A Dramaturgical Manifesto of a Filipino Eco-theatre: Indigenous Narratives for a Socially Engaged Performance
Sir Anril P. Tiatco,* Jem R. Javier,** and Gaby Asanza***
Abstract
This paper examines the dramaturgical strategies employed in Sa Gitna ng Digmaan ng mga Mahiwagang Nilalang Laban sa Sangkatauhan, a play presented as part of the eco-theatre project Mga Anak ng Unos in the Philippines. Sa Gitna ng Digmaan’s connection to eco-dramaturgy is rooted in Indigenous knowledge and practices, especially in how Filipinos perceive and experience mythologies both physically and emotionally, since the myths of the Philippine archipelago inspire the play. Myths and similar stories are filled with metaphors and meaning. They show how cultural communities and indigenous peoples have historically managed the complexities of the Earth. These stories are powerful because they resonate within a cultural context and are considered sacred by the societies in which they are told. The dramaturgical strategies aim to show the audience that the current global environmental crisis is a pressing call for collective, positive action, emphasizing the importance of engaging with Indigenous peoples. The paper envisions an eco-dramaturgy where theatre practitioners shift from viewing Indigenous peoples as subjects to thinking with them. This idea is based on the belief that Indigenous knowledge and practices also shape climate-disaster preparedness and response strategies, given Indigenous communities’ close relationship with the environment.
Keywords: eco-performance, socially engaged performance, theatre and ecology, Philippine Indigenous Knowledges and Practices, myths and folklore, performing care
When we, along with Filipino Director Jose Estrella, discussed a performance project involving eco-theatre with the Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts at the University of the Philippines Diliman, a board member asked how theatre could contribute to the ecological crisis we face today. Estrella’s reply was straightforward yet powerful: theatre has the potential to show what the world could be, despite its current state.
Several theatre and performance studies scholars, including Simon Shepard, Christopher Balme, Diana Taylor, and Robert Leach, have taught us that theatre has historically reflected society by showcasing cultural shifts, historical events, and social concerns. It enables audiences to explore their own beliefs and experiences through performance. By depicting characters and scenarios different from our own, theatre prompts viewers to step outside their comfort zones and foster empathy for others. This can lead to a deeper understanding of various perspectives and foster a more compassionate worldview.
In this regard, theatre can spark meaningful conversations about urgent social and ecological issues, inviting audiences to imagine alternative futures. It challenges dominant norms and promotes critical thinking about how things might be otherwise. Through imaginative storytelling and character development, theatre can present visions of a better world. By exploring utopian or dystopian scenarios (Figure 1), theatre encourages audiences to consider the potential consequences of their actions and motivates them to work toward a more sustainable future. Unlike other media, theatre offers a live, visceral experience that can be both immediate and evolving, making it a powerful tool for social commentary.
In essence, theatre’s ability to reflect the present while also envisioning the future makes it a powerful medium for meaningful change. By engaging with diverse perspectives and sparking dialogue, theatre can motivate audiences to work toward a more just and equitable world. As South African playwright Mike van Graan noted in a 2016 interview with Savas Patsalidis in Critical Stages, “theatre can play a more prophetic role in our society.” This aligns with our view of theatre’s role and impact in addressing today’s ecological and environmental issues: Theatre provides opportunities to explore how humans interact with nature, both literally and symbolically. Through performance, theatre can illuminate the social, political, and economic forces that influence our relationship with the environment, making them vivid and engaging. In the Philippines, theatre makers use dramatic storytelling and immersive experiences as dramaturgical strategies to examine the interaction between humans and their environment.
The project mentioned earlier—Sa Gitna ng Digmaan ng mga Mahiwagang Nilalang Laban sa Sangkatauhan (Sa Gitna ng Digmaan, hereafter; English translation: Amidst the War of the Mysterious Creatures Against Humanity)—was written by Joshua Lim So and directed by José Estrella. It formed part of Ang mga Anak ng Unos, a Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas production comprising two short plays addressing the global ecological crisis. The works were staged at the KAL-IBG Theater from March 28 to April 13, 2025.
