MAKING A DIFFERENCE WITH THE “TINIKLING” AT THE 2007 ASIAN RESTON FESTIVAL

MAKING A DIFFERENCE WITH THE “TINIKLING” AT THE 2007 ASIAN RESTON
FESTIVAL

When it comes to promoting Filipino culture, Filipinos will always be enthusiastic. The Fil-Am Heritage Dance
Ensemble, the Ultimate Eskrima Int'l (both Grantees of the DC Commission on the Arts) and various Fil-Am
volunteers of the Migrant Heritage Commission ( MHC ) , Inc. took time off from their hectic schedule to
demonstrate and teach the Philippine national dance “Tinikling” for one full day at the MHC ’s Philippine
Interactive Cultural tent of the Thai Tennis Organization of America’s 4th Annual Asian Festival in Reston ,
Virginia . The Migrants’ Philippine Interactive Tent was a big hit at the Festival attended by over 8,000 visitors,
especially among people who were greatly challenged to try their skills of hopping gracefully in between the
fast clicking of two long bamboo poles.

The MHC Philippine Interactive tent was adorned with colorful crafts from the Mountain province/Cordillera Suite,
tourist destination posters, ati-atihan mardi gras masks, banderitas, vinta and sambulayan. The interactive tent
also provided the visitors a chance to play the indigenous musical instruments of “kulintang” and the “gong”
from Southern Philippines ( Mindanao ) as well as learning Filipino martial arts of Eskrima or stick fighting by
the Ultimate Eskrima International, Inc.   MHC , a non profit 501 © 3 tax exempt organization and a partner of the
Asia Heritage Foundation for Fiesta Asia in Washington D.C., mobilized Philippine participation at the Reston
Asian Festival under MHC ’s program of Cultural Resource and Support for all high profiled and significant
cultural events.

“Like any other grouping, MHC wants to make a difference not only in helping the migrants but also by spreading
Philippine goodwill through Tinikling and other cultural medium”,   according to Ms. Grace Valera-Jaramillo,
Embassy’s former Cultural Officer/Attaché and currently MHC ’s Honorary Executive Director/Adviser for Cultural
Resource Program and Jesse Gatchalian, MHC Executive Director. Two other   MHC Executive Directors/Adviser
Arnedo S. Valera ,   Esq. and Rev. Fr. Steve de Leon, SVD were also at another big cultural gathering as guest
speakers celebrating   KANA ’s “Amung DC 2007” International Festival of Kalinga Arts & Culture (Northern
Philippines) on the same day as the Asian Reston Festival.

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Philippine Embassy’s Charge d’Affaires, a.i. & Minister Eduardo Jose A. de Vega, the new Cultural Section Head/Consul Rico
Fos and several visitors try their knack on the “Tinikling” at the Asian Festival in Reston , Northern Virginia . (Photos
courtesy of JHona/AGonzalez/Fil-AmHeritage)