already, buoyed by the waves of inspiration and encouragement from everyone, the next babaylan event in L.A. is beckoning on the horizon of early 2010. New artists who came and attended have expressed their anticipation in sharing, while the initial group of Vedel, Lizae, Mila, Tita (?) and Virgil have their wings ready to fly again. In the meantime, our inner ears and subtle senses are once more starting to glean messages that will guide us into the exact time and place of that moment and the people who will animate it with their arts and healing energies. The babaylan mandala is like the deepoceanocean that invites the strong and pure hearted to continue their journey of merging with its sacred waters. Shall we enjoy the dive once more?

Reflections by Lizae Reyes on the Los Angeles event

My Babaylan experience.

The weekend of Nov. 20-23, 2009. I left Oakland on Friday, Nov 20th via Southwest Airlines for L.A. It was very windy and rainy. I imagined the plane experiencing turbulence which is not something I cherish when traveling. It ended up that our plane was delayed due to an accident; the luggage truck that carried the luggage to the airplane crashed into the airplane we were on. Passengers were waiting for take-off. But we had to switch planes. I wonder, how could that ever happen? Finally I arrived in L.A after an hour and a half delay, so ecstatic and looking forward to meeting Sister Vedel, Mila, Vedel's parents, Virgil Apostol and others!!! As I walked into Vedel's abode, I heard the most haunting voice singing Tagalog love songs, kundiman reminiscent of Mr. Ruben Tagalog. I grew up my parents listening to Ruben Tagalog's songs. Suddenly I was easily transported back to my childhood. It was beautiful. It was nostalgic. The man singing is Manong Rudy (family friend of Vedel's parents). He is a healer; quite humble. He told us many stories of his profound healing journey that brought him the gift to becoming a healer. I realized I was listening to the stories of a man who embodies the Babaylan Spirit. Laughter, food, camaraderie, connection, deep listening, nostalgic feelings of my childhood.............all these were worth the flight to L.A., the delay, the waiting and the turbulence. I flew to L.A. to support the Babaylan fund-raising. It came to me that it was a flight to more heightened consciousness instead.

Sunday, Nov. 22. The Babaylan Fundraising event at Tribal Cafe. The space was quite cozy. The food served was superb! People started to trickle in slowly. All the participants' contributions spoke and expressed our beautiful indigenous origin at many different levels. I was very honored to be present in that event; very happy and delighted to meet more kindred spirits, with special mention of Manong Faustino, another healer. Before the program started, I was tuning my harp. It turned out that on my way to the Tribal Cafe, a string loosened immensely that no amount of tightening it could do the trick. I tried and tried. Oh dear, of all times, why now? (I told myself). That never happened to me and I could not imagine playing a harp piece with a note out of tune. Such dissonance!!!! Another realization came to me. This particular incident of the string bringing dissonance is a metaphor of my own life's journey. I announced my experience to the audience with sincerity. "We all experience dissonance in our lives. The lesson of the harp's string loosening up is but a lesson of the Spirit, of Life. It is okay to have dissonance; always embracing Life's imperfections; acknowledging it and even sharing it as I did to the audience. We constantly fine-tune our consciousness to strike a balance. Just like Life.........as in music, when I experience dissonance, I begin to appreciate the other elements. I begin to honor the dissonance in my Life as honoring my Soul".

My experience of this weekend is an unforgettable one. Everyone I met shared their world in a capsule; shared their gift. The Babaylan community is growing in number and it is quite amazing! Bringing the Babaylan consciousness to the lives of the people is healing. As I connect with that which I love, my physical body is energized, my emotional state is uplifted, my spiritual connection is strengthened, my mental capacity becomes clearer and my creative expression is released and shared. As we begin to share the Babaylan Spirit with others, we create an opportunity for others to open and connect to that Spirit within themselves where their gift resides.......the healer within. This is an act of Sacred service.

The circle continues................................

Reflections by Vedel Herbito on the Los Angeles Event

here are some reflections i said i'd e-mail that arose from our momentous gatherings last Sunday that can be shared that has been inspired by your insights.

i felt moved from reading what you wrote to share from my pov of growing up in LA in a Filipino community, living in close proximity to Historic Filipinotown as a child before, and now coming back again to LA.

i know that in Historic Filipinotown and throughout the pockets of Filipino enclaves scattered throughout the city, from personal experiences and stories from family friends that the "healers, cultural bearers, etc..." are still very alive and present as the strength of their gifts are carried over from the homeland.

i grew up with my parents sharing these stories of these "gifts" from our own family, of the "village healers" in their provinces where they were raised, those with the "gifts" of sight, of sound, of sense, of dreams...

and now in this modern day city, i remember when Ate Venus and i were ill as children, and even now, our parents hoped to find these similar "village healers" of their upbringing and they thankfully did.

by word of mouth, it's been kept "underground," as common news among the "believers," as we would have to ask around from friends, and friends of friends, to find the common network of the "healers" that can help regardless of the degree of the ailment. the stories shared a common theme: the spirit was ill or disturbed and doctors weren't helping, test results even proving everything is "ok" but the symptoms persisted. our ancestors needed prayers, a spirit was "visiting" or disturbed they would say, and they would recommend a ritual, or some herbs for healing...

and now to see a public gathering where such a "safe" and "open" space has been created for this kind of genuine sharing about healers and our indigenous ways of healing i believe is truly birthing something profound, long needed by our communities. it has its own life force, building towards something sustainable as it always has been. in essence, i feel our spirits have been longing for and calling for this reawaken.

as we all get deeper, the truth of what we are here for becomes brighter each time, with every new gathering, more energy, more light is emanated into the cosmos: that we are here to awaken the gifts within each one of us in whatever shape or form they are called to be expressed, and to support one another as a community, just as our ancestors have done, for the healing of ourselves, each other, and essentially all who are part of this wondrous creation...

let us all continue to create and share with love our gifts of love... :)

Babaylan Mandala Fine Art Series

Babaylan Mandala I-I

Beginning over 400 years ago, the coming of Western colonizers shaped the identity of Filipinos. As the gold of our ancestors and the motherland were wrested away and loaded upon Spanish galleons to be delivered to the conquerors' home across the seas, so too was the richness of Filipino identity and spirituality replaced with dysfunctional perceptions of the superiority of the conquerors' race, religion and ways and the innate inferiority of the indios'. 

 

Filipinos today who awaken and stand strong in their identity, history, heritage and the center of their being(Loob), find their inner light, their inner gold. The Babaylan Mandalas and all their symbols of the 4 elements and baybayin scripts represent the reclaiming of the Filipinos' Inner Gold... We know when the Babaylan Spirit rises within any one of us when She guides us to help our Kapwa find theirs. 

Fine Art Prints Available for Purchase:  
To order please visit the babaylan mandala page at Center for Babaylan Studies.

BABAYLAN RISING | Fundraiser | Saturday, December 5, 2009

Date: Saturday, December 5, 2009
Time: 6:30pm - 10:00pm
Location: Bayanihan Center 1010 Mission Street @ 6th Street San Francisco, CA 94103
More Info: Babaylan Rising Details and RSVP page

“BABAYLAN is a Filipino word that refers specifically to an individual or a group of healers, mostly women, who were acknowledged by friends and family as possessing extraordinary gifts… having a gift of vision; an ability to see through schemes or situations and later advise on future plans... or the gift for healing; a specific touch or intuited or passed-on knowledge to specific processes of ‘fixing’ and ‘putting’ people and things together. The first priority of all Babaylan [is] her community.” --Carlos Villa

Join us for an evening of ritual gathering and ceremony.

This fundraiser's intention is to Invoke the Babaylan spirit through a ritual dance the Dugso in the tradition of the Talaandig tribe, creation myth reenactment, Eskrima martial arts, poetry, and sacred drumming.

*Presale tickets $15 - $20 at the door
Discounts for students with id $10 presale - $15 at the door*

This event will also feature guest speaker Leny Strobel (Center for Babaylan Studies Director www.babaylan.net)

A silent auction of Babaylan inspired art and crafts will start at 6:30 and go on throughout the evening. Requesting that guests bring a check book or cash if participation in the silent auction is desired.

