Bestfriend in the C.R.

A green Tabo on a sink that is highlighted by a warm colored pink 

Tabo
by Marissa Boutet

In the quiet moment,
behind closed doors,
culture caresses the skin.
To clean,
and to be cleansed,
to know that the body holds memories,
that time courses through the intestines and out the other end.
to trust that water will wash, just as it has since the beginning.
Privacy, and shame.
Nature, and water.
The filth, and the relief.
All of this, held within a cup.
Cool plastic, pressed to the warm palm,
the palm, held by the arm.
The arm, to the shoulder.
The shoulder to the neck to the head,
to the brain, that holds
the emotion, the history.
the memory,
of being taught by those that hold you,
of being welcomed into lifestyle and tradition,
through the simple act of defecating.
To walk into a home,
to find a tabo resting near the bathroom sink.
To understand that in those quiet moments,
we are the same.
The body must be cared for. Must be held.
We must grow, surrounded by belonging.

Tet Millare

Tet Millare (they/them) is a Gen-X’er + long-time settler in Treaty 7, who is originally from the Philippines.  Tet is an artist of various expressions: photographer, writer, poet, story-teller, dancer, occasional singer and event producer.  Tet is a community builder and has volunteered for various orgs like 2010 Paralympics, Calgary
Outlink, Camp fYrefly, Treaty 7 Trans and Dyke March…and many more.

Marissa Boutet

My name is Marissa Boutet, and I am a ceramics major whose artistic practice involves depictions of Filipino folklore. Through experimental clay forms and surface design techniques, my art tells the stories of the Philippines that have been passed down for generations. Whether it be about the tales of gods and epic battles or the urban legends of monsters that hunt at night, each piece reconnects me to my culture. If I want my folklore art to say one thing, it would be this: our stories are still alive. These stories can and will exist in the contemporary art world.
I would not be an artist today if it weren’t for my family. My parents worked hard to provide a good life for her children so that we were able to choose what we wanted to do in life. Even if my art is not imbued with the themes of family, my art can exist because of them.