Intergenerational Breaking of Creative Traumas:
Our space is for community to reclaim their creativity & show up imperfectly. It has always been saddening to witness people confess their belief of not being creative, when we actually are. Growing up in systems and infrastructures of colonialism and capitalism, we were told by some of our teachers that we have to create in a certain way, usually mimicking perfection. Our parents would tell us that pursuing something creative is a waste of time, if it is not making us financial wealth & long-term security. This has made us self critical; hard on ourselves when we want to be creative, always striving to be perfect. creating doesn’t have to be this way, it never was to begin with. Gumawa Space strives to create for the sake of creating & embracing all imperfections as gifts.
to creatively heal
Gumawa Origins Story
written by Elvin
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Gumawa Space was birthed and created by my ancestors and through me as a physical conduit. In the summer of 2023, I spent some time in Vancouver where I always felt closer to my motherland, The Philippines, because of the shared similarities of mountains, foliage and Pacific ocean. Interestingly, my father is from Baguio City, a similar mountainous region.
One day I was biking, while ancestral winds bestowed me with the word, gumawa, just as I was trying to figure out what I wanted to call this company/business/social enterprise (we’re figuring it out). My entire body and spirit felt held by my ancestors, as I was reminded of the power that I hold as a community gatherer and bridge, as a space maker for my community to reclaim their inner child and creatively heal.
Throughout this entrepreneurial journey, I have discovered moments in my life where my ancestors have been illuminating a path of purpose for me.
One of the first moments where my ancestors called me was when I was 17 years old. My tatay’s father, my lolo, Fernando Payumo Velasco Sr. during his wake whispered to me, “buksan yung kamay mo”, which translates to open your hands. I grew up thinking, this only meant to support the financial scarcity that my blood kin has struggled to intergenerationally break, which to be fair, is something I am also called to do. Only recently, it has come to my consciousness that what he truly meant by those words was to remind me of my purpose in sharing my innate calling in gathering community to heal through being creative. That my open hands help others, to lift people through the tangible motion of creating with your hands.
For most of my life, I have always been called to gather my chosen kin to hold spaces of vulnerability, bravery & creativity to be alchemized & transformed through & with one another. You can feel these moments & feelings in our community creation witnesses where community members who currently walk alongside me in this lifetime have witnessed the very building blocks & foundation that Gumawa Space has transpired to be & is becoming.
