journey to the DIVINE

To those who have experienced it, MAGUINDANAO'S sacred tradition of the IPAT has become a path to personal growth and awareness.

- LYDIA QUERIAN

AS A CATHOLIC ALMOST HALF OF MY LIFE, I believed I knew the depths of my faith. But it was an extraordinary awakening, a revelation that left me awe-inspired and humbled. In the heartland of Maguindanao, I experienced the Ipat ritual, a sacred tradition that predates the arrival of colonialism, Islam, and Christianity. It was a glimpse into the heritage that flowed through the veins of my ancestors. Surprisingly, it was my migration to the United States that ignited my awareness of culture more than ever before. The distance and separation from my homeland had an unexpected effect, drawing me closer to my roots and igniting an insatiable hunger to learn and embrace my culture. And so, it was through a life-changing tribal tour that I found myself standing on the precipice of transformation, forever touched by the profound power of the Ipat ritual.

A pivotal moment in my journey occurred in 2015 when I joined a tribal tour program led by Alleluia Panis of Kularts, a renowned presenter of Filipinx Contemporary Art in the US. She had been organizing these tours since the late 1980s, forging relationships with Indigenous communities across the country, even in places I had never imagined were on the Philippine map. Education in the Philippines, much like in the United States, often filters and selectively presents information, leaving me feeling deprived of crucial knowledge about my own ancestry. This tour became a catalyst for reconnecting with something that had been lost over generations of trauma. It initiated a profound process of my self-discovery. It emphasized the importance of cultural exploration, challenging societal narratives, and seeking a more profound understanding of my own identity as a Filipinx in the diaspora.