Page 5 - MidWeek West - May 3, 2023
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Annual Festival In Waipahu Sheds Light On Filipino Culture
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is a wonderful opportunity for us to share our culture, heritage and diversity with the community,” says Arlina Agbayani, office manager at FilCom.
“Hawai‘i is the perfect place to hold a fiesta outside of the Philippines because one-third of our island population are Filipino-Americans.”
At the fiesta, the three main Philippine islands of Luzon, Visayas and Min- danao will be featured as cultural villages. Both cash and credit cards will be ac- cepted and there will be free parking available at YMCA Waipahu, Waipahu High School, August Ahrens Ele- mentary School and Waike- le Shopping Center. Free shuttles from these parking locations will be available throughout the day.
“The famous internation- al fashion designer Iris Vi- acrusis will display some of his designs and creations representing Philippine cul- ture for traditional, folk and indigenous costumes,” says Agbayani. “And, interna- tional symbolist artist Leni Acosta Knight is donating 30% of net proceeds of the sale of her art to the FilCom Center.”
Hawai‘i’s only Filipino mu- sic group Ten Feet. Fami- lies can enjoy an inflatable bounce house, a keiki play- ground, a kids’ corner by the Filipino Curriculum Project, a sungka (Filipino board game) demonstration and tournament, a Pinoy photo booth, children’s book give- aways and keiki coloring ac- tivities.
Attendees can expect tasty cuisine, cultural exhibits, live entertainment and more at the annual Filipino Fiesta and Flores De Mayo event. PHOTO COURTESY FILIPINO COMMUNITY CENTER
Agbayani is especially ex- cited about the fiesta’s new benefit sale, fashion display and silent auction.
Other notable activities include a sari-sari store, a health fair tent, Filipi- no-American up-and-com- ing singer Jules Aurora and
“And, of course, we can- not call it a fiesta without the crowd favorite foods: lum- pia, adobo, pancit, pinakbet, lechon, kare kare and ha- lo-halo,” Agbayani says.
“We encourage everyone to come and celebrate with us,” Agbayani continues.
one-third of our island pop- ulation are Filipino-Ameri- cans. We want all our kaba- bayan (countrymen) to bring their entire family, friends and neighbors.”
For fiesta updates and to learn about future events, visit filcom.org. Or, follow along on Facebook (@Fil- ComCenter) and Instagram (@thefilcomcenter).
Dreams Come Alive!
“Hawai‘i is the perfect place to hold a fiesta outside of the Philippines because
