You might have noticed that I haven’t been posting new essays here in Explorations.ph. This is because I’ve been spending most of my writing time on Rajah Versus Conquistador, my first work of fiction. In case you’d like to get a sense of what I’m intending to create, I’ve posted Chapter 1 and its (preliminary) preface here in Exploration.ph.
I’ve also written elsewhere.
recently published Psychofauna Studies: A Manifesto. This essay captures one major aspect of my work: the attempt to make insights from studies of culture useful for non-academics. I plan to do this by using an “animist lens.” I explain what I mean by this and why I’m using this approach in the essay.I’ve also completed a manuscript coming from the more academic side of my scholarly interests: the intersection between René Girard’s scapegoat mechanism and the figure of the Austronesian “Big Man” or the Southeast Asian “Orang Besar.” (You might notice that Rajah Versus Conquistador is underpinned by the same interest). It is still under review, but in case you’re interested, here’s what I submitted. (You can post comments on the doc: I’d appreciate questions and suggestions before I polish it for publishing).
The Scapegoat Mechanism in Southeast Asian Ritual, Myth, and Politics
From Mead and Bateson’s Trance and Dance in Bali to Massacres in the Philippines and Indonesia
Lastly, the video in this post is an update on Rajah Versus Conquistador. Here’s the A.I. summary:
📝 Writing Update and Story Structure (00:04 - 09:18)
Author working on first work of fiction titled 'Rajah Versus Conquistador'
Drafting entire story before publishing chapters
Each chapter taking about a month to draft
Story based on historical and anthropological records
Uses second-person narrative to put reader in mindset of Rajah Humabon
First chapter available on explorations.ph as prototype https://www.explorations.ph/p/conquistadors-gambit
🗂️ Story Development and Characters (09:18 - 20:37)
Drafted chapters 2, 3, and last chapter
Chapter 2 introduces conflict between boy and serpent in Humabon's mind
Chapter 3 connects developments in Malacca and succeeding kingdoms
Enrique (Magellan's slave) plays central role as interpreter
Magellan's character introduced through Enrique's stories
Contrast between ritual sacrifice and Christian holy mass planned
👥 Character Development and Historical Context (20:37 - 29:32)
Paraluman introduced as Humabon's wife from Luzon
Relationship between Humabon and powerful women explored
Blood compact scene planned between Humabon and Magellan
Miracle scene to be depicted through Humabon's perspective
Human sacrifice interpretation of Pigafetta's account
🏁 Story Conclusion and Navigation (29:33 - 40:17)
Battle as consequence of unraveling conflicts
Humabon's limitations as a 'big man' society explored
Epilogue to contrast apparent success with historical reality
Instructions on navigating the Roam database for drafts. Public Roam graph: https://roamresearch.com/#/app/kahlil-public
Author's work history and writing progress shared
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