BAKHAW (MANGROVE) STEM | PHILIPPINES

HAZEL BRUM

A mother reflects on life after a super typhoon, and what the future holds for their home and her child.

At 26, Hazel, a devoted mother, shares her tale of life on one of the islands of Bohol. Since 2016, she’s called it home with her fisherfolk husband and child. But Super Typhoon Rai (local name: Odette) brought unexpected challenges.

The devastation surpassed Super Typhoon Haiyan (local name: Yolanda), washing away their island home. In its aftermath, amid the wreckage, trauma lingered. Fearful of the elements, Hazel escorts her child to school every day, haunted by the tempest’s memory. Relocation hints at safety, but fishing roots resist farming on unfamiliar land. Her connection to her home bears heavy weight.

In her heart, a question echoes, grappling with the island’s risks: a lifetime on its shores, or a safer relocation to the mainland? The future, especially for her child, remains Hazel’s worry.

Object of Memory

In Hazel’s recollection of Super Typhoon Rai, the mangroves, or “bakhaw,” stand out alongside memories of her family and home. These mangroves act as a vital shield against storm surges and typhoons, providing sanctuary for small crabs and fish. Upon her return from the evacuation center, a wave of sorrow washed over her as she witnessed the devastating aftermath—broken and uprooted mangroves scattered across the landscape, their once protective presence now reduced to mere fragments. Almost none remained standing, leaving Hazel with a reminder of the typhoon’s impact on the natural safeguards of her island.