Light appetizers will be provided with an open invitation to guest would like to donate food offerings for the evening.

Come with open mind and an open heart and witness the blessing and wisdom of Babaylan Spirit.

SPONSORED BY: No Worries Catering www.filipinoveganfood.com

The Center for Babaylan Studies (CfBS) is a 501c3 tax-exempt nonprofit activity of the International Humanities Center (IHC) http://ihcenter.org/.

More Info: Babaylan Rising Details and RSVP page

November 2009 Events

There are two exciting and special events taking place this weekend.

• Nov 21, 2009 - Babaylan in Our Midst, Hanuman Center. Los Angeles, CA. 
• Nov 22, 2009 - Babaylan Rising. Bay Area, CA.

These events are brought about by the volunteer efforts of those impassioned by their connection to ancestry and the babaylan spirit. May this event bring healing, wholeness and Light into you Life. Mabuhay.

(click on the above events to view their programs)

Asian Journal features CFBS---thanks!

The Center for Babaylan Studies was featured in the Asian Journal in October 2009.

 http://www.asianjournal.com/aj-magazine/something-filipino/3385-carrying-the-legacy-of-filipino-indigenous-knowledge.html

Many thanks to Lorial Crowder for working on this and many thanks also to Malou Liwanag-Aguilar at the Asian Journal.

Ritual Gathering of Sacred Music, Dance & Poetry - Pictures II

Please click here to view Leny's photo album of this magical event>>
Click here to get more information on this past event>>

Join our facebook group to get announcements and event updates>>

Ritual Gathering of Sacred Music, Dance & Poetry - Pictures

Please visit the Picasa Photo Album by Bill Naiditch and Nus that generously shares the images of this special evening of Sept. 19, 2009.
Click here to view pics>>
Click here to get more information on this past event>>

Join our facebook group to get announcements and event updates>>

Chanted Poem/Song by Mila Anguluan-Coger

YA PALLABBET | ANG PAGBABALIK LOOB | THE JOURNEY HOME
By Mila Anguluan-Coger, 09.18.09

Chanted Poem/Song at the Ritual Gathering of Sacred Music, Dance & Poetry
Saturday, September 19, 2009. Berkeley, CA

Intan intan… labbet tan intan
Intan intan… labbet tan intan
Halika na uwi na… halika na uwi na…

Kaam ta kunukunnay ya kwammu?
Bakit nyo po ginagawa ito?
Why do you do this, Lola? As a child I’d wonder
Why grandmother chanted to call me, even while beside her
After visiting strange places and it was time to go home
Why do you do this, I would repeat
And slowly, she’d look at me, and say gently
Whispering a secret known only to both of us
So that you won’t get lost, my child
So that you won’t go wandering too far
Too far that you’d never return again.

And then she’d chant and do it all over
Intan intan… labbet tan intan… Intan intan…. labbet tan intan
Imploring with her voice, singing softly with the wind, distinctly
Calling… for my fragmented selves in fragmented places
Come home… come home… time to come home…
Come to this body again… come to this mind…
Come to this heart… come back into this inner space
Come… all you wandering selves together
Come home… and be whole again.

And she’d take hold of my hand
Wrapping my tiny hand, enclosing it in hers
In her strong hand, her nurturing hand and
All at once I’d feel like it was the safest place to be
Despite the creeping darkness, despite the chilling night.

Other nights have come: nights of doom, nights of sorrow.
Many other places: places of torment, places of pain
Many lands traversed, many more to be traveled
Lands that are jagged, cruel, leering, eerie
Oceans that are frothing, seething, smearing
Places where our many selves go
Wandering into…peering into… swallowed into.



Lola, like other ancestors, was babaylan
She whose voice kept calling with the wind, dispelling despair
She whose pungent herbs curling in burning coals would flow into dreams
And deep sleep where soft smoke soothed the unseen pain
Healed the open wounds, brought together flesh and soul torn apart
So that healed, daughters, granddaughters and great granddaughters
Sons and grandsons, sondaughters and daughtersons
Heir to her power of peace, silence, resilience, song, dance, touch
Animate once more the babaylan legacy of dispelling darkness
Healing pain, praying peace, chanting to all our little selves

Intan intan… labbet tan intan… intan intan… labbet tan intan
Come home… come home… time to come back home…
Come to this body again… come to this mind…
Come to this heart… come back into this inner space
Come… all you wandering selves together
Come home… and be whole again.


YA PALLABBET
ANG PAGBABALIK LOOB
THE JOURNEY HOME
By Mila Anguluan-Coger 091809

Intan intan… labbet tan intan
Intan intan… labbet tan intan
Halika na uwi na… halika na uwi na…

Kaam ta kunukunnay ya kwammu?
Bakit nyo po ginagawa ito?
Why do you do this, Lola? As a child I’d wonder
Why grandmother chanted to call me, even while beside her
After visiting strange places and it was time to go home
Why do you do this, I would repeat
And slowly, she’d look at me, and say gently
Whispering a secret known only to both of us
So that you won’t get lost, my child
So that you won’t go wandering too far
Too far that you’d never return again.

And then she’d chant and do it all over
Intan intan… labbet tan intan… Intan intan…. labbet tan intan
Imploring with her voice, singing softly with the wind, distinctly
Calling… for my fragmented selves in fragmented places
Come home… come home… time to come home…
Come to this body again… come to this mind…
Come to this heart… come back into this inner space
Come… all you wandering selves together
Come home… and be whole again.

And she’d take hold of my hand
Wrapping my tiny hand, enclosing it in hers
In her strong hand, her nurturing hand and
All at once I’d feel like it was the safest place to be
Despite the creeping darkness, despite the chilling night.

Other nights have come: nights of doom, nights of sorrow.
Many other places: places of torment, places of pain
Many lands traversed, many more to be traveled
Lands that are jagged, cruel, leering, eerie
Oceans that are frothing, seething, smearing
Places where our many selves go
Wandering into…peering into… swallowed into.



Lola, like other ancestors, was babaylan
She whose voice kept calling with the wind, dispelling despair
She whose pungent herbs curling in burning coals would flow into dreams
And deep sleep where soft smoke soothed the unseen pain
Healed the open wounds, brought together flesh and soul torn apart
So that healed, daughters, granddaughters and great granddaughters
Sons and grandsons, sondaughters and daughtersons
Heir to her power of peace, silence, resilience, song, dance, touch
Animate once more the babaylan legacy of dispelling darkness
Healing pain, praying peace, chanting to all our little selves

Intan intan… labbet tan intan… intan intan… labbet tan intan
Come home… come home… time to come back home…
Come to this body again… come to this mind…
Come to this heart… come back into this inner space
Come… all you wandering selves together
Come home… and be whole again.

mangotahiti.com by margarita certeza garcia

margarita has graciously offered to design the logo for the babaylan conference of 2010.
Please take a look at her online gallery at mangotahiti.com.

Babaylan Mandala

Babaylan Mandala I-I

Beginning over 400 years ago, the coming of Westerner colonizers shaped the identity of Filipinos. As the gold of our ancestors and the motherland were wrested away and loaded upon Spanish galleons to be delivered to the conquerors' home across the seas, so too was the richness of Filipino identity and spirituality replaced with dysfunctional perceptions of the superiority of the Westerner's race, religion and ways and the innate inferiority of the indios'. 

Filipinos today who awaken and stand strong in their identity, history, heritage and the center of their being(Loob), find their inner light, their inner gold. The Babaylan Mandalas and all their symbols of the 4 elements and baybayin scripts represent the reclaiming of the Filipinos' Inner Gold... We know when the Babaylan Spirit rises within any one of us when She guides us to help our Kapwa find theirs. 

This art piece, on 29x29 sugar cane watercolor paper, is up for silent auction as part of a fundraiser for the Center for Babaylan Studies, Babaylan Rising, this December 5th in the Bay Area. 

These are also available for order on 18x18 watercolor paper. You can place your order at www.babaylan.net.

