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Hi, I am Ari. Um, so my research is titled, sorry, um, which means the first transgender balan, the original queer people of the Philippines. And the script at the top is actually our indigenous script. Um, so my research adopts an autoethnographic creative practice led approach. [00:00:30] It draws upon my own experiences as well as cultural and historical context. The central driving question to my inquiry is how do transgender women find their voice? This question is not just a query into individual experiences, but it also delves into the collective narrative of a transgender woman, particularly the context. Of the Philippines [00:01:00] indigenous culture. In exploring this, my research seeks to uncover, narrate the stories of transgender women through the lens of historical and cultural significance, connecting the past with the present and exploring the evolution of gender identity in Filipino society. So about me, 'cause it's all ethnographic. Um. I'm Arielle, you she, her pronouns, and I was born in Davao City, Philippines, [00:01:30] as a trans, as a binary transgender woman. I began my transition in 2017, um, this is important to note because transgender is an umbrella term for a diverse community of people, and there are many transgender people who do not identify with any gender binary, so all expressions of Trans are valid. I'm not blue eyed. Um, As a [00:02:00] first generation Philippine immigrant, my identity intertwines my cultural roots with the new contexts I navigate. This intersectionality of cultures has been an influential aspect of my life and research. Growing up in a Christian slash Catholic environment has also significantly shaped my worldview. It influenced how I perceive the world and myself in my formative years. These are not just personal details, they are integral to my approach in [00:02:30] this autoethnographic study. They provide the lens through which I view and interpret the themes of transgender identity and re indigenization in my research. Um, so, these are two terms in the Filipino language that are essential to grasp. The full depth of the cultural and historical context of my study. So the first is Babaylan. So, Babaylan were pivotal figures in pre colonial [00:03:00] Philippine society. They were shamans, healers, and spiritual leaders, revered for their wisdom and connections to the spiritual world. Babaylans were typically women, but the role was not exclusively gendered and could include any feminine individuals. But bylands were custodians of ancient knowledge, mediators between the spiritual and physical worlds. They held esteemed positions in society and often led tribes in the absence of the Datu or chief.[00:03:30] Um, the other term is Asog. Um, so this refers to individuals who were assigned male at birth. Like, a western way of putting it. Um, and Adopted roles and identities typically associated with women in the context of pre colonial Philippines. Our SOGs were often respected members of society playing unique roles in religious and cultural rituals such as babaylans. Um, there is no actual word for [00:04:00] transgender in the Philippines. We have like an umbrella term baklap, but that's normally used to describe homosexual men. We have that. Um, In my research, the concept of voice is explored in its rich and multifaceted dimensions. I'll go over the, I'll first go over the sonic nuances of voice, uh, vocal transformation. So, a key element in my [00:04:30] work is a vocal transformation that charts the journey from boyhood through adolescence into womanhood. This transformation is more than a physical change. It's a symbol of evolving identity and self perception. Um, so I'll be using AI to bring this to life. Um, so I'm going to be feeding an AI model like old videos and stuff and it can recreate [00:05:00] my voice which I'll show at the very end. Um, and voice as a cornerstone of Identity. In this context, voice transcends mere sound. It becomes a cornerstone of identity, a personal signature that is as unique and evolving as the individual represents. So moving beyond the sonic voice in my research is also symbolic. Um, so it covers [00:05:30] identity formation, forming a deeper understanding of self and re indigenization as a means to find your voice, um, and also honors indigenous oral traditions of storytelling and passing down knowledge. So that's like my genealogy. Um, the part that's most important to my research is My paternal grandma from Leyte, um, and she's part of the [00:06:00] Wadai tribe. Um, so in exploring my roots and cultural identity, the Wadai tribe holds a significant place, especially as it connects to my paternal grandmother from Leyte, a region in Mindanao, Philippines. My grandmother's Wadai heritage was something I grew up knowing little about, a reflection of the broader narrative of indigenous cultures in the Philippines. As a child, my understanding of the Wadai was framed through the stories of my father who described them as [00:06:30] fierce warriors, never shying away from a fight, a trait he amusingly attributed to my grandmother's feisty demeanor. This portrayal of the Wadai as resilient and tenacious resonates with a historical background, but my family's knowledge about our deeper indigenous roots was limited. In the Philippines, there has been a tendency to embrace colonial influence, often celebrating it. A consequence of this has been the [00:07:00] marginalization of indigenous