“Let the plants guide us in how to heal ourselves and the world.”
BACKGROUND
Clinical Herbalist & Arts Educator, Holly Calica is co-founder of Luna Nueva Wellness Collective and Kalingafornia Laga, the Bay Area’s weaving circle dedicated to preserving traditional Kalinga backstrap weaving (laga). For 40 years, she’s been active as a practicing visual artist, an educator and a published poet. Her experience as an educator, artivist, dancer and herbalist influences her current work. She promotes healers of color, traditional arts and practices, and budding herbalists. She focuses on ancient healing practices as a means to bring balance, clarity and strength to individuals and communities. Her collaborative work centers on creativity, community building and guiding people towards wellness through the arts and in holistic private practice, clinical work and educational forums. Most recently she has worked with the Healing Clinic Collective, Freedom Community Clinic, San Francisco Community Well and Land of VERSE, an online Herbal Education Program.
EDUCATION
Holly holds a BA in Social Sciences from UC Irvine, and a BA in Liberal Studies with a teaching credential from San Francisco State University. She taught all levels of elementary and high school for 30 years in San Francisco. In Aotearoa and Hawaii, under the direction of Manu Koreha and Atarangi Muru, along with other Maori Healers, she studied ancient wisdoms through “Te Rongopae – A Clear Bright Horizon” and and the “Kawa Ariki – The Goddess Returns.” Her training continues through Atarangi’s tutelage during her annual international visits. She is a graduate of the California School of Herbal Studies’ Roots/Foundations and their Clinical Training Program. She also attended the dhyana Center’s Ayurvedic Clinical Foundations and Nutrition Program.
CULTURAL WORK & THE ARTS
The foundation of her well-being is grounded in traditional Philippine and African Diaspora dance, her on-going community involvement and her international solidarity work. She dedicated years of performing with Palibuniyan Kulintang Ensemble and dancing in San Francisco’s Carnival with Fogo Na Roupa and other contingents. Her leadership in preserving ancient traditions is integral to the progress of promoting laga (Kalinga backstrap weaving) in the San Francisco Bay Area and the building of traditional canoes alongside California Natives and Balik Sa Dagat: Bangka Journey. With a 40 year history of visual arts in the community, she enjoys her ongoing relationship with the Cultural Conservancy’s “Guardians of the Waters” program, displaying her mixed media work in their 2019 exhibition and loved carving on the storytelling chair at Heron’s Landing in 2025.
HONORING THE ANCESTORS
Many elders and teachers made a huge impact on her life’s direction and work. At this time she would like to publicly thank these Ancestors: Mestre Carlos Aceituno, Master Danongan Kalanduyan, Andrea Jeffreys, Manang Maria Bawer of Mabilong, Lubuagan, Philippines, Akon Darryl “Babe” Wilson and Manu Koreha of the Maori Healers.
PEOPLE TO SEE, PLACES TO GO & STORIES TO TELL
Plant Stories https://herbamordays.blogspot.com/
Pinay Travels https://pinaymujer.blogspot.com/