FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN KENYA CELEBRATES KALAYAAN 2024

Nairobi PE personnel with Ms. Stefanie Quintin and Mr. Sospeter Mobe of Kenya Airways and over 120 Filipinos who attended the Kalayaan 2024 celebration at the Embassy

NAIROBI, 13 June 2024 – The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi celebrated the 126^th  anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence with the Filipino community in Kenya on 09 June 2024.

Co-organized with the Filipino Community in Kenya (FilCom-Kenya), the festive gathering featured musical and dance performances, and was preceded by a community mass celebrated by Fr. Norman Labutan.

Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang, in her remarks, stressed that the occasion gave Filipinos the opportunity to honor the struggle of Filipino ancestors and heroes who fought for the freedoms that Filipinos today enjoy, as well as to celebrate the achievements of Filipinos since.

She also highlighted the vision of Bagong Pilipinas, an all-inclusive economic and social transformation program launched by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to further advance and develop the Philippines, and the bayanihan needed of all Filipinos to achieve the vision.

Ms. Stefanie Quintin, a soprano who joined the celebration with the support of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), entertained the guests with her beautiful renditions of Filipino classic and folk songs, including Bayan Ko, Mutya ng Pasig, Sa Kabukiran and a Cebuano medley.

Adding to the musical experience, Mr. Jamir Adiong, a Filipino vocalist from the Nairobi-based band Jahm and Mbutch, performed his original compositions, showcasing the rich musical talent within the community.

Another highlight of the celebration was a potluck feast, featuring Filipino favorites such as lechon, beef tapa, adobo, lumpia, and dinuguan.

Meanwhile, Filcom groups performed Philippine folk dances, while children enjoyed playing the traditional game Tumbang Preso.

Attendees also showcased their creativity and national pride by dressing in vibrant Philippine-themed attire.

To cap off the celebration, Kenya Airways generously raffled off an air ticket to a Southeast Asian destination, to the delight of the guests.  END

Ambassador Tang delivers her Kalayaan 2024 remarks

Showcase of Filipino musical talent by Ms. Stefanie Quintin and Mr. Jamir Adiong of Jahm and Mbutch

Religious brothers and sisters and PhilKen Movers during their folk dance performances (topmost), Filipinos wearing traditional attire representing their respective regions in the Philippines (bottom left), Filipino kids playing Tumbang Preso

Mr. Sospeter Mobe of Kenya Airways (leftmost) hands over the ceremonial roundtrip ticket to a Southeast Asian destination to the lucky raffle draw winner

FILIPINO TALENT AND FOOD SHOWCASED AT 9^TH NAIROBI INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL FESTIVAL

Ms. Stefanie Quintin serenades the guests at the opening ceremony of the 9^th NICF.

NAIROBI, 13 June 2024 – As part of its celebration of the National Heritage Month in May and the 126^th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence, the Philippine Embassy in Nairobi participated in the 9^th Nairobi International Cultural Festival (NICF) on 08 June 2024 at the Nairobi National Museum.

With the theme “The World at a Glance,” the 9^th NICF featured cultural performances, booth exhibitions, and hands-on demonstrations of traditional crafts and arts from all over the world.

In her brief remarks at the opening ceremony, Philippine Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang underscored the importance of cultural diplomacy in building connections and fostering goodwill among nations, highlighting it as a key pillar of the Philippines' foreign policy.

Ms. Stefanie Quintin, a soprano who visited Nairobi with the support of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), showcased Filipino musical talent through her beautiful rendition of a Filipino folk song, Pobreng Alindahaw, at the opening ceremony.

Meanwhile, visitors to the Philippine booth enjoyed an assortment of Filipino cuisine, including the classic adobo, bistek tagalog, puto, kutsinta, pancit bihon, lumpia, as well as fish and squid balls, popular street food in the Philippines.

For over a decade, the NICF has provided a platform for the Kenyan public and the international community to immerse themselves in the rich and diverse cultures of different countries, enhancing cross-cultural understanding and nurturing connections among people.

Aside from the Philippine Embassy, other participating diplomatic missions and institutions in the 9^th NICF included those from Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, China, India, Iran, Ethiopia, Morocco, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Somalia. END

Ambassador Tang delivers a brief message at the opening ceremony of the 9^th NICF.

FilCom-Kenya members, Ms. Marilou Moses and her family, welcome booth visitors with a variety of delicious Filipino food.

PHILIPPINES’ MORION MASK SHOWCASED AT MASKS OF THE WORLD EXHIBIT IN KENYA

PH Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang (wearing a light blue blazer) presents the Morion head mask to the guests and briefly informs them of its origin.

 NAIROBI, 22 May 2024 – On the occasion of the Philippine National Heritage Month and the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (21 May), the Philippine Embassy in Nairobi participated in the "Masks of the World" exhibition at the Nairobi National Museum, organized by the Embassy of Romania in Nairobi and the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO (KNATCOM).

Officials from the Kenyan Parliament, Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, National Museums of Kenya, and KNATCOM, as well as members of the diplomatic corps and students joined the opening ceremony on 21 May 2024.

The Philippine Embassy showcased a Morion head mask crafted by Mr. Gilbert Monsanto, a local artist from Mogpog town in Marinduque.

The Morion mask is an important piece of Philippine cultural heritage that is worn during the Moriones Festival, which takes place annually in Marinduque during Holy Week. Participants in the festival wear these masks and reenact the story of Saint Longinus, a Roman centurion who purportedly pierced Jesus Christ's side during the crucifixion and converted to Christianity after being cured of blindness by Christ's blood, symbolizing both penance and celebration.

In Mogpog, a Morion mask is traditionally worn with a bulaklakan turban. It is named after the flowers made from various colors of Japanese paper and attached to the headgear. The number of flowers on the turban indicates how many years a person will participate in the Moriones. Each year, they remove a flower from their turban after completing the ritual. Removing the last flower signifies the fulfillment of their vow.

Other masks featured at the exhibition include those from Romania, Thailand, Mexico, and Costa Rica. The exhibition will run from 21 to 26 May 2024. END

A Morion mask is typically made from the wood of dapdap, dita, or santol trees, which are abundant in Marinduque. The mask painting and drying process takes about two weeks.