What makes the Filipino Christmas so special? We have a notoriously long celebration beginning in September (the only logic being that September is the first of the months that end in 'ber'!), when radio stations play Christmas songs, shops put out their Christmas decors, and Christmas countdown begins! But surely, there must be more to the Filipino Christmas than prolonged excitement. With anthropological curiosity, we at SYLFF@ADMU set out to capture the spirit of the Filipino Christmas as children see it through art.
We wanted to hold an on-the-spot art competition for public school children on the theme "Paskong Pinoy" ( A Filipino Christmas). The state of public school education in the Philippines is dismal – education is allotted an appallingly small portion from the national budget resulting in lack of classrooms, chairs and tables (some schools hold classes in staircases and under mango trees), classrooms in dilapidated conditions, and meager salaries for the overworked teachers. To maximize whatever facilities a school has, they usually hold two batches of classes to accommodate more students: the morning batch begins class as early as 5:45 a.m. and the second batch at 12 noon.
Many of society's underprivileged children study in public schools and we wanted to give them a unique opportunity to let their talents shine. And so on a bright Wednesday morning (November 22, 2006), members of SYLFF@ADMU trooped to Pinyahan Elementary School with art materials. The choice of which public school to hold this activity was not accidental. SYLFF@ADMU's Karen Lacson is a proud graduate of Pinyahan. Going back to the school where she spent happy elementary years lent a richer meaning to the catchphrase "giving back". We witnessed an emotional reunion between Karen and her former teachers. They were very excited and happy to see her again after many years. It was also an inspiring moment for the students of Pinyahan to see a very successful alumna.
For the next two hours, forty of Pinyahan's students from grades 4 to 6 diligently worked on their masterpieces. We were amazed with their work. These students are indeed very talented and brilliant. SYLFF@ADMU members had a difficult time judging and deciding the winners. Several themes emerged from their drawings. The Filipino Christmas is about reunion with family and friends and so most of the drawings featured a lot of people coming together. Singing and going to church are also at the heart of the celebration. GJ Ouano, also a SYLFF Fellow, shared how she was moved by one particular drawing that featured people gathered around two pieces of fish. We usually have rich foods during Christmas but for these children, having a simple meal does not diminish the joy and the color of the season.
Many of society's underprivileged children study in public schools and we wanted to give them a unique opportunity to let their talents shine. And so on a bright Wednesday morning (November 22, 2006), members of SYLFF@ADMU trooped to Pinyahan Elementary School with art materials. The choice of which public school to hold this activity was not accidental. SYLFF@ADMU's Karen Lacson is a proud graduate of Pinyahan. Going back to the school where she spent happy elementary years lent a richer meaning to the catchphrase "giving back". We witnessed an emotional reunion between Karen and her former teachers. They were very excited and happy to see her again after many years. It was also an inspiring moment for the students of Pinyahan to see a very successful alumna.
For the next two hours, forty of Pinyahan's students from grades 4 to 6 diligently worked on their masterpieces. We were amazed with their work. These students are indeed very talented and brilliant. SYLFF@ADMU members had a difficult time judging and deciding the winners. Several themes emerged from their drawings. The Filipino Christmas is about reunion with family and friends and so most of the drawings featured a lot of people coming together. Singing and going to church are also at the heart of the celebration. GJ Ouano, also a SYLFF Fellow, shared how she was moved by one particular drawing that featured people gathered around two pieces of fish. We usually have rich foods during Christmas but for these children, having a simple meal does not diminish the joy and the color of the season.
I was struck by another drawing which featured a huge orange house. Inside the house is a lone woman standing between a Christmas tree and a table laden with food. The solitude leaps at you from the drawing and tugs at your heart. The work was entitled "Pasko Na, Sana'y Kapiling Ka" ( It's Christmastime, Wishing We're Together). This work captured the harsh reality of labor migration in the Philippines. Many Filipino families are separated as one or both parents go abroad to earn a living. The pain of separation cannot be assuaged by the size of the house or the amount of food on the table. I was amazed by the perceptiveness of these young students.
On December 4, 2006, we had a simple awarding ceremony for the winners. SYLFF@ADMU gave cash prizes to the winners. It was a one-of-a-kind early Christmas celebration for SYLFF@ADMU Fellows and for the students of Pinyahan. The art works offered a visual gallery of the Filipino spirit of Christmas – a true feast for the eyes!
