I notice that Filipino folklore is rarely brought up, discussed or celebrated here in the Bay Area, so it was music to my ears when I hear about an exhibit on Filipino Folklore at 1AM Gallery in San Francisco.
Sure it was a month late from Halloween but the theme is so fresh to the public, no one seemed to mind the timeliness. If anything, I think this theme is good any season.
“Tabi- Tabi Po” showcases artworks exploring Filipino mythical creatures like the Dwende (dwarves), Kapre (tobacco smoking troll), Manananggal (a lady that leaves her lower body and flies away to look for victims), and so much more. The phrase itself, “Tabi-Tabi” means “excuse me” in Tagalog (a Filipino dialect), “po” means respect to the elderly. Filipinos utter this phrase to show respect to the underworld creatures who were believed to live in bushes, trees and wilderness in general. For example, when someone needs to pee in the woods, he or she would have to say tabi tabi po as a sign of respect or request of permission. Whether these creatures exist or not, the practice of saying Tabi tabi po often teaches the people to respect Nature.
The only production I remember that also highlights this theme was the theatre play, “Banana Fairy”, produced by Revival Arts Productions a few years ago. “Banana Fairy” was a play about a magical amulet or “anting-anting” that can be obtained from the heart of a banana tree. The main character met the mythical creature called the Kapre, the forest’s tobacco smoking troll.
I remember growing up in the Philippines, I would hear stories about these creatures seeking revenge after having their property disrespected, I would get so scared!
Anyway, to give you a better idea of what I’m talking about, here’s a short documentary on Filipino Folklore:
I heard artists from all over the globe contributed to this installation. I also heard that some of them believe the creatures are more than just a folklore and that they do exist. I was not surprised to hear that though. Some of my family members and friends in the Philippines believe about the creatures too-it’s a common belief over there. Anyway, the other artists, (from the looks of their art) put a rather modern twist to their interpretation. For example, there were pieces like “Rock Steady Dwende”, and “Aswang Dancehall”. By the way, a good friend of mine, Dino Ignacio, also contributed his piece, which looked like a “girly” Mananaggal, with a friendly face and a pink aura.
Proceeds from the artworks will be donated to the typhoon victims in the Philippines, which makes the event all sorts of win. But to makes things even better, my friends at Bindlestiff Studio, a Pilipino Theater Arts organization, put together a shadow puppetry show during the event. I thought shadow puppetry was the perfect medium to showcase Filipino Folklore because it exudes mystery and playfulness. The story is about a Dwende (dwarf) who got too big. Though it’s a children’s play, I had a feeling my nephew might get too scared so I didn’t bring him along. Instead, I filmed the show, so at least he can watch it from a computer, which might make the experience a little less frightening.
Events and shows like “Tabi-Tabi Po” make my heart big because they bring back memories of my childhood in the Philippines. And I’m grateful not only for the nostalgia but also for the fact that the Bay Area (and maybe some other parts of the world) acknowledge the rich history and culture of the Old Philippines-and I’m talking about the rich, complex, and colorful threads of the Old Philippines, not just the “balut” eating, “tinikling” dancing part of the culture. “Tabi-tabi” po adds to my list of thought provoking Filipino events in the Bay Area, along with Bindlestiff’s “The Movement”, ‘The FOB Show”, and Revival Arts’ “Tatarin”. Kudos to the curator, James “Ganyan” Garcia and to Bindlestiff for making Tabi-Tabi Po possible.
Richgail Enriquez 