Got Pilipino?

The first ever IndioBravo Filipino Film Festival was held this weekend in NYC. Initially, I wanted to see Foster Child (again) because I felt it captured the essence and emotions of being a Foster parent in the Philippines. Though I would say that the portrayal of the eventual adoption of the main character was a little skewed.

A weekend of Filipino movies with English subtitles!? A perfect opportunity to see a glimpse of life in the Philippines, learn about the styles of Filipino cinematography, the actors and especially to learn a little bit of the language!

Since my summer abroad at the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2003, I have desperately tried to maintain the basics of the language that I learned. I bought a highly recommended double volume set of Phil/English Eng/Phil dictionaries, Lonely Planet phrase book, Before You Know It computer tutorial, Learning Filipino book, children's books I bought in the Phils (in Filipino with English translation), downloaded Filipino songs, you name it.

I have since learned that one of the better approaches to retaining Filipino is through movies.
On that same trip a good friend of mine brought me to a dvd shop. I purchased movie titles, which I thought would be of interest. I have watched a couple of them and when I attend Filipino events I make it a point to buy such movies.

It has been a slow process but I don't like to pretend that I the mother tongue when people speak to me. I am determined to teach myself the basics.

If you have any suggestion of movie titles let me know!

Looking forward to next year's Indio Fest!

Model Filipino-American

My good friend Dr. Kevin Nadal and Godfather/Ninong to Noah has written, Filipino American Psychology - A Handbook of Theory, Research and Clinical Practice. I was especially excited to provide him with information about Filipino adoption, which very little is written about.

I was also honored when he asked me and Noah to pose for the cover of the book along with a dozen other Fil-Ams. Noah made the final cut for the front cover and there is a group photo on the back of the two of us!

Congrats Kevin!

Honoring and Evoking the Babaylan Spirit

Truthfully, when I told my dear friend I was interested in organizing the Babaylan Conference April of 2010 I failed to realize that it much more than planning a phenomenal event. I have walked into a the epicenter of understanding the role of self in the community and the world at large but how to embrace the essence of babaylan and its spirit.

Babaylan Conference of 2010
April 17 – 18, 2010 at the
Sonoma State University, CA

What is Babaylan?

Babaylan is a term identifying an indigenous Filipino religious leader, who functions as a healer, a shaman, a seer and a community "miracle-worker" (or a combination of any of those). Although the role and function of a babaylan is open to both sexes, most babaylans from the pre-hispanic era are female.

"The babaylan in Filipino indigenous tradition is a person who is gifted to heal the spirit and the body; a woman who serves the community through her role as a folk therapist, wisdom-keeper and philosopher; a woman who provides stability to the community’s social structure; a woman who can access the spirit realm and other states of consciousness and traffic easily in and out of these worlds; a woman who has vast knowledge of healing therapies".^[1] In addition to this, a babaylan is someone who "intercedes for the community and individuals" and is also someone who "serves." Any study of the babaylan must take into consideration the suppression of the babaylan's practices since the onset of European and American colonialism in the Philippines.

Prior to, during and after the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898, the babaylans of Dios Buhawi and Papa Isio of Negros Occidental participated in the struggle to throw off the Spanish yoke. Their primary agenda was religious freedom and agrarian reform; most followers of the babaylan tradition were dispossessed land owners thrown off their property by the Spanish hacienderos and in some cases by Spanish friars bent on acquiring land.

More to come.......

My Little Master Artist

I wanted to find any type of class for Noah and to my surprise came across Little Masters Art
for kids between 2-12 years; the best kept secret in NY. Each one hour class begins with a snack, story time and an activity inspired by a chosen artist of the day. Although Noah would rather toy around with the play dough it seems like he has enjoyed experimenting with different tools and materials. Little Master's also hosts a monthly Saturday Workshop that is reasonably priced; $15 a child.

April - In like a Lamb......

Brooklyn Avenue

The Peace Fountain statue is quite impressive, which is next to The Cathedral Church of Saint John in the Upper West Side. I discovered that Saint John's is the largest cathedral in the world and to think it is a few blocks away from our apartment! I still need to go inside the the cathedral and would like to bring Noah to the free organ performance every Monday at 1pm.


Noah's Ark plaque, I like to bring Noah to see all the small bronze figures of animals and mamals that were designed by youth and adults. Another attraction are the two peacocks that roam the church grounds. One is white while the other has the iridescent green. You will most likely hear their unique bird cries. I was puzzled when I first heard them.

I turns out that the Bronx Zoo has been donating the peacocks since 1973.

248th St. Patrick's Day Parade, NYC