EVENT: June 7: Dance X Kulintang X Baybayin: Alameda, California

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Parangal

Philippine Independence Day Celebration: Lumago Lampas (Grow Beyond)
Featuring American Center of Philippine Arts, Parangal Dance Company, Kulintronica & Kristian Kabuay When: Saturday, June 7th Time: 7:00pm Where: Rhythmix Cultural Works 2513 Blanding Ave, Alameda Cost: $20 advance, $25 door, $15 students/seniors

Buy tickets here

In honor of Araw ng Kalayaan, Philippine Independence Day, Rhythmix Island Arts presents the American Center of Philippine Arts (ACPA) in collaboration with an array of spectacular artists celebrating the cultural traditions of the Philippine islands on the island of Alameda. Parangal Dance Company will perform the evocative Hindu Malayan influenced dances of the Mindanao region accompanied by indigenous instrumentation of kulintang, gongs and drums*. Ron Quesada will deliver a fusion of ancient Filipino gong instrument with modern electronic dance music, dubbed “Kulintronica”. Kristian Kabuay brings to the stage his modern performance style writing system called Tulang Kalis (Poetry of the Sword) based on the ancient writing system, Baybayin.

More info on the Rhythmix website

Raising money for Grace Nono’s Tao Foundation

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Babaylan Baybayin
I recently had an event to help raise funds for Grace Nono’s Tao Foundation where artwork was auctioned off. I have 1 remaining piece that says “Babaylan”. It’s up for auction on eBay right here. 100% of the proceeds go to the Tao Foundation.

The Tao Foundation for Culture and Arts is a Filipino non-profit organization founded by a group of artists, educators and social workers to facilitate contacts and relationships between local culture practitioners and the globalized population. These encounters are geared towards the transmission of local cultural knowledge at a historical juncture when most villages have become fragmented. The Foundation organizes face-to-face encounters and more focused mentorships, and conducts research and publications.

Tragically, Typhoon Pablo destroyed the Foundation’s activity center in December of 2012, severely limiting the scope of the Foundations activities.  For just $10,000 the Foundation will be able to reconstruct the activity center and expand on their great work.  This will enable the Foundation to once again offer workshops and classes on traditional arts, music, food, dance, and more. By donating you’ll be helping the Tao Foundation promote inter-tribal, inter-faith, and cross-cultural dialogue among Filipinos in the homeland; Filipinos in the homeland and in the diaspora; and Filipinos and other nationalities, towards shared initiatives to promote the health of local cultures and of the earth. The Tao Foundation for Culture and Arts has been registered as a non-profit NGO under the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission since 1994.

Abakadang Rizaleo

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rizaleo

I first heard about this modern version of Baybayin in 2008 from my friend Ray Haguisan who showed me a photocopy of one of the pages he got from someone at a Filipino Festival. The book Aklat sanayan ng abakadang Rizaleo (1994) by Marius V Diaz. Since then, I’ve been been looking for a copy of the whole book. While filming my documentary, Sulat ng Malansang Isda (Writing of the Stinky Fish) in Manila in 2012, I learned that there should be a copy at the National Library. In order to visit the Filipiana room, I needed a library card. One of the requirements to register for a card is a 1×1 photo. I walked out the building and searched for the 1st photo booth that I found at the “Seafarers Center”, the epicenter for the Philippine maritime industry. I got in line with applying seamen to get a photo taken. The line was going fast and guys were just putting on the white uniform and grabbing their necessary epaulet. When it was my turn I didn’t feel like explaining my situation so I put on the uniform and picked my shoulder strap. I didn’t want to pick something the previous guys got in case they question me so I randomly picked one. Turned out to be for an engineer. There’s much more to the story but I’ll save it for another time. Basically, it was an ordeal to find it.

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The book itself is 50 pages and starts off with a short introduction then workbook style pages on how to write the strokes.

rizaleo

Also in the book are different styles of the script

rizaleo

It ends with a story about Jose Rizal

Rizaleo

While the script is based on Baybayin, it was heavily modified with extra characters like TH-X-Z. The way its written is like an alphabet rather than an alpha-syllabary as seen in the example below.

rizaleo

In Mount Bahahaw, there are some signs written in the script by Rizalistas. Check out Philippine based photographer, Sydney Snoeck’s website for more photographs.

Baybayin Duha snapback hat

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baybayin duha snapback
“Baybayin Duha”, Usa means 2 in Bisaya and Baybayin (incorrectly known Alibata) is the writing system used in the Philippines prior to Spanish colonization. Placing the ancient script is a perfect combination of the old and new representing cultural identity through style. The crocodile skin isn’t just for fashion but has a direct connection to indigenous Philippine belief systems and it’s not about the 21ft Buwaya that was found in the southern islands. Crocodile patterns have been used in textiles, swords and tattoos.

