Minda
By Jaclyn Reyes
Audience: Ages 15-18
This graphic novel tells the story of Dale, a Lumad student originally from the island of Mindanao in Southern Philippines, and his pursuit of education—both for his own personal development, but also for the greater Lumad community.
Minda, which means mind and intellect, tells Dale’s narrative using hand-drawn illustrations which rely on metaphor to articulate fragments of the student’s experience. Using only artwork, the piece is intended for a Philippine audience and touches upon key themes including collectivistic and intergenerational education, decolonization of education, the capitalization of different forms of knowledge, and the inseparability of Lumad identity and their ancestral lands.
Readers are encouraged to piece together the fragments by making connections through the visual motifs that echo throughout.
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this publication belong solely to the authors and do not necessarily represent those of REACH or the Harvard Graduate School of Education.