cultures, perceived as primitive and largely excluded from mainstream education and discourse. The lack of emphasis on our indigenous heritage meant that much of it wasn't passed down through generations, leaving gaps in our understanding of our own ancestry. And so, where did my research come from? So, my research is rooted in a personal journey of [00:07:30] rediscovering my cultural heritage, a journey that became more pressing during a period of homelessness and estrangement for my family. This phase of my life deepened the gap between This phase of my life deepened the gap between me and my native language, Bisaya, as well as traditional Filipino customs. Growing up as a boy in a traditional household, I wasn't [00:08:00] involved in cooking, which further distanced me from an essential aspect of my culture. This sense of disconnection ignited my quest for re indigenisation. To reconnect with and embrace my Filipino and Wairoots. It's a journey that started long before my research project and continues to evolve. So my film will be a short, [00:08:30] stop motion animated piece, taking visual cues from Lottie Reiniger's classic shadow puppetry, but re interpreted. With a digital medium, this fusion of traditional and modern techniques creates a distinctive visual narrative. The film will also feature a bilingual script that rhymes both Bisaya and English together. This was particularly challenging as we use our tongue differently when speaking different languages. [00:09:00] My film presents a fictional origin story of how the first transgender woman became a babaylan. The film blends the spiritual worldview of my ancestors with a narrative of my own transformation from a queer child to womanhood. Central to the film is a perspective on gender as understood by my ancestors. While fictional, the story deeply Honours the indigenous practice of oral story, oral storytelling. [00:09:30] The, the fusion of a creative and fictional account with my personal journey showcases the powerful role of storytelling in shaping identities and preserving cultural legacies. Um, so the film basically is about a little boy who defines, defies traditions and expectations, and in doing so he is exiled. On his own in the forest, he transforms into the woman he always knew he was in [00:10:00] sight. Sorry. Blessed with powers of divinity, she returns home to share her gift to redefine tradition. Um, so I had, like, I ran into a few copyright issues, um, surrounding, um, Indigenous tattoo motifs. So, um, my initial intention was to utilize images from a book, but I [00:10:30] quickly encountered a roadblock due to copyright restrictions. These motifs, deeply tied to my heritage, were suddenly inaccessible in their original form, presenting a unique dilemma in an authentic In authentically representing my cultural background. Um, so, those are the key elements that I want to incorporate into my own interpretation.[00:11:00] Um, so, I based it off, um, the Babayin script, and I picked key words, and then That, so, um, this one embodies the complex emotions tied to the experience of being estranged in solitude. The configuration of lines carries a dual meaning, both collectively and individually. The [00:11:30] uppermost row is designed to evoke the image of a person with their Arms raised high in exaltation, capturing the essence of freedom and liberation that accompanies estrangement. The lines are not just static symbols, they resonate with a dynamic posture found in indigenous Filipino dances. I don't know if you guys watch Drag [00:12:00] Race Philippines. So the curved lines represent two things in Gbagbago, which means to change. It firstly represents how change is not linear, especially within my transition, which is reflected in the curvature of the lines. The lines are also intended to resemble the waves of the ocean, as somewhat I were proficient. Fishermen, as many of what I resided by the sea. Babayes, so [00:12:30] the arrow, arrow slash directional motifs, are derived from the shapes I created from rearranging the babayin. Um, the arrows also represent the arrows on my estrogen pill. Um, but they also, um, Represent the peaks and valleys of my experience of womanhood, emotions, and rude awakenings, such as benefiting from [00:13:00] preferential treatment due to being a woman in a patriarchal society, though this often thinly veils ulterior motives, also while experiencing misogyny for the first time and throughout my transition. Um, so this one is a neck piece, um, tattoo. Um, so it basically slowly comes together as the film progresses. So as you can [00:13:30] see here, the tattoos are on there and it develops. So these are just The base of the figures, but I'm going to be adding more decorations and stuff later And this is my storyboarding for the film, um, and I just I'm gonna end with this. From the resilience and strength I [00:14:00] held as a young boy, I laid down the foundations for the woman I would become. Back then, I faced a world where colonial doctrines tried to suppress my true self, and I often felt like an outcast. Those early battles had now become integral to my research, bridging personal experience with academic inquiring. In the indigenous and queer community, our academic contributions and our voices do more than just speak. They drive social [00:14:30] discourse and serve as powerful tools for cultural preservation. If we were strong before, we are stronger today.
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