The second piece, Climate in Crazies, was a devised performance inspired by and based on David Finnigan’s Scenes from the Climate Era, directed by Issa Lopez and Tess Jamias. It also focuses on scientific data related to the climate crisis, exploring how Filipinos navigate political and ecological uncertainty. The performance combined strategies from documentary theatre and applied drama.
In this paper, we outline our dramaturgical strategies for Sa Gitna ng Digmaan to highlight its connection with eco-dramaturgy rooted in Indigenous knowledge and practices.[1] Specifically, we discuss how we perceive and experience mythologies both physically and emotionally, as the myths of the Philippine archipelago inspire and shape the dramaturgy of the play. Myths and similar narratives are rich in metaphors and meaning; they demonstrate how cultural communities and indigenous peoples have historically navigated the complexities of the Earth. In this context, such narratives function as legitimate systems of knowledge. They resonate within specific cultural settings and are often considered sacred by the communities from which they originate. Our dramaturgical approach aims to demonstrate to audiences that the current global environmental crisis is an urgent call for collective action, one that necessitates the inclusion of Indigenous voices and knowledge systems. We envision an eco-dramaturgy where theatre practitioners shift from thinking about Indigenous peoples to thinking with them, acknowledging that Indigenous knowledge and practices can also inform climate-disaster preparedness and response strategies due to their close relationship with the environment.
A Socially Engaged Performance?
Ang Mga Anak ng Unos may be considered as Dulaang UP’s attempt to participate in a socially engaged performance, where artistic practice emphasizes collaboration, community engagement, and social interaction. Like any socially engaged theatre, both pieces in the twin bill involve the theatre as a means to address social issues, foster dialogue, and create positive change within communities, with a focus on climate change. In contemporary times, this practice blurs the lines between art and life, often prioritizing the collaborative process and social impact over the finished artwork itself.
Typically, the impact is based on a moral principle centered on an embodied care that may be described as “an approach to personal and social morality that shifts ethical considerations to context, relationships, and affective knowledge in a manner that can only be fully understood if its embodied dimension is understood. Care is committed to the flourishing and growth of individuals yet acknowledges our interconnectedness and interdependence” (Hamington, Embodied Care 3). In other words, both productions have focused on both personal and communal care for the environment, which negotiate the rational, the experiential, and the emotional.
Amanda Stuart Fisher reminds us that care is both a value and a practice, emphasizing its recognition of interhuman relationships and dependence (“Introduction” 6). In Mga Anak ng Unos, both plays extend this acknowledgment of human-to-human relations to include a dependence on the environment. Furthermore, the plays suggest that caring for the environment is even more urgent because, unlike human-to-human dependence, the environment is more vulnerable to threats and destruction. In this way, the plays critique neglectful practices and highlight the need for greater compassionate care for the environment.
This urgency for care is essential. Donna Houston rightly states that “we are called to collectively witness the consequences of human decisions and the impacts of our ‘failing modernisms’ on the conditions of planetary life” (“Crisis is Where we Live” 440). Conceptually, our approach to understanding the play is straightforward: art combined with socio-political issues and care.
Sa Gitna ng Digmaan further aligns with socially engaged performance through its physical and emotional engagement with mythologies, particularly those of the Philippine archipelago that inspire the play. Our local mythological narratives tell us that the bathalas (local gods and goddesses) created the world and, eventually, the caretakers of the Earth: human beings. Our creation stories in the archipelago also show that all creatures are fragile and vulnerable. Still, because of humans, the possibility of sustaining the Earth also represents a form of divine intervention by the bathalas on the planet.
The play is an invitation to reflect on the vulnerability of the planet and humanity’s potential role as Earth’s stewards. The play presents the alliance between the bathalas and the other mythological creatures and their move to punish the sangkatuhan (humanity) for forgetting their role as the Earth’s caretakers. The play exposes that if humans continue the process of rapacious industrialization, exacerbated consumption, and excessive lifestyles without regard for the environment, there is also little chance of guaranteeing the continuity of the human species on planet Earth.
More importantly, the play invites audiences to learn from the Indigenous knowledge systems of the Philippines’ Indigenous Peoples (Figure 2) – a dramaturgical strategy that many theatre artists in the Philippines engage with, particularly in eco-performance. Many Indigenous practices are rooted in a profound understanding of and respect for ecological systems, promoting sustainable resource use. So much so that as the climate crisis intensifies, their knowledge and practices offer valuable solutions to mitigate climate change, enhance adaptation strategies, and build responsible resilience. This knowledge can also complement scientific data with precise landscape information that is critical to evaluating climate change scenarios. Lest we forget, Indigenous knowledge systems are legitimate and valid epistemologies.
