An avatar for the Philippines?

THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNANCE | LEONOR MAGTOLIS BRIONES

ABS-CBN Interactive 01/11/2010 12:33 AM

The most beautiful films I have ever watched are the three Lord of the Rings movies: Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King , directed by Peter Jackson.

Now comes “Avatar” directed by James Cameron. From the first day of its showing, the film attracted hordes of film viewers. I saw the 3-D version with my family.

I already knew what to expect from ecstatic reviews and stunning trailers. Nevertheless, when I finally saw it, I was entranced from start to finish. The film seamlessly blended technology, romance, spirituality and advocacy in one gorgeous film. Enthusiastic reviews descriptions ranged from “sumptuous fare”, “monumental feast for the eyes,” and “enchanting.” One reviewer raved, “You’ve never experienced anything like it!” Right!

My painter son and his wife who are into digital imaging were impressed with the techniques which pushed the”Gollum technology” in the “Rings” even further. My husband who lives at the foot the highest mountain in Negros Oriental, loved the forests while my 6-year old apo loved the flowers and the mysterious lights.

Beyond the dazzling technology, the breathtaking heights of the floating mountains, the thrilling battle scenes and the heart-breaking moments, the film raises issues which people have been advocating for decades- the rights of peoples who have been colonized, the use of state force to protect corporate interests and allow exploitation of the natural resources of colonies and the wanton destruction of the environment in the interest of industry and “progress.”

The massacre of native population contemptuously called “blue monkeys” in the film by the military brought to my mind the rebellious island of Samar where Filipinos were called “monkeys without tails” by American soldiers. The lush jungles and the gigantic flowers evoked images of Brazil, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. The insatiable greed for the mineral called unobtanium brings to mind the ruthless exploitation of the diamond mines of South Africa, oil deposits of Nigeria, and the rich mineral ores of the Philippines. And yes, the rebellion of the Nav’i stirred memories of rebellions against the armed might of dominant powers.

While the film is futuristic and takes place in the moon (Pandora) of a very distant planet, one cannot help but feel that it is about the planet Earth. Not the planet Earth of the future but that of the immediate past and the present. The hero’s decision to be part of the Nav'i rebellion against the “sky people” is reminiscent of the film “Soldier Blue” and “Dances With Wolves, where the hero joins the struggle of the American Indians against the whites. The story of William Pomeroy who married Celia Mariano, joined the Huk movement in the Philippines and was captured and imprisoned is a true-to-life love story.

The theme about protecting the environment and the rich natural resources of poor countries resonate with the “Rings” films, “Water World” and many others. In the Philippines, the ongoing debate on the exploitation of mineral resources and destruction of the environment continues unabated. Forty years before, the issue was indiscriminate cutting of trees. Today”s issue is on the massive floods resulting from the crimes of the past.

An avatar for the Philippines?

Aside from the above themes, the bigger theme is that of the avatar.

The word avatar can be traced to Hinduism. It refers to the “appearance of a deity in physical form, having descended from heaven to earth.” It is the “incarnate appearance” or the “human manifestation of a deity” Thus, an avatar is actually a deity in human form.

The best known avatars of the Hindu God Vishnu are Krishna and Ram. The great Hindu epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana are celebrations of their earthly journeys.

However, the meaning of the word seems to have evolved and has been diluted. As far as techies are concerned, avatars are not representations of God but of humans. Thus, Facebook enthusiasts have their own avatars.

In the film “Avatar”, the word refers to a genetically bred Nav’i-human hybrid. A Nav’i body is controlled by a human brain.

The mission of the classic Avatar is to “bring righteousness back to social and cosmic order.” A quotation from the Mahabharata is translated as follows: “Whenever righteousness wanes and unrighteousness increases, I send myself forth, in order to protect the good and punish the wicked. In order to make a firm foundation for righteousness, I come into being age after age.”

Many Filipinos despair over the degradation and moral decay which is sweeping the Philippines. Is it time for an avatar of God to bring righteousness back to our country? Must God come down in human form to restore order and peace in our troubled world? Or can we solve our problems by ourselves, starting with the elections?