‘Protest’ falls into the lexical category of both noun and verb. The past participle is not commonly used. We say that we are ‘protesting’ but very rarely do we say that we have ‘protested.’ This is because change and power are both results of ongoing imagination and continual action. The work is never complete. Protests start small, with grassroots activism and kept alive with creative forms of protest, powered by the political imagination of regular people.
Political Imagination:
It is important, when thinking about grassroots activism, to consider what protest action costs the people who live at the heart of these issues; people for whom ‘the revolution will not be televised,’ whose dissent never reaches an audience, stage, or microphone. Those who are not afforded the support of notoriety or privilege of free speech.
Ken Millondaga is a proud activist from the Philippines who arrived in Aotearoa less than half a year ago. Her activism began in her undergraduate years; now on track to her PHD with decades of protest under her belt she explains that “it wasn’t hard to understand why activism is important because I grew up in a poor, rural land. […] My first protest was on education related protests, particularly with calls related to tuition fee increase, and budgetary allotments of the Philippines […] that would lead to more hindrance for young girls and young boys to access university education.”
“You have to consider a lot of things, particularly in the Philippine context, what your parents say. Whenever they find me on television or in the news, what would my friends who are not activists say to my activism?” Ken admits that when she arrived in Aotearoa it was freeing to publicly identify herself as an activist. “Activists in the Philippines, in general, are subjected to threats (physical or online), surveillance, and intimidation. Activists are often seen and “red tagged” as subversive or communists.” In New Zealand, activism is considered a right. Ken doesn’t have to worry about her safety or explain why she engages in protest.
Mythmaking and Important Histories:
Mythmaking is vital to the continued spirit of power and imagination. Narratives of past struggle give credence to reformation and as people we fixate on minute details of storytelling that enforce both the identity of the protest and the emotional substance of activism. Ken describes her own activism as a kind of legacy; “I’m particularly coming from a viewpoint of a feminist movement in the Philippines, so I give importance to women’s issues and children’s issues. Most of my activist friends also came from youth and women’s movements back in the Philippines. The near presence, I think, of intergenerational female activists is inspiring.”
Mythmaking, in the form of sharing emotive local stories, is used to help dismantle divisive narratives that are employed (specifically by extremist groups) to foster ‘othering.’ These tactics have been used frequently in discussions about Palestine, where conservative parties will often point out cultural attitudes towards sexuality and feminism, attempting to legitimize violence and racist narratives.
“I have been to several communities around Mindanao, in rural communities and Indigenous people’s communities because of work and research,” Ken shares. “In these communities, people don’t have much in terms of food and resources. But among them I met some of the most generous and welcoming people. They would readily share their food, open their homes, and share their stories. What always surprises me is the extent of their responses, perhaps this is also because we are “from the city” (taga syudad). These responses from the communities allow me to believe in the inherent goodness of people, especially among those who don’t have much.”
The Form of Creative Protest:
Music is a political medium, as is art and theatre. It is the (often aesthetic) cultural resistance of sociopolitical injustices. Creative protest, tactical frivolity and performance art are becoming more common, especially among the youth, grassroots protesters, and indigenous activists as methods of nonviolent resistance. Not only do creative displays encourage community participation but they can even create a more striking image than traditional protest methods (many of which are easily labelled civil disobedience and- in some places- warrant harsh punishment.) Creative protest is important because it continually evolves the political imagination and is able to engage a larger audience. Often, the use of pop-culture or music in protest displays can help break down cultural barriers.
what she believes the future of activism might look like as new generations bring their own brand of creativity to the issues. “I think the energy of the youth in leading the protest, the chance, the creativity in using the visual signs and that energy, and the sharing of food, the sharing of stories. […] What interests me most is the use of play, grassroots play. We would join a play organized by young students and out-of-school youth […] I hope that the protest movement in the Philippines, particularly in the region where I came from, would be able to utilize theatre in activism.”
Power And the People Who Hold It:
At the heart of protest is the issue of power. Who has it, who does not and how power is gained. Change is powerful but oftentimes, change is also small. Protesting can sometimes feel like yelling into a black hole when the response isn’t swift, satisfactory,or even existent. This brings about the question: what is it that makes a protest successful? “I always believe that a protest does not only relate to institutional change or institutional reform, but it empowers the individual.” Ken explains. “So, through protests, you can find your voice and your agency, and I think that’s empowering.”
Even the most violent dictatorship does not have the ability to kill an idea and that is why dissent is such a powerful force. At the heart of everything, protest is compassion. It is human beings coming together over a shared injustice or to voice their grievances. It is a connection primarily forged by communal identity and empathy, that often exists in defiance or direct opposition to social hierarchies. Not only do protesters and activists often fight for the voices of the marginalized groups around them, but they gain power themselves by legitimizing their own moral concerns. Ken’s final answer is succinct, even simple, but it paints a larger picture of self-determination, “How is a protest successful? I think it becomes successful with one’s conscious decision to join the protest. That in itself, is a success.”
