Fish out of Water

As I entered the building there was an instant sense of warmth permeating throughout the room. The chattering throughout the ballroom could be heard outside as the hundreds of people socialized. The lights dimmed and the audience took seat.

I sat, not knowing what to expect. As the dancers entered the stage, they moved to the sounds of large bongo drums. I was initially taken aback by the costumes, as the male dancers wore no more than a loin cloth. As the event continued I began to admire the dancers for both their confidence as well as their desire to understand and praise their culture.

Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN) is an annual event hosted by the student organization, Akbayan. This event has grown significantly in the past five years. In fact, it has become so large that this year Akbayan moved from the Barrette Ballroom, its usual on-campus venue, to an off-campus venue which could accommodate a much larger audience.

When the dancers exited the stage, the main event began. A dramatic play exemplified the Filipino culture through the representation of a typical Filipino family. It was intriguing to watch the struggles and issues being addressed. One topic that was significantly addressed was the impact of gender roles on the family. They displayed the constant desire for children of the family to be accepted by and want to fulfill the expectations of the father. Much of the play also highlighted the males’ need to be the strong hold of the family, while the mother struggles to keep the family cohesive.

As I sat in my seat, it was impossible to not notice that I was one of few attendees not of the Filipino culture. However, because I have many friends in Akbayan my “outsider” feelings were more at ease. I actually felt quite comfortable at the event, as it was very apparent that the audience and performers were proud to display the culture of which they are a part of.

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