Following a walk through the slag heap, this workshop/lecture examines the ongoing extractive logics in present day Philippines. Where feudal configurations from the Spanish and American colonial period still survive today, through landlordism, haciendas, and monoculture plantations. This speculation on ‘othered’ ecologies is told through a few common food items found in local markets, that were the main trade items during the height of imperial extraction from the Philippines. Reframed as anti-commodities, stories from cinnamon, sugar, and rice, are made apparent by its use in social gatherings, gift economies, landscape restoration, and agroforestry.

This divergent way of production stands in contrast to both existing commercial goods and broader forms of commodification. Rooted in local practices valuing more than just economics, it persists from past practices or emerged as a direct response to various forms of commodification, particularly those originating from European colonial hegemonies.

Meeting point: PACT Zollverein, Bullmannaue 20A, 45327 Essen

Please arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before the start of the event!

Important information: The event takes place outside on the grounds of the Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site and is not barrier-free. Parts of the footpath from PACT to the venue include uneven terrain and cobblestones.

Language: English