Babaylan Conference of 2010: Call For Papers

*CALL FOR PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS*
Please email in word doc form to admin@babaylan.net

Center for Babaylan Studies
*Babaylan Conference of 2010*
April 17 – 18, 2010
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park CA

http://www.babaylan.net/callforpapers.html

Deadline for Abstracts: Nov. 30
Notification of Acceptance: Jan 30

RATIONALE AND VISION: We believe in the power of the Indigenous Soul
and the Indigenous World View, as embodied by primary/land-based
babaylans in the Philippines and contemporary babaylan/culture-bearers
in the Philippines and in the diaspora, to provide a narrative that
restores a sense of wholeness, beauty, and integrity to our
pagka-Pilipino. In a world that aches for peace, justice, and healing
from the violent effects of colonial and imperial histories, our
Babaylan and our indigenous knowledge systems and practices (IKSP)
offer a path to re-membering and remembering the sacredness, strength,
beauty, and the creativity of our Filipino Loob.Those who have done
the deep work of reconnecting with the spirit of the Babaylan would
like to share this experience with our communities. We would like to
reflect together and celebrate this wealth from our spiritual and
cultural heritage so that it might nourish and nurture the work that
we do to heal and bless, to make peace, to create justice, to teach
our kin and communities the values of Kapwa, Kagandahang Loob,
Pakikiramdam, and Panagtagbo.

*CALL TO PRESENTERS: *

If you are a scholar/educator, artist (visual, literary, performance),
culture-bearer/advocate/activist and if you deem that your work is
Babaylan-inspired and Babaylan-informed, please submit a 250-500 word
abstract describing the content of your paper and a paragraph about
how you think it fits into the conference themes mentioned above. If
you are an artist and would rather submit a video sample of your work,
please do so but also include a 250-500 word abstract of your
presentation and how it fits into the conference themes.

*There will be two tracks to the Conference/Gathering:*

*Main track: *

Key resources from the Philippines on Babaylan and Kapwa Psychology
(Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices)

*Bridging track: *
How the Babaylan practice is appropriated in the U.S. by those in
search of a Filipino practice that is all at once spiritual, creative,
and politically and socially conscious. Areas: Arts, Spiritual
Communities, Academic research, Craftmaking, Education, Cultural
Activism, Political Activism, Social Justice

If you are a scholar/educator, artist (visual, literary, performance),
culture-bearer/advocate/activist, and if you deem that your work is
Babaylan-inspired and Babaylan-informed, and would like to present
your work at the conference, please see below:

For Paper Presentation, please submit a 250-500 word abstract
describing the content of your paper and explain how you think it fits
into the conference themes. Paper presentations are usually 20minutes
each and if you are submitting individually, we may assign you to an
appropriate panel with a moderator.

For Creative Work presentation, e.g. film, video, visual art,
performance, please submit a 250-500 word proposal of your
presentation and how it fits into the conference themes. You may also
submit a sample of your work, if you like.

For Workshops on a specific topic relevant to the conference themes,
please specify the number of hours you require for the workshop and/or
if you are team-teaching. Workshop blocks of 2-4 hours will be
allocated.

For Panel presentation, please submit the names of the members of the
panel, the title and 250-500 word abstract for each presentations, and
the name of the panel moderator.

For all of the above, please include:

1. One paragraph bio for each presenter including moderators.
2. Equipment that you will need for your presentation.

*Deadline for Abstracts: Nov. 15
Notification of Acceptance: Jan 30*

Baybayin and Decolonization

In my blog Baybayin Alive, I encourage people to explore an indigenous way of thinking in order to understand the deeper meanings of the Baybayin Symbols. You can read that post at Holistic Approach: Returning to Ancestral Thinking.

Here is my latest post:

Fertility Symbols, Feminine Principle and BA

In summary it talks about the BA baybayin symbols...

both of which are yonni symbols or fertility symbols.

I also talk about the fertility symbols of the  lingling-o and the dinumug...

lingling-o on left and dinumug on right

(Source: Kipas Gallery - http://www.kipas.nl/Beads/BontFertSym.htm)

The lingling-o is a common ancient artifact symbolizing fertility found around Southeast Asia and the Philippines(ca. 500 B.C.–100 A.D.); dinumug is a fertility symbol and symbol of prosperity and love found in the Ifugao, Bontoc and other Cordillera regions of the northern Philippines.

This particular post at Baybayin Alive goes on to talk about how the fertility symbol shape could very well be the imagery from which the BA baybayin symbol (clefted version) evolved from.

Artistic Expressions - Painting the Brown Face Red

Painting the Brown Face Red
by Leny Strobel

grateful for the invitation
i entered the arbor and sacred ceremony
honoring maiden, matron, elder.

saying prayers to the four directions
in my mind's eye, i was bowing
palms together in front of my chest
I say silently:
I am Asian. Filipino.

holding the talking stick
i share my answer to the question:
what has been your burden this past year?
how did you heal?
i listened to everyone else's answer to same.

after the talking stick made its round
i wished to respond
to go deeper into intimacy
i say silently: I am Filipino.
I want more Kapwa.

drumbeats accompanied wailing time
sage purifying, healing, honoring
after the tears
a holy silence.

drumming began again
i feel the earth vibrate
shy at first, we dance in a circle.
my mind returns to Iloilo
dancing with my tribes
i wished to be back there
with my kin.

but i am in indian canyon
with native sisters
with white women
with black women

we say: it's all good.
it is what it is.
then someone interrupts:
it's not all good. sometimes it sucks.
sometimes it hurts.

the elders pontificate around the fire
wisdom we need to hear
advice on sex and death
on learning to listen.

the wind was howling
we were freezing even around the fire

then before midnite we say
goodbye and thank you

we walk back to camp
pitch dark, the stars are almost within reach.

our hearts are large
our souls feel blessed.

as for the things i didn't say ...
as for the things i didn't understand ...
as for the unaswered curiosities ...
as for the feeling of uncertainty...
as for the longing for more...

the next night i dreamt of a long-absent lover
who has returned to marry me.
oh what bliss!

Link accessed 7/19/2009

Portrait of the Filipino as Kidlat Tahimik

Kidlat Tahimik popularized the term "indio-genius" in reference to contemporary culture-bearer/artists whose creative expressions come from Filipino indigenous themes. He and Katrin de Guia (one of our conference keynoters) co-founded Heritage Arts and Academies, Inc (HAPI) and organized the KAPWA national/international conferences/gatherings of 2004 and 2008. Our Babaylan Conference/Gathering 2010 is modeled after these conferences."

Portrait of the Filipino as Kidlat Tahimik
By A.Z. JOLICCO CUADRA
Manila Bulletin - July 19, 2009, 3:08pm

Excerpt:

Who does not know Kidlat Tahimik? Who is Kidlat Tahimik?

Kidlat Tahimik, to put him in the words of E.M.Forster, stands at a slight angle to the universe. We see him look at it askance, imbibe what his eye perceives, refine what he gets, in the cauldron of his poetic imaginative fire...

Choose a name he was to resound to, resonate with his own brand of Filipinism. Kidlat Tahimik, therefore. In those syllables contained in this name, rebound so spiritually strong with his character; always quick on the Go; here, there, everywhere and nowhere.

In himself, he knows the Buddhism of his heart, best to interact with his reverence for all living things; like his love of nature. Eric de Guia: Eric so Germanic meaning ruler; de Guia so Spanish meaning guide; so: Kidlat Tahimik It Is; this No nom de guerre. But true, as real as his flesh and blood. His truest identity and name will be part and parcel of his vision and art. Being Baguio-grown, he inclined himself to follow the cultures of the Igorots, Ifugaos (like reverencing in their cultural rituals aspects of nature). Adopted as Igorot bagani, he sired The Balik Bahag Movement; if the situation calls him, he dons the bahag without affectation, embarrassment, trepidation. He can look the Igorot brave.

The full article appears on the Manila Bulletin site.

Links accessed 7/27/09

Conversations - Tabada: Why doctors become nurses

Periodically, we will post from the Babaylan Yahoo Group archives. The links offered invite the reader to study, reflect, meditate on the content of these materials. Some of the texts are journalistic in nature, some are scholarly, some are personal anecdotes. Please pay attention to the sources and references.

