Manolo Quezon is #TheExplainer Newsletter - Issue #21 #Tumindig Nation
#Tumindig:
v.
1. to be on ones feet: tumayo, tumindig
2. to be in a certain place, rank, scale, etc.: malagay, lumagay
3. to rise to ones feet: tumayo, tumindig
4. to set upright: magtindig, itindig, magtayo, itayo
5. to stay in place, last: tumagal, magtagal, makatagal, matagalan, manatili, mamalagi
6. to bear, endure: magtiis, matiis, mapagtiisan, tiisin, makatagal, matagalan
7. to be unchanged, hold good, remain the same: di (hindi) magbago, manatili, mamalagi, manatiling may bisa
8. to take a way of thinking or acting: manindigan, panindigan
9. to stand by means (a) to be near: nasa malapit, huwag lumayo (umalis) (b) to side with, help: tumulong, tulungan, kumampi, kampihan, pumanig, panigan
10. to stand for means (a) to represent: kumatawan, katawanin (b) to be on the side of, take the part of, uphold: manindigan, panindigan panindiganan, manindig
11. to stand out means (a) to project: lumitaw, lumabas, umusli, umungos (b) to be noticeable or prominent: makita, lumantad, mahalata, mapansin, lumitaw (c) to refuse to yield: magmatigas, manindigan
12. to stand up for, to take the part of, defend, support: magtanggol, ipagtanggol, tumangkilik, tangkilikin
13. it can stand over, it can wait until another time: makapaghihintay, maipaghihintay, maipagpapaliban
So many meanings but ultimately for our purposes, to have taken a stand and thus be willing to not just be counted, but stand alone if need be. The #tumindig hashtag and raised fist anthromorphic icon has gone viral as an activity (people have taken to customizing the icon) and the one who came up with the concept is being punished as a result.
The imagery is eye-catching: the contrast between the raised fist, standing alone, defiant, and the many kowtowing fists. One looks askance at the one who's dared to stand up.
It takes a village to make an icon
I decided to participate as well but it took some time before I could get iconized in the way I wanted. Thank you to Lourdes Gordolan for rendering my #tumindig participation!
This was my crude attempt to work out what I wanted to say, including defiantly using the "L" or Laban sign.
With good humor and a sense of great fun some volunteered to try their hand at working out the concept above; the first to do so was PinoyAkoBlog with not just one, but two attempts.
Here's another, by Laurie Antonio--
Another, by Kulas--
And one by Macky Pamintuan--
To all of you, I'm very touched you made the effort! And in case you were wondering:
Here’s How to Make Your Own #Tumindig Avatar and Use the Profile Photo Frame on Facebook — www.8list.ph Here's how you can make your own Tumindig artwork. No art skills? Use the #Tumindig photo frame on Facebook!
How to Make Viral Tumindig Icon By Tarantadong Kalbo Tumindig has gone viral in the last few days after Tarantadong Kalbo artist Kevin Eric Raymundo released an illustration of a raised fist standing its ground.
How it began
‘Tumindig’: Artists dare to dissent in online campaign — www.rappler.com The artist behind Tarantadong Kalbo calls on Filipinos to speak out and stand up, ‘even if it feels like you’re the only one doing it’
Here is how it started--
And I came across it when it appeared in this particular cluster of creative people:
Here is one of the earliest forays into describing the phenomenon that I encountered:
#Tumindig: The Most Iconic Filipino Movement | by Jason Casil | Jul, 2021 | Medium — medium.com Kevin Eric Raymundo or most commonly known as ‘Tarantadong Kalbo’ / @kevinkalbo in Twitter has made almost hundreds of graphic artworks that depicts the truth of living in the Philippines. Mainly…
How it’s going
So yes, it's gone viral and the personalization taking place gives a glimpse into the many different causes and ideas and ideals that motivate people; yet from all walks of life they can take a stand and somehow find collective meaning in their individual decisions.
So much so that a means has been found for people to ensure their personal icon gets counted and added to the group as it grows.
After five years of being on the defensive, the phenomenon is as much remarkable for its colorfulness, and lack of uniformity as it is by its rather breathtaking vastness.
