ALL OVER THE MAP: KATHARA PILIPINO INDIGENOUS ARTS COLLECTIVE AUGUST 18, 2019

KATHARA PILIPINO INDIGENOUS ARTS COLLECTIVE:

THE RETURN OF THE BUWAYA SPIRIT

FREE PUBLIC EVENT

Sunday, August 18, 2019
Performances at 1 p.m.  and 3 p.m.
Performance Works, Granville Island
The event takes place on the outdoor stage at Ron Basford Park. In case of rain the performance moves inside Performance Works.

The Return of the Buwaya Spirit is an intergenerational presentation in theatre, dance and music in traditional and contemporary forms exploring The Pilipinx identity. Created to reclaim and celebrate an ancient connection to Pilipinx Indigenous Identity with the Buwaya, the Crocodile.
Buwaya Spirit gives us gifts and ideas of how we are to sustain interconnectedness to the land and all that it provides.

Dance Choreography: Babette Santos and Tin Gamboa
Stage Design: Mayo Landicho (Tattoo artist)
Mask and painting: Bert Monterona
Costume Designer: Michael Tamayo

Music:
Electronic Neo Indigenous house fusion created by Rup Siddhu, percussionists Sacha Levin and Michael Louw.
Traditional instruments played by Corrine Enojo and Kamille Ignacio.
Dancers: Joshua Oncol, Corrine Enojo, Joy Tan, Xhalida September,Kayla Vargas, FIlipino Martial Artists, J. Cabactulan and youth talent 13-year old featuring comic, writer, actress- Jade Santos.

ABOUT THE GROUP

Since 2002, Kathara Pilipino Indigenous Arts Collective has showcased artists collaborating and exploring the storytelling of one’s identity inspired by indigenous stories, music, dance, martial arts and rituals originating of the tribes of Mindanao and Central Visayas Philippines. Through arts and ceremonies, Kathara is committed to unravelling colonialism, exploring urban indigeneity, and deepening relations with local and global indigenous peoples with the diverse communities in Unceded Coast Salish territory.

Artistic Director and Co-founder of Kathara, Babette Santos is a second generation Filipinx-Canadian, Mestiza of Bisayan, Kapangpangan,Spanish Jewish and Chinese heritage has been dancing for over 25 years.
Over the years Babette has been inspired and practising land-based knowledge systems. In 1999, one of her many trips to her Motherland she was inspired by artists Joey Ayala, Grace Nono and Santiago Bose. Even exploring her own family history with the Ati in Bataan and also indigenous families within Canada contribute to her artistry. Elenita Dumlao, mentor and founder Kathara Philippines supported Babette in becoming an adopted member of the Bagobo Tagabawa tribe in 2013.

New Works gratefully and respectfully acknowledges that this event takes place on the ancestral, and unceded Indigenous territories of the ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations.