Reflection

I joined Knowledge Kapamilya because I have always been interested in Filipino artifacts but only recently had the opportunity to see any. When we first went into the collections, I was drawn to the instruments and the oktabina caught my eye as I had just been part of a few rondalya open houses the past quarter. The gong set had called to me because I had just given a presentation on folk dances in the Philippines, doing a deep dive into the instruments that would accompany the dancers.

Going into this project, I thought I had a decent knowledge and understanding of musical instruments and their histories. Being part of this group and in this space – it quickly reminded me that things aren’t always what they seem. People get things wrong and we all have the space to learn more than we did about certain topics. We never get too old to learn, especially when it comes to cultural knowledge. I was always raised with the mindset “if we don’t learn about them, how will the next generations learn” that I got from my grandmother. This mindset has stuck with me throughout the years, especially whenever I felt disconnected from the culture. This was most prevalent when people wouldn’t take me seriously when I spoke Visayan just because I had a different skin tone than them. Looking back, I think this was why I have always tried to hold on to everything my grandmother and mother taught me – from the stories to all the songs and dances. Knowing that I can perform songs that my grandfather used to perform makes me feel closer to him, and knowing that the dances I get to perform today with Sayaw are the same ones my mother and grandmother performed growing up. Through Knowledge Kapamilya, I was able to look back on these memories and connect them to the things I’ve learned in the past two quarters – everything from music and the instruments to everyone’s background stories in the group. There will always be more to learn no matter what stage you are in life. You just have to take the time to dig deeper.