Sacred Camp: Class & Transgenderism in a Philippine Religious Festival

Patrick Alcedo from UC Riverside starts the Cultural Studies Speaker Series on Class. How did an individual of the third sex claim membership in the Roman Catholic community of Kalibo, Aklan, in the Central Philippines?

The upper middle class status of Augusto Diangson (the individual in question) enabled him to embody contradictory premises found in three webs of meaning: “panaad” (devotional promise), sacred camp, and carnival during the Ati-atihan festival. These webs of meaning allowed him in turn to interact and negotiate with the Church’s institution of heterosexuality. Although this presentation focuses on one individual, and on one community, it provides a bright light on how individuals localize their faith through dance, a performative process that can be seen throughout the postcolonial Philippines.

Patrick Alcedo was born and raised in Aklan, Philippines, received his PhD in Dance History and Theory from the University of California, Riverside, under the auspices of the Asian Cultural Council.

Event Sponsor
International Cultural Studies Program, UH Manoa

More Information
Kalawaia Moore, 944-7243, culture@hawaii.edu, http://www2.hawaii.edu/~culture

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