aswang at anino: Protection & Healing of Kapwa / Community

Water is our first mirror, the reflection that teaches us how to understand and know ourselves. It is also 92% of our blood, coursing through our whole body, connecting us back to our Mother Ocean. It is a connection to the Ancestors/Gugurang and to all those who share the same blood as us, literally and metaphorically. When we encounter the spirit of the aswang, in stories or otherwise, a being who wants to take our blood and life force, we begin to understand that it is an anino (a shadow and reflection) of ourselves, a contrast to the values of kapwa/community.    This gathering or workshop is an opportunity to sit in circle and to share stories of the aswang-- how it attacks kapwa/community, how it can transform kapwa/community into aswang, and how kapwa/community can protect themselves from aswang by rooting deeper into being kapwa/community. Lukayo's own path to being a healer/arbularyo began when they were attacked by aswang as a baby, sparking a life-long process of studying this spirit and living in harmony with Bathala/Creator and Paglikha/Paglalang/Creation. In addition to holding space for this storytelling circle, they will also share teachings around spiritual protection and embodying kapwa/community. If tthere is time, we can hold a brief ceremony of protection and healing kapwa/community

About Lukayo Diwata Bitoon

Lukayo Diwata Bitoon, siya/they/them/their A wordslinger and healer from the Bikol diaspora, Lukayo is based on the territories of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Wyandot, and currently resides and travels between the cities of Toronto and Ottawa, Canada.  When not daydreaming of starting a sanctuary for land defenders and nonbinary priest(esse)s, Lukayo is probably hanging out at their intentional community home made up of activist gamer witches. Check out Lukayo.com to know more.  

Image Description:

Lukayo, a brown-skinned Bikol person with a moustache and long, curly dark hair is wearing black lipstick and black nail polish. They are also wearing black pants, a red barong tagalog with bamboo motifs in white, underneath a T'boli black vest with red trim, and red, yellow, green, and white designs. On their head is a black Panay-Bukidnon/Suludnon head scarf with pink, green, red, and white flower designs. A black, red, yellow, and green T'Boli necklace hangs on their chest. On their right wrist is a red and black Panay-Bukidnon/Suludnon bracelet, and on their left wrist is an Agta bracelet made of seeds. On their left thumb is a coconut and amber ring. They sit cross-legged, looking up and making eye contact with the viewer, while their hands are opening a small black bag. On their lap is a coconut shell carved like a bowl with intricate designs, and threaded with rope handles. Before them is an altar on top of two malongs (both mostly purple with the other colours of the rainbow) and green cloth. There is a potted green plant, a mannequin hand holding a giant cowrie shell, a metal star case opened to show sacred rocks and a small purple-pink necklace bag, another mannequin hand holding a wooden knife with an anito/ladawan carved on the hilt, a conch shell carved/sawed off in one end so it can be used as a trumpet, a large clear glass bowl of water, and a circular mirror reflecting the plant, the shell in the hand, and the bowl. Behind them is a walis/samod/soft Filipino broom, a giant Filipino fan, and another potted plant, against diaphanous or shimmering cloth and a wall of woven rattan.] 

Photo Credit: Cathleen Jayne Calica and Jen Maramba