There are a precious few opportunities in which Pilipino culture gets some mainstream exposure in the city of Chicago every year. In the winter, Navy Pier, the city’s biggest tourist attraction, showcases Christmas trees during the highly popular Winter Wonder Fest. Dozens of countries are represented, including the Philippines, whose tree has typically been covered with Capiz shells and mini parols. Last year, the Museum of Science and Industry also held a “Christmas Around the World” exhibit in which the Philippines was represented with native decorations made of bamboo and toy jeepneys.
Now, it looks as though another tradition may be shaping up to celebrate Pilipino heritage in Chicago. This time, it’s during the summer, around the Philippine Independence Day: Passport to the Philippines (P2P). For the third year in a row, the Chicago Children’s Museum, also at Navy Pier, featured the Philippines in its “Passport to the World” series on June 10, 12 and 13, 2010. Committees representing countries like India, Ireland, Greece and Puerto Rico, to name a few, apply to become part of the year-round series geared toward children and families. Since at least the late 1990s, Chicago’s major ethnic groups have competed to display their home countries for three-day festivals filled with family activities, entertainment and cultural programs. It was just three years ago that a committee led by community leader Ruben Salazar actively worked to put the Philippines on the map, so to speak.
So far, the turnout has been strong, and the programs have been fun and engaging. This year’s P2P, like last year’s, included a parade of native costumes on the pier, martial arts demonstrations, and cultural performances from groups like Filipinos in Alliance at University of Illinois at Chicago and Kapwa Cultural of Loyola University Chicago.
During opening night, crowd pleaser Lane Tech High School’s Kapamilya Habang Buhay performed their “death-defying” Bangko routine. The same dance wowed audiences at the popular Battle of the Bamboo competition in the spring. The “ooh’s”, “aah’s”, and “ay’s” were endless throughout the crowd, who were propped up against all the walls during a bustling opening night. If anything, Passport to the Philippines serves as a bridge between the young and old generations involved in the event. It is also a huge chance to show the Chicago area the strong presence, pride, and unity of the Pilipino community here.
Some other highlights from the 3rd P2P:
-Food with substance: The snack room featured a healthy (yes, healthy) halo-halo dessert (a concoction of tropical fruits, jellies, ice, and ice cream) made with frozen yogurt, low-fat skim milk, and unsweetened jello and beans. It was designed by FACHIC Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago or FACHIC. The group serves Pilipino seniors with health resources and consultation.
-Lessons to take home: NAYON, which means “community” in Tagalog, is an organization that hosts children’s classes on Philippine heritage, traditions and culture. They showed the youth how to make masks like those found at the week-long Maskara Festival in Bacolod City, Philippines held every October.
-A Glimpse of the Philippines: Young and emerging artist Lea Maryana Rivera taught children the history of the parol, and helped them paint and decorate their own parols made out of rice paper. Rivera also showed off beautiful, captivating paintings of Philippine life, which you can see for yourself at her online gallery.
*Congrats to all the organizers, groups, and performers involved in another successful P2P. And big thanks to Gephine Fernandez for contributing to this post and heading out on Opening Night.
