Journey to the Phillipines

As the weather warms up in Spokane, and spring break approaches, students are beginning to contemplate straying from campus for more tropical locales.

The members of Filipino American Student Union, on the other hand, have been diligently preparing to bring a "taste of the tropical"— both literally and figuratively — to campus.
This Saturday, FASU will be hosting its fourth annual Filipino Festival, a much-anticipated event for Gonzaga students. It will include traditional Filipino cuisine, a cultural entertainment program, and, for the more nimble and adventurous guests, a dance lesson.

Doors open for the event at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, and the main event begins at 7 p.m. Those who arrive when doors open will be treated to a tutorial of the Philippines' famous bamboo dance, the "tinikling."

The tinikling, which is the national dance of the Philippines, is an indigenous tradition performed at local festivals, originating in the Leyte islands.

It involves two parallel bamboo sticks held partially above the ground, between which dancers hop; their movements are supposed to mimic those of the long-legged tinikling bird, also native to the Philippines. Guests not acquainted with the dance may find the steps reminiscent of jump-rope double-dutch. The tutorial will last until the main event at 7 p.m.

Each year FASU has selected a different theme for its main event. Last year it was "halo-halo," a Filipino dessert involving a cornucopia of ingredients that the club used to express the diversity of Filipino culture.

This year, the event theme is "Paglalakbay: A Journey" and the show will feature a narrative of two Filipino-American college students who visit the Philippines for the first time and struggle to reconcile their personal identities with their two  distinct heritages.
This year's show represents a digression from the format of earlier festivals, during which traditional dances were followed by explication, rather than occurring simultaneously, as they do this year, in a narrative fashion.

"We are always trying to learn from previous shows, and improve on them," said Public Relations Officer Kyle Ratuiste. "In addition to being both entertaining and informative, this short play represents a personal expression of similar instances of cultural tension experienced by some club members."

Needless to say, the involvement of FASU members with the event is not to be overlooked.
 In addition to writing the play and participating in the cultural demonstrations, members will be cooking the authentic Filipino dinner.

Preparations for the event have been in motion since the end of last semester, when conceptualization of this year's program began.

"Club members have been practicing the dances all semester because the show involves traditional folk dances everyone had to learn," Ratuiste said.

The Filipino Festival is the primary fundraiser FASU hosts for GU students, and its members hope that, besides being enjoyable, the event will contribute to the awareness and celebration of cultural diversity on Gonzaga's campus.

 A relatively new club, the Filipino-American Student Union was established only eight years ago, as an offshoot of the Hawaii Pacific Islanders' Club.

Since that time, the club has grown to more than 40 members, and has increased in campus involvement.

"This year has been one of the most active," Ratuiste said.

The Filipino Festival is one way the club makes its presence known on campus, but it also works towards developing its own club community.

"For a lot of members, FASU is like a second family, because the distance usually makes it too expensive to return home for things like Thanksgiving break," Ratuiste said.
In cases like this, FASU hosts holiday dinners or even sponsors seasonal activities that members may not otherwise experience.

This year, the group took approximately 40 members on a ski trip. In the past FASU has offered educational workshops in conjunction with the larger Gonzaga community.
Ultimately, FASU's primary goal is to contribute to the awareness of cultural diversity on campus.

Participants in this year's festival hope that by presenting aspects of their culture to fellow students, they can increase appreciation for and understanding of Filipino culture. This will be partially accomplished through the cultural show, and partially with delicious Filipino food.

Tickets will be on sale all week in Crosby for $10, and although they may be purchased at the door for $15, buying them ahead of time is preferable, so club members can gain a sense of how much food to prepare.