Immortalizing ourselves

I recently conducted a lecture to about 300 high school students in an all girsl shool in Manila and talked about Outdoor Education. When I asked how many of them have at least once written on the walls and doors of the restroom, 80 % of them raised their hands. I admire their honesty.When I was growing up I remember my younger sister (who ends up being an artist) writing almost anywhere - walls, chair, tables. She doodled, drew and expressed her creative part through her hands. The same happened to my youngest daughter who is artistically gifted. She drew and wrote on our headboard, the walls, the doors and almost everywhere, even on our TV.To her our house was one huge canvass. I realize that most of us live to express our art form and if we cannot sing or dance, we write and draw. However, we seem to bring to adulthood this behavior and misdirect our creativity in a form that is destructive.


Through my travels I have collected graffiti expressed in various forms, and in various places. Some are obviously not brought about by the need to express creativity, but to unleash the ego. The most common forms are etches on trees and rocks.
Some prefer to paint their names and even use nature for signages. I even came upon a place with a beautiful waterfalls and signages painted on rocks. What was disgusting was that the place was labeled an ecotourism site! It was clear that whoever did it was rather confused about the concept.The most appalling that I have seen is an etching on a piece of coral.. Yes, graffiti underwater! Unbelievable but true!

A week ago I went to a century old lighthouse on an island in Cagayan. I had been going to this place almost every month since it is my project site. I was furious to see a newly written graffiti by a female. She etched her name and unbelievably even her mobile number on the wall of the ruins! I am tempted to send her an sms to tell her that she is being fined Php200,000.00 for the graffiti she wrote on a heritage site. She clearly violated a protocol that was written on a signage strategically located where boats dock on the beach.

When I went to Sohoton National Park in Samar, I came upon a graffiti on the wall of the "natural bridge". It was in bright red paint, as if it was done the day before. The date however was 1964! No wonder the people who came after them wrote and wrote and wrote. The wall was filled with all sorts of names.The message was clear: It is alright to leave your mark. Afterall, the one who did it first was a Judge! Writing graffiti is irresponsible and destructive, no matter who wrote it. So please, next time you travel bring a journal or a sketchbook and express yourself in a more responsible way. Don't bring yourself down to the level of those who do.