Buy now at BaybayinShop.com

Features:

Grey polyester crown with a visor wrapped in faux grey crocodile skin

3D BAYBAYIN text

Embroidered 17 base Baybayin characters

Snapback one size fits all (fits head size of 64cm)

Designed by Baybayin artist, Kristian Kabuay

Limited to only 100 pcs worldwide

EVENT: An Afternoon with Filipino Authors – San Francisco

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baybayin book

HARAYA ng PILIPINO! Culture & Indi-Genius Vision! Come celebrate the release of 3 amazing books! Back from the Crocodile’s Belly, Sulat ng Kaluluwa, & The Forgotten Children of Maui. Meet 5 authors, Elenita Leny Strobel, Jane Alfonso, Michael Gonzalez, Kristian Kabuay, and Lane Wilcken! There will be book talks, demonstrations, music, and performances!

3/23/14
1-5PM
Bayanihan Center
San Francisco, California, USA
FB invite

EVENT: Japan – Tokyo University of Foreign Studies

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Baybayin Japan

I’ll be in Japan from 2/27 to 3/1 to do a lecture and show Baybayin art at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies for the International Workshop on Endangered Scripts of Island Southeast Asia.

This workshop will discuss the writing systems and traditions of island Southeast Asia, focusing on (but not limited to) the endangered Indic scripts of the Philippines, Sumatra and Sulawesi. Papers are invited covering topics such as historical and structural relationships, literature, documentation, revival, modern functions, adaptations and social/cultural meaning. In addition to the academic component of the workshop, the organizers encourage participation by culture-bearers, activists and artists.

I’m looking forward to meeting other advocates of Baybayin, Kulitan and Surat Mangyan at the event.

– Kanakan Balintagos (Solito Arts Productions)
– Norman de los Santos (BHM Publishing House, Inc.)
– Emerennciana Lorenzo Catapang (Mangyan Heritage Center)
– Christopher Miller (Independent Researcher, Montreal, Canada)
– Michael Raymon M. Pangilinan (ILCAA, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)
– Anya Postma (Mangyan Heritage Center)
– Bruno Tiotuico (Alexandre Dayrit Tiotuico） (Ágúman Súlat Kapampángan)

I’m currently working on my paper around the topic of using Baybayin in the diaspora as a cultural identifier through art.

Please visit the Linguistics Dynamics Science Project for more information

EVENT: Rebuilding Bayanihan: A Special Post Typhoon Event – Los Angeles

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LA & SF area artists, will be converging in a special event to support post typhoon rebuilding in the Philippines.

This day long event will be a call to the community – to come together in an intentional spirit and to hold sacred space as a way to heal our bodies, our relationships, our souls, our planet.

Our line-up is down below.

This is a family-friendly event and open to all! Vita Coco (http://vitacoco.com/) will be providing our elixir and White Rabbit (http://whiterabbittruck.com/) will be setting up their food truck in the lot – so come, explore, discover, sing, dance, play, and get some yummy pagkain and coconut water! Admission is free!

For more information, please contact Christine Jugueta at cjugueta@gmail.com.

Donations for relief efforts in the Philippines will be collected at the event – You can also donate online at the following sites:

Green ReLeaf Initiative: http://greenreleaf.org/
Banago Typhoon Relief: http://banago.mybigcommerce.com/
Permaculture Aid Yolanda: http://pcaidyolanda.org/

Mabuhay!

THE SCHEDULE/LINE-UP:
11am: Doors open at SIPA
12-12.30: Opening procession, prayers, welcome
12.30-1.20: Act I
1.20-1.45: Break
1.45-2: Ritual
2-3: Act II
3-5: Open jam
5-6: Kulintronica

11-3: Outdoor activities – storytelling, face-painting, Baybayin workshop, live art

Act I artists:
Cristina Golondrina Rose
Joel F Jacinto
Kristian Kabuay – http://www.kabuay.com/

Act II artists:
Alysa Lobo
Rachel Kann – http://rachelkann.com/
Alma Cielo – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdu_m3g9J5Q,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9XZ0nJBODQ
Christine Jugueta

Post Program/Booth/Outdoor Artists:
RAFFLE
FASHION SHOW
KAPWA JAM (live music)
Ron Quesada – http://kulintronica.wordpress.com/
Nicanor Evans – http://naseek.blogspot.com/
Aicnelav Diyan- http://bukobomba.blogspot.com/
Marybelle Mb, Belle by MB – http://marybellemb.wordpress.com/
Jay Landayan Malvari
Agapito Doronio – http://artbattles.com/artists/agapito-doronio
Jayson Lorenzo – http://funmakerbooth.com/