“Kapwa” is a Tagalog word that cannot be expressed in a simple English translation, but it is one that perfectly embodies the unbreakable bond in Filipino families and their communities that is especially prevalent in turbulent times.
Kapwa implies a sense of interconnectedness and shared identity that is not easily broken through complex differences in opinions. Kapwa means togetherness, neighborliness and the “unity of the one-of-us-and-the-other.” This is the concept that guided director PJ Raval to explore unique Filipino American experiences in the U.S. in his documentary film “Who We Become.”
The film follows three young Filipino women — Monica Silverio, Lauren Yap and Jenah Maravilla — grappling with the emerging pandemic in 2020 as they develop their political consciousness while maintaining connections with their families.
“I think even the idea of having this word that doesn’t fully translate into English already says something about the experience of a Filipino American, right?” Raval tells NextShark. “When I think of the United States, I’m always thinking about American individualism and exceptionalism. When I’m thinking about the Philippines, I’m often thinking about family structures and community.
“And for me, this idea of kapwa, I almost see it as a bridge now. I’ve grown up in this environment that very much is rooted in individualism, and I understand my family comes from a culture that’s very rooted in community, but I’m somewhere in between there, and I’m trying to figure this out. It became a really beautiful way to kind of explore the Filipino American experience in this film.”
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