loveisarevolutionaryact:

Creation Story

Acrylic and Marker on Wood

By JL

When the world first began there was no land; there was only the Sea and the Sky, and between them flew a huge, beautiful Kite (a bird similar to a hawk). One day, the bird, which had nowhere to land and rest, grew tired of flying about, and in frustration stirred up the Sky in a quarrel against the Sea. The Sky threw rain, thunder, and lightning that reached the Sea, who in turn rose up and hurled waves and hurricanes that reached the Sky.

 

In order to restrain its fury, the Sky showered a multitude of massive boulders down upon the Sea, which became the islands that formed the Philippines. These islands prevented the waters from rising any more - instead causing them to flow back and forth, and thereby creating the tides. Afterwards, the Sky then ordered the Kite to light on one of the newly-formed islands to build her nest, and to leave the Sea and the Sky in peace. 

Now at this same time the Land Breeze and the Sea Breeze had a child which they named Bamboo. One day, when Bamboo was floating against the sea, it struck the feet of the Kite. Shocked, hurt, and angered that anything should strike it, the bird furiously pecked at the bamboo until it split in half. Out of one section came a golden-bronze colored man, named Malakas (Strong One) and from the other half came a similarly hued woman, named Maganda (Beautiful One). In union they were birthed.

 

 

Man and Womyn, Pinoy and Pinay were born intertwined with one another, in balance and equality they were created.

 

As time has passed we forget the union that we were created in

We forget the seed that grew us,

And man and womyn, Pinoy and Pinay have divided. 

 

 

 

(Excerpt from The Journey of a Brown Girl: An Experimental Theatre Piece by Jana Lynne Umipig)