We wanted to hold an on-the-spot art competition for public school children on the theme "Paskong Pinoy" ( A Filipino Christmas). The state of public school education in the Philippines is dismal – education is allotted an appallingly small portion from the national budget resulting in lack of classrooms, chairs and tables (some schools hold classes in staircases and under mango trees), classrooms in dilapidated conditions, and meager salaries for the overworked teachers. To maximize whatever facilities a school has, they usually hold two batches of classes to accommodate more students: the morning batch begins class as early as 5:45 a.m. and the second batch at 12 noon.
Many of society's underprivileged children study in public schools and we wanted to give them a unique opportunity to let their talents shine. And so on a bright Wednesday morning (November 22, 2006), members of SYLFF@ADMU trooped to Pinyahan Elementary School with art materials. The choice of which public school to hold this activity was not accidental. SYLFF@ADMU's Karen Lacson is a proud graduate of Pinyahan. Going back to the school where she spent happy elementary years lent a richer meaning to the catchphrase "giving back". We witnessed an emotional reunion between Karen and her former teachers. They were very excited and happy to see her again after many years. It was also an inspiring moment for the students of Pinyahan to see a very successful alumna.
For the next two hours, forty of Pinyahan's students from grades 4 to 6 diligently worked on their masterpieces. We were amazed with their work. These students are indeed very talented and brilliant. SYLFF@ADMU members had a difficult time judging and deciding the winners. Several themes emerged from their drawings. The Filipino Christmas is about reunion with family and friends and so most of the drawings featured a lot of people coming together. Singing and going to church are also at the heart of the celebration. GJ Ouano, also a SYLFF Fellow, shared how she was moved by one particular drawing that featured people gathered around two pieces of fish. We usually have rich foods during Christmas but for these children, having a simple meal does not diminish the joy and the color of the season.
Many of society's underprivileged children study in public schools and we wanted to give them a unique opportunity to let their talents shine. And so on a bright Wednesday morning (November 22, 2006), members of SYLFF@ADMU trooped to Pinyahan Elementary School with art materials. The choice of which public school to hold this activity was not accidental. SYLFF@ADMU's Karen Lacson is a proud graduate of Pinyahan. Going back to the school where she spent happy elementary years lent a richer meaning to the catchphrase "giving back". We witnessed an emotional reunion between Karen and her former teachers. They were very excited and happy to see her again after many years. It was also an inspiring moment for the students of Pinyahan to see a very successful alumna.
For the next two hours, forty of Pinyahan's students from grades 4 to 6 diligently worked on their masterpieces. We were amazed with their work. These students are indeed very talented and brilliant. SYLFF@ADMU members had a difficult time judging and deciding the winners. Several themes emerged from their drawings. The Filipino Christmas is about reunion with family and friends and so most of the drawings featured a lot of people coming together. Singing and going to church are also at the heart of the celebration. GJ Ouano, also a SYLFF Fellow, shared how she was moved by one particular drawing that featured people gathered around two pieces of fish. We usually have rich foods during Christmas but for these children, having a simple meal does not diminish the joy and the color of the season.
I was struck by another drawing which featured a huge orange house. Inside the house is a lone woman standing between a Christmas tree and a table laden with food. The solitude leaps at you from the drawing and tugs at your heart. The work was entitled "Pasko Na, Sana'y Kapiling Ka" ( It's Christmastime, Wishing We're Together). This work captured the harsh reality of labor migration in the Philippines. Many Filipino families are separated as one or both parents go abroad to earn a living. The pain of separation cannot be assuaged by the size of the house or the amount of food on the table. I was amazed by the perceptiveness of these young students.
On December 4, 2006, we had a simple awarding ceremony for the winners. SYLFF@ADMU gave cash prizes to the winners. It was a one-of-a-kind early Christmas celebration for SYLFF@ADMU Fellows and for the students of Pinyahan. The art works offered a visual gallery of the Filipino spirit of Christmas – a true feast for the eyes!
p.s. Thanks to Ito for patiently scanning all 40 artworks to digitally preserve them!
SYLFF Fellows Sherilyn Siy, GJ Ouano, Kate Lacson, Gigi Santos, & Pau Gianan
Kate and Pau distributing snacks
A student working on his masterpiece
Awarding ceremonies
1st place: Mga Pilipino sa Araw ng Pasko (Filipinos on Christmas Day) by Cedrick John. C. Cardano
2nd place: Karoling ng mga Batang Pinoy (Filipino Children Caroling) by John Dennis G. Jamolin
3rd Place: Masayang Simbang Gabi (Joyous Midnight Mass) by Angel M. Macabinquil
A happy reunion: Kate with her elementary school teacher
Kate Lacson with her elementary school teachers
1 comment:
I still remember this :))
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