Filipino and Native American Canoe Building: Culture and Traditions

September 25, 2013

For Immediate Release

CONTACT:  Isobel Schneider, Berkeley Public Library
510-981-6150, ischneider@ci.berkeley.ca.us

Mylene A. Cahambing
mylene@bangkajourney.com
510-907-9697 voicemail/text

 

Balik sa Dagat Bangka Journey and friends will present their programs, cultures, and traditions through video, slides, dance and discussion at the Berkeley Public Library. A 9-ft Ti’at canoe will be on display. The program will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2013, 2-4 pm in the 3rd floor Community Meeting Room, Central Branch, 2090 Kittredge St., Berkeley.

Balik sa Dagat Bangka Journey is a group of Filipinos/Filipino-Americans, mixed heritage people and the Indigenous Peoples of the Pacific Northwest, who have gathered to revitalize the cultural heritage and traditions necessary for healing as individuals, family and community members.

Balik sa Dagat Bangka Journey uses cultural development activities to engage the community in research about building the watercraft of the Philippines. They provide hands-on training sessions on carving, poetry, music and dance and the integration of ceremonial honoring of our Waters and the vessel that can transport us across waters.

The program presenters are L. Frank from the Tongva and Ajachmem tribes, an artist, author, tribal scholar, and cartoonist who will present a slideshow about tongva and ti'at canoes; Mylene Amoguis Cahambing , born in the Philippines and raised in the Bay Area, former foster care public health nurse, and cultural health educator, will present videos about Balik sa Dagat Bangka Journey; Alexis Canillo, Filipino-Bisayan and Pomo/Coast Miwok, artist, musician, and retired youth counselor, will present a performance piece with dance and slides; Baylan Megino, Filipina-American, consultant in Marketing and Social Media, will moderate the discussion and Q & A period. 

L. Frank has exhibited her artwork in museums and galleries internationally and is the author of two books, Acorn Soup, a book of cartoons, and First Families: A Photographic History of California Indians, both published by Heyday Books.  She is the co-founder of Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival.

Mylene Amoguis Cahambing is a descendant of Bisayans from the Bohol and Cebu islands. She is the lead coordinator/blogger of Balik sa Dagat Bangka Journey: http://bit.ly/bangkajourney

Alexis Canillo, was one of the first students to start a Filipino-American student group at UC Santa Cruz.

Baylan Megino is the Owner/CEO at WLA Global, Editor at Social Media for Business Marketing and Filipino Daily, and Principal at White Light Associates.

For more information, please call 510-981-6148.

The Central Library is open Monday, noon-8 p.m., Tuesday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday afternoons from 1 p.m.-5 p.m.  For questions and accessibility information, call 510-981-6195, TTY 510-548-1240, berkeleypubliclibrary.org

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