HP Weekly Link-Up: The Ulam Project, Art in the Diaspora, and "Racial Imposter Syndrome"
While we might be constantly plugged in via smartphones/tablets/laptops, the tons of information we're bombarded with can sometimes be overwhelming - that's why we've rounded up some of the top Pilipinx/API-related stories from around the internets to help filter out the noise. From culture news and Pinxys who made headlines to personal essays, politics, etc, here's what we were reading last week.
"Ulam project: Toronto youth build a culinary connection with Filipino culture," by Ramna Shahzad, CBC News
Piece about an amazing free 10-week culinary arts program for the youth called Ulam by Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts and Culture in partnership with Sketch Working Arts and Lamesa Filipino Kitchen during which participants learn to cook Filipinx food using freshly harvested vegetables as a way of connecting with Filipinx culture. This shows how they visit a farm, learn about growing herbs and vegetables, and then use the fresh produce surrounding them to prepare a meal. The participants, who wouldn't otherwise have the means to attend chef school, pick up professional culinary skills and network with people in the local food industry. The workshops are designed to explore Filipino culinary arts in relation to cultural identity, family, peers, community, nation and finally, homeland. Participants will be guided to prepare for industry entry through extracurricular learning opportunities and a culminating project at Kapisanan's 12th Annual KULTURA Filipino Arts Festival. We need this program like everywhere nowwwww
A crop of students take a tour of PACT farm at David Wilson Memorial Garden in North York to learn about fresh produce and how to utilize it while preparing Filipino cuisine. (Oliver Walters/CBC News)
"Artists explore state of Filipino art, culture in the diaspora," by Wilfred Galila, Inquirer.net
Coverage on the 2nd Annual Dialogue on Philippine Arts and Culture in the Diaspora, a two-day event hosted by Kularts with American Center of Philippine Arts (ACPA), Parangal Dance Company and the Filipino American Development Foundation (FADF). An unprecedented gathering of artists, cultural workers and community members on May 28 and 29 filled the Bayanihan Community Center at the heart of SoMa Pilipinas: Filipino Cultural Heritage District with artistic activity and lively explorations on the state of art in the Filipinx diaspora. The event featured panel discussions, a performance by the Toronto-based band DATU, this year’s legacy awards and a kamayan dinner. The dialogue was made up of three panels that discussed various aspects of Philippine arts and culture ranging from cultural entry points to art business, civic engagement and contemporary folk and new works in the diaspora.
Legacy Honorees, from left, Carlos Zialcita, Bernadette Borja-Sy and Alan-Manalo (INQUIRER/ Wilfred Galila)
"Beliefs from the B’laan Ethnic Group (Mindanao) | Philippine Mythology," The Aswang Project
Great article and a quick read that gives an overview of B'laan spiritual beliefs. I've been planning on making a "resources" section since forevers and keep saying I'll get to it when I "have time" (HA!) but The Aswang Project is an amazing wealth of resources on precolonial Pilipinx beliefs, monsters, myths, all dat. If you haven't already, I recommend going down that amazing rabbithole ASAP!!
"'Racial Impostor Syndrome': Here Are Your Stories," The Code Switch Podcast, NPR
Episode of Code Switch exploring experiences of biracial or multiracial people through personal narratives and the idea of what it's like to feel like a "racial imposter." The idea got started when a listener wrote in that "living at the intersection of different identities and cultures" was like "stumbling around in a forest in the dark." She asked, "Do you hear from other listeners who feel like fakes?" This episode was curated from over 100 emails in response to this question, and demonstrates how we're still learning how to talk about identities that fall outside of our traditional understandings of race in the United States.
Kristen Uroda for NPR
"Anthony Bourdain: Sisig will 'win the hearts and minds of the world'," CNN Philippines
Ok so I didn't really feel like including this one because I definitely stand on the side of, we don't need white people's cosign to validate ourselves and our culture, our food always been bomb, but this was out there on the internet last week and there were a lot of reactions, with white media jumping all over it like Bourdain discovered Pilipinx food. Personally I have enjoyed his shows in the past and I think he's trying to be a "well-meaning white dude", but I have to say this quote really rubbed me the wrong way:
"He pointed out that Filipinos "were able to assimilate and Americanize very easily and very quickly. I think Filipinos embraced America and were embraced by America in a way that other cultures might not have been."
Because I feel like, well duh! We were forced and brainwashed to assimilate and Americanize! And we haven't been "embraced by America" whatsoever, and it makes me upset to hear a white man pat us on the back for assimilating and Americanizing so easily like it's the end goal of all races and good for us for doing it so quickly. Anyway. I guess if it brings more income to our community then fuck it, come give us your money lol