Cristina Cayat: Living yesterday for tomorrow

It has never been easy to achieve your childhood dream, never been easy to face countless trials before you can finally reach all those wishful goals you have in mind. But, how far can you go until you tell yourself that you have reached the end?

Back in the old days, it was a custom for Filipino kids to visit their neighbor’s houses to play with the other kids in their barangays (community). The same goes for Cris who was exposed to this kind of setting; however, she did not get to have the entire experience. Cris played just like the other kids but it was not as often as a normal kid would do as she was passionate about something else – arts.

When Cris was young, she would usually visit their neighbor’s house to hold the weaved textile bought from the market and the unfinished slipper that she started making the other day and work on it. She usually stayed in the house for hours just to finish her work.

Cristina Cayat, or “Cris” as known by the people close to her, is a 45-year-old Igorot who migrated to Hong Kong at the age of 19. Cris, like most of the eldest child in a Filipino family do, served as the breadwinner for her siblings and parents.

Cris aspiringly took a college entrance examination at the University of the Philippines, her dream university, to pursue her interest in arts. Unfortunately, she failed to pass. She decided to enroll herself in the BS Education program of the University of the Cordilleras in Baguio City even if she did not desire it.

During her second year in college, Cris had to make a tough choice. The business that provided her and her three other siblings’ schooling finance went bankrupt. Because of this, Cris became a working scholar in the library of their university to help her siblings. She later changed her mind after she realized that being a working scholar was not enough to support their education. Cris decided to drop out of her studies and chose to accept the job offered to her overseas.

“Kaya noong mag- college na ako hindi nila kaya akong tustusan. Kaya tumigil ako.”

(That is why they cannot provide for my education when I entered college. So, I stopped.)

Yesterday

Becoming a domestic worker is not something one could easily predict. Many people regarded life abroad as a fight for life, not only for their own but also for the lives of the people they are supporting. However, to some, it also serves as an opportunity just like it served Cris.

Cris originally went to Hong Kong because of her family. She wanted to support her siblings financially. One of the reasons she made this step was because she did not want her siblings to have the same path she had. This eventually changed because of the relationships and memories she built over her long stay in Hong Kong.

Cris’ purpose stem from her family's welfare for her fellow Filipinos in Hong Kong. She joined the Filipino newspaper in Hong Kong called The Sun in 2005 until 2016. It was a free newspaper that caters to the relevant events concerning Filipinos in Hong Kong and the Philippines. Whenever Cris has the time to spare, she wrote articles for The Sun. But for her, this volunteerism and care for her kababayan did not stop by just writing in a publication.

Endless Obstacles

Facing one’s fear is never easy. One reason is that they fear failure and the possibility that it might not go according to their plan. The same situation also applied to Cris when she failed to enter her dream university which also caused her to stop pursuing her interest in arts. Cris did not let this fear of failing again hinder her passion for arts. With her history of creating slippers out of weaved textiles, Cris was able to make tailoring as her hobby.

Slowly, Cris turned this hobby of hers into something more beautiful. At first, Chris was afraid of making a mistake in using Inabel (an Ilcocano term for “hinabi” textiles) and said, “bumibili ako ng regular na tela, tinatahi ko para kahit na magkamali ako, okay lang. Kasi hindi naman siya Inabel. Kaya doon din ako natuto”

(I use regular cloth that I bought for tailoring, so if it’s just fine if I made a mistake because it is not Inabel. Due to it, I was able to learn).

But eventually, she learned to master her craft and directly worked on Inabel.

For a time, Cris enjoyed weaving Inabel only as a hobby, but it changed when she discovered the Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship Program or the LSE program last 2012. LSE offers a six-month program where Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), like Cris, were taught how to effectively mold their talents to help them in the long run. In the same year, Cris also met the Enrich HK organization where she considered putting her hobby to the next level.

There was no doubt that she would hesitate at first but the Executive Director of Enrich HK, who eventually became her friend told her "Ate Cris, gawan mo ako ng bag, 'yong pwede kong ilagay lahat ng abubot ko."

(Ate Cris, make me a bag where I could put all my things.)

It was her first sale and her first drive to make her hobby as a source of income. It was the first support she received for her craft.

Pure textile clothing does not invite younger generations in its market. This observation of Cris helped her to innovate the designing and tailoring of Inabel textiles. Cris have always been wary of the dying culture of textile weaving. Through her craft, she wishfully hoped that the younger generation will appreciate the beauty of it.

However, it was not easy for her to reach her goal.

One day, while Cris was sitting on the floor with her fabrics and textiles laid flat, she felt discouraged after she pondered upon the struggles she was experiencing. Nothing had been easy in Cris’ life during this time. “Mukhang hindi ko kayang gawin, so pinasa ko sa iba.”

(It feels like I cannot do it, so I passed it to others).

But then again, this did not stop Cris. She grabbed the opportunity that she had after her siblings finished their studies. She believed that her money can now be spent to improve her craft. She can now pursue her passion and pursue her goal.

Her path still posed challenges for her to work through it seems it is not yet the time for her craft to be known by all.

As a domestic worker in Hong Kong, Cris said, “hindi ako nagpo-post kasi may restriction din sa working visa namin, hindi kami pwedeng magtinda, hindi kami pwedeng gumawa ng business.”

(I do not post because there was a restriction in our working visa, we cannot sell, and we cannot establish make a business).

The lack of knowledge about the meaning of the textiles during that time also limited Cris from uploading her products on social media.

For Tomorrow

Despite the obstacles Cris faced, she still pursued developing her craft. She later provided Ekolife in Ifugao last 2018 and Vigan Living in Ilocos last 2019 her products for selling. Besides this, she also dressed numerous groups of candidates of pageants throughout her journey.

Cris also designed and tailored the ethnic gowns of Ms. Tublay, one of the candidates, for the celebration of Adivay in both 2017 and 2018. However, there were times when Cris would jokingly complain about the black circles around her eyes because of the sleepless nights of preparation during the Igorot’s celebration of the last year’s Adivay Festival in Hong Kong.It was where she dressed six participating candidates in the festival's pageant.

Photoshoot for a cause: Cris' latest Inabel Collection

Image from: Crisha Cayat's Facebook Profile

Cris’ craft is not yet known to many. It has not yet reached a big number of the younger generation that she aims to target. But, Cris’ motivation is still far from being exhausted. She would continue living yesterday, her culture and her passion for arts, for tomorrow.

Behind Cris’ desire to reach the younger generation drives her hunger to sell. Not for herself, but for the Igorot weavers. She believes that if the demand for this type of product grows, Igorot mothers will less likely work abroad, as they would choose to weave and stay with their families here in the Philippines.

Just like Cris’ journey, the concept of stopping will never be an option—the moment you stop may be just your resting point after all.

By Patricia Anne May Nas

Image from: Cristine Cayat. [ca. 2020]. In Facebook [Profile Page]. Retrieved February 22, 2020, from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215742158523151&set=a.2427239156561&type=3