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film * Culture * arts
ugat filipino
ugat filipino
filipino
roots/veins

OMILANI sponsors Filipino Basketball Team



JERSEY DESIGN
THE JERSEY DESIGN COMES FROM THE ALBUM COVER WHICH IS A HOMAGE TO OMILANI'S ROOTS IN ZAMBOANGA -MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES


Aysshia
MEET THE BEAUTIFUL YOUNG MUSE OF TEAM OMILANI
AYSSHIA


Aysshia just turned 7 years old and already is making her mark on the world as a beauty princess, achiever in school, and a brilliant child with tons of talent. Like Omilani she is AfroFilipina and has a passion for singing and the ARTS. It is our wish that she goes very far in life her her Até AfroFIlipina. She has the kindest heart and the most wonderful dynamic personality.
She is pictured above with her mother Até Aubrey and the Omilani Basketball Team. We thank Darren Mendoza of Lutong Pinoy for nominating Aysshia as the muse for Team Omilani.

KUYA DARREN, MILES AND ATÉ OMILANI ON GAME DAY OF THE FILIPINO BASKETBALL LEAGUE OF SOUTH FLORIDA

OMILANI ALSO PLAYED
AS A FORWARD ON
TEAM ABBA
TEAM OMILANI
FILIPINO BASKETBALL LEAGUE OF SOUTH FLORIDA
![]() 2022 members of Team Omilani | ![]() | ![]() Other Jerseys from Filipino Basketball in South Florida |
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![]() The Jerseys were also produced in the Philippines | ![]() | ![]() |
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no matter how fast, a person cannot outrun themself

