Gratitude and Deepest Respects

I extend my deepest respects to this land that I rest on.

I am a Settler / Immigrant of Filipinx descent living in gratitude in Tkaronto on Turtle Island on the Sovereign Dish with One Spoon Wampum, Treaty 13 lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg and the Haudenosaunee nations and gathering place to many Indigenous First Nations including the Métis and Inuit.  I honour all the Sovereign Indigenous People all over the world for their strength, resilience, and vision.

I send my deepest gratitude to our elders and Ancestors for their love and for planting the seeds that we now harvest so that we may nurture present and future generations.

I give thanks and send my deepest respects for the mentorship that I received from Monica Bodirsky (www.monicabodirsky.com). Senior Master JB Ramos (Combat Science Warrior Arts of Asia), and Kumu Pa’a Nui Lawrence Aki with Kumu Pa’a Kyrian van Vliet (www.manaomolokai.com) for their wisdom, generosity, inspiration, and profound influence on my spiritual and daily practices. The seeds they planted continue to grow in my garden.

And, last but not least, I have been blessed with family, friends, and a community who have been loving, inspiring, and supportive. Thank you to everyone for adding to my abundant, and wonderfully diverse garden.

Pugay.

A little bit about me.

I am a witch, multi-disciplinary artist, craftsperson, and mother. I am committed to creating pieces that are designed, whenever possible, with ethically sourced local materials from Indigenous and community-centred companies.

My journey led me through various disciplines such as jewellery making, encaustic painting, kinetic sculpture, carving, and metalwork. Recently, my work has circled back to carving, and metalwork. I embrace the beauty in imperfection, often working with repurposed materials and found ephemera as a way to honor memory, resilience, and transformation. My process is intuitive, deeply connected to both personal and collective histories.

In 2024, I was excited to be awarded an education grant from the Society of Inclusive Blacksmiths. I literally squealed when I got the news! Thank you, SIB, for this opportunity to deepen my practice and to create works that weave together my artistic practice, spirituality, ancestry, and training in Filipino martial arts.

Rooted in my Filipinx, Austronesian, and Pacific Islander heritage, my practice honours ancestral knowledge and traditions, while actively engaging with contemporary conversations around identity, sustainability, and collective healing.

Thanks for stopping by!

Rowena (she/they)

Photo ID: Amazing photo by  Lisa East of me smiling widely outside in my garden I’m dressed in black. My salt and pepper hair is shaved short on the sids and longer on top. It’s finally growing out after having shaved it for the last 2 years. I’m sitting in front of some sprays of purple and pink flowers and greenery against a brown backdrop. A memory of a wonderful afternoon captured by Lisa on a Sunday afternoon during Venus hour.