The Canadian Museum for Human Rights hosted Kwento’t Kulay: Stories and Colors, a one-day event on Nov. 9 organized by the Philippine Historical Society of Canada, Inc. (PHSCI). The event focused on Filipino culture, stories and artistic expression.
Nico Bryle Alfafara, PHSCI co-founder, provided insight about the event. “It’s an art session while at the same time a vendor market session, wherein we come together to gather the Filipino community.”
The event included three sessions in which attendees were taught something about the Philippines. The first session was about Baybayin, which is an ancestral written language in the Philippines. The second session was about volunteerism and stone art. The third, Alfafara said was “about cultivation and Filipino history and heritage.”
Alfafara explained the event happens annually, with each year focusing on a different theme. “This year, we wanted it to be more personal in terms of identity,” he said.
Part of the event was a Filipino-Style market (tiangge.) This served as a space for patronage and support of small Filipino businesses.
Axel Alegre participated in the event for the first time as a vendor. “I want to showcase my products […] I also want to highlight my arts and crafts, which I sell,” she said. “Being a Filipino in this Filipino event, it’s something I want to [bring] in as a creative artist.”
The event was also an opportunity for people to engage with their cultural backgrounds. Adaleia Santos, a volunteer from the youth activist group Anakbayan, said she joined the event to learn more about her heritage. “I wanted to get in touch with my Filipino culture and history,” Santos said. “It’s important to be in spaces that make me intertwine with my culture and, at the same time, be with my people.”
Santos also encouraged non-Filipino students to participate in Filipino events. “If you want to learn about Filipino culture […] you’re always welcome,” she said. “We’re a very welcoming community.”
Members of the U of M Filipino Students’ Association (FSA) were also involved with the event. Nathaniel Casiano, FSA co-president, shared his thoughts on the gathering. “Part of this experience is really exploring Filipino identity, [and] aspects that may not be as prominent,” he said. “Filipino culture is not just jeepneys or Jollibee, it’s so much deeper than that.”
Danritch Balute, FSA co-president, added that the event highlights the diversity within the Filipino community in Canada. “You will find Filipinos that immigrated here and also Filipinos that were born here in Canada. That makes us interesting [because we] will have a different perspective,” Balute said.
Casiano and Balute noted the event also raised awareness about natural disasters in the Philippines. “[The Philippines is] in a place where there’s a lot of typhoons, a lot of natural disasters, including earthquakes,” Casiano said. “There was an earthquake that happened just last month, but currently there is another typhoon.”
Balute added, “Approximately, we get 20 typhoons yearly on average, and recently, with climate change, it’s been much worse. The storms are getting stronger,” Balute stated. “One of the many reasons they are organizing this event is to send help back home.”