Sunday, March 02, 2003
Tabada: Why doctors become nurses
By Mayette Q. Tabada
Matamata

One night the serpent in the sky swallowed the moon, and a boy in the village kept his mother awake with his questions.

—Nanay, where has the moon gone?

—Binacunauahan ang bulan, anak.

Despite the darkness in their room, the mother saw the confusion in her son’s eyes.

So she lifted her left arm and made it undulate in the liquid dark. Her son’s eyes followed that slithering arm.

—Our people believe there is a sawa, a large snake that lives in the sky, the underworld or the sea.

She bent her right hand at the wrist, making a broken tail that had been stepped upon.

—People across the sea call it the naga but in our shores we call it the bakunawa. Bent (bako) snake (sawa). Son, we have an eclipse because the serpent spirit has swallowed the moon.

The boy was quiet, absorbing this snake that must have been as long and thick as a coconut tree.

—Nay, what can make the bakunawa spit out the moon?

—Hear the noise our neighbors are making? The babaylan is getting them to scare the bakunawa into throwing up the moon.

And as his mother foretold, the boy saw the moon back in the sky the night after. Many times during his playing, the boy would stop to gaze at the pale and thin shadow. Was it hot or cold inside the snake’s mouth?

A day came when the boy’s mother and other villagers fell sick. The boy’s friends looked everywhere for him but he did not leave his mother’s side, his hot cheek warming her cold one.

—Nay, what is making you sick?

—There’s a fire in my loins, left by the spirits from the river. But the babaylan will put it out.

—Who is this babaylan, Nay?

—The babaylan is the bakunawa’s link to our world. His magic is stronger than that of the sultans, who only count wealth, or the priests, who look after souls. The babaylan is stronger because his power extends over the finite and the infinite.

—What power is this, Nanay?

—The power to heal, anak.

The complete text can be found on the Sun Star Cebu site. Link accessed 7/20/2009

Conversations - Landscape: Re-inventing the babaylan

Third in a series, posted in 2008 at Global Balita

Landscape
by Gemma Cruz Araneta

Re-inventing the babaylan

How did the babaylan cope with the onslaught of “cross and sword”? After the bloody revolts against their sworn enemies, the early Spanish missionaries; after burning churches and disfiguring Christian icons and after the painful betrayal of community members, the babaylans had to devise effective survival methods. They either fled to the mountains or adopted Christian ways to co-exist with the colonial order.

Mr. Adelbert Batica, a Filipino expat, sent his comments to my article “Silencing the babaylan.” He wrote: “The babaylan, as well as the symbols and images associated with them may have totally disappeared except where they have reappeared as modern-day healers and “hilot” who most often use oraciones as part of their healing practice. But, I would propose
that they were actually resurrected, “reinvented” if you may, under a Christian context.”

Indeed, there are several religious communities led by women like the “Ciudad Mistica de Dios”, at the foot of the sacred Mt. Banahaw that uses the Bible and Christian prayers as the basis of their own stylized rituals. Curiously, the “Ciudad Mistica de Dios” began with the “Iglesia Mistica Filipina” founded by Suprema Maria Bernarda in 1915. Mr. Batica observed: “The old ladies who act as prayer leaders at many religious devotionals including novenas (especially for the dead) seem to be carrying on the dynamic of the “babaylan”, although in this day and age instead of being armed with amulets she wears scapulars, religious medals, and usually carries a prayer book or “novenario” and a rosary.”

Complete text available on in the Global Balita archive.

Links accessed 7/19/2009

Conversations - Landscape: Silencing the babaylan

First in a series, posted in 2008 at Global Balita

Landscape
by Gemma Cruz Araneta

Silencing the babaylan

The BABAYLAN, a native priestess or spiritual leader in the days of datus and rajahs, has always been a subject of fascination to latter day Filipina feminists. There is no self-respecting conference on the empowerment of women that does not conjure the spirit of the babaylan directly after the national anthem is sang. So beguiling is the babaylan, members of the gay population insist that they are the rightful descendants and heirs of those enchanted women , a contention belied by a variety of historical evidence ranging from ancient epics and ritualistic formulae to the travel chronicles of Pigafetta and de Loarca who came to these shores with Magellan and Legazpi, respectively.

Antonio Pigafetta did not know they were called babaylan and referred to them as “viejas”, old women, because that was what they were. By the time a woman became a full-fledged babaylan, she was already middle-aged and menopausal for it took almost a lifetime to master that gift those sacred rituals and songs and to assimilate the wealth of ancient wisdom. That being the case, self-styled modern day babaylans like dancer Myra C. Beltran and singer Grace Nono, are probably too green to
aspire for such prominence. After all, the babaylan was a pillar of native society together with the datu, the panday and
bayani ( warrior); they were not only spiritual leaders but also guardians and harbingers of culture values and tradition.

Pigafetta wrote about how the “viejas” danced on a cambay cloth, chanting and drinking wine, playing reed trumpets (flutes probably) to pay homage to the sun . One of them sacrificed a pig, which revolted Pigafetta, and dipped the tip of her reed flute in the pig’s blood and marked the forehead of her busband, companions and community members...The vieja (babaylan) did not mark the Spaniards with pig’s blood, a bold and meaningful statement that went above Pigafetta’s head.

Complete text available on in the Global Balita archive.

Links accessed 7/19/2009

Conversations - Landscape: Betraying the babaylan

Second in a series, posted in 2008 at Global Balita

Landscape
by Gemma Cruz Araneta

Betraying the babaylan

Thanks to archive moles like historian Dr. Zeus Salazar (Ang Babaylan sa Kasaysyan ng Pilipinas 1999) who have unearthed and analyzed data about the enigmatic babaylan, we now know that in ancient times, she was the authority on mythology and cultural heritage, had healing power, was the harbinger of rituals and knew astronomy which she related to the vital agricultural cycle.

In Fe B. Mangahas compelling essay, “The Babaylan historic-cultural context”, we learn that the babaylan traversed both spiritual and physical realms so she inevitably became the formidable rival of the Spanish missionary /friar who were the spiritual and public leaders of a new religion and political dispensation. That was why the babaylan had to be culturally and socially disempowered; she had to be destroyed.

Prof. Carolyn Brewer, a historian from New Zealand wrote insightful articles about the babaylan like the ones in Bolinao who turned over their ceremonial instruments to the friars and stopped practicing “witchcraft.” The Recollects and Dominicans, according to Brewer, used newly-converted young boys to spy on the babaylans in their families, steal their paraphernalia, impersonate them and destroy and profane the anitos. How tragic it must have been for the babaylan to see their datus together with the asog (effeminate male babaylans) join the colonial bureaucracy.

Strikingly, the babaylans crossed swords with the Spanish colonial order. They revolted violently against the ”reduccion” (hamletting) whicih brough the community “bajo de las campanas." Faced with intense vilification campaigns led by the Spanish friars, they urged their communities to preserve their own ancient beliefs and practices. Because they were so close to the people, It was not easy to destroy the babaylan.

Historian Milagros C. Guerrero wrote that many babylans led rebellions from 1596 to 1780 , like Dapungay of Cebu, Negros and Panay (1599), Caguenga, the “vieja anitera“ of Nalfotan, Segovia in Cagayan Valley (1607) , Yga whose alias ”Santa Maria” enraged Fray Juan de Abarca so much that he ordered Gapan, Nueva Ecija burnt and reduced to ashes (1648). From Oton, Iloilo (1664) a babaylan called herself “Santissima” and was impaled on a bamboo pole and fed to the crocodiles.

Complete text available on in the Global Balita archive.

Links accessed 7/19/2009

Indigenous People of Panay

Alicia Magos wrote the important book, The Enduring Ma-Aram Tradition: An Ethnography of a Kinaray-A Village in Antique. Ma-aram is another word for Babaylan. Her current research focuses on the Panay-Bukidnon indigenous traditions and practices. She continues to be a culture-bearer/advocate for the indigenous peoples of Panay.

