Game for Children

Arts Network Asia
72-13, Mohd Sultan RoadSingapore 239007


Co-sponsored by
National Commission for Culture and the Arts


“Islakwatsa New Media Playground “
(Grassroots Advancing Multi-media Eco-education for Children)
GAME for Children
Sculpting Island Community and Protecting our Natural Legacy
Enigmata Biodiversity and Art Education through Popular Multi-Media
May 2007 – July 2008


Enigmata Creative Circle, Inc.
Camiguin Island, Philippines


In partnership with
Department of Education
Province of Camiguin, Philippines


Report Summary

Another milestone in the pioneering work of Enigmata in this island has involved thousands of children as part of the GAME for Children new media multi-media story telling which was an effective tool in audience development in the grassroots community. The most important part of the project is the exhibition of the works of the children and youth such as animation films, environmental plugs, creative recycling products for enterprise development, poetry and original music compositions of the theater production. It is also an interesting collaboration of the Department of Education, Camiguin Polytechnic State College Ecotour Students (CPSC), Yumbing National High School festival drummers, local community musicians and out of school youth and Enigmata artists.

The main component of the project were the following: (BACK-UP) Biodiversity Art Childrens’ Kinamiguin User-friendly Pictionary and Mounting of the animated Kinamiguin Biodiversity slides; product development for Creative Homemade Indigenized Local Designs (CHILD) enterprise; setting up of Island Showroom/ museum.

The four-day Earth Camp 2007 Islakwatsa New Media Playground (co-cponsored by National Commission for Culture and the Arts) was the highlight of the GAME for Children project which produced eight short films on environmental plugs and were showcased during the February Arts festival in different venues around the island which was part of the Children’s Art film Festivals for Environment (CAFFE). The films produced were also showcased in international presentations such as in Environmental Education in Asia Seminar/ Workshop with the Korean Federation on Environmental Movement. The book art and eco-campaign books and films were part of the International Children’s Picture Book Exhibition in Nami Island, Seoul, South Korea with Korean Board on Books for Young People. The wetlympics was the final activity of the Earth Camp 2007 as a community day out and science project showcase in collaboration with the Department of Education

The mounting of the Biodiversity Art Childrens’ Kinamiguin User-friendly Pictionary included the previous works of the children as designs and the additional inputs of the teachers. This is still an on going project which needs proper consultation with Kinamiguin native speaker and possible printing for the Department of Education.

The product development workshop has been started prior to the implementation of the project, but new designs and products were also produced during the Earth Camp 2007. Some of the experimental designs were tested in the market among friends and family members at first. Then later the products were also included in local and international exhibitions.

The Enigmata as a cultural destination and recycling center ecolodge has been host to the Balay Kinabuhi. Its receiving area serves as gallery with newly designed bottle walls. Products made during the Earth Camp and other workshops are now on display.
As part of the creative enterprise, a special workshop on making bird houses as a campaign to “bring back the birds, bring back the forest” was also to explore the creativity of the children. The products needs to be tested in the market and there is a need to explore more designs.

The month long Philippine Arts Festival showcased the films produced by the children and the newly mounted multi-media theater production as an off shoot to “Dula sa Gabon”. The new media story telling concert showcased Birdl Call production “Hilak sa Agila” (Cry of the Eagle) musical concert with original compositions. The production team was composed of the Dep Ed high school festival drummers, ecotourguiding practicum ecotourism students, local community musicians, out of school youth, and Enigmata artists. The multi-level collaboration was a rewarding experience which involved all processes in the grassroots level.

As part of the cultural and environmental education, the young future eco-cultural tour guide were given first hand experience with close encounters with cultural workers, professional eco-tour guides, cultural workers and development artists, cultural bearers and real people through a hands-on training in organizing and advocacy work.

As part of the cultural regeneration with the aid of a digital camera and minimum editing equipments and softwares, Enigmata was able to assist indigenous communities in the documentation of their living cultures and cultural bearers.

A promotional ecotourism educational video about Camiguin is launched as an experimental project of the ecotourism students in their ecotourguiding practicum and as their hands on training highlighting the eco-cultural biodiversity assets of the island

The benefits of the project can be summarized in the following points;

1. This pioneering new media work is a powerful tool to reach the hearts and minds of the children
2. The participants experienced to walk an extra mile with hightened self-esteem as they explored a new level of competency in the new media project
3. The teachers and participants were so proud to showcase the output of their workshops which was shown to bigger audience during the story telling concert tour and film festival
4. A great number of students as audience benefited from the story telling festival as the off shoot of the new media GAME for children project
5. A good number of workshop participants learned new skills and ideas in the development of ideas into a multi-media production
6. A very innovative sense of implementation brought a new perspective in grassroots advancing new media eco-education in the local and international audience
7. The environmental plugs are now available on-line as the voices of the children of Camiguin for biodiversity conservation