Filipino Identity Through the Arts: Worldview and Identity

Understanding Worldview

  • Definition: Colins Dictionary defines worldview as a person's way of seeing and understanding the world, encompassing values, philosophies, and behaviors.

  • Seven Types of Beliefs:

    • Epistemological: Nature, sources, and validation of knowledge.

    • Metaphysical: Ultimate nature of Reality and Truth.

    • Cosmological: Origins of the universe, life, and humanity.

    • Teleological: Existence of a purpose or plan for the universe.

    • Theological: Existence and nature of God.

    • Anthropological: Nature and "place" of human beings.

    • Axiological: Beliefs about value, good/bad, and right/wrong.

Factors Shaping Worldview

  • Geography: Physical environment and natural resources influence survival strategies and cultural identities (e.g., island isolation vs. coastal trade).

  • History: Collective memories, historical events (colonization, migration), and narratives shape shared values and independence beliefs.

  • Institutions: Established systems like government, religious organizations, schools, and legal systems regulate social responsibility and morality.

Indigenous and Filipino Worldviews

  • Indigenous Principles (Michael Anthony Hart):

    • Knowledge is holistic, cyclic, and relational (e.g., Ifugao rice cultivation involves rituals for the rice deity Bul-ul).

    • There are "many truths" based on lived experience (e.g., Mt. Apo as a geological formation vs. home to Apo Sandawa).

    • Everything is alive (animism), such as the Pulangi River being home to Diwatang Makalindong.

    • All things are equal; humans are not at the top of a hierarchy.

    • Land is sacred identity (e.g., Talaandig of Bukidnon viewing Mt. Kitanglad and Mt. Kalatungan as temples).

    • Relationship with the spiritual world involves ancestors (anito) and spirits (engkantos).

    • Humans are the "least important" part of the natural order.

  • Filipino Philosophy (Timbreza, Pilosopiyang Pilipino): Emphasizes balance, cycles, reciprocity, non-violence/restraint, and the acceptance of life and death.

Identity and Cultural Identity

  • General Identity: Character or personality (Mirriam Webster) encompassing memories, roles, and values.

  • Cultural Identity (Usborne and Sablonniere):

    • Self-conception: How one defines themselves (e.g., identifying as Filipino-Mindanawon).

    • Self-perception: How one sees themselves in action (e.g., practicing pagmamano).

  • Components of Cultural Identity (Wan & Chiew): Cultural knowledge, category labels, and social connections.

  • Development Steps: Cultural understanding (immersion), cultural identification (labeling oneself), and cultural relationships (interactions with the community).

Art as an Expression of Identity and Worldview

  • Revealing the Self: Art expresses inner psychology and values.

    • Example: Jhonrey Balane (2025), a Talaandig soil painter, uses "Nangkatibud hu Lana" (Jar of Ancient Oil) to symbolize wisdom gifted by Magbabaya.

  • Recording Heritage: Art archives ancestral wisdom and resists modern mass consumption.

    • Example: Sunaya Ali Bansil (2025) weaves Iranun Binalodan Inaul (2 by 2 ft) to evoke peace (Kalilintad) and cultural preservation.

  • Reflecting Society: Art provides a lens into cosmology and societal critique.

    • Example: Alfred Galvez designed a mural for the Christ the King Chapel at Ateneo de Davao University, blending Mindanao literature and Ignatian symbols.

  • Representing Human Experience: Art processes complex emotions where language fails.

    • Example: Katrina Kae Carriedo's expressionist solo exhibition, Introspection & Fiction, explores the chaos and meaning of the human condition.

Exercises & Discussion

  • Self-Reflection Questions:

    1. What do I believe is important in life, and why?

    2. How do I decide what is right, wrong, fair, or unfair?

    3. What experiences, traditions, or teachings did I grow up with that have shaped the way I see the world?

  • Filipino vs. Western Worldview Exercise:

    • Filipino: Collective responsibility (bayanihan), consultation with family, indigenous/Catholic coexistence, land as cultural identity, personal achievement linked to family.

    • Western: Autonomous individual rights, open expression of disagreement, separation of religion and secular life, success as personal achievement.

  • Cultural Identity Case Studies:

    • Maranao Student (Ahmad): Learns Maranao language (Step 1), describes himself as Maranao (Step 2), and builds relationships with religious leaders (Step 3).

    • Agusanon Manobo (Datu Agong): Listens to tud-om, dasang, and panagtawag (Step 1), values traditions passed down (Step 2), and interacts with elders (Step 3).