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Imee Dalton (she/her) understands what it’s like to walk the world as someone disconnected from her roots. She has been dedicated to her own healing and remembrance journey for decades. Known as “the Mayari Moon”, Imee is a kali instructor, content creator and one of the hosts of the Babaylan Bruha Book Club Podcast. She lives on the ancestral lands of the mound builders that are the Hopewell and Adena. I interview her today on the podcast!
Seven years ago, she started training in kali, a Filipino martial art (FMA). Since then, it has ignited a passion within her to help others like herself to start to gain the confidence they need to walk the world without fear, remembering their truest selves. Kali is an ancient martial art form from the Philippines, that involves bamboo sticks, swords, knives and empty hand techniques. Kali, arnis, and escrima are different names for the practice of Filipino Martial Arts.
What Imee offers in her kali circles has been given to her by her guides, ancestors and the Tagalog and Kapampangan goddess of the moon, Mayari. Imee uses the energy of kali to heal from colonial trauma. She asks her students to sit with their shadow and confront where colonization still lives within them. Her book club podcast focuses on Filipinx spiritual books which are also inclusive of diverse spiritual practices across cultures, world history and lived experiences.
“I started practicing kali 7 years ago. My partner, who is half Filipino, had been training for a few years already. He kept asking me to join the gym where he was training FMA, saying I'd really like it. At the time, physical hobbies weren't my thing, so I kept declining his invitations,” Imee recollects. “Finally, on a whim, I decided to come to the FMA gym. I fell in love immediately. Once I picked up kali sticks, I never put them down."
The first step of decolonization is remembering who you are and to look to the past so you can move into the future. One life lesson I learned in joining Imee’s class is not to leave half of yourself at the door. There is a constant you across all energies, from the ages of your life and to the shapes of your body. The exploration of solar and lunar practices in her class set me on this unique path of healing.
“One of my main inspirations is Mayari. Looking back, both the moon and the lunar goddess have always been on the edges of my life calling to me,” says Imee. “It wasn't until I started training in kali that I stumbled across Mayari's story. She was a moon goddess who looked like me and had kali sticks like me! The representation healed something in me from childhood. With her being the goddess of the moon and a warrior, it called to a deep place in me that felt disempowered and disconnected.”
In a modern tale, the Tagalog worshiped Mayari, who had two sisters, Hanan, the goddess of the morning, and Tala, goddess of the stars. They were daughters of the supreme god, Bathala. Mayari also had a brother named Apo Laki, the god of the sun and war. He is a part of Tagalog, Pangasinan and Kapampangan mythology. In a Kapampangan myth, Mayari fought against her brother for equal rulership over the world. During the battle, Apo Laki strikes Mayari and blinds her in one eye. He immediately regrets his violence upon his sister and the two rule equally together. Mayari rules the night and her brother rules the day.
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I am back with a new podcast season! In my first episode of the new season, let’s uncover the ancient tale of Infinito Dios, the Infinite God. Bathala is the supreme deity in Tagalog mythology, but he was turned into ‘God’ when the Spanish came. One story that has endured is the story behind the Bathalismo, the Infinite God, who refused to be baptized.
Please read 'Back from the Crocodile's Belly'. The essay I reference is: "Bathala is Anting-Anting or why Bathala Hides inside the Stone by Nenita Pambid Domingo".
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I'm back with more fairy tales from Mindanao, from Bilaan. I perform The Story of the Creation and In the Beginning. Y'all, please please look into the history of Mindanao if you can. Their issues are underreported by the news. I chose to tell these tales as a prayer this past month for those affected by the earthquake in Mindanao; and those who have been affected by the ongoing regional issues, including the war in Cotobato City.
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Had this modern interpretation concept of Snow White in my mind since I heard the new plot line for the upcoming Snow White movie. I don't want anymore diversity checklist-esque "empowered" women. I want a broken hero that's escaping a narcissist mother, which was what the fairytale was about in my opinion. One who finds a loving community and it feels too good to be true. One who doesn't wake up to true love's kiss. The love that wakes Snow White is the promise that one can overcome even the darkest of influences with the power of self-love and support from those who truly care.
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Today I read chapter 11 from my fantasy novel, Diyosa Mata! Last year, I read Vidal's chapters, which show a young man growing up in the colonized capital of Lirio. This year, I'm happy to share the protagonist Mayari's story with you, as she observes her mother, Datu Marilag, kick the ever loving sh!t out of another Datu.
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Hello again! Happy Filipino American History Month. In this episode, I cover Philippine gods and deities. I've written short stories for each one. I feature Tala, Magwayen, Mangatia, Diyan Masalanta and Apung Iru. Shout out to Kapwa Magazine -- I wrote these short stories being inspired by the primer guide I'm working on with them about aswang, deities and gods. This guide is being written by a few authors and will be released in their next issue!
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Happy Filipino American History Month! This episode I tell stories I wrote about the different aswang from Filipino folklore.
The Batibat
A young man named Vidal doesn't believe in the supernatural. But when his friend Miguel falls victim to the Batibat in his sleep, Vidal seeks the help of a babaylan to vanquish the Batibat.
Anggitay
A young woman named Mayari encounters the female Tikbalang, the Anggitay in the woods. The two discover the beauty of the world together.
Siyokoy
A young woman named Danica falls in love with a handsome man by the sea. But lurking beneath his handsome face lies a terrible monster.
Tahamaling
A young civil guard captain named Rain goes into the woods, and pays his respect to a forest spirit, who then helps him stop the disturbances in the forest.
Kibaan
A boy named Danilo finds a Kibaan in his garden eating his yams. He strikes a trade deal with the little kibaan.
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Today I perform more Tinguian Fairy Tales from Mabel Cook Cole. I tried to write Itneg in place of Tinguian. It appears as Tinguian in Cole's work, but feeling like I should mention the name of the Tribe for those curious about them! The stories read today are The Alan and the Hunters, The Man and the Alan, Sogsogot, The Mistaken Gifts, and The Boy Who Became a Stone.
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Today I perform more Tinguian Fairy Tales from Mabel Cook Cole. I tried to write Itneg in place of Tinguian. It appears as Tinguian in Cole's work, but feeling like I should mention the name of the Tribe for those curious about them! The stories read today are How the Tinguian Learned to Plant, Magsawi, The Tree with the Agate Beads, and The Striped Blanket.
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I'm back with Tinguian fairy tales! I've been SO sick the past three weeks, oh my god. Apologies for my tiredness in this episode.
These fairy tales were originally documented and written by Mabel Cook Cole. You can find her book on Project Gutenberg! They are called Gawigawen of Adasen and The Story of Gaygayoma Who Lives up Above.
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