Within FMSA, we as a community try to incorporate some of our Filipin(x) culture into each of our events. This is done through food, traditional dance, language, games, and the sense of family we continuously foster. To learn exactly what this may include and how it's incorporated, scroll down!
Our History and Culture
History
What do we know? How is our history part of our story?
The Philippines is filled with rich culture. From our colonization from the Spanish to the rule of the USA. The Philippines has many heroes who have fought for the rights of the citizens. Such heroes like Dr. Jose Rizal whose work contributed to Philippine Independence, and Chief Lapu-Lapu who fought against Ferdinand Magellan, opposing the Spanish Conquest of the Philippines.
The Philippines also has many Native tribes that are often not discussed in great detail. Tribes such as the Aeta, Bontoc, Agta, and Manobo tribes, are only a few among so many others that we may draw our ancestry from.
Although many of us do not know our full history as Filipinos, FMSA strives to learn, inform and teach our community, raising awareness of not only our culture, but those that influence it as well.
Culture
The aspects that we embrace and continuously share.
In the Philippines, there are various different aspects to our culture. One important part of it is our food. The Philippines has many rich foods such as Lumpia Shanghai (spring rolls with a ground pork filling), Ube (purple yam which is popular in deserts), and pancit (stir-fired noodles and vegetables).
Another aspect of our culture is through our arts. From dancing to singing to visual arts, the Philippines, although a poor country, tries to make the most of what they can. Filipin(x)s are stereotypically, known to be great singers as well. Another aspect of our arts, is through the intricacies of our traditional clothing such as, Barong, Filipiniana, etc.).
Today
How we share the culture and history with our McMaster Community.
FMSA strives to include our culture into events so everyone is able to experience it with us! This includes fun-filled evenings learning our native tongue,Tagalog. To make it more personable, we have a member of our community teach it to the rest of the Pamilya.
We also showcase our traditional Filipin(x) dancing through events such as SuperSkillz and Pangaea. FMSA typically dances the Tinikling (a dance where the participants step in between two bamboo sticks that are tapped, beat, and slid on the ground) and the Pandango (dancers dance while balancing lights, typically candles, in their hands and on their head in some versions).
As food is a big part of Filipin(x) (and Asian culture) we try to provide different cultural foods for everyone at events to try such as: Halo Halo at Halo Halo-ween (shaved ice topped with Ube ice cream, evaporated milk and oats), and Mango Float (layered mango and graham crackers, soaked with a creamy condensed milk syrup).
