Four Kalinga Women: Tenacity

Four Kalinga women:

Tenacity

2022

Autobiographical recollection, backstrap weaving,

embroidery and installation

Karl Castro (concept development and artwork creation), Jovita (Takraw) Basingan, Lea Garado, Juanita Chulsi, and Tina Borway Balweg (autobiographical detail), Marian Pastor Roces (concept), Sara Rivera (concept development), Grail Lawagan (rersearch and translation), Josephine Paraiso (liaison), Maricel Hilario-Patiño (project administration and anthropological insight), Maria Fe P. Quiroga (curatorial assistance), Eldry John Infante (consultant), Impay Cadater (weave and design), Maggie Calaw-it and Jomar Morila (embroidery), Santi Obcena and Chonalyn Alonzo (textile conservation)

THE SPATIAL QUALITIES OF THE CORDILLERAS, DOWN TO

THE FOOTHILLS IN WHICH TABUK, KALINGA IS LOCATED, INCLUDE

THE UBIQUITOUS MANTLE OF FOG AND LOW CLOUDS TYPICAL OF

MONTANE, TROPICAL REGIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES.

COLD WAR POLITICS PENETRATED THESE MOUNTAINS WITH

THE MARCOS DICTATORSHIP'S NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

RICE FIELDS IN KALINGA WERE RAINFED AND/OR

SUPPORTED BY INUNDATIONS OF THE CHICO RIVER

(ABOVE AT MIDPOINT). THE DAM WOULD HAVE DROWNED

A CULTURE-AND-NATURE ECOSYSTEM THAT SURVIVED

THE COLONIZATION OF THE LARGER PART OF

THE PHILIPPINE ARCHIPELAGO.

CORDILLERA RESISTANCE WAS PRESCIENT.

THE NORTHERN LUZON CORDILLERA REGION

WAS DRAWN INTO THE AMBIT OF

MARTIAL LAW IMPUNITY WITH THE PLAN

IN PLACE TO DAM THE CHICO RIVER,

IN FOUR SECTIONS THAT WOULD HAVE

INUNDATED COMMUNITIES IN KALINGA

AND BONTOK PROVINCES.

The hydroelectric power intended

as buffer to fossil fuels was to have

stabilized the country's energy needs

during a period of radical political

changes in the Middle Eastern sources

of this fuel. Impunity was

the modernizing concept at play:

the idea that the resource-rich

peripheries of the nation

are yielded to the prerogatives

of the center. Quickly intensifying

resistance from katutubò communities

was met by the ratcheting up of

military presence.

Four

women:

Kalinga

Tenacity

Four Kalinga women:

Tenacity

THE SPATIAL QUALITIES OF THE CORDILLERAS, DOWN TO

THE FOOTHILLS IN WHICH TABUK, KALINGA IS LOCATED, INCLUDE THE UBIQUITOUS MANTLE OF FOG AND LOW CLOUDS TYPICAL OF MONTANE, TROPICAL REGIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES. COLD WAR POLITICS PENETRATED THESE MOUNTAINS WITH THE MARCOS DICTATORSHIP'S NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

THE SPATIAL QUALITIES OF THE CORDILLERAS, DOWN TO

THE FOOTHILLS IN WHICH TABUK, KALINGA IS LOCATED, INCLUDE THE UBIQUITOUS MANTLE OF FOG AND LOW CLOUDS TYPICAL OF MONTANE, TROPICAL REGIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES. COLD WAR POLITICS PENETRATED THESE MOUNTAINS WITH THE MARCOS DICTATORSHIP'S NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

The hydroelectric power intended

as buffer to fossil fuels was to have

stabilized the country's energy needs

during a period of radical political

changes in the Middle Eastern sources

of this fuel. Impunity was

the modernizing concept at play:

the idea that the resource-rich

peripheries of the nation

are yielded to the prerogatives

of the center. Quickly intensifying

resistance from katutubò communities

was met by the ratcheting up of

military presence.

THE NORTHERN LUZON CORDILLERA

REGION WAS DRAWN INTO THE

AMBIT OF MARTIAL LAW IMPUNITY

WITH THE PLAN IN PLACE TO DAM

THE CHICO RIVER,

IN FOUR SECTIONS THAT WOULD

HAVE INUNDATED COMMUNITIES IN

KALINGA AND BONTOK PROVINCES.

