The Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen celebrated Women’s Month through a lectured titled, “Women and Freedom: A Historical-Cultural-Musical Journey through the Songs of the Philippine Revolution, 1872-1898” held on 25 March 2018 at the Consulate General premises.

Dr. Evelyn Cabanban from the Tawid Heritage Center led members of the Filipino Community and guests from Xiamen University and the Concordia International School Xiamen through a musical experience, playing songs such as Jocelyn ng Baliwag (Kundiman of the Philippine Revolution, 1898), Mutya ng Pasig, Ang Dalagang Filipina, Alerta Katipunan, and La Bella Filipina, among others. Dr. Cabanban emphasized that these songs, seeming sweet and romantic in nature, and offered to a beautiful beloved, were in truth songs of the revolution, speaking of love for the motherland.

The lecture ended with a lively discussion between the audience and Dr. Cabanban.

XIAMEN PCG STAFF REENACTS THE STORY OF THE FIRST PINE TREE

As part of its celebration of Women’s Month, the Philippine Consulate General, assisted by Dr. Evelyn Cabanban and Ms. Noella Buchfeller of Tawid Heritage Center, held a reading of the folktale titled, ”Saleng, the Story of the First Pine Tree” on 26 March 2018 at the Consulate General premises.

Selected personnel from the Consulate General and Dr. Cabanban took on the roles of the characters: Saleng (wood/firewood), the beautiful mountain girl, Bugan, her mother, and Balituk (gold), her father.

The story, written by Dr. Cabanban, features the traditional practices of the Cordilleras, but also highlights the relationship between a mother and her daughter.

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