Moses ‘ Moey ’ Aquino
Navigating two identities: The unique perspective of Filipino-Canadian artist Moses Aquino
Written by: Yasmin Jaswal
For Calgary-based Filipino-Canadian artist Moses Aquino, there is an almost inherent trait that he, and the entire Filipino community, exemplifies: Resilience.
“We're very easy-going people,” Aquino says. “You can throw a lot of stuff at us and we would take it and we'd still find a way at the end of the day to laugh about it.”
Aquino, who goes by Moey—a name that is the combination of both his lolos’* names, Moses and Awey—was born in Cavite, a city south of Manila. He grew up in the Philippine capital though, and recalls a busy childhood in the city, surrounded by vibrance and crowds of people.
“Childhood in the Philippines was definitely one of the greatest and I can't ask for more. There were always so many things going on.”
That vibrance was almost lost when he moved to Calgary with his family at the age of 12. But thanks to his resilience and the different communities he built, Aquino has found a way to share his favourite parts of the place he loves but had to leave behind.
*Lolo means Grandfather in Tagalog
First impressions of a new home
His journey to Canada began in 2003. He jokes that the move was not his choice; his parents made the decision to immigrate and they were bringing their kids with them.
Now 31, he still has vivid memories of both his last few days in the Philippines, as well as his very first day in Calgary.
He left the Philippines with a crowd of people made up of his extended family and friends from school seeing him and his family off at the airport.
When he landed in Calgary on a cold winter night, he was less than impressed.
“It was just freezing. I remember it was snowing and so dark outside. There wasn’t really much to see. So my first impression was that Calgary was pretty empty,” Aquino says. "It was kind of a culture shock coming from a place where there are so many things happening and it's so crowded–the typical Asian city vibes—then coming here.”
Aquino did end up changing his mind about the city…eventually. Once he started going to school and church, he was able to start building and connecting with a new community.
“{My family and I} started going to church and that church was full of Filipinos. In the first two weeks I met others my age at Bible study. Then we connected and were hanging out outside of church and having a deeper relationship.”
Aquino says he was able to adjust to his new life quickly, which he credits in part to his new community.
“The fact that [the community] existed for me right off the bat gave me the confidence to chase more and make more friends and more connections. I can't even imagine if you come here and you don't get that sense of community,” he says.
Even with the community support and the confidence, Aquino still dealt with challenges and moments of uncertainty.
“When I first started school, I remember thinking, ‘I have this weird accent that doesn't fit in with everyone else's’. So, definitely, I did experience other kids making fun of that accent and it felt natural for me to try to change it to fit in better,” he says.
“But that happened for just a few months. That was just a small bump in the road. I decided I didn't care what others thought of me. That's just my accent, you know?”
Aquino says his own resiliency and ability to adapt, as well as his community, which he continued to build while in school, allowed him to take pride in his Filipino roots while also adjusting to his life as a Canadian.
“It was kind of a
culture shock coming from a place where there are so many things happening and it's so crowded–the typical Asian city vibes—then coming here.”
Taking a chance
Aquino’s love of art started early and his parents took notice. They enrolled their son in different art classes, from animation to drawing and everything in between.
When Aquino decided to attend art school at the Alberta University of Arts, they were supportive of his plan. However, he wasn’t sure if art was the right direction to take and eventually ended up pivoting and taking IT.
But after a short time, Aquino decided to take a risk and leave his role and focus on building a career in art. It was not an easy decision, but he credits his family, friends and extended community for keeping him going.
“Everyone's been super supportive and that's where I get a lot of my resilience from,” he says.
“Without that backbone, I think I wouldn't be here right now. And it's been ongoing; It's never stopped. They're always still here. They're always still showing support.”
Through his art, Aquino aims to evoke a sense of nostalgia—the same one he feels when he thinks of his childhood in the Philippines—to his audience.
“I really try to focus on that. I think that's very important for people—not only for children, but also for adults. It's very rare for us to feel that. And when we feel that sense of nostalgia, it's a very warm feeling.”
Aquino hopes to add physical designs and aspects of the Philippines in future pieces, an idea that began to blossom when he started connecting to a new (to him) community.
