PHILIPPINES OPENS ITS FIRST-EVER EXHIBITION AT NAIROBI NATIONAL MUSEUM

(PH Ambassador Tang (center) led the ribbon-cutting to officially open the PH exhibition “Perfected by Tradition: Philippine Weaves.” She was joined by (from left) Mr. Calistus Musiomi from the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage, H.E. Thai Ambassador Sasirit Tangulrat, Ms. Mwanaima Salim, Principal Curator from the Nairobi National Museum, and Ms. Halima Shariff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Nairobi, 17 June 2022 – The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, led by Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang, opened on 17 June 2022 the first-ever Philippine exhibition at the Nairobi National Museum titled “Perfected by Tradition: Philippine Weaves.” 

Over 50 guests from the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage, National Museums of Kenya (NMK), ASEAN Nairobi Committee, and faculty and students of the Department of Fashion Design and Marketing and the Department of Fine Arts and Design of Kenyatta University attended the Opening Ceremony and enjoyed the showcase of Philippine woven textile traditions. 

Nairobi National Museum, the premier museum in Kenya, attracts thousands of students and tourists, both local and foreign, each year. 

In her remarks, Ambassador Tang noted that as Kenya is also known for its very rich and colorful textile traditions, the Philippine exhibit provides a good opportunity for Kenyans to discover their similarities with Filipinos despite the significant geographic distance between their respective countries.

“Philippine weaves are a tapestry of different colors, textures and materials. Every detail of a traditional textile is a product of craftsmanship and has a story to tell. The exhibit provides its visitors a glimpse into the lives, social structures, beliefs, and values of the Filipino people,” said Ambassador Tang.

In his message read by Nairobi National Museum Principal Curator Mwanaima Salim, NMK Acting Director-General Stanvas Onga’llo said that the NMK is honored to host the Philippine exhibition that celebrates humanity through both history and art, and that he hopes that this would be the beginning of more partnerships between Kenya and the Philippines.

The guests, particularly students of fashion design, expressed how engaging and informative the exhibit was, and proposed a possible collaborative project in which they would create their own designs using various Philippine fabrics. 

“Perfected by Tradition: Philippine Weaves” was organized in close collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the NMK to mark the Philippine National Heritage Month and the 124th Anniversary of Philippine Independence Day. It will run from 17 June to 17 July 2022. END

(Guests take their time to enjoy the exhibit and ask questions from Nairobi PE personnel to learn more about the textiles)

(Ambassador Tang as she delivers her remarks before the invited guests)

(Prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests were served with Pinoy snacks prepared by Mr. Elmer Pautanez, a Filipino chef based in Nairobi)

(Nairobi PE personnel donning their different Philippine textile attires)