THE FOUR KALINGA WOMEN WHO COLLABORATED

IN THIS RECORDING AND EXHIBITION PROJECT

INDIVIDUALLY DECIDED TO BECOME COMBATANTS,

INITIALLY WITH THE NEW PEOPLE'S ARMY (NPA);

AND SUBSEQUENTLY FOR THREE OF THE FOUR,

WITH THE CORDILLERA PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY (CPLA).

The Kalinga leader Macli-ing Dulag was

assassinated in 1980 by military troops.

So was the priest turned rebel,

Conrado Balweg, murdered— however in his case by elements of the NPA, which rejected his veering into the politics of indigeneity against all inimical national forces.

Each followed or partnered with

significant others: men who took up

leading roles in this armed defiance. The brothers, fathers, spouses, and partners with whom the women fought—the women mostly beginning as para-medical personnel—managed to stop the dam projects. This significant win came at a cost.

Each followed or partnered with

significant others: men who took up

leading roles in this armed defiance. The brothers, fathers, spouses,

and partners with whom the

women fought—the women mostly

beginning as para-medical personnel—

managed to stop the dam projects.

This significant win came at a cost.

The Kalinga leader

Macli-ing Dulag was

assassinated in 1980

by military troops.

So was the priest turned rebel,

Conrado Balweg, murdered—

however in his case by

elements of the NPA,

which rejected his veering

into the politics of indigeneity

against all inimical

national forces.

THE FOUR KALINGA WOMEN WHO COLLABORATED

IN THIS RECORDING AND EXHIBITION PROJECT

INDIVIDUALLY DECIDED TO BECOME COMBATANTS,

INITIALLY WITH THE NEW PEOPLE'S ARMY (NPA);

AND SUBSEQUENTLY FOR THREE OF THE FOUR,

WITH THE CORDILLERA PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY (CPLA).

TINA BORWAY BALWEG
JOVITA BASINGAN
JUANITA CHULSI
LEA GARADO

JUANITA CHULSI GUIDING YOUNG KALINGA WOMEN IN IDENTIFYING IMPORTANT PLACES IN HER LIFE AS A REBEL SOLDIER. THE MAPPING EXERCISE IS PART OF THE MEETING WITH THE COLLABORATORS.

ROBERT GARCIA, JOVITA BASINGAN, MARIAN ROCES AND DR. LOURDES V. RALLONZA IN TABUK, KALINGA. THIS IS JOVITA'S RESIDENCE WHEN SHE STAYS IN TABUK. SHE REMAINS PERIPATETIC.

FOR THE WOMEN INCLUDING THE FOUR  WHO ENTHUSIASTICALLY ALLOWED EXCERPTS OF THEIR STORIES TO BE EMBROIDERED ON TRADITIONAL KALINGA

WRAP-AROUND SKIRTS OF

THEIR CHOOSING, THE TRAJECTORIES OF THEIR LIVES INTO VIOLENT DEFIANCE WERE AN EXERCISE OF THEIR OWN POWER.

FOR THE WOMEN INCLUDING

THE FOUR  WHO ENTHUSIASTICALLY

ALLOWED EXCERPTS OF

THEIR STORIES TO BE EMBROIDERED

ON TRADITIONAL KALINGA

WRAP-AROUND SKIRTS OF

THEIR CHOOSING, THE TRAJECTORIES

OF THEIR LIVES INTO VIOLENT

DEFIANCE WERE AN EXERCISE OF

THEIR OWN POWER.

Three of them continue to resist

environmentally damaging projects

to this day, under the CPLA banner.

CONNER APAYAO
BALBALAN
BALENCIAGO MASS BASE
TOMIANGAN
NAPOCOR CAMP
NANENG MASS BASE
CAGALUAN MASS BASE
TANAP MASS BASE
MALUCUSOD MASS BASE
BASAO MASS BASE
BATONG BUHAY MASS BASE
MOUNT BINULUAN
HELD THE CORDILLERA
MASS PLENUM IN 1984
PLANNING OF SPLIT
MOUNT BINULUAN SIKUU'
MALLANGA
SUMADEL MASS BASE
PAY-ONG BANGAD
FULISONG BANGAD
BANGAD MASS BASE
TINGLAYAN
DANANAO MASS BASE.
MARKS BY JUANITA CHULSI AND
JUANITA D. CABABA
BITUAGAN
SADANGA
BELWANG MASS BASE
BUGNAY
BUGNAY GATE
MOUNTAIN BETWEEN
BASAO AND BUGNAY
BASAO
CHICO RIVER
NGIBAT
BUTBUT PROPER
LOCCONG
BUSCALAN
MOUNT CHUMANCHIL.
A
B
C
D 
E
F

G
H
I
J
K
L
M
A
B
C
D
 
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L


M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
MARKS BY TINA BALWEG,
CAROLYN GAMBOA AND
MANDING TAYAB

JUANITA AND TINA ARE BOTH CURRENT OFFICERS OF

THE CORDILLERA PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY (CPLA).