“I hadn't really considered doing that until I met more Filipino artists,” he says. “There are actually a lot of physical designs that are unique to the Philippines and Filipino culture that we can bring in and elevate as artists.”
Calgary’s Filipino art community has grown “exponentially” since Aquino first joined it four years ago. Being able to help with this community’s continued growth is something Aquino hopes he can accomplish.
“The new generation is very courageous and very creative. I do want to inspire kids because in the arts, there are a lot of narratives that haven't been told yet, a lot of stories that everyone can benefit from hearing. And that storytelling is the role of artists. So me doing this and hopefully succeeding, will garner younger generations to do the same. To be brave and push themselves to express themselves creatively.”
Aquino adds, since the Filipino art community is still small compared to others in the city, artists are able to share a very unique perspective through their work, which is very much needed.
“Without that backbone, I think I wouldn't be here right now. And it's been ongoing; It's never stopped. They're always still here. They're always still showing support.”
Two homes, two identities
Aquino has lived in Canada for more than half of his life, so when it comes to explaining who he is or where he’s from, it can get complicated.
“If people ask, ‘What are you?’ I’m Filipino. But if people ask, ‘Where are you from?’ I’m from Canada. I do think of myself more as a Canadian rather than Filipino on that basis. But I’m Filipino, from the get-go.”
For him, his Filipino-Canadian identity allows him to have the best of both worlds and combine the major values of each into one.
“[For Filipinos], immediately I think that the most important thing is the unity of being in a family. The congregation of family and friends,” Aquino says. “To be Canadian, especially in our generation, is to be exposed to so many different cultures and the opportunity to take that all in and have a deeper grasp of the big picture. We're really blessed to experience all of these cultures.”
Aquino adds that at the end of the day, no matter what identity we hold, we are all “living the same human experience.” For him, the most important thing he can do is to remain in his Filipino roots while also taking in all the cultures around him.
When it comes to what country feels more like home, Aquino’s answer is layered, with the overall answer pointing to a feeling rather than a physical place.
“I do consider the Philippines my home. Going back to that sense of family, I've always had the opportunity to go back to the Philippines and it's always that overwhelming sense of unity and family,” he says.
“You step out and go back to your old home and all your cousins and your immediate family’s there. It's just that feeling of warmth and family is what I would call home.”
While he hasn’t been able to completely replicate that specific feeling in Canada, he does feel a strong sense of home here as well.
“For me, wherever my parents and all my friends and family are is what I consider my home base, always. I always think of Calgary as home and it's like the core.”
He says he realizes these statements are contradictory, and adds, “It's weird because when someone asks me what's home I always say, ‘I want to go back home to the Philippines,’ but now that we're here, home to me is just wherever that warmth and family is.”
‘What are you?’ I’m Filipino. But if people ask, ‘Where are you from?’ I’m from Canada. I do think of myself more as a Canadian rather than Filipino on that basis. But I’m Filipino, from the get-go.
Hopes for the future
Aquino is always looking for his next adventure. He hopes his career will allow him to travel the world so he can immerse himself in other cultures and find new inspiration for his art.
For now, he’s got his eyes set on Asia, specifically the Philippines and Japan.
“I think there's so much creative stimulus to be absorbed in those countries. It's so different from how the Western culture works.”
That being said, Aquino wants to establish himself where he’s planted his artistic roots first.
“I do think it's important for me to establish my career here in Calgary. I think the city has a lot of growth potential when it comes to the art scene. We're just starting to see it right now.”
Other than his personal goals, Aquino hopes he can inspire the younger generations of Filipino-Canadians.
He’s hopeful that the growth of the Filipino arts community in Calgary will lead to more awareness about the opportunities that exist for Filipinos interested in “non-traditional” career paths.
When he thinks about what he wants the younger generation to know, he goes back to his own experience and shares what he wishes he could have heard 19 years ago as a new Canadian trying to overcome the challenge of wanting to be himself but feeling like he had to change in order to fit in.
“You have a lot to offer. Coming from a place full of warmth and having that easy going nature, even those things alone are a lot to offer. Just be yourself. Try to stay comfortable. And don't bury the things that make you who you are just to fit in. Know that those things that make you different are what you're bringing to the table.”
“ don't bury the things that make you who you are just to fit in. Know that those things that make you different are what you're bringing to the table.”
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