Ano't Aton
What's Ours?
For those with ancestral lineages & communal relations from
Philippine Visayan islands (Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar & more), along with regions in Mindanao, the Bisayan language tree connects us in community across oceans.
Ano't Aton is a common Waray greeting : parallel to "how are you?" with an added layer of communal "what is ours?"
Let's reconnect!
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Kami, Kita We, Us
We are an emerging, transoceanic, cultural heritage and creative media center preserving Bisayan island languages & lived ecologies through learning schools and immersive experiences, for global diaspora, with local roots
Bisayan Language Learning Immersions
11-WEEK VIRTUAL CULTURAL IMMERSIONS into
SUGBUANUN (Cebuano), HILIGAYNON & WARAY.
9 WEEKLY LANGUAGE CLASSES
Each 2-hour Live Session is led by Visayas-based teachers on Jitsi, a free & open-source virtual room, and expanding conversations on Discord.
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7 WEEKLY LEARNING PODS
Each 1-hour Co-Learning Pod serves as study groups to support cultural learning integration.
All CLASS PRESENTATIONS and Audio/Video CLASS RECORDINGS of each session are shared with the learners (via Dropbox link).
Kay Ngaa / Nganu / Keano man? Why?
Although there are more Bisayan language speakers than Tagalog (the Filipino national language), there exists little public access to learning Bisayan languages, even in the Philippines. Even though Pilipinos have been migrating abroad for over a century, there haven't been accessible language learning schools beyond Tagalog, which dominates ‘Filipino’ discourse & identity.
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As a diaspora-based cultural initiative, we know firsthand what it feels like to be disconnected to our homelands, and how that impacts our health, wellbeing and sense of identity. We believe language IS the heart of healing, family, friendships, care & culture - and a crucial way in which we, Bisayan islanders across the world, can connect with our ancestral heritage & bridge divisions across oceans. Together, we are co-creating a community for global diaspora and local roots to reconnect & revive our island cultures.
Atun Pamatasan Community Guidelines
Kada Usa Ha Aton Magturutdo, Ngan Kada Usa Mag-a Aram (Waray)
Everyone is teaching and everyone is learning. Everyone is a teacher and everyone is a student. We are all a wealth of knowledge. We seek to create open, curious, collaborative & receptive places of learning and sharing process.
Indi Mahuya Kung Diin Ka Naghalin, Magbatyag
kag Makibatyag
(Hiligaynon)
There's no shame for where ever you are coming from (in this decolonial reconnection process); feel your feels! Unearthing these ancestral languages may touch sensitive points within or among individuals with various degrees of access to their roots. We ask that we can hold ourselves tenderly in grounded care and reach out for any support that is needed.
Tahurun Natu Ang Matag-usa (Sugbuanun)
We respect each other & every one of us as living spirits in communal relation. We respect the time we have together, the environment around us, the spirits with/in us & all the living. Everyone is doing their best and we respect everyone for showing up exactly as they are.