29 years
of
Community Service
MUNTING NAYON
News Magazine
Operated by couple Eddie Flores and Orquidia Valenzuela
News and Views of the
Filipino Community Worldwide
FILMIS-The Netherlands

Salidumay defines the Filipino pride at Embassy Festival in The Hague



By Jacob O. Apostol
The Hague-The Netherlands
September 5, 2017

 
 


The Hague-Sept. 2-There are many reasons why people want to dance. Some, they do it for fun; others find it as a way to lose weight. But for FILMIS group, dancing has a deeper purpose.  They love to dance, simply because they want to promote the Filipino culture and the unique history of the Filipino nation.
 
I am proud to say that FILMIS dancers are committed to promoting our unique culture despite of many obstacles. Most of us are not really dancers, but try to be ones for this purpose, because we know that it’s part of our duty as Filipinos”, Joy shares her thought.

On the sunny day of the 2nd of September 2017, FILMIS dance group showcased a part and parcel of the Filipino history through its dance played with a song called Salidumay, an indigenous folk song associated with Igorot and Kalinga natives of the Cordillera Mountains in the northern part of the Philippines, at the Embassy Festival in Lange Voorhout in The Hague.

The song plays an important role in the lives of young natives in the Cordillera Mountains who fall in love. As part of the tradition, young women express acceptance or rejection of a man’s courting with this song. They sing it with melodies that convey their   real feelings towards the men wooing them. 

The Embassy Festival is one of the biggest yearly events in The Hague. This year, fifty-two embassies in the Netherlands participated in various activities at said event. The festival featured a wide variety of modern and cultural dances and music from different participating countries.

As observed, the FILMIS' dance performance was simple, but the dancers delivered it with passion and meaning. Apparently, you could see the expression of their faces filled with innate emotion of love for what they were doing, while they executed carefully well-choreographed steps on stage during the performance. The simplicity of hands' movement might not have dazzled the audience, but has surely created a profound impression of uniqueness and richness of the Filipino culture

Glis, who is one of the active members of the FILMIS dance group and the current FILMIS secretary, said, when asked about their performance,

“I think our dance performance at the Embassy Festival, representing the Philippines, was a success!  And, it was also a great opportunity for us, FILMIS dancers, to show our Filipino pride by dancing a Filipino cultural dance”. 

It was not the first time that FILMIS group performed a cultural folk dance at big event like the Embassy Festival. Last April 22, 2017, the group also represented the Philippines at Southeast Asia Cultural Event in Nijmegen. It showcased the unique Filipino culture by performing two folk dances on stage along with other groups from Southeast Asian countries.  

Surely, some of our kababayans who saw the performance would go home with pride, and would bring with them a thought that defines a precious part of our Filipino heritage that evolved from the past.

See also related article:
·        FILMIS: A Filipino Organization in Action in The Netherlands

    Tweet
    MoreCity Councillor Sponsors Motion to Declare June Filipino Heritage Month in Toronto
    Tony A. San Juan

    Toronto City Councillor Neethan Shan of Ward 42 (Scarborough - Rouge River ) is reported to be introducing at Toronto City Council to formally declare the month of June, Filipino Heritage Month. N. Shan is seeking  support from the Filipino Canadian and other communities for  a motion during the next Council meeting from November 7 to 9, 2017. ...
     
    MoreMemorial Mass at Christ the King Cemetery, Markham KC Assembly # 2113 & # 3225 Honor Guardst
    Dindo Orbeso

    The Archdiocese of Toronto celebrated  a Holy Mass t for the souls of the dead in Christ the King cemetery...
    MorePISTAHAN (Festivities) - 42nd Concert of Traditional Philippine Dances and Music is on December 1 and 2, 2017 at the Educational Cultural Complex Theater
    Dina B. Ellorin

    The SAMAHAN Filipino American Performing Arts and Education Center, Inc. presents PISTAHAN (Festivities) - 42nd Concert of Traditional Philippine Dances...
    MoreBlock Rosary Crusades of Toronto Thanksgiving Mass and Living Rosary
    Dindo Orbeso

     
    The Block Rosary Crusaders of Toronto celebrated their Thanksgiving Mass at St. Aidan Catholic Church...
    More100th Year of Our Lady Fatima KC  # 2113 Honor Guards Mass and Procession at Prince of Peace Church
    Dindo Orbeso

    Prince of Peace Parish in Scarborough celebrated the 100th year of the Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima...
     
    More`CON AMOR’ FOUNDATION B0ARD MEMBERS VISIT PROJECTS IN PHILIPPINES
    By: Orquidia. Valenzuela,  as reported by Myrla Danao

    Businessman Jaap van Dijke, chairman and two board members, Myrla Danao and Dr. John Deen of Con Amor foundation in...
    MoreArt Creations
    Vicente Collado Jr.

    Welcome!

    Many believe formal training is a prerequisite to quality in painting. Not a few will agree with me one can...
    MoreTHE CHILDREN IN DON MANUEL GK VILLAGE
    Orquidia Valenzuela Flores

    Sixty-three children from age three to six years, in the very poor community of Don Manuel village in Barangay...
    MoreHistory of the Filipino Community in the Netherlands
    Orquidia Flores-Valenzuela

    Every story has a beginning and our story begins when a Cavitena accompanied her aunt to sail to another continent....
     
    Disclaimer

    Contents posted in this site, muntingnayon.com, are the sole responsibility of the writers and do not reflect the editorial position of or the writers' affiliation with this website, the website owner, the webmaster and Munting Nayon News Magazine.

    This site, muntingnayon.com, the website owner, the webmaster and Munting Nayon News Magazine do not knowingly publish false information and may not be held liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages arising for any reason whatsoever from this website or from any web link used in this site.