Hello, you’ve found AHA! Stories.
We share real experiences of resilience and wellbeing, through stories and the expressive arts.
AHA! Stories is MAGIS Creative Spaces’ first book series. The stories in the series celebrate the expressive arts as an approach to healing and recovery. They are meant to highlight the arts and play, and most particularly how the arts as a way of life, and in its various forms, can ignite a sense of agency in children. The books illustrate their simple yet potent power to help children cope, to feel cradled, and to come in touch with their capacity to rise above their sorrow, fear, or grief in the direst of situations.
Kung minsan, binibilang ko pa sila.
May ilang napakalaki; ang iba naman ay maliliit at mahihinhin. Iniisip ko kung paano sila nabuo, saan sila nanggaling,
at saan sila nagtatago kapag mababa na ang dagat. Nakatutuwang walang dalawang alon ang magkatulad!
Sometimes, I try counting them.
I notice some are big and crashing,
while some are small and gentle.
I think of how they’re made, where they’re from,
and where they hide when the tide is low.
It’s amazing how no two waves are alike!
READ THE FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES THIS OCTOBER 2022
Our first book tells the story of Mario, a Tagbanua boy from Culion, Palawan whose love for the sea turns into fear after a terrible super typhoon devastates his community. To learn to love the sea again, he must remember to open his heart and dance in step with his people.
This story captures the resilience of the Tagbanua Indigenous community after Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) devastated Northern Palawan in 2013. Ang mga Alon sa Amin also features resilience-building art activities for children to do with the grown ups in their lives. These exercises are meant to help adults attune to children, re-establish their sense of safety, and guide them in rediscovering joy in light of their distress.
Ang mga Alon sa Amin
ABOUT ANG MGA ALON SA AMIN
Among the 16 million people affected by super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in November 2013, were the Tagbanua Indigenous Peoples of Culion, Palawan, as depicted in this story. The Tagbanua reside in remote and scattered islands and rely mainly on marine and coastal resources for food, shelter, and livelihood—all were already scarce even before Typhoon Haiyan hit.
After Haiyan, the Tagbanua’s homes and boats were completely destroyed, and the community was left with no access to emergency medical supplies. One of the first responders in their community was Cartwheel Foundation. While working with these indigenous peoples, Cartwheel’s psychosocial support team learned about the coping and healing practices of the Tagbanua, which included the suring, their traditional dance. This interaction led to a meaningful exchange of indigenous art practices and expressive arts therapy activities between Cartwheel and the Tagbanua. In turn, beautiful stories of community healing, learning, and recovery emerged and served as inspiration for this book.
Authors and Artists of AHA!
Gina Alfonso, PhD, ATR-BC, LCPAT
Educator, mental health clinician, expressive arts therapist, and international psychosocial support trainer
Rainey S. Dolatre
Mother, educator, development professional, and expressive arts facilitator
Coleen Ramirez-Panahon
Development professional, researcher, and instructor
Ianthe Pimentel
Illustrator and graphic designer
Buy a book, build a classroom!
By reading Ang mga Alon sa Amin, you’re doing more than just learning about the Tagbanua community and the expressive arts; you are also lending a helping hand. Each purchase of Ang mga Alon sa Amin contributes to rebuilding the beloved classroom that had provided shelter for the Tagbanua community during super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). It is the same classroom we depicted in our book.
Learn and thrive with AHA!
We wrote these stories to be a companion to the THRiVE (Trauma-informed Healing and Resilience-building in Vulnerable Environments through the Expressive Arts) Program, which uses the expressive arts in creating safe environments at home or in the classroom to help children cope with stress and enjoy learning. By themselves and as companions to the program, these storybooks convey multiple perspectives about the experience of children in various contexts along with possible ways adults can accompany them as they tread through life’s knotty paths.
These stories can be part of your own expressive arts-based psychosocial support program with children. If you’re a school or community that works with children and you’re interested in THRiVE as a training program, learn more about becoming a trauma-informed organization with the team at MAGIS here.
Travel around the world with us! Through AHA! Stories, we’ll learn about resilience from real experiences of children from different countries.
Let’s go, your friends are waiting for you!
A Closer Look at our Upcoming Titles
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Amina’s Cotton Clouds
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA
After Amina’s favorite grandmother says goodbye, Amina must find a new way to remember her Nana without feeling so sad. Her feelings are strong and heavy, but the clouds are light and fluffy and ready to heal her heart.
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Surprises by the Shore
HAITI
After a big earthquake, Bethesda and her family are forced to move to a new city called Port Salut. Bethesda must leave her old friends and adjust to a new place. Luckily, she finds kind children who love to play and tell stories by the shore.
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Pedro’s Best Day
EL SALVADOR
Because of the violent gangs or maras that control his community, Pedro does not remember a day when he was not afraid. But things change after the maras ruin his home and force Pedro and his family to move to San Salvador. There, Pedro starts a new life with his grandmother and sees he still has a chance to live a life of joy, friendship, and fun.
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Music Takes Me Home
UGANDA
After humans separate him from his family, Dembe the baby elephant must face the world alone. He almost loses hope until he meets a lonely bird who leads him to a safe new home. Together, they grow into best friends who support each other, sing, and dance.
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Breathe In Breathe Out
CHINA
Pengyou was at school when an earthquake turned her world upside down. After the shaking, she became too scared to ever let go of her mother’s hand. Pengyou’s Mama wants her child to feel safe again; so with the help of a flower and candle, she finds a way to help Pengyou face her fears.
