Browsing Tag

Ivatan

Sneak Peek: “Melo the Umang-Boy”

I’ve just returned to urban Manila after 10 days with the blue skies and sun-drenched (read: HOT) cliffs of Batanes (a cluster of small islands near Taiwan). Batanes is the most remote northern corner of the Philippines. It was a gathering of loose ends for the Ivatan children’s story, including the long-awaited illustrations. They are simply beautiful. Below is a cover detail of the Ivatan children’s story, “Melo the Umang-Boy.” Umang is the Ivatan word for hermit crab, which is a fitting metaphor for our shy little hero, Melo. Illustration by the talented Jaypee Portez.

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July 4, 2015 by

Workshopping the Ivatan Story with Basco Elementary Kids

I had the opportunity to workshop the Ivatan story with ten 3rd graders at Basco Elementary School. With the help of Awee Abellardo (of Yaru Artists Collective), and Basco’s Vice-Mayor Ann Viola, we got the kids drawing some Ivatan words to start, then read them the story and held a group discussion to see what they thought of the themes. They seemed to really like the story. Although it was text only, I had their full attention during the reading. There were smiles and stolen glances at the written story while I read it aloud. Some photos of the experience, […]

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March 15, 2014 by

Process: A Batanes Word Cloud

At the beginning of the Ivatan story process, Alyssa Sarmiento visited Batanes and spent several days interviewing kids, teachers, artists, elders, and others in the community. She created this word cloud based on that, as one of the tools for discussing story themes. In practical terms, Elders is the biggest theme. But for random giggles, I am glad “Lost Carabao” made it in there. What are your random favorites, dear readers?

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March 11, 2014 by

An Ivatan Folktale: “Duch’narbaan” / “Where Someone Fell”

From Itbayat Folktales, collected by Professor Yukihiro Yamada and introduced by Celerina Mirabueno Navarro – – – – – – – – – – – –  A long time ago, during the time when my grandfather Aplakati was still a little boy, there was an old man who lived in the fields of Kagawran. This old man was so kind that when he saw dead snakes under the heat of the sun, he would take them to a shady place. Although he was already very old and weak, he still would go to his farm. One day he went to […]

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March 7, 2014 by