Indigenous People of Panay
Kinaray-a, Hiligaynon (Ilongo) and Aklanon-Speaking People
by Alicia P. Magos

Excerpt

Western Visayas is known for its yearly grand festivals. Foremost is the Ati-atihan in Kalibo, Aklan, an indigenous festival believed to have originated when the Negritoes and the Bornean Malays celebrated a joint festival after a peaceful talk over the barter of Panay. It later turned into a folk Christian practice honoring the Santo Niño and continues to attract foreign visitors because of its spontaneous audience participation which evokes merriment. It is celebrated in January every year. From the ati-atihan festival, guests proceed to the province of Iloilo which is about three to four hours' land ride from Aklan. There, the guests await the celebration of the Dinagyang which is also a two-day revelry alongside a street dancing on the third day to honor the Sto. Niño.

The province of Antique also has its Binirayan festival celebrating the landing of the Bornean settlers in Malandog, Hamtic, Antique. The Capizeños have their Halaran, a thanksgiving which commemorates the one offered by the Borneans to their god Bululakaw. This, after a peace pact with the Negritos from whom they purchased some lands. There is also the present-day celebration called Masskara of Bacolod City, Negros Occidental to popularize Bacolod as a "City of Smile," hence, the smiling masks used by the participants.

The complete article also contains an article entitled The Last of the Binukots By Hazel P. Villa and an article entitled Chanter of Epic Poetry.

Links accessed 7/19/2009

Drumming for Babaylan sponsors and volunteers

Literally, if I had a drum, I'd be drumming for volunteers right now, hoping that you will step forward and dance with us. For as Agnes Miclat-Cacayan writes about the babaylan: "she dances in wholeness."

We have this beautiful vision for the Babaylan conference of bringing culture-bearers and babaylan-inspired artists and scholars from the Philippines. Our dream budget is $50,000. We are holding this vision and sharing it with you so that you can help us in making sure this vision happens on April 17-18, 2010.

A sponsorship solicitation packet is now available. It describes the categories by which businesses, media sponsors, community organizations, and individuals can support the conference. If each one of you who has expressed an interest in supporting the conference will contact at least five potential sponsors, we will be on our way.

In addition, watch for "grassroots" sponsorship opportunities or create your own by hosting an event at your location. It could be something small like a special dinner or movie viewing at your home where funds could be gathered from guests and donated to the Center for Babaylan Studies through the International Humanities Center, the Center's fiscal sponsor. Center organizers and supporters will also be creating small sponsorship opportunities that will be posted here on the Babaylan Files.

We also have a list of volunteer opportunities on the Center for Babaylan Studies website. If you can help, please notify us by sending an email to: admin@babaylan.net

Submitted by Leny Strobel with additional edits by Bec Mabanglo-Mayor.

Conversations - Signs and Symptoms of Decolonized Filipinas in the US

Signs and Symptoms of Decolonized Filipinas in the US
by Leny Strobel

1. She understands European and American colonial history and its psychic and epistemic violence on herself and her people.

2. She understands that her presence in the US is a product of this history. The narration of US history as it relates to the Philippines should be understood as an imperial and colonial narrative in need of critique and revision.

3. She does archeological psychic work to uncover, discover, or reimagine, what her Filipina indigenous memory is trying to teach or reveal to her.

4. Filipino indigenous memory reveals intuitive knowledge about who she is as an indigenous woman. Indigenous Filipino theorizing includes language-based concepts like Kapwa, Loob, Damdamin, Diwa, Dangal, Paninindigan -- that gives a decolonized Filipina a narrative that anchors her identity and her life work in Filipino values.

5. She recognizes that the framework of indigeneity and decolonization can serve as a powerful critique of modernity and its discontents. After all, modernity is the newbie on the block (only 500 years old and yet has brought more havoc on the planet than anything before it).

6. A decolonized Filipina knows herself as a "self-in-relation" (kapwa) rather than the product of the western and liberal notion of the self as an "individual with free will" acting out of its self-interest.

7. A decolonized Filipina understands that the location and position of her Fil Am community need to be reframed away from the model of assimilation into US society. The assimilationist model has long been debunked as an unviable and an unsustainable one.

8. A decolonized Filipina in the US understands that she lives on stolen land from indigenous peoples on this continent. What are the implications of such realization? What is the connection between the taking of the Philippines by colonizers and the taking of this continent?

9. A decolonized Filipina understands the uses of history in order to be an effective and powerful woman in the US context. If NVM Gonzalez is correct in saying, "To be a good American, you must be a good Filipina first," how does a US-born Filipina begin to articulate what it means for her to be a good Filipina?

10. A decolonized Filipina has a global perspective that is informed by what the rest of the planet has to say and not just the US perspective.

Link accessed 7/19/2009, backdated for archive purposes.

Artist Expressions: Suku, New Sun Artistry

Christine Balza of Suku, New Sun Artistry is a ceramics artist based in San Francisco. Recently, Leny Strobel asked Christine about her connection with babaylan practices. This is an excerpt of her response.

Babaylan, Deeper Understanding
by Christine Balza

Leny asked: Do you feel an emotional connection to babaylan concepts such as kapwa, babaylan, baybayin, bathala?

Christine writes:

Yes.

I feel the knowledge and understanding of the concepts of Kapwa and Babaylan that is within me, but have not had an opportunity to articulate or express before. I see flash backs of memories of a relative or family friend practicing message, or “helot”. They focus a spiritual aspect, much like meditation or prayer, towards healing and cleansing the body and mind. I had been approached by the same Aunties’ and Titas’ declaring they feel a sense that I was somehow gifted with this power to “helot.” As a child, I took the comments and spent hours trying to understand and focus on this power. Having little understanding of these concepts left me with an energy that I couldn’t focus on. It seemed too far-fetched and eventually my Fil-Am understanding took a dominant perspective and I not only forgot about these notions, but I mocked it as well.

Moving forward in life’s experiences, marriage, four children and finding this familiar feeling in my art, I am developing a better understanding of the metaphysical and spirituality. Its relation to caring for my family came first. Eventually, it was finding a sense of self and how necessary it was to care for my needs in order to maintain a balance. It was art that fueled the renewable energy to keep a healthy cycle going. But my creations were not moving out of my realm, except as tokens and gifts to those I love. It was the first piece I made written in Baybayin that affected someone other than one that I love. A Mother’s Day gift to my sister that said “Ina’” made a street fair vendor ask her if I could make more in bulk; thus, leading to my learning aspects of my culture that has widening my perspective and understanding.

My understanding of Kapwa and Babaylan at its most basic and fundamental form is as a mother. The obvious role is to my four children. However, I can see how I have been developing and practicing far before I gave birth to my oldest daughter of 16. I had not put much thought into this role in relationships I’ve had throughout the years until lately.

The complete article can be found on the Suku, New Sun Artistry site. All links accessed 7/6/09.

Conversations: Lakandiwa - The Way of the Warrior

Lakandiwa: The Way of the Warrior
by John Paul 'Lakan' Olivares*

When we contemplate the concept of a warrior, we often conceive a person who is trained in the martial arts, engaged in the thick of battle, or celebrated for conquering his foes. When we think of the ancient warrior (or even the present), the professional soldier comes to mind. These warriors come in various images, from the Roman gladiators or legionnaires, the Japanese samurai, or the medieval knight.

We often romanticize these people because of their exploits and most especially because of their warrior codes, such as Bushido for the samurai and Chivalry for the knight.

However, in my research on ancient/traditional(1) Philippine cultures I discovered that the concept of the warrior is completely different from what we would expect. There are many historical accounts and mythical epics about warriors and their exploits in battle, ranging from our national heroes (such as Andres Bonifacio), to early chieftains (such as Lapulapu), to even epic legends (such as Lam-Ang).

However, if we delve deeper into their stories, we will find that they were not professional soldiers. Warriors/heroes lead completely different lives when there was no war. In the pre-Hispanic times, the warriors were also landowners who were greatly respected not just for their martial prowess, but also for their leadership in administering the care of the land. In other words, they were also farmers and patrons of the various rituals that governed the daily lives of the people under their tutelage. Yet in times of war, these men would raise their arms and defend their homeland to the death.