For example, in Canada, the Blackfoot Indigenous community has a deep connection with their buffalo. The buffalo are revered as providers, highlighting the importance of sustainable resource management. Their focus on maintaining balance and reciprocity within ecosystems offers a vital lesson in reducing the impacts of climate change. The Blackfoot observe the buffalo and learn from their behavior. For instance, disaster resilience, linked to their relationship with buffalo, can greatly benefit the community. One elder explains, “One of the ways we learn from the Buffalo is by observing. They taught us how to listen and learn and use them in our life deeply” (Datta, Starlight, and Chapola, “Climate Change Adaptation” 1093). This indigenous knowledge and relationship with the buffalo help the Blackfoot community preserve their cultural resilience and strengthen their identity amid climate change challenges. Continuing buffalo-related ceremonies, storytelling, and cultural practices boosts community unity, well-being, and a sense of connection to their ancestral traditions.
In Melbourne Asia Review, Dustin Wejak notes that Indigenous knowledge often contains valuable “insights into sustainable resource management and environmental stewardship” because indigenous communities around the world have lived in harmony with their natural environments, and their knowledge and practices can offer important lessons on environmental management. Additionally, several cultural commentators such as Wendy Todd, Chessaly E. Towne, Judy Brown Clarke explain that this knowledge system is an accumulated wisdom, understanding, and practices developed by Indigenous peoples over generations through their interaction with their environment and culture. It encompasses a wide range of knowledge systems, including traditional ecological knowledge, social structures, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs. Passed down orally and through traditions, this dynamic and adaptive system evolves with time. Included in these Indigenous practices are the narratives about nature found in Indigenous mythologies and folklore. Myths and similar narratives are rich in metaphors and meaning. These are not mere moral tales. The narratives illustrate how cultural communities and indigenous peoples have historically navigated the complexities of the Earth. They also reveal the conflicts that arose between the natural world and humanity. These are not superstitions; they are legitimate systems of knowledge. These stories hold power because they resonate within a cultural context and are regarded as sacred by the societies to which they belong.
Eunille Santos, in a review for Esquire Magazine online, writes, “we have pushed even the gods beyond their limits. From deforestation to the mining industry, environmental destruction has reached a point where divine intervention seems justified. While I’m on the fence with the humor used, as I felt like the mythical wonders of the material itself were enough, it did land well with parts of the audience, adding moments of levity amid the heavy themes. Still, the weight of the play lingers, leaving us to deal with the fact that we are, in many ways, beyond redemption.”
A Socially Engaged Eco-Dramaturgy Informed by Indigenous Knowledge
As dramaturgs of the play, we envision Sa Gitna ng Digmaan as a folk narrative being told by storytellers before the community. The story revolves around the unity of Philippine mythological creatures, who convene as a council, to wage war against humanity to oppose the human activities affecting the environment. We toyed with the concept of crimes against nature. The gods and the mythical creatures are members of a higher court of justice. The local deities, super-powerful beings, do what they usually do – to use natural disasters to communicate with people. They have sent super typhoons, leading to flash floods and landslides, which have trapped several people in illegal mining operations. The critically endangered tamaraw, is also trapped in a mudslide. By interacting with indigenous knowledge and using local folklore and imagery, we use the divine attribution of mythological creatures to create a world where they take it upon themselves to sort out the impending climate crises, among other man-made consequences and ramifications.
The use of the tamaraw as the play’s centerpiece is a crucial dramaturgical strategy (Figure 3). The Tamaraw is a type of wild buffalo endemic to Mindoro Island in the Philippines. The dwarf animal is commonly mistaken for a domestic buffalo, or locally called the carabao, but its V-shaped horns are much smaller than the carabao’s. At the same time, the tamaraw has a feisty personality that sets it apart from other wild buffalos found in the Philippines. Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, there are only about 500 Tamaraw left on Mindoro as reported by Environmental Scientists Barney Long, Emmanuel Schütz, James Burton, et al in BULLetin: the Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group. These numbers are a fraction of the Tamaraw’s historical population and without immediate help, these isolated subpopulations may go extinct within the next few decades.
