Everything is owl right

For 36 years, she was an HSBC banker, retiring as its COO in November 2008. Today, she heads their family company, Elsiebeth Corporation, which produces Elsie’s frozen bread, named after her mother, my regal graceful rigodon dance instructress.

And together with husband David and daughters Mae and Sam, she runs a Filipino comfort food café at Market!Market! in BGC aptly called Owlisms. You should not miss her croissants, buns, loaf bread and other fancy fare.

Elaine Dichupa, now a grandmother of two, never planned to collect owls; but she now lives among over a thousand of them in a bright and breezy home in Parañaque.

Her obsession with collectible owls started 27 years ago with two owls — leftovers from Cardinal Ceramics’ animal figurines she gifted her colleagues with when she was assigned to HSBC Hong Kong. The living room walls were empty so she happily put the items on a shelf.

“They were just sitting there and my friends commented, ‘They look rather lonely.’ They started giving me owls to keep those two company,” she says. As the collection grew, and her friends and relatives saw how much Elaine appreciated them, she got hooked on collecting. So the owls just kept coming.

I consider this to be providential because I often ask the Lord for the Gift of Wisdom. And owls are, indeed, associated with wisdom and known to be wise.

I, too, have had a few encounters of the “owl” kind. Last June, my daughter, her family and I went to Japan. I saw in a Kyoto bookstore a collection of lovely handmade stuffed owls, made of exquisite traditionally printed Japanese silk. I found out that in Japanese culture, the owl is a symbol of good luck as the word for owl and luck are one — fuku for luck and fukumo for owl. And the lady in the shop also mentioned that keeping an owl close to you would protect you from suffering.

I recall something similarly told to me by a classmate according to Native American belief, when I was in second year at the Palo Alto Senior High School in California. When my mother, sisters and I took a trip to the Sequoia National Park, I instantly bought a 14-inch candle that was handcrafted like a real live owl, which I have kept with me to this day. Indeed, I’d like to think that I have been blessed by luck, wisdom and strength all these years.

“Elaine, I see how you are so deep into the owl kingdom!”

Elaine’s collection of owls today literally covers her home space — almost wall to wall, floor to ceiling when she spreads out everything for us to photograph.

Over close to three decades, she has carefully sourced and treasured anything and everything having to do with owls from ballpoint pens to memo pads, tote bags and T-shirts to pillows, accessories; as well as stuffed owls, plates and bric-a-brac; handsome, mysterious and lovable owls of porcelain, ceramics, crystal from Murano and Swarovski.

“Ten years ago, I bought a Kate Spade bag which I considered pricey then,” Elaine recalls. “But now I receive more expensive owls from friends.” 

It’s amazing that her grandchildren do not knock any objects from her coffee tables while playing around the home. For some reason or other, I feel that children brought up in a collector’s home with collectibles everywhere turn out to be more responsible, creative, appreciative, careful and respectful of other’s possessions, space and feelings. My own children and grandchildren have not broken any of my collectibles at all. (Thank goodness.)

“When I started collecting owls, they were a rare find. But in the last 10 years, you can find them in many stores, Amazon and gift and souvenir shops,” said this owl authority.

“One day, if my daughters or grandchildren are not interested to keep them, I will gladly give my owls to anyone who also has an owl collection. Those items that can be used or worn, I will donate to charity. If my friends want to remember me, I will give them an owl of their choice,” adds Elaine when asked what she plans to do with her collection.

I quickly told Elaine to reserve two of my favorites!

“A lot of them are dust gatherers and I am running out of space to display them. Whereas before, I just bought owls galore, now I am very happy to receive or purchase practical owl things I can wear or use,” adds Elaine.

“The owl is called bukaw in my dialect, Ilonggo. I always work late at night. One day, my maid told me that I am like a bukaw — working late nights — and to her that explains why I collect owls!”

I’m sure Elaine cannot resist the temptation to add another owl to her collection since her home is a virtual aviary, amassing owls of every size from the miniscule to the massive.

Now graciously enjoying her retirement, Elaine has had decades of memories of friends and loved ones who always know what to give her on special occasions. They cannot resist adding one more to her collection whenever they have her in mind. And to this day, no two are the same.

Just like many collectors, Elaine neither keeps inventory nor has she catalogued her collection. It is more than enough that, at the prime of her life, her owl collection is the vehicle that has brought happy memories, good vibes, strengthened friendships and relationships and provided her limitless hours of stories and experiences to share.

In the last few years, Elaine has given away owls to her high school friends for Christmas. She makes her way to shops selling owl fans, coin purses and other lovely items. Lo and behold, many owl recipients are now thinking of starting their own menagerie, or have already started collecting.

See how contagious it is?

Her grandchildren have grown up with a loving, charming, intelligent, owl-loving lola they fondly call “Lolaine.” And sure enough, when they see owls anywhere, they automatically see Lolaine.

Elaine writes with an owl ballpoint pen on owl stationery; she wears owl T-shirts, dresses, slippers and sleepwear, owl jewelry, and carries owl tote bags; sits on owl cushions, drinks from owl mugs, eats from owl plates and holds notes up with owl magnets.

Unbelievable! It seems one cannot have enough owls. For Elaine, this should generate endless luck and freedom from suffering. Maybe, that’s why she has such a happy disposition. And such wisdom.

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 Email the author at nikkicoseteng2017@gmail.com or text her at +63997-433-7154.