MGA PAMAAGI SA PANAGUBAN PADULONG SA KALIBUTAN GIHANDURAW (Ways of Shared Togetherness With Unseen World)

In the Philippines, resilience and faith are deeply woven into the cultural fabric, shaped by a history of natural disasters, colonization, and social upheaval. These shared experiences have profoundly influenced the collective psyche, fostering a remarkable ability to adapt, heal, and thrive through community connections and shared identities. Central to this exhibition is the Filipino concept of loob—an inner being that nurtures relationships through pakikipagkapwa, or shared togetherness.

This exhibition draws inspiration from grassroots artistic interventions in disaster-affected communities, serving as both an exploration of personal narratives and a reimagining of ancient communal practices. It bridges the tangible and intangible through storytelling, ritual-making, and placemaking, creating a space where grief, joy, love, and spiritual transcendence converge.

At the heart of the exhibition is the immersive spiral altar, symbolizing the cyclical nature of healing, growth, and interconnectedness. This altar anchors the mystical experience, inviting participants to explore ecological belonging and emotional transformation. Visitors are encouraged to engage in Pangalap (a Visayan tradition meaning "to gather"), contributing to the creation of installation art, visual works, and performances that culminate in powerful rites of passage rituals. These acts celebrate intergenerational healing and the preservation of sacred traditions amidst the challenges of modernization.

The exhibition reflects on the "intergenerational motivation" and "intergenerational struggle" of healers who strive to protect and pass down traditional wisdom. By amplifying these narratives, participants are invited to reconnect with the unseen world, addressing collective grief and envisioning a beloved community where cultural and ecological belonging are restored.

This sacred and reflective space transforms art into a vessel for storytelling, healing, and cultural continuity. It allows audiences to engage with the enduring relationship between the Filipino spirit and the mystical forces that guide it, offering a path toward shared resilience and renewal.


Invitation to Visitors

We invite you to embark on this journey of reflection, connection, and creation. Each day of the exhibition is structured around a rhythm of engagement:

  • Daily Prompts: Begin your day with a question or reflection to guide your experience.

  • Reflection During the Day: Spend time interacting with the altar, contributing to collaborative artworks, or participating in storytelling and rituals.

  • Sharing at Night: Come together in the evening to share your reflections and experiences with others, weaving your story into the collective spiral of the community.

This journey encourages you to honor the resilience of the human spirit, reconnect with the unseen world, and embrace the profound interconnectedness of art, tradition, and ecology. Together, we create a space where healing, belonging, and cultural continuity thrive.

Theme:
Ways of Shared Togetherness with the Unseen World

At the heart of Lunas Pilipinas lies the spiral, a powerful symbol of growth, connection, and the reclamation of belonging. This spiral represents the journey of healing—not just for individuals but for communities and the ecology we are inherently part of. The summit is an invitation to reconnect with the natural elements—Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Ether—to rediscover the Filipino relationship with the land, spirit, and one another.

Through art, rituals, and storytelling, participants are guided to reflect, grieve, and reimagine their place in the ecology, reclaiming what systems of colonization and modernity told us was "not ours." Each element becomes a step in the spiral, bringing participants closer to understanding their interconnectedness with the unseen and the natural world.

The Spiral as the Central Element

The spiral serves as the physical and symbolic anchor of the summit. Located at the heart of the event, it grows as participants contribute their offerings—symbols of gratitude, pain, or intention. Surrounding the spiral, the curated rituals and workshops weave together art, movement, and conversation to create a holistic experience of shared healing and ecological belonging.

Integration of the Elements

Earth: Rootedness and Intergenerational Healing

    • Workshops:

      • Woven Manifestations: Embroidery as resistance and connection, led by Adora Faye de Vera.

      • Sacred Remedies: Indigenous practices that ground participants in the wisdom of the land, led by Annie Ponce.

    • Connection to the Spiral:

      • Earth grounds the spiral, with natural objects (stones, leaves, flowers) forming its base.

      • Participants are invited to touch the Earth and reflect on their connection to it.

    • Key Message: The Earth is not a resource to dominate; it is a home we must nurture and belong to.

Fire: Transformation and Honoring Pain

    • Rituals:

      • Mandala Circle Ritual: Using fire and natural materials to symbolize transformation and shared grief, led by Steve and Z Santillan.

      • Sacred Rage Movement Ritual: Expressing and releasing collective emotions through guided movements and percussion.

    • Connection to the Spiral:

      • Fire represents the energy of transformation, illuminating the spiral as a source of renewal.

    • Key Message: Through fire, we find the courage to release grief and ignite action for change.

Water: Flow and Sustenance

    • Activities:

      • Ripples of Connection: Exploring community-building and intergenerational connections, led by Mae Paner.

      • Tides of Transformation: A group activity emphasizing adaptability and collective resilience.

    • Connection to the Spiral:

      • Water flows through the spiral’s layers, reminding participants of the interconnectedness of all living things.

    • Key Message: Water sustains and adapts, teaching us how to flow within our communities and ecosystems.

Air: Breath and Winds of Change

  • Panels:

    • Winds of Change: Discussions on sustainability, wellbeing, and social transformation, featuring leaders like Buji Babiera and Julia Ormond.

  • Connection to the Spiral:

    • Air carries participants' voices and intentions upward, symbolizing the potential for growth and change.

  • Key Message: Air connects us invisibly, carrying the seeds of transformation.

Ether: Spiritual Connection and Belonging

    • Rituals:

      • Tuob Healing Circle: Cleansing and spiritual grounding ritual led by Siquijor healers.

      • Spiral Altar Ceremony: Gratitude and offerings placed at the center of the spiral.

    • Connection to the Spiral:

      • Ether embodies the unseen forces that hold the spiral together, inviting participants to reflect on their spiritual connection.

    • Key Message: Ether reminds us that belonging transcends the tangible, connecting us to the mystical and spiritual.