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NOEL is about an “engagement ritual” that deeply expresses my own longing and desire. Noel is the name of my muse, who lives in a small town in the mountains of Banaue, Ifugao. Here, I portray the character of a “Queer Shaman” who passionately chants mystical words, complemented by Noel’s masculine presence as he chops firewood. The action is followed by the chewing of betel (an Ifugao traditional practice), and then proceeds into sexual intimacy through a tender kiss that symbolizes our union.