For the Tau Buid Indigenous Community in Mindoro, the tamaraw is not just an animal but a foundational part of their being and a symbol of their connection to the land. For the Tau Buid community, the tamaraw is believed to possess knowledge about natural disasters and the abundance of land. These animals are not social beings and prefer to be alone. In many instances, they stay in one place, and when they leave, the Tau Buid believes it signals a warning about potential threats such as drought, an incoming flood from the river, or even an earthquake. On a different note, the tamaraw settling in one place signals the abundance of the land, which, for the Tau Buid, identifies it as a fertile area for their agricultural products. This invaluable traditional knowledge about the tamaraw and its habitat is crucial for conservation efforts. Because of this indigenous knowledge about the Tamaraw, the Tau Buid considers these dwarf wild animals as the pillars of their home. As such, the tamaraw is also a national symbol of the Philippines, representing the country’s rich biodiversity and the delicate balance of its ecosystems.
In the play, local mythological creatures collectively attempt to rescue the tamaraw from the mudslide (Figure 4). The lead bathala, Dan, reminds them the effort is futile. A passerby, a farmer, witnesses the attempt of rescue and how the gods and creatures gave up. The tamaraw cries in anguish as the gods remove the rope. The gods, before leaving the mountain, hand over the rope to the farmer. One god remarks: “do what you need to do” before finally leaving the earthly world. Then the lights slowly dim, with the farmer looking helplessly at the crying tamaraw and the rope handed over by the gods.
The dramaturgical strategy was to communicate with the audience that the current global environmental crisis is an urgent call for collective action: to join the Tau Buid to save the tamaraw, which, as mentioned earlier, is a critically endangered species, the symbol of the community’s foundation, and the symbol of the Philippine ecological biodiversity. The farmer represents humanity. The rope is the collective action.
We are reminded of what needs to be done because even the gods acknowledge that humans know what must be done. The play reminds the audience that to be complacent is to participate in this endangerment of every species in the archipelago. At the same time, to leave the tamaraw is to destroy the very foundation of our stability in this very land we call home.
And in this sense, the gods remind us that collective action is an engagement in Transdisciplinary Practice, which is also an attempt to end the silo mentality. The farmer’s confusion at the end of the play represents this kind of silo thinking. In our current reality, no single discipline can provide holistic and comprehensive solutions to the problems confronted by an ever-changing world. As researchers and artists, we must promote and encourage greater interaction and dialogue with scientists and social scientists to develop research programs or curate creative projects that engage us in solving and critically interrogating these environmental and social concerns. As we move forward with the redevelopment of this play, we are aware that we need to increase our engagement with environmental scientists, social scientists, and climate change advocates in the development process.
Given the multicultural and multilingual nature of the Philippines, an archipelagic country composed of various ethnolinguistic groups spread across diverse terrains and ecological contexts, the need for careful navigation of the complex tapestry of traditional ways of living represented by the play’s storyline and characters became apparent. Consequently, it also became inevitable to give space to collaboration between the dramaturgical team and several consultants such as anthropologists, linguists, Indigenous studies experts, folklorists, and culture bearers. For instance, the dramaturgy team had to adapt to the list of mythological creatures to be able to responsibly represent not only their characterization, but also the ethnolinguistic group that these creatures represented. The description of their abilities, limitations, interactions, and personal struggles does not only reflect the ethnolinguistic group’s traditional ways of life, but also their collective knowledge, particularly their encyclopedic knowledge of the physical world. We also had to consult experts regarding the crafting of appropriate attires, composing putative chants, making conceptually potent amulets, and choosing lingua franca and linguistic “ticks” that these mythological creatures must have been using. We also had to explore the logic behind the combination of these creatures and their social interactions with one another, to strengthen the creative decision of the playwright.
