Over the past 5 years, the Philippine script scene has grown tremendously. You have apps, books, art, lectures and an independent movie. Coming this November, a new beautiful move will be released by Auraeus Solito.
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EVENT: Introducing Filipino Calligraphy
When Filipinos think about Baybayin or the handicapped term Alibata, they think of a few things like the writing system that’s no longer used, backwards “mountain people”, the un-Christianized or an annoying thing they have to take in school. The art aspect of Baybayin isn’t really being discussed or thought of. Sure, we have tattoos but is it art if you merely select a generic font from the internet? The act of the tattooist putting the ink on your body is art but is the end product artistic? That’s up to you the individual to decide but I would think that nobody would ever think of using an Arial font for a tattoo. They would opt for some sort of calligraphy most likely.
It’s time to introduce Baybayin as an artform. We need to move away from taking shapes from existing material that’s been around for hundreds of years. Baybayin used in art as an element has been around since the 70’s if not earlier but they were straight copies of those references. Paul Morrow has done so much for Baybayin by releasing his fonts over 10 years ago but now have become the “standard”. Artist’s individual styles are now graded against Morrow’s Tagalog Stylized font.
It’s time to introduce Filipino Calligraphy that encompasses all indigenous and future writing systems from the so-called Philippines. Artists play an important if not more important part than academics in the promotion of Baybayin because it’s visual and digestible to the public.
This is a concept I’ll be introducing at my event at the Asian Art Museum October 19-21. I will be writing a famous yet controversial saying from a Filipino hero on canvas 15′ long. After the live art, I’ll be introducing Filipino Calligraphy to an audience of mostly non-Filipino artists, art academics and art lovers with a lecture.
Asian Art Museum
Chong-Moon Lee Center
for Asian Art & Culture
www.asianart.org
200 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
T 415.581.3500
F 415.581.4700
Baybayin and The Cybercrime Law
By now you should know about the Philippine Cybercrime Law shotgun approach to stop online “crime”. Read about it here. While the act has some good basic things to protect against child pornography, spam and etc but most of it is vague and may lead to jail time for liking a supposed libel Facebook post. I’m not gonna go into all of the bad possibilities but I’ll talk about something deeply personal and how this relates to the work we as Baybayin advocates do.
If we criticize certain people in big business and the government about their attempts to destroy indigenous culture, we can now be charged with libel and punished. Regardless of our regional sentiments, all citizens of the Philippines should stand up to this new freedom stifling “cybercrime law”.
You may think that this law can’t affect Baybayin but it does because Baybayin is political and freedom of expression. Baybayin was at the forefront of our fight for freedom from the Spanish. Th Ka sign has become synonymous with Kalayaan (freedom). Everyone from rebel leftists to the Philippine military uses it.
One of the reasons Baybayin almost became instinct was because of politics. Current efforts to “revive” it is politics and with any political discussion come debate and criticism that can now be deemed libel.
Sure, it’s difficult to prove malicious intent, a key ingredient of any libel suite but anyone with money and a lawyer can force the supposed lawbreaker into an expensive and time consuming legal battle if they can afford a lawyer. This cybercrime law empowers those with power to harras those with little power.
Some of you may remember the Ticao stone news from last year where the Baybayin community from the US and Canada questioned if the stone was really ancient or not. After an article came out on GMA News, I wrote this piece as a response to UP Anthropology professors.
Could Barry be in trouble for his comments to the professors?
Hell, this whole post could land me in jail!
Ray Haguisan could be sued for libel for calling out a corporation for reposting a photo of an incorrect Baybayin shirt with stolen fonts from my website where I call out Kultura?
Mike Pangilinan calls out politician from Pampanga who use Tagalog. Can he get into legal issues for his criticisms?
Criticizing a company or government body for incorrectly using Baybayin could get you a lawsuit as I wrote about the Department of Budget and Management.
This law turns critics into criminals.
I’m not even going to get into the potential artstic limitations….
This also greatly affects the Baybyain National Script Act bill. This will be put on the back burner until this Cyberbullshit is taken care of.
Since I’m an American citizen, I should be untouchable right? Don’t know with the law written so vaguely even Mark Zuckerberg could be a criminal because he runs Facebook that’s the vehicle for committing these “crimes”. If I go home to the Philippines can I be arrested?
I’m supposed to be getting my Philippine citizenship so that I can be a dual but with this issue, I don’t know now. I’ll have to wait it out.
On a personal note, I took part of the protest and put up an image on the homepage but I’m saddened that it seems like there aren’t many pissed off Filams. The weird thing is that many of the older generation came to America due to the Marcos martial law. I’ve heard so many stories how bad it was. I think there could be a digital divide where that generation doesn’t understand the dynamics of the internet or they are just totally over the Philippines where they just don’t give a shit because they were scared for life. So I can understand that generation as to why they are silent on the issue.