BOTH WOMEN JOINED THE NEW PEOPLE'S ARMY (NPA)

AS CHILDREN IN THE EARLY 1980S. THEIR GROUP

BROKE AWAY FROM THE NPA IN 11986 AND FORMED CPLA.

JUANITA, TINA, AND THEIR FELLOW WOMEN

MARKED PLACES ON THIS MAP THAT HOLD

SIGNIFICANCE IN THEIR LIVES AS REBELS

AND AS KALINGA WOMEN.

JUANITA AND TINA ARE BOTH CURRENT OFFICERS OF

THE CORDILLERA PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY (CPLA).

BOTH WOMEN JOINED THE NEW PEOPLE'S ARMY (NPA)

AS CHILDREN IN THE EARLY 1980S. THEIR GROUP

BROKE AWAY FROM THE NPA IN 11986 AND FORMED CPLA.

JUANITA, TINA, AND THEIR FELLOW WOMEN

MARKED PLACES ON THIS MAP THAT HOLD

SIGNIFICANCE IN THEIR LIVES AS REBELS

AND AS KALINGA WOMEN.

MARKS BY JUANITA CHULSI AND
JUANITA D. CABABA
A
B
C
D
 
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L


M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
CONNER APAYAO
BALBALAN
BALENCIAGO MASS BASE
TOMIANGAN
NAPOCOR CAMP
NANENG MASS BASE
CAGALUAN MASS BASE
TANAP MASS BASE
MALUCUSOD MASS BASE
BASAO MASS BASE
BATONG BUHAY MASS BASE
MOUNT BINULUAN
HELD THE CORDILLERA
MASS PLENUM IN 1984
PLANNING OF SPLIT
MOUNT BINULUAN SIKUU'
MALLANGA
SUMADEL MASS BASE
PAY-ONG BANGAD
FULISONG BANGAD
BANGAD MASS BASE
TINGLAYAN
DANANAO MASS BASE.
A
B
C
D 
E
F

G
H
I
J
K
L
M
BITUAGAN
SADANGA
BELWANG MASS BASE
BUGNAY
BUGNAY GATE
MOUNTAIN BETWEEN
BASAO AND BUGNAY
BASAO
CHICO RIVER
NGIBAT
BUTBUT PROPER
LOCCONG
BUSCALAN
MOUNT CHUMANCHIL.
MARKS BY TINA BALWEG,
CAROLYN GAMBOA AND
MANDING TAYAB

Kalinga

Kalinga

MARKS BY JUANITA CHULSI AND
JUANITA D. CABABA
A
B
C
D
 
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L


M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
CONNER APAYAO
BALBALAN
BALENCIAGO MASS BASE
TOMIANGAN
NAPOCOR CAMP
NANENG MASS BASE
CAGALUAN MASS BASE
TANAP MASS BASE
MALUCUSOD MASS BASE
BASAO MASS BASE
BATONG BUHAY MASS BASE
MOUNT BINULUAN
HELD THE CORDILLERA
MASS PLENUM IN 1984
PLANNING OF SPLIT
MOUNT BINULUAN SIKUU'
MALLANGA
SUMADEL MASS BASE
PAY-ONG BANGAD
FULISONG BANGAD
BANGAD MASS BASE
TINGLAYAN
DANANAO MASS BASE.
MARKS BY TINA BALWEG,
CAROLYN GAMBOA AND
MANDING TAYAB
A
B
C
D 
E
F

G
H
I
J
K
L
M
BITUAGAN
SADANGA
BELWANG MASS BASE
BUGNAY
BUGNAY GATE
MOUNTAIN BETWEEN
BASAO AND BUGNAY
BASAO
CHICO RIVER
NGIBAT
BUTBUT PROPER
LOCCONG
BUSCALAN
MOUNT CHUMANCHIL.
Share by: