Triple Filipinx Womban Goddesses

 

Womban: wom·en

/ˈwo͞ommin/

 rebirths herself out of the womb of ancestral memory. 

A Womban embroiders life with beauty; beauty sometimes wilted with pain. It is She, a gentle force recognized as the source of Earth’s abundance. Who is allowed to refuse to blossom if not praised. Without her taking center stage.. to shine and decay, create and destroy, seduce, sacrifice and protect— there would be no universal wisdom to reap, no air to turn the wheels of time and space, no water to keep the world pure, no blood, no stars, and no moon. A Womban can trace her power in many ways…through her mind, her magic, her fertile imagination and mature intellect. Owning the inevitable struggle between life and death playing itself through childbirth, solitude, and love. 

The breadth of womban and her stories echo goddess energy. There are many types of goddess energies. They’re found in deities, in planets, warriors, as queens, and as prophetess or priestesses. All of them teaches us a valuable, unlimited scope of inspiration. This current of goddess energy can be felt by various forms. It is a sacred language shared among womban. 

I wanted to create a Filipinx adaptation of certain womban aspects and their goddess roles. The language harvested as maiden, mother, and crone was the vibe I wanted to express and elaborate visually. This triple goddess model typically illustrates the different ages/cycles of the goddess. I resonated with this dynamic in terms of energy. That these three stages do not have to happen chronologically. Its essence of each: maiden, mother, and crone are perpetual occurrences (symbolic transformation of experiences that could unfold within a womban’s life and of course, her lineage). 

Every womban can embody a role or personify all characteristics. She has the ability to enact her nurturing impulse and empathy. Can tap into her youth, and strong tides of vigor either championing social justice and/or planting seeds for future generations. She may even unleash her wrath when lending her patience to chaos, as an opportunity to seek change. Above all, she is naturally a healer, restoring balance and harmony to her communities. My Filipinx photo journal of the mother, maiden, and crone is an ode to womban immortality and our inherently strong maternal foundation.

 
 
 
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Photography: Heather Reese
Models: 
Janice Ibarra, Bianca Recuenco, Janelle Mayo, Light Dupuis
Styling: 
@seamlesslysupernatural 
Written by: Janice Ibarra