I have observed these traits associated with a Bagobo man, whom I have met. Within this man's clan, he is one of the chieftains in the council of elders, but he is also their chief magani, or warrior. Yet, on an ordinary day, he was a farmer, with several families under his care. On special occasions, he was a poet and a musician.

This is a warrior who is a far cry from the professional soldier we often think about. I can also say this for a whole range of people of traditional cultures, whom I have met in the course of my research and journeys around our archipelago.

There were the Tausug MNLF (Muslim National Liberation Front) soldiers, whom I met up in the mountains of Patikul, in Sulu. Having recently returned from skirmishes with the Philippine Marines, they immediately transformed into Pang-alay dancers performing in a wedding ritual.

There was the Mumbaki (shaman) of the Ifugao, whom I met in the hinterlands of Banaue, who was a farmer by trade, yet a seasoned warrior in clan wars of the past. In fact, in the ancient headhunting practices among the Cordillera cultures (Ifugao, Kalinga, Bontoc, etc), they would only start their forays after the planting or harvesting season was over.

There were the Aeta of the Subic area, who practice their martial arts in a dance that is also a ritual of fertility.

In other civilizations (and it seems to be continuing in the present), the professional soldier was created not in defense of the homeland, rather for conquest. They had no other duty but to be warriors, and were sustained by taxes from the common people. However, to augment their salaries and give justification to their existence they needed to go to war and collect loot by pillaging others. It is just common sense not to pay taxes for an army, if there was always peace, thus a war is needed.

In fact, the popular warrior codes such as Bushido, were guiding principles among the samurai and their daimyo, anyone lower than these were treated as lesser people and not treated with respect as dictated by the code of honor. Among the European knights, the Code of Chivalry was drafted to curb the barbaric acts of the knights against other people. The code of the Cavalier (the mounted knight) has been overly romanticized, yet hardly enforced in the Dark Ages.

No matter how idealized were their codes of conduct, their lives revolved around the killing of others and not the defense of the people.

Looking back again at our ancient warriors in the Philippines, their lives revolved around creating, as in the tilling of the land and managing the lives of the families under his tutelage, rather than destroying through war. Because of these traits, we can view our heroes as builders rather than destroyers. In fact, the name hero or bayani, is derived from the ancient name for warrior; the magani for the Bagobo or the bagani for the Manobo. Thus the warrior/hero was more than just a fighter, he was a defender of the way of life, in battle or in the daily participation and administration of duties; such as farming and ritual. And, in my opinion, if they ever rose up in arms, it was not just to defend their lands and people, but to defend their way of living, their culture.

To summarize this concept, I have come across an ancient Tagalog word, ‘Lakan’, which means warrior, the freeman/landowner caste, or even chieftain. This seems to cover the range of responsibilities of the warrior/hero, from madirigma(warrior) to magsasaka(farmer) to mamanmanhala (leader).

Yet there is also another word, Lakandiwa, which is commonly described as a judge. Yet, if you breakdown the word into its components, you get Lakan (warrior) and Diwa (spirit). Thus, Lakandiwa may also mean the spirit of the warrior or the way of the warrior. And from this word, we can derive our own code of the warrior: a hero who, in times of war or times of peace, leads us in our maintaining the very essence of our lives, our culture.

Author's Notes: (1)In this paper, the Traditional Cultures are those ethno-linguistic groups whose cultural identity and practices are still very much the same from before Spanish, American, and Modern colonization. (2) 2009 June. (3) I wrote this as a Father's Day gift to the men out there, to be the warriors of their families.

Biography: Artist, Designer, Advocate, and Teacher; John Paul 'Lakan' Olivares' work is is inspired by his travels around the archipelago and living with different urban, rural and tribal communities. In these travels, he has searched for the Filipino spirit, which he tries to share in all his activities. In his paintings, he reflects a soulful connection with the various traditional indigenous cultures and the sensibilities of the people. Passionately rooted on Philippine lore, the free-spirited artist orients his audience to his journeys by way of graphic representations of nationalistic concepts which are simply expressed, yet sincerely articulated by his meditative art process. Beyond native motifs etched in his art, Olivares conveys themes that celebrate universal connectedness by his environment, which inspires him to share his own visions of beauty through his varied works.

He may be contacted through via email - lakan70 (at) hotmail (dot) com

The original article has been edited for style and grammar.

Definitions: Decolonization

In 2007, Leny Strobel developed a list of traits possessed by individuals who have awakened into a different sense of being, often as part of their reconnection with their Filipino heritage and growing awareness of babaylan practices.

Signs and Symptoms of Decolonized Filipinas in the US:

1. She understands European and American colonial history and its psychic and epistemic violence on herself and her people.

2. She understands that her presence in the US is a product of this history. The narration of US history as it relates to the Philippines should be understood as an imperial and colonial narrative in need of critique and revision.

3. She does archeological psychic work to uncover, discover, or reimagine, what her Filipina indigenous memory is trying to teach or reveal to her.

4. Filipino indigenous memory reveals intuitive knowledge about who she is as an indigenous woman. Indigenous Filipino theorizing includes language-based concepts like Kapwa, Loob, Damdamin, Diwa, Dangal, Paninindigan -- that gives a decolonized Filipina a narrative that anchors her identity and her life work in Filipino values.

5. She recognizes that the framework of indigeneity and decolonization can serve as a powerful critique of modernity and its discontents. After all, modernity is the newbie on the block (only 500 years old and yet has brought more havoc on the planet than anything before it).

6. A decolonized Filipina knows herself as a "self-in-relation" (kapwa) rather than the product of the western and liberal notion of the self as an "individual with free will" acting out of its self-interest.

7. A decolonized Filipina understands that the location and position of her Fil Am community need to be reframed away from the model of assimilation into US society. The assimilationist model has long been debunked as an unviable and an unsustainable one.

8. A decolonized Filipina in the US understands that she lives on stolen land from indigenous peoples on this continent. What are the implications of such realization? What is the connection between the taking of the Philippines by colonizers and the taking of this continent?

9. A decolonized Filipina understands the uses of history in order to be an effective and powerful woman in the US context. If NVM Gonzalez is correct in saying, "To be a good American, you must be a good Filipina first," how does a US-born Filipina begin to articulate what it means for her to be a good Filipina?

10. A decolonized Filipina has a global perspective that is informed by what the rest of the planet has to say and not just the US perspective.

Contributed by Leny Strobel, originally posted on Kathang-Pinay, 24 October 2007.

Links accessed 7/5/09.

Definitions - Kalayaan (freedom)

In her talk Indigenous Filipino Values: A Foundation for a Culture of Non-Violence" prepared for the forum "Towards a Culture of Non-Violence," Katrin de Guia defines several key concepts which underpin babaylan practices.

KALAYAAN (FREEDOM, INDEPENDENCE, THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX)

Kalayaan— freedom, liberty and independence is a sine qua non for Filipino personhood. To understand this ancestral Filipino (human) value is important for a culture of non-violence. Why? Because violence usually arises from the attempts of one person or group to control another person or group. But control runs counter to the kapwa orientations where the norm is voluntary giving, including and sharing; where problems are resolved through consensus building and mediating rather than through fist or force.

Emancipation may be the best word to describe what the Filipino value kalayaan is all about. Reynaldo Ileto, who studied the pre-Spanish Filipino writings, concluded that Filipino children enjoyed traditionally great freedom while growing up. Indulged by their parents, they were allowed to learn at their own speed, experiment with life as saling pusa, and slowly discover and mold who they really were as human beings (kapwa tao).

Basically it’s a fine thing, this training towards openness, creativity and freedom. However, the underlying assumption of such a training towards self-determination is that a child, who had been indulged by the whole clan, would grow up to be a tolerant, emancipated and open-minded adult. True— when the setting is the kapwa culture! However, without training in such things as respect, propriety, humility and compassion (kapwa), the liberties bestowed on a child can mold it into an irresponsible and permissive adult, someone ruled by outright selfishness. A pampered child, without the self-regulating mechanism of sensitivity towards others (pakiramdam) becomes spoiled rotten. This is what happened to many illustrado and mestizo kids, who were raised in an atmosphere of materialistic indulgence, paired with the imperialist values of ego-hood. John Lennon made a song about that “I – Me – Mine.” That is where today’s “unbridled greed” has its footing. Instead of the Shared Self, we face the Expanded Ego.

