Fish out of Water

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.

During PCN a majority of the time is spent watching a play which exemplifies the Filipino family life and culture. As well, the play has breaks in which Akbayan members perform traditional Filipino dances in traditional costume. Many of the male costumes expose far more than accustom to the U.S. culture. Many of the male dancers wear only loin cloths and are typically completely bare on top.

All in all PCN was a great experience. It was interesting 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.

While sitting in the audience, I probably stuck out like a sore thumb, as a majority of the audience was Filipino. However, I have many friends in Akbayan which significantly eased the feelings of being an “outsider.” 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. As well, I attended with two non-Filipino friends, which also eased the feelings of being an “outsider.”

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