Hey y'all we're back with another episode! Joining us on this episode are Nathalie De Los Santos from PilipinxPages and Jasmine (Audder) Monton to interview Allan Matudio about his graphic novel, "Kasama". Kasama, which means togetherness or allyship is about two friends that battle evil forces or the "manananggal". We chat with Allan on the journey of creating his novel; drawing from Filipino folklore intertwined with critical social commentary about Filipino culture. We talk about the using Filipino words intentionally throughout the novel as well as paying homage to different parts of the Filipino culture beyond the Luzon or Tagalog dominant narrative. We speak to Allan about using visual arts not only as a form of activism but also as a tool for decolonizing Filipino perspectives. We share tales about the "aswang" and "tyanak" and how these stories have impacted our lives growing up. We also talk to Allan about his community work with grassroots organizations, exercising his sense of "kapwa" by supporting and uplifting other marginalized communities.



ABOUT ALLAN MATUDIO

Allan Matudio is a visual artist, writer and organizer. Born to Filipino parents in Tio'tia:ke/Montréal, he currently works professionally as an illustrator in the video game industry. He’s been volunteering in grassroots Filipino organizations for over 3 years. His personal research focuses on the transnational trauma within the local Filipino community. As a storyteller, his main medium of expression is through comics and digital illustration. For more of Allan’s work visit his Instagram @allanmima.

Thank you to our partner CiTR 101.9 FM for supporting this podcast. Follow Filipino Fridays Podcast on Instagram: @FilipinoFridaysPodcast Email us at contact@filipinofridays.com.Music: Hot Coffee by Patrick Patrikios