Christopher Coleman

Lakapati  for fixed media  (2018)

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duration 14:52

 

Program note

Lakapati is the Tagalog goddess of fecundity.  Her blessings are sought when planting and harvesting, and also at births.  She is considered the kindest and most understanding of the pre-colonial deities.  Also known as Ikapati, although she has an outward appearance of feminine beauty, she is intersex, both female and male.  This aspect of her gender led some Catholic missionaries to condemn her as a devil intent on carnal relations with both men and women; contradictorily her generous and loving nature came to be associated with the holy spirit. 

 

I first became aware of Lakapati when she was portrayed by transgender model Geena Rocero for Surat, a Filipino magazine written in pre-colonial Filipine script.  At the same time I was working on a fixed media composition that attempted to combine parts of all of my earlier acousmatic pieces in new, transformative ways.  I’ve been surprised at how seldom the fragments of my earlier music are recognizable to me.  This context does far more than clothe them in new apparel, instead they are remade anew.  

 

Technical requirements

Lakapati exists in several different mixes, stereo, 4-, 5-, or 8- channel versions.  A 124 channel mix for the Cube at Virginia Tech is currently being prepared.