Sikodiwa: Revisiting Filipino Indigenous Wisdom for Personal and Shared Well-Being -- Carl Lorenz Cervantes, Paperback
Researcher and lecturer Carl Lorenz Cervantes explores the timeless wisdom, ancestral worldviews, and spiritual tools of Filipino psychology and culture--and offers Indigenous ways of knowing for all readers, Filipino and non-Filipino alike. Drawing from folklore, language, ethnography, and personal story, Sikodiwa is a mind-opening exploration for readers of Braiding Sweetgrass and Fresh Banana Leaves Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa pinaroroonan: Those who do not honor their roots will never reach their destination.
--Filipino proverb For centuries, Filipino lifeways were presented to outsiders through the distorted lens of colonization--and the oppression, exploitation, and denigration suffered by Filipino ancestors are well-documented. Here, Carl Lorenz Cervantes draws from Filipino folklore, language, and culture to reorient toward an Indigenous worldview: one that rejects being seen as a passive object in history. That reclaims Filipino identity, storytelling, and liberation on Filipino terms. And that embraces a powerful truth: We are the descendants of our colonized ancestors, but we are also the grandchildren of the revolution. Rooted in Indigenous Filipino worldviews, Sikodiwa offers a vital exploration of:
- Indigenization: reclaiming and restoring Indigenous worldviews
- Cosmic origins: Defining Indigenous through the lens of creation myths
- Filipino-ness: Navigating processes of decolonization and the vagueness of cultural identity
- Deep spirituality: Folk healing, native spirituality, and deep, mystical realities
- Cultural authenticity: navigating the complexities of identity and reconnecting with our most authentic selves
- Reclaiming values: Challenging stereotypes about Filipino cultural values
- Towards Kapwa Understanding shared identity--and learning how it manifests
- Revolution and fate Applying cultural frameworks and existential tools to self-help practices
Author: Carl Lorenz Cervantes
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Published: 12/2/2025
Pages: 232
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.65 lbs
Size: 8.9" H x 5.9" L x 0.8" W
ISBN: 9798889842637
