Ovvian Castrillo-Hill is Bringing Life Love and Lumpia to Fort St. John

Food has a way of bringing people together, of sparking conversation and connection even between strangers. In the TELUS STORYHIVE Video Podcast Life Love and Lumpia With Ovvian Hill, artist Ovvian Castrillo-Hill uses one dish, the delicious Filipino lumpia, as a starting point for something much bigger: uncovering the origin stories, passions and everyday kindnesses that make up the Fort St. John community.

Life Love and Lumpia follows Ovvian as she sits down with community members from all walks of life, from local leaders to newcomers, artists to tradespeople, sharing a plate of lumpia and letting the conversation unfold from there. What emerges are stories of immigration, belonging and the quiet ways a small town in northeastern BC has grown into a home for people from all over the world.

We spoke with Ovvian about the inspiration behind the podcast, her own journey with STORYHIVE, and what she hopes audiences take away as she heads into Season 2. 

STORYHIVE: Tell us about yourself!

Ovvian Castrillo-Hill: My name is Ovvian Castrillo-Hill. I'm originally an artist and sculptor from the Philippines. After moving to Canada, specifically to Fort St. John, it was very challenging to find my place as an immigrant.

After spending several years as a stay-at-home mom, I found meaningful work in settlement and integration services, helping newcomers build their lives in Fort St. John. That's my day job, but outside of work I've always been very active in the community.

I volunteer with the North Peace Filipino Canadian Association and have been involved in planning community events and other community-based initiatives through my work. I also continue to pursue my passion for the arts.

STORYHIVE: Tell us about your Video Podcast, Life Love and Lumpia With Ovvian Hill. How did the idea first come about?

Ovvian Castrillo-Hill: Life Love and Lumpia really builds on the previous projects I've created through STORYHIVE. Those projects focused on introducing and highlighting the Filipino diaspora in Fort St. John and documenting how our community has grown.

Through that work, I discovered that Filipino families have actually been in Fort St. John since the late 1960s, and since then the community has grown tremendously. I wanted to highlight the contributions of the Filipino community to the growth of Fort St. John and the surrounding region, while also giving newcomer Filipinos an opportunity to share their stories.

Often, Filipinos are recognized primarily for filling important roles in health care, food service, tourism and support work. Through my documentaries, and now Life Love and Lumpia, I wanted to broaden that perspective.

I speak with people from different backgrounds about how they've experienced Filipino culture and how those relationships have shaped our community. The podcast also tells the origin stories of people who call Fort St. John home. In each episode, I ask guests about their own journey to Fort St. John. 

"Life" represents their origin story and experiences in the community. "Love" focuses on their passions and the projects they're involved in, many of which are community-based. "Lumpia" is inspired by food-focused interview shows where sharing a meal sparks conversation. 

STORYHIVE: Food can be such a powerful connector. Why did you choose lumpia for the podcast?

Ovvian Castrillo-Hill: Lumpia is definitely one of the best-known Filipino dishes in North America. It's often described as the Filipino spring roll. While it originally has roots in Chinese cuisine, Filipinos have made it our own and added our own unique twist.

It's delicious, approachable, crunchy and something many North Americans already associate with Filipino culture. Because people naturally gravitate toward it at gatherings, I thought it would make the perfect conversation starter. For people who have never tried it, it's also a wonderful introduction to Filipino cuisine.

More broadly, food is central to Filipino culture. Anyone who's attended a Filipino celebration knows that food is always at the heart of it. Whether it's a birthday, baptism or another special occasion, there's always a feast!

That's why I felt it was important to make food part of the podcast. It's such an authentic representation of who we are, and lumpia felt like the perfect choice for bringing people together.

STORYHIVE: How do you encourage guests to open up and share their stories? Do you have any techniques for making them feel comfortable?

Ovvian Castrillo-Hill: I usually send my guests a list of guiding questions ahead of time so they have an idea of what we'll be talking about. That helps put them at ease. Once we're recording, though, the conversation naturally evolves, and I like to dive deeper into the topics they bring up.

I always remind them that it's just a conversation. It's no different than sitting down together over dinner or at a barbecue. Some guests I know better than others, so with those people there's already a level of comfort because I know some of their background. I also do a bit of research beforehand so I can ask more thoughtful questions.

STORYHIVE: After speaking with so many people, what are some of the common themes or through lines you've noticed?

Ovvian Castrillo-Hill: One question I ask almost everyone is, "What do you love about Fort St. John?"

I would say about 80% of my guests give the same answer: the people. More specifically, they talk about the kindness of the people and the strong sense of community that still exists here. It's something I've observed myself.

Fort St. John isn't a perfect community, but if someone posts on Facebook asking for help, it's amazing how many people step forward. Someone will offer their time, someone else will lend equipment, or another person might say, "I have that in my garage, you're welcome to borrow it."

That willingness to help one another is something I think many people here truly value. We're often surrounded by negative news, so it's refreshing to hear stories that focus on kindness, connection, and appreciation for where we live.

STORYHIVE: Tell us about your journey with STORYHIVE Voices. What was your experience like when you first joined the Voices program, and what surprised you most about later joining the Video Podcast program for Life Love and Lumpia?

Ovvian Castrillo-Hill: I'm incredibly grateful to STORYHIVE. I actually first discovered it through Facebook. I saw the opportunity and thought, "Why not?" It wasn't a question of why I should apply. It was a question of why I shouldn't!

My first STORYHIVE Voices project focused on the origin stories of Filipino immigrants living in Fort St. John. I interviewed people from different generations and explored the many paths that brought them here.

Some projects were definitely more difficult than others. There were times when my abilities didn't quite match my expectations. Even with all the excellent training and resources STORYHIVE provides, there was still a learning curve.

But through that process, I discovered where my strengths really are. With podcasting, I was pleasantly surprised. My STORYHIVE advisor even told me she felt this was the format where I truly shine. I think she's right.

I enjoy having conversations. I genuinely love talking with people, asking questions, learning from them, and hearing their perspectives. Every interview teaches me something new about my own community.

Of all the STORYHIVE projects I've done, Life Love and Lumpia has been the most enjoyable. In fact, I'm currently filming Season 2, and I'm having just as much fun creating this next chapter!

STORYHIVE: What do you hope audiences take away from your video podcast?

Ovvian Castrillo-Hill: For my local community, I hope it builds a greater appreciation of one another. I think our biggest challenge as a community is participation, and my interviewees are all people who show up and participate in their own way, whether that's building rockets or being spinners and weavers. 

I hope others feel informed and inspired by that. On a broader scale, for B.C. or all of Canada, I'd love for this to put Fort St. John on the map, sparking curiosity and maybe even bringing more visitors here. That would be a dream result for me.

Join us in celebrating Ovvian’s incredible success! Explore Life Love and Lumpia With Ovvian Hill Season 1 now streaming on TELUS Optik TV Video on Demand channel 9, Stream+ and STORYHIVE’s YouTube channel.