What baffles me is the younger generation of Filams and Filam groups who are relatively silent on the issue. October is Filipino American month, now is a perfect time to talk about this issue. Is it because it doesn’t affect them? Are they wanting to stay in good standing with the local Philippine Consulate?
BTW, I’m just basing thing on what I’ve seen on Facebook. There were more posts about Jessica Sanchez on American Idol rather than Cyber-Martial Law and the loss of freedom.
I only write Baybayin
This past Saturday, I had an event to commemorate the Marcos Martial Law. I was tasked to create something meaningful in Baybayin. I wrote out the word Kapayapaan meaning Peace in Tagalog. The rest of the text would be from a song Kapayapaan by Philippine reggae band, Tropical Depression.
As I was writing it out on the public sidewalk, people would ask what it said. I would stop and tell them. That occurred a few times so I decided to write the meaning. As you can see its totally missed writing some of the A vowels.
It took me a while to notice it and when I did, I asked myself why did make the mistake again? It happened to me 2 weeks ago at another event.
Here’s the fixed version
I soon realized that I write Baybayin more than the Roman Alphabet. Over the last 15 years, we no longer need to write because of the comforts of technology. The only time I write (non-Baybayin) is when I have to make a quick note on a post-it. I take longer notes on an iPad, I use a word processor to write longer pieces, I email, I text, I Twitter and I Facebook. I rarely write.
Eventually, when we have Baybayin become a font standard in all devices, will this issue happened? I’m sure that other nationalities have come across the same issue where they forget how to write their script but can type it.
8 Pinoy designers who make things look better
Baybayin design work has come in as #1 on a list of ‘Pinoy designers who make things look better‘ compiled by Brian Tenorio. It’s awesome that someone like Brian knows the value of Baybayin from a design and cultural identity perspective. I must clarify though that Jay Enage is the face of Baybayin Buhayin and John Leyson, CEO of Liquid and Liquid is the man behind the designs.
Baybayin movie – The Palawan Script
A Baybayin movie is coming soon. Not my documentary, but a real MOVIE by Auraeus Solito who’s known around the world for his films such as Busong and my favorite, The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros.
From what I’ve heard, the plot of the story is about 2 sisters (Assunta and Alessandra de Rossi – schwing) in love with a mute man. How will they communicate? Baybayin of course!
This film comes at an interesting time, not based on the resurgence of Baybayin in general but for Palawan culture stepping up and taking the international spotlight. There was the campaign of “It’s more fun in the Philippines” featuring the breathtaking promotion photos and in the San Francisco (USA) area there was a dance project called Tagabanua headed by Jay Loyola.
During my last filming trip to the Philippines, I visited the National Museum where I saw the Palawan script on bamboo from Brook’s Point. I found a book Letters from Palawan by Criselda Yabes about her 1st hand experience searching for the last few people that write the script.
In the Baybayin community, there’s a concern about the preservation of the script there because of the lack of advocates from Palawan. With this film and other cultural events, perhaps one of the artists can spearhead something in Palawan like the Mangyan Heritage Center in Mindoro and Mike Pangilingan for Kulitan from Pampanga.
Can’t wait to see it and I know it will push the Baybayin movement further. Please support this project.
EVENT: FPAC – Southern California 9/8-9
I’ll be back in the LA area September 8-9 at Pt. Fermin Park, San Pedro for FPAC. Look out my workshop and new art.
EVENT: Pistahan – San Francisco August 11-12
It’s that time of the year again! This weekend at Yerba Buena Gardens in downtown San Francisco, I’ll be at Pistahan with Ray & Norman and maybe some surprise guests.
This year we will be having a Baybayin art show featuring the 17 characters. That’s right, 17 different pieces by artists from the US to the Philippines.
Other booth (Creativity Pavilion) activities include:
– Launch of my Ka2 hat
– Live wood burning
– Live painting
– Workshop
– New raw Philippine footage of my documentary
– Kids activities
Shogun vs Vera – UFC on FOX: An important day for Baybayin
Today is is an important day for Baybayin. Why? Because one of the most visible people with Baybayin tattoos will be on the main UFC event tonight. Ever since Brandon Vera made is UFC debut, people have been curious as to what his tattoos mean. I won’t go in to that in this post but you can read about it here and here.
During the pre-fight feature, Brandon Vera’s wife specifically mentions “Filipino Culture” in her interview. The world knows that he’s Filipino and his tattoos are of Filipino origin. When his photo showed on the big screen at the LA Staples Center, it had his Baybayin script as his background. That is a big deal!
Even though Vera ultimately lost, the world wide spotlight he brought to Filipinos and Baybayin was unprecedented.
Baybayin documentary filming in the Philippines
I’m currently in the Philippines doing a lectures, art shows, a product launch, research and continuing filming my documentary. I started filming some street scenes around Katipunan, Cubao and Edsa this this week. Interviews will also start this week as well.
There’s a lot more going on in Manila since I was last here in 2010 and to help document those observations on this trip, I’ve setup a blog for BaybayinFilm.com.
Kristian Kabuay 