'Tumindig': Artwork inspires Filipino netizens to take courage to dissent | ABS-CBN News — news.abs-cbn.com A digital artwork has inspired a movement on the internet, encouraging people to be courageous as they express dissent.
The Power of One
And time and again in brings to the fore this iconic photograph and the story behind it.
The Loyalist Response
For every action, a reaction. Which came first? What's certain is the manner in which public spaces came to be populated with standing icons triggered a (violent) reaction from the kowtowing fists.
Just today, the one who started it all has to wonder at the passions he's provoked.
But make no mistake, the hostility is palpable.
Artist Tarantadong Kalbo bares one of viral 'Tumindig' illustrations was reported, removed on Instagram — interaksyon.philstar.com The Filipino artist whose raised fist illustration sparked an online movement shared that one of his posts got reported and removed on Instagram. Kevin
One artist in particular has thrived in articulating in digital spaces, the Loyalist mentality. Among his initial efforts:
But perhaps the most impactful of his efforts is this one, which he subsequently revised to to tone it down a tad; it effectively revealed the powerful emotional motivations --of liquidations-- that tie the President and his followers together: shared goals and methods.
Discovering he's on a roll, more of the same emotional satisfaction.
The ferociousness and yearning of these images confirms in my mind, the effectiveness of the President's means and methods of undertaking liquidations. I laid this out in a column four years ago.
Note, as well, this particular artist's advocacy of the President's daughter as his successor. My June 16, 2021 newsletter tackled a very interesting report on the so-called "War on Drugs," and how various local officials, responded to it, one of them being the President's daughter. In case you missed it, it makes for relevant reading again.
Manolo Quezon is The Explainer Newsletter - Issue #7 ("Working Towards The Leader") | Revue — www.getrevue.co
My column today tries to introduce the research of Peter Kreuzer to readers of the paper. His case study of seven LGUs and how they responded to the President’s policy of liquidations, is very interesting.
Though another side-story to all this is the guerrilla skirmishing over art by Loyalists and their critics.
Additional readings
Power of One Concept: Civics for the 21st Century. An idea. The idea for this came from a Holy Week reflection article and blog entry I wrote some years back. Its present iteration owes a lot to The School of Life page in the UK. What I've learned since 2013. Civic-consciousness required civic-spiritedness. And there lies the rub. There always comes a point where one must pony up or else all the hand-wringing becomes just that --hand-wringing. A civic sense is the foundation of positive change, and wherever we are and whatever we do, fostering that civic sense is required, now and tomorrow more than ever.
Civics for the 21st Century: Power of One Concept – Manuel L. Quezon III — www.quezon.ph
Which brings me to my proposal for an online initiative which aims to foster civic spirit and consciousness of the civic virtues for Filipinos.
The idea is a website along these lines –for now, let’s call it The Power of One– where visitors can create an account and embark on civic education. The reason for this is that while educators have a role, it is one that will play out slowly, as reforms are (hopefully) instituted in educational institutions. But what of citizens here and now, particularly those done with school but who did not receive a grounding on civics?
The idea is to connect the head (ideas; information) with the heart (ethics and , leading to at first small, and then larger, actions: the result would be citizens equipped with understanding and motivation to undertake the changes they want.
Here’s a concept for discussion. It would be a website where you could sign on (preferably using a real-life account, say your FaceBook) and engage in tasks which lead you to rise up in levels (you could gain garnish for your avatar, or maintain a kind of scorecard –see the bottom– tracking your progress. Ideally, this would be either a public-private partnership or a purely civic undertaking, a partnership between educators, NGOs, civic groups, etc. The 2010 Census says the largest group are those age 5-9. The next biggest are those under 5 years old! Then those aged 10-14 then 15-19 and then the next two are ages 20-24 and 25-29. So it would be aimed primarily at those age 18-29!
An experimental album
Nini Quezon Avanceña (1921-2021): A life in words and pictures - The Diarist.ph — www.thediarist.ph
Thanks to Thediarist.ph a photo essay in slide deck form. Please click on the link to see the slideshow; best is to pick "view fullscreen."