Hello, my name is Ligaya and I’m just a young 20 year old, Tagalog and Akeanon (Filipin@) girl, who lives, breathes, and acts out on her Animistic and Polytheistic beliefs and values everyday. I am an Animist and a Polytheist following my culture’s ethnic and indigenous beliefs. 

I am not Wiccan but I was for about 7 years prior to finding out about my culture’s native beliefs and growing in my spiritual path.

I am an artist and I love to draw and paint images based on Philippine deities, myths, legends, mythical creatures, animals from the Philippines, and my Pre-Hispanic culture that is so rich yet sadly people, even the country’s own people who have been heavily colonized and Westernized, don’t even know anything about. Luckily there are those who do know and are working on educating and getting our people to wake up and embrace their hidden, beautiful cultures, and I am one of them.

I post what I like and what I think my followers would like, informational posts, things that are personal to my life and practice, posts on different issues such as cultural appropriation, gender, sexuality, race, issues in the indigenous community, issues faced with my own people, etc.

This blog is also a way for me to continue my decolonization and interact with others who are doing the same.

What does your name mean?

My name Ligaya is not my given name, but is my native name based on my Western birth name. Ligaya means “happiness, merry, and joy” which my birth names is, Mary Joyce. I have used my native name in everything besides official documents and hope others out there will starting taking up native names along side with their birth names and hopefully start naming their own children with native names.

What does your Tumblr name mean?

My Tumblr name, akoaykayumanggi says “Ako ay Kayumanggi” in Tagalog which translates to “I am Brown Skinned”. I am proud of my kayumanggi skin and proud to be kayumanggi. The color of my skin is brown. I’m not white or yellow. I’m not black or an interracial hybrid. I am brown skinned. Ang kulay ng aking balat ay kayumanggi. Hindi ako puti o dilaw. Hindi ako itim o lahing mestiso. Ako ay Kayumanggi. I am proud to be brown and my Tumblr name represents that.