Perhaps of particular interest in this endeavor is the dramaturgical work that we did on the universal laws that mythological creatures obey, in the context of course of the Philippines. They are not omnipotent beings; rather, they also abide by the rules of the physical and spiritual realms. Because of this, it cannot be expected that simply because they have powers, they can easily subdue humanity. In Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology, folklorist Maximo Ramos explains that in various surveys of folklore in various ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines, the view emerges that mythological creatures, specifically those who cohabitate with humans, are territorial and reactionary. Concerning this territorial and reactionary issue, Paolo Vicera and Jem Javier clarify in their essay “Tabi-Tabi Po,” that trespassing is the primary trigger for causing harm to people occupying areas they are not supposed to set foot on. The reason for humans assigning a particular place as a sacred space is not only because it is inhabited by mythological creatures capable of causing harm to humans. It is also their way of respecting the place, underscoring the Indigenous value placed on human-non-human connection: the knowledge that destroying the place will also destroy the people and the “people” who live there.
Moreover, the adversarial effects of trespassing are seen most notably in Indigenous people’s communities living in mountains, forests, coastal areas and other spaces near other bodies of land and water—areas that are often targets of human-induced environmental destruction. Because of the potential economic benefits that these areas may provide, these are forcibly taken by opportunists, forcibly displacing the people who have legitimate claims to these spaces, i.e., their ancestral domain. Others are forcibly stripped of their traditional ways of living, values systems, and even linguistic repertoire. As a result, the people’s encyclopedic knowledge of their environment is forgotten, and their collective memory of the land is erased. This is not only alarming for academics; this is also symptomatic of a serious degree of violation of human rights.
Environmental degradation is hence not only a result, but also a symptom of other social problems, as depicted in the play. This is the contribution of social and environmental sciences to the production, which is based on the various experiences, historical accounts, and knowledge of our consultants. After all, the play can be perceived as an amalgam of pieces of collective memories from various peoples and communities that are constantly threatened by systemic and capitalist adversaries.
Dramaturgical Tidbits and Concluding Reflections
The collaborative side of theatre and performance, especially when addressing the challenge of telling and retelling stories about the climate, has faced the difficulty of presenting something both poignant and uplifting. The performance script, for example, has undergone multiple revisions and various versions of story and character arcs. Director Estrella has closely monitored these ongoing changes, as the collaboration and communication with playwright So was just a Viber message away.
During a specific pre-production meeting, I strongly recommended that we, as members of the dramaturgical team, focus our reading on the works of Ferdinand Blumentritt (Dictionary of Philippine Mythology) and Edgar Samar (Mga Nilalang na Kagilagilalas).[2] Despite being separated by many generations, their works served as valuable sources of Indigenous creature information, thoroughly researched. The dramaturgical team used these resources extensively to develop the characters, symbols, and even the language specific to each creature’s province of origin.
During rehearsals, we refined the appropriate signs and symbols planned for depiction while also closely monitoring directorial changes. Additionally, we reviewed the source references of Samar and Blumentritt in real-time, tracking and correcting the use of the Bisaya language, which the play uses alongside Filipino and English. All dramaturgical decisions were made during the regular meetings of the dramaturgy team.
A significant challenge the creative team has faced is deciding how the play’s ending will unfold. Through various revisions, big or small, the ending has remained symbolic and open-ended. Some versions concluded with a montage showing mythological creatures’ real-world human counterparts mistakenly dealing with the climate crisis, reflecting their creature personalities. However, Estrella aimed to depict a moment where a human is given a rare chance to see and communicate with the folk creatures themselves. This approach delivers a more powerful message, linking humanity’s current state—blessed with indigenous knowledge—to collective and positive action.
Theatre artists and scholars play a vital role in reshaping methodologies and creative practices related to the environment. We are pleased to note that in 2021, the International Federation for Theatre Research launched a critical investigation into the connection between theatre and the environment through the Galway Conference, hosted by the National University of Ireland in Galway. Over the past decade, several scholarly works have explored the role of theatre and performance in tackling the global environmental crisis. For example, Vicky Angelaki offers provocations that inspire theatre creators to confront the urgency of non-human/human interconnectedness in her Theatre and Environment. In Earth Matters on Stage, Theresa J. May offers an American perspective on ecocritical theatre theory and eco-dramaturgy practices by analyzing contemporary plays by grassroots community theatre makers. This analysis demonstrates that the stage can be a powerful tool for social change, from late nineteenth-century frontier drama to the eco-theatre movement. In Ecodramaturgies, Lisa Woynarski examines the role of theatre in enhancing our understanding of ecology, our relationship with the environment, and what it means to be human amid climate change, particularly in relation to theatre and performance. Woynarski offers a comprehensive study of how contemporary performances critique and re-envision everyday ecological relationships in a more just and equitable manner, using examples from theatre works across the UK, US, Canada, and Mexico.
