BIGHARI- the lost goddess of the rainbow

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A reimagining of the Filipinx complex identity by using the character, Bighari, the goddess of the rainbow also symbolizes the plight of immigrants and their disconnection to home. The bow of light personifies our connection from the diaspora to the motherland.   Reimaging the past by digging into oral traditions kept within our mythologies helped me imagine a future of healing.

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Sunset CypHER is based on a Filipino mythological folktale about the goddess of the rainbow, Bighari, presented as part of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Through physical theater, I created an experiential performance engaging with the audience and working with the sunset as my lighting design. This performance allowed me to meet more Filipinos in the Philadelphia community. Many expressed that this was the first Filipinx centered performance witnessed in a Philadelphia Fringe Festival.

 

This also made me wonder if stories of tradition are often categorized as a cultural production, and therefore, not experimental enough for dance festivals such as Fringe. I began to question deeper, are we ever enough? Are we worthy of visibility? These questions prompted future works.