While the Shared Self is soft like water, the Expanded Ego is hard as stone. There is no long lasting impact when water meets water. But when stone meets stone you have a violent reaction. Something will break!

Katrin M. de Guia performed her pioneering research on the Filipino culture-bearer artists all over the country while earning her PhD in Filipino Psychology (Sikolohiyang Pilipino) at the Unversity of the Philippines. She will be a featured speaker at the Center for Babaylan Studies 2010 Conference

Links accessed 6/24/09

Definitions - Kagandahang-Loob (shared nobility)

In her talk Indigenous Filipino Values: A Foundation for a Culture of Non-Violence" prepared for the forum "Towards a Culture of Non-Violence," Katrin de Guia defines several key concepts which underpin babaylan practices.

KAGANDAHANG LOOB

The last core-value of the Filipino personhood is kagandahang-loob or “shared nobility.” The dictionary renders the term kagandahang-loob as a very general concept that emphasizes the beauty of something. It’s meaning is so broad that the notion stands for “anything good about something”. It is also translated as generosity. Kagandahang-loob acts like an anchor that grounds kapwa and pakiramdam in the enduring ancestral beliefs and convictions of Filipino IKSP. These are basically: God is good. Life is about learning, creating and sharing. It is good, even if there are hardships. Every sunrise brings a new day, a new horizon. There is always hope.

Kagandahang-loob, this “shared inner nobility” or “shared humanity” is a Filipino value that would nudge a person towards genuine acts of generosity; towards a nurturing that has its origin in genuine feeling for others-- empathy.

The Philippine historian Reynaldo Ileto pointed out how important the strife for a noble character was among the historical Filipino heroes.


He wrote that these bayanis reminded their followers that nobility had to be re-won every day. They also taught that it was ok to be rich, as long as the external signs of power were matched by an equally beautiful character.

How does nobility translate into every day activities? An unobtrusive kindness and caring? A sense of feeling responsibility for others? A compassion for all living beings? Are these characteristics important for cultivating a culture of non-violence? What do you think?

In summary, the three core-concepts of the value-structure of the Philippine personality theory are kapwa, pakiramdam and kagandahang-loob, interpreted as Shared Identity, Shared Inner Perception, and Shared Humanity. These values outline the profound humanistic inclination of the Filipino. And it is plain to see how such values are a seedbed for a culture of non-violence.

As for the other values of Enriquez’ Value System Of Philippine Psychology, we will skip most of them. But there is that one societal value kalayaan, which merits attention. This value stands for the untamed need of all living species to be free.

What are societal values? These are convictions that are deeply rooted in the ancestral heritage of a people. Such dispositions direct the personal values of an individual in profound and unquestioned ways.

Katrin M. de Guia performed her pioneering research on the Filipino culture-bearer artists all over the country while earning her PhD in Filipino Psychology (Sikolohiyang Pilipino) at the Unversity of the Philippines. She will be a featured speaker at the Center for Babaylan Studies 2010 Conference

Links accessed 6/24/2009

Definitions - Pakiramdam (knowing though feeling)

In her talk Indigenous Filipino Values: A Foundation for a Culture of Non-Violence" prepared for the forum "Towards a Culture of Non-Violence," Katrin de Guia defines several key concepts which underpin babaylan practices.

PAKIKIRAMDAM (KNOWING THROUGH FEELING)

Pakiramdam is often described as an all-important “shared inner perception” that compliments the “shared identity” of kapwa. It is an emotional a priori that goes with the Filipino personhood (as Enriquez called the Kapwa Personality). Pakiramdam operates behind all Filipino values. This steering emotion triggers the spontaneous voluntary actions that come with the sharing of the Self. It is the keen deep inner feeling that initiates all deeds.

Because of kapwa, this Pinoy feeling— pakikiramdam— is a participatory process, where emotions tend to be experienced mutually. Since most Pinoys can boast a “heightened awareness and sensitivity”, Enriquez’ student Rita Mataragnon declared pakiramdam a Filipino “emotional a-priori.” Filipinos are good in sensing cues (magaling makiramdam), she said and pointed out that both, the empathic “feeling for another,” or the talent of “sizing up each other” were active emotional processes that involved great attention to the subtleties non-verbal behavior.

Heightened sensitivity is a good survival tool in a society where not all social interactions are carried out with words. Here, only the carefully feeling out another can help one navigate the ambiguities of life’s encounters— like knowing when to join a group or how to blend in with people. Pakiramdam provides the tacit leads how to act appropriately in such situations and may well be regarded as the cognitive style of Filipinos— a unique social skill that is intrinsic to the Filipino personhood.

Katrin M. de Guia performed her pioneering research on the Filipino culture-bearer artists all over the country while earning her PhD in Filipino Psychology (Sikolohiyang Pilipino) at the Unversity of the Philippines. She will be a featured speaker at the Center for Babaylan Studies 2010 Conference

Links accessed 6/24/2009

Kapwa People

In her talk Indigenous Filipino Values: A Foundation for a Culture of Non-Violence" prepared for the forum "Towards a Culture of Non-Violence," Katrin de Guia defines several key concepts which underpin babaylan practices.

KAPWA PEOPLE

People, who practice kapwa in their life can be recognized by their genuine, people-centered orientation (magkatao), their service to others around them (matipon, matulungin), and by their commitment to their communities (pamathalaan). Among their barkada, they often are inspiring leaders and community organizers. As foot soldiers, they are the reliable ones, the ones who step forward to volunteer. They are quick to lend a hand and share their skills and knowledge freely (i.e. by teaching children, working with the urban poor, or facilitating community workshops on crafts, etc.) Their help usually comes with a big, gratis smile.

Community building and peace building is second nature to the people of such a bearing, as kapwa inspires them to facilitate at meetings, organize events and actively participate in civic affairs. How this kapwa works on a global scale can be seen in the people’s movements that unseated corrupt leaders— especially the People Power in 1986, which garnered for the Philippines the first-ever nomination of a whole country for the Peace Nobel Prize in 2000.But the same kapwa orientation also won the Philippine-Spanish War for Filipinos (even if it was followed by betrayal— the abuse of the trust that often invades the openness of kapwa.)

A notion of war may not fit into a forum on peace keeping and a Culture of Non Violence. But as historical figures like Mahatma Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King or the Dalai Lama show—for the non-violent peace process you truly need the abilities to create networks, to build consent and to mobilize masses. And the kapwa orientation can come in mighty handy when you do that! Only if you manage to spread your peace ideas in a non-forceful manner (where you don’t buy or bully people, but where you motivate them with your good intentions and convictions) you will be effective in promoting a culture of non-violence. Then you are like running water hollowing out solid stone.

Back to kapwa: As the heart is central to the body, the shared Self nurtures the Filipino personality (or personhood.) But kapwa does not reside alone at the core. It manifests in pakiramdam, the pivotal interpersonal value that characterizes Filipino emotion. Enriquez named this emotional quality “shared perception.”

What is such a shared awareness all about? Pakiramdam matches the ocean-like expanse of kapwa with an equally large field of sensitive awareness.

Katrin M. de Guia performed her pioneering research on the Filipino culture-bearer artists all over the country while earning her PhD in Filipino Psychology (Sikolohiyang Pilipino) at the Unversity of the Philippines. She will be a featured speaker at the Center for Babaylan Studies 2010 Conference

Link accessed 6/24/2009

Definitions - Pakikipag-Kapwa (Shared Identity)

In her talk Indigenous Filipino Values: A Foundation for a Culture of Non-Violence" prepared for the forum "Towards a Culture of Non-Violence," Katrin de Guia defines several key concepts which underpin babaylan practices.