We must continue this conversation about the relationship between theatre and ecology. However, the dialogue we seek requires deeper engagement with Indigenous peoples. We need to shift our approach from thinking about Indigenous peoples to thinking with them. Let’s remember that Indigenous communities often have sophisticated systems for predicting weather patterns and potential disasters using natural signs and observations, as mentioned earlier. This knowledge can also help develop early warning systems and prepare for extreme weather events. Traditional knowledge and practices from Indigenous communities can also inform disaster preparedness and response strategies due to their close connection with the environment. As discussed in the current literature on the climate crisis, for example, on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) website, the UNDP states that Indigenous knowledge can complement scientific data by offering detailed insights into local ecosystems, climate patterns, and traditional adaptation methods, ultimately supporting more effective and context-specific climate solutions.
We anticipate more dramaturgical projects that involve collaborations between environmental scientists, anthropologists, scholars in Indigenous Studies, Indigenous individuals themselves, and theatre artists. This approach embodies transdisciplinary research or creative practice, which recognizes diverse ways of knowing and commits to co-creating research methodologies or dramaturgical strategies. It also emphasizes knowledge reciprocity, offering a valuable opportunity to engage in equitable knowledge production and to develop creative work. In essence, we need to begin building bridges and affirm that we are all exploring ways to find solutions to this ongoing climate crisis.
Endnotes
[1]Other members of the dramaturgical team include two students of the Theatre Arts program at the University of the Philippines Diliman, whom the authors of this essay mentored as apprentices. These are Alejandro Ventura and Rigel Cassandra Hechanova, who was also Assistant Director to Estrella.
[2]Blumentritt was an Austrian ethnographer whose ethnographic works about the Philippines in the late 19th century became primary resources for ethnologists and ethnographers interested in the lifeways and worldviews of Philippine communities during the mid-1800s to the early 20th century. He is also well known in the Philippines for his close friendship with writer and propagandist José P. Rizal. Blumentritt and Rizal exchanged numerous letters, which are important references for historians and scholars studying Rizal. Published initially as Diccionario Mitológico de Filipinas in 1895, The Dictionary of Philippine Mythology is a key work on Philippine folklore and mythology, being the first comprehensive study of local deities, spirits, and supernatural creatures found in the Philippine islands. On the other hand, Samar is a contemporary fiction writer whose works are inspired by Philippine folklore and mythologies. His Mga Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang offers an introduction and visual illustrations of various mythological and folkloric creatures of the Philippines. Interestingly, the book groups the creatures based on their common features, such as creatures that can hurt, those that can be friends, heroes, villains, gods, and protectors, among others.
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*Sir Anril P. Tiatco is a full professor of dramaturgy and performance studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman. He was a recipient of the Asian Cultural Council New York Fellowship in 2024. An elected member of the International Federation for Theatre Research (IFTR), he is the past immediate convener of the IFTR’s Asian Theatre Working Group. Tiatco is also currently an editor of Contemporary Theatre Review.
**Jem R. Javier is an associate professor of Linguistics at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman. His research interests include Philippine linguistics, culture studies, and the interface between language and cognition. He is the editor of The Archive, a journal dedicated to the study of Philippine languages and dialects. He is a constant collaborator for the productions staged by Tiatco and Filipino theatre director Josefina “José” Estrella.
***Gabrielo Jose Asanza is a graduate student, majoring in Theatre Praxis at the University of the Philippines Diliman. As a dramaturg, he was involved in the most recent Filipino adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children into Nanay Bangis. He also worked as a dramaturg for Sa Gitna ng Digmaan with Tiatco and Javier and director Estrella.
Copyright © 2025 Sir Anril P. Tiatco, Jem R. Javier and Gaby Asanza
Critical Stages/Scènes critiques, #32, December 2025
e-ISSN: 2409-7411
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