In her debut Tagalog/Taglish album, Omilani dives deep into the culture, language and essence of her UGAT FILIPINO (Filipino Roots). With the sway of island rhythm and the pulse of hiphop and soul music, Omilani reintroduces herself to the world with the completeness that her AfroFilipina identity brings to the many beautiful colors she has within.
Regarding the inspiration for making this album, she states, "it was as if I heard my ancestors calling me." Omilani's response to the call was a lyrical and melodic journey that coincided with her real life search for her relatives in the Philippines.
This album is fun, inspirational, vivid, and filled with passion and love.
it was as if I heard my
ancestors
calling to me
STORY
in Tagalog and English
Sa isang malayong lupain, kung saan nagtatagpo ang karagatan at ang mga nagniningning na sinag ng araw, kung saan binubulong ng bundok ang iyong pangalan sa maulap na katahimikan, at kung saan ibibigay ng mga luntiang gubat ang lahat ng kailangan ng tao. Isang lupain na nakakalat ng kamangha-mangha sa gitna ng mala-bughaw na asul na tubig, na inunat at hinuhubog ng mga gumagalaw na bagyo, na nakakaindak na bulubundukin, na kinalalagyan ng kagubatan na dalisdis ng ilog at batis. Isang lupain kung saan unang ipinanganak ang aking diwa bago ang aking katawan. Pilipinas, mahal kong Pilipinas, Ang inang bayan ng aking kaluluwa, ang duyan ng aking mga pangarap, ang matagal nang nawala na tirahan ng aking pananabik na diwa, kung paano ko nais na makasama ka.
Isang lamang akong anak ng iyong tribo, na dinala ng malayo ng hangin ng tadhana, dinala sa isang lupain na pinaka-banyaga. Ang mga bukal ng aking kabataan ay hindi pa nahuhukay ang mga ugat ng aking pinagmulan, na iniiwan akong kulang, hinahangad, nagdadakut patungo sa iyo katawan tulad ng isang sanggol na naghahanap sa dibdib ng kanilang ina. Ilang dekada na ang lumipas at ako’y tumanda na, ngunit ang aking espiritu ay nasusunog pa rin sa apoy ng kabataan, ng pakikipagsapalaran, ng pagnanais na malaman, nais na makita - upang makita ang lupain ng angkan ng aking ninuno.
Ang mga tao, lahi na napakamagiliw, malugod na pagtanggap, kumalat sa buong mundo na may masidhing kultura at malambing na mapagmahal na mga kamay. Lahi na ng mga anak na nagpapalabas ng kagandahan. At ako, napakapalad na maging bahagi ng kanilang lahi. Ang dugo ng aking mga ninuno ay dumadaloy sa aking banayad na katawan, na nagdudugtong sa akin ng isang koneksyon na pinaka-espiritwal na kahit na sa mga taon ng paghihiwalay ay nararamdaman ko pa rin ang isang koneksyon sa tribo ng Pilipino, na ang mga ninuno ay nagmula sa dulong bahagi ng lupa. Nagkalat sa mga karagatan at dagat, nagkalat na may galit na tumutugma sa mga bulkan ng mga isla, nakakalat at naiwan na kulang, naiwan ang pananabik, kinakapos at hinahangad na bumalik sa inang bayan.
Sa aking panandaliang mga panaginip nakikita ko ang mga pangitain ng isang mahusay na pagbabalik, katulad ng mga tribo ng mga disyerto sa silangan na nangangarap na bumalik sa kanilang Zion. Ang isang pangitain kung saan ang lahat ng mga nadala ng malayo mula sa kanilang mga ugat ay magkakaroon ng pagkakataon na makatuntong sa lupa na nagbigay sa kanila ng buhay. Ito ay isang panaginip na pinapangarap ko tuwing gabi, at kung minsan ay isang panaginip na pinapangarap ko na habang bukas ang aking mga mata, nakatingin sa kahirapan at pakikibaka. Dahil ang kalayaan ay hindi sa walang gastos, nang walang pagsasakripisyo, at alam ng aking tribo ito. Maaaring kami ay nagkalat sa buong mundo ngunit ang aming espiritu ay nabubuhay magkasama, konektado ng karanasan, ng pamayanan, at ng paniniwala na balang araw ay babalik kami upang makita muli ang aming inang bayan.
In a land far away, where the oceans would meet with the shining rays of the sun, where the mountains would whisper your name in the misty silence, and where the lush jungles would provide everything you need. A land scattered magnificently amongst the crystalline blue waters, stretched and shaped by the moving storms and the tempest winds, roaring its awe inspiring mountainous ranges, nestle its forested slope of river and stream. A land where my spirit was born first, and my body second. Philippines, oh my dear Philippines, The motherland of my soul, the cradle of my dreams, the long lost abode of my longing spirit, how I wish to be with you.
I am but a child of your tribe, brought far away by the winds of destiny, taken to a land most foreign. The fountains of my youth have yet to unearth the roots of my origin, leaving me wanting, desiring, grasping towards your body like a child looking for their mother’s bosom. The decades have passed and time has taken its toll on my body yet my spirit still burns with the fires of youth, of adventure, of wanting to know, wanting to see - to see the land of my ancestor’s clan.
The people, so hospitable, welcoming, spread around the world with passionate culture and tender loving hands. Whose charm of their children exudes beauty. And I, so fortunate to be part of them. The blood of my ancestors flowing across my gentle body, bridging me a connection most spiritual that even after years of separation I still feel a connection to the Filipino tribe, whose forefathers came afar this part of earth. Scattered across the oceans and the seas, scattered with fury matching the volcanoes of the islands, scattered and left wanting, left longing, wanting and long the return to the motherland.
In my fleeting dreams I see visions of a great return, the same way the tribes of the eastern deserts dream of returning to their Zion. A vision where all those brought afar from their roots would have a chance to step foot on the land that gave them life. It is a dream I dream every night, and sometimes a dream I dream with my eyes wide open, staring at the difficulty and struggle. For freedom is not without its cost, without its sacrifice, and my tribe knows this best. They may have scattered us throughout the world but our spirit lives on together, connected by the experience, by the community, and by the belief that one day we would come back to see our motherland once more.