The Asian Pacific Islander Desi American and Otter Cross Cultural Centers celebrated Filipino History Month with the Sari-Sari Art Market in the Otter Student Union ballroom last month.Hosting five student vendors and other tables that members of the community used to reach students and inform them of Filipino culture and history, about 40 students came out for the market.
The event had two major focuses that it wanted its participants to engage with, the first being the historical and cultural context of how the Filipino community came together to hold sari-sari markets. They highlighted two cultural values that contributed to the success of these markets over the course of history, bayanihan and kapwa.
Bayanihan is understood to be the spirit of cooperation, and kapwa is the shared identity and interconnectedness that Filipino people share with each other.
Lilyann Aguilar, fourth -year kinesiology major and cultural engagement student coordinator at the OC3, wanted to teach the community these foundational pillars through a fun event. “Learning doesn’t have to be done in a lecture room,” said Aguilar.
A station was set up that had free take-home tote bags you could decorate, with the definition of kapwa on the back, allowing people to leave with the ideology that helped Filipino people preserve in the face of adversity. “I think just keeping these traditions alive. A lot of Filipinos, ourselves and other people, don’t understand that we do come from an indigenous background.”
Ronald Maratas, vending on behalf of the Filipino American National Historic Society of the Monterey chapter, is focused on sharing the struggles that Filipino people faced throughout early American history.
His goal is to reach the younger generations and help them engage with their culture. “Being a Filipino, knowing your heritage, knowing the history,” said Maratas., “Iit makes you feel proud of what your ancestors have done for you.”
Aguilar said it was just as important for the event’s second focus, the student vendors, to have a space to showcase their products and “be there as a representation of the culture and share these traditions.”
Third- year marine science major Sage Pu was one of these vendors, selling her crochet creations to attendees. As she was actively crocheting another item, she shared how the event was a great way to interact with the community. “It was a really good experience for me to just talk to people about my stuff because usually it’s through an online platform.”
Her online platform is on Instagram, @mythic._.mart.
Noelle Raneses, fourth- year communication design major, mainly sells prints, stickers, keychains, and more of her artwork. Her favorite part of vending at this event was being able to learn more about culture. “Since it’s Filipino-based, and focused, it’s been really fun to learn, especially about the sari-sari stores, because I actually never knew about it.”
You can find Raneses on Instagram as well, under the handle @clovertunee.
Dion Barra, third- year communication design major, reiterated the sentiment that Aguilar and the OC3 were hoping attendees would get from coming out to the event. “I definitely think representation is really important,” said Barra.
“You can definitely learn, not just the vendors and their own businesses, but you can learn the culture too.”