PAKIKIPAG-KAPWA (SHARED IDENTITY)

The core value of Filipino personhood is kapwa. This idea of a “shared self” opens up the heart-doors of the I to include the Other. It bridges the deepest individual recess of a person with anyone outside him or herself, even total strangers. Here, it is not important if you are rich or poor, or status in society. “People are just people in spite of their age, clothes, diplomas, color or affiliations” said the Visayan artist Perry Argel.

Kapwa is the “unity of the one-of-us-and-the-other”, according to Virgilio Enriquez, who declared the concept as a Filipino core value. He upheld that kapwa implied moral and normative aspects that obliged a person to treat one another as fellow human being and therefore as equal. Such a position was “definitely inconsistent with exploitative human interactions,” he insited. But he also foresaw that this Filipino core value was threatened by spreading Western influences, when he wrote: “...once AKO starts thinking of himself as separate from KAPWA, the Filipino ‘self’ gets to be individuated as in the Western sense and, in effect, denies the status of KAPWA to the other.”

Today, most people who hear the word “kapwa” think of their neighbor. But standard Tagalog dictionaries like Vito Santos’ render kapwa as “fellow being” and “other person.” And older, Spanish dictionaries translate kapuwa as “both” and “the one and the other”, or “others.”

From all these, Enriquez concluded that the original Filipino idea of “others” was inclusive. He wrote: “The English “others” is actually used in opposition to the “self,” and implies the recognition of the self as a separate entity. In contrast, kapwa is a recognition of a shared identity, an inner self shared with others.”

He also said: “A person starts having a kapwa not so much because of a recognition of status given him by others but more so because of his awareness of shared identity. The ako (ego) and the iba-sa-akin (others) are one and the same in kapwa psychology.”

This Filipino linguistic unity of the self and the other is unique and unlike in most modern languages. Why? Because implied in such inclusiveness is the moral obligation to treat one another as equal fellow human beings. If we can do this— even starting in our own family or our circle of friends— we are on the way to practice peace. We are Kapwa People.

Katrin M. de Guia performed her pioneering research on the Filipino culture-bearer artists all over the country while earning her PhD in Filipino Psychology (Sikolohiyang Pilipino) at the Unversity of the Philippines. She will be a featured speaker at the Center for Babaylan Studies 2010 Conference

Link accessed 6/24/2009

Reviews: Kapwa - The Self in the Other by Katrin de Guia

Kapwa: The Self in the Other
Katrin de Guia, PhD









From Kathang-Pinay, the blog of Leny Strobel:

Friday, March 10, 2006
I hold in my hand the new book by Katrin de Guia, Kapwa: The Self in Others published by Anvil.

This book is dedicated to Ver Enriquez. He passed away in San Francisco, 1994. He was traveling from Manila enroute to U of Michigan to take up a teaching post there. He had been ill the months before but refused to submit to hospital procedures for diagnosis. By the time he arrived in SFO, he was too ill to continue on to Michigan; he was hospitalized and diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer and died a week later. We had a beautiful memorial for him before his remains were flown back to Mla. To many of us, he will always be an ancestral spirit who guides our lives towards decolonization and reaffirmation of our Filipino Loob.

I first heard about Katrin from Ver. He told stories about mentoring a German woman living in the Philippines as she worked through a ph.d. program in Sikolohiyang Pilipino. It is all a blur to me now what he might have said exactly about Katrin being in the program. He told me many more stories I couldn't put together until much later; he just told them as if I had been an audience to a saga going on at the University of the philippines - which I wasn't. I relished his trust though, for telling me.

Now I hold KAPWA in my hands -- and I see the impact of Sikolohiyang Pilipino -- it is a beautifully designed book: art work by Filipino culture-bearers; KAtrin's personal narrative interwoven with her scholarly exploration of Kapwa, Pakikiramdam, Loob, Dangal, Paninindigan -- as core cultural concepts; how these values are lived and made manifest in the art of Filipino culture-bearers. She features the work of Kidlat Tahimik, Roberto VIllanueva, Angel Shaw, Rene Aquitania, and others.

Mila, Katrin's friend who forwarded the book to me said: "this book will hold you even as you hold it." How true! This book is more than a text; it is an experience. Thank you, Katrin!

Saturday, March 11, 2006
I'm now 60 pages into KAPWA: The Self in Others. For a reader in the diaspora like me who has been away for almost 25 years and whose connections to the homeland is held tenuously by family, a few friends, and popular media (sporadically accessed), and one Philippine-based listserve, it is soul-nourishing to read about Filipinos like Roberto Villanueva -- an artist who used, exclusively, found indigenous materials, always involved the community's rituals and dreams, expressed the wholistic view of KAPWA. Katrin included photographs of Villanueva's art installations. As I meditate on these images, I am touched by the same Spirit that must have been Villanueva's inspiration as well. Still, these words are not enough to convey the experience.

Katrin says it well when she talks about "tacit understanding" as pakikiramdaman - that deep feeling that connects us, not just to other human beings, but to all that exists in nature - above, below and in all directions.

In light of the recent depressing news about the latest coup against GMA, this book reminds me/us that if only we look deep and close enough, we can still access the Filipino as a mythic man (NVM Gonzalez' term)...as a beacon of hope. Katrin writes: we are sick, but we aren't dying yet. Look to the Filipino artist-culture bearer for healing.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

The beautiful soul, Katrin de Guia, sent this email and it's too precious not to share with you. She is responding to an email that I, as editor of a forthcoming book on the babaylan tradition, sent to the contributors re update on the book project.

From Katrin: What makes the babaylan tradition unique among the remaining shaman traditions?

Precisely the colonial experience! You mention 3 layers, Zeus Salazar mentions 4 affiliations of filipino psychology (which go- hand in glove- with what the babaylan knows, and not merely because the babaylan is a Pinay psychologist but also because as a Filipina culture-bearer that is her history). however, what is hardly mentioned is the Buddhist influence and the Muslim influence which overturned the Buddhist influence on the Filipino culture in at least half of the archipelago (akin to Indonesia). Maybe because the Buddhist and the Muslim heritage is not mentioned either in English or Spanish texts, it just fell under the rug. These patches of clothes in the dress of the babaylan are hardly mentioned and yet this very integration of global animist, Asian buddhist, oriental muslim, traditional European, modern American and postmodern global culture makes the shamanic tradition of the babaylan so unbelievably rich. Its not even the layers that are important, but the retention of ancestral memory despite all the layers, integrating the matching elements due to the inherent "including" strength of the kapwa culture.

That is what I tried to do telling stories about traditional babaylans in the mountains side by side with modern Pinays around the globe. They are babaylans because they keep remembering and connected to their archipelagic ancestors. Angel shaw is such a good example for this, in my eyes. (so are you, Leny, from what i made out of your book and all you other kindred spirits whom I yet have to meet)

Because the babaylan has never forgotten how it all began, (s)he hears the environment talk, like all the other shamans around the globe. (s)he hears mother nature and father wind. That is quite a feat after so many centuries and millennia. (S)he does not need to live in a forest without being artificial or self conscious about being a babaylan even in the city world.

There is that great love for life which comes with this obligation to serve. No shaman without that. But isnt it great that the babaylan can serve in so many ways-- telling her stories even by writing books or painting or making films, or healing as a nurse or doctor or yaya or a cook?

I believe this also plays into the question of diaspora. Here, where life is so fast, how much space and time can you realy devote to your ancestors without just repeating old rituals and their forms? Does your life express the ideals of the babaylan which are rooted in non-confessional spirituality? Do you dream and understand your dreams and become a self sufficient member of society who contributes something, whatever small to humanity each day, wherever you are? Do you know how to soul-travel and visit other worlds? Can you be a leader when asked to lead?

Such questions have to do with critical consciousness. It is the door through which the babaylan must step to claim her wings and humility keeps the feathers of these wings well oiled for flying across those oceans, forever finding a space for its own and its kin to survive.

Warm regards from a soggy mountain overseas.

Thank you, Katrin.

Katrin M. de Guia performed her pioneering research on the Filipino culture-bearer artists all over the country while earning her PhD in Filipino Psychology (Sikolohiyang Pilipino) at the Unversity of the Philippines. She will be a featured speaker at the Center for Babaylan Studies 2010 Conference

Links accessed 6/23/09