This is an old wooden carving of Child Jesus, also known as Santo Niño, locally in the Philippines. Not to mention, one of many replicas based on the original one, called the Santo Niño de Cebu, which was believed to have been gifted to the Queen of Cebu by Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan around 500 years ago, and has become an everlasting religious icon. In 1992, my mother was in an internship as a colleague. She had purchased the object from a market and placed it a shrine located in a special spot in her house. It would later end up as one item that would be brought overseas when my parents moved over to America and has been through many residences, including our old apartment back in Michigan. The figure rests on the countertop next to my kitchen today. Despite Santo Niño just being a figure (admittedly, with a few minor damages), it serves as a powerful symbol for faith. For the nation where the significance rooted from, Child Jesus has been appreciated by Filipinos nationwide. Traditions like the Sinulog Festival are celebrated in Cebu City, where people may file in the streets in a large parade that persists for the entire month. Every day, any of us get a glance of the small statue laid on the counter, which being in America and serving the identity of an American, shows that we have diverse and different lineages in the past, regardless of where it may originate. Santo Niño not only has significance in the history of the Philippines, but also what origins we’re rooted from, including to older generations since the first figure.

– JL

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant