Children's Heritage Day at the Philippine Embassy
“Today, I want you to consider the Philippine Embassy a magic kingdom” Consul Joy Quintana of the Cultural Section of the Philippine Embassy instructed the children attending the Children’s Heritage Day on Saturday, October 15th in Washington, DC. There were audible gasps of delight from the children as they listened carefully to her words. Thus the tone was set for Children’s Heritage Day.
The day began with Honorable Excellency Albert F. del Rosario presenting certificates of merit to the winners of the Philippine American Foundation for Charities, Inc., sponsored annual Children’s Art Contest and made possible this year by the generous support of Mark Cabrera and Associates, Remax Pros. The names were announced by PAFC President, Mary Anne Fadul and as the children received the certificates from the Ambassador they gathered around him for a group photo, beaming with joy for the special recognition they received for interpreting this years Philippine Festival theme, “Bayanihan, Building Strong Communities.”
Ambassador del Rosario invited all of the assembled children and guests to come to the 2nd floor of the Embassy when the program was concluded for a tour of the Embassy.
Quickly following the distribution of awards, Christine Dela Rosa and Le Nguyen Thuy (George Washington Philippine Cultural Society) assisted with covering the carpet with plastic and mats to provide seating for the children as Linda Pirrone, (Tutubi Productions) outlined the next event which was a series of tales from the Philippines told by volunteer story tellers. Each story was 5 minutes or less in duration and the children were instructed to pay close attention for at the end of the story telling session they would be provided materials to illustrate one or all of the stories they heard. She promised that at the end of the timed drawing session there would be a big surprise.
Soon the first story teller was introduced and that was Xavier dela Santa (Marinduqueño Association of the Capital Area) who told “The Legend of Marinduque.” In rapid succession the stories that followed were, “The Story of Harana” narrated by Maurese Owens, (PAFC) with singing by Ernie Cordero, (Ilocano Society of America) guitar accompaniment by Julian Oteyza, (Tutubi Productions) acting by Bing Branigin, (Chair of Capital Region National Federation Filipino Association); “The Story of the Barong” as related by Euforsino Guevara, (Council of Philippine Arts and Architecture Association) with the modeling assistance of C. J. Abenes; and finally “The Story of Juan Tamad” narrated by Linda Pirrone and interpreted through a magic show by Julian Oteyza, Nikki Oteyza and Amber Nucols.
The GWPCS “Story Teller Helpers” Christine and Thuy assisted with the distribution of supplies to the seated children and they began a 30 minute drawing session with assistance from several adults in attendance. As the children completed their work, volunteers Bing Branigin, and others pitched in to help display their work on the walls of the Embassy. Many children and some adults were given special pieces of drawing paper with strange designs to color. When time was up, Julian Oteyza with the assistance of Charles Oteyza, Amber Nucols, Nikki Oteyza and GWPCS members, worked to assemble all 26 of the completed pieces of strange designed paper as Linda Pirrone told the legend of the Tutubi (dragonfly) to all of the children. The children were very attentive as they were told that like young tutubi’s they all had much to learn and experience before they would have wings to fly, and even though they may be small, they were an important part of the community and valued for every contribution they had to offer. She said tutubi energy required support and encouragement and community involvement whether in the family, in the country, or wherever they happened to be. At that point, she directed the children and parents and guests to view on the stage what working together as a community in the Philippine Embassy on this first ever Children’s Heritage Day had produced and they gasped with surprise to see all of 26 pieces of paper were assembled on the stage to produce a giant Tutubi.
The assembled guests were invited to enjoy some wonderful food prepared by Mrs. Leonila Oteyza and food donated by other volunteers while the children took great pleasure in explaining their interpretations of the stories they heard to their parents and guests.
Several of the parents have volunteered to be story tellers at any future events and those who were first time guests of the Embassy exclaimed how proud they were to be a part of a historical first “Children’s Heritage Day.”
Tutubi Productions, (Julian Oteyza and Linda Pirrone) would like to thank the Embassy officials and staff for the opportunity to conduct an inter-active day for children in the beautiful Philippine Embassy and special thanks to all of the story tellers and GWPCS helpers; donor, Mya Talavera (Realtor); the winners of the 2005 children’s art contest and their families and friends and all of the guests who for one Saturday in October joined together to honor the children in the community and give wings to a dream.
The day began with Honorable Excellency Albert F. del Rosario presenting certificates of merit to the winners of the Philippine American Foundation for Charities, Inc., sponsored annual Children’s Art Contest and made possible this year by the generous support of Mark Cabrera and Associates, Remax Pros. The names were announced by PAFC President, Mary Anne Fadul and as the children received the certificates from the Ambassador they gathered around him for a group photo, beaming with joy for the special recognition they received for interpreting this years Philippine Festival theme, “Bayanihan, Building Strong Communities.”
Ambassador del Rosario invited all of the assembled children and guests to come to the 2nd floor of the Embassy when the program was concluded for a tour of the Embassy.
Quickly following the distribution of awards, Christine Dela Rosa and Le Nguyen Thuy (George Washington Philippine Cultural Society) assisted with covering the carpet with plastic and mats to provide seating for the children as Linda Pirrone, (Tutubi Productions) outlined the next event which was a series of tales from the Philippines told by volunteer story tellers. Each story was 5 minutes or less in duration and the children were instructed to pay close attention for at the end of the story telling session they would be provided materials to illustrate one or all of the stories they heard. She promised that at the end of the timed drawing session there would be a big surprise.
Soon the first story teller was introduced and that was Xavier dela Santa (Marinduqueño Association of the Capital Area) who told “The Legend of Marinduque.” In rapid succession the stories that followed were, “The Story of Harana” narrated by Maurese Owens, (PAFC) with singing by Ernie Cordero, (Ilocano Society of America) guitar accompaniment by Julian Oteyza, (Tutubi Productions) acting by Bing Branigin, (Chair of Capital Region National Federation Filipino Association); “The Story of the Barong” as related by Euforsino Guevara, (Council of Philippine Arts and Architecture Association) with the modeling assistance of C. J. Abenes; and finally “The Story of Juan Tamad” narrated by Linda Pirrone and interpreted through a magic show by Julian Oteyza, Nikki Oteyza and Amber Nucols.
The GWPCS “Story Teller Helpers” Christine and Thuy assisted with the distribution of supplies to the seated children and they began a 30 minute drawing session with assistance from several adults in attendance. As the children completed their work, volunteers Bing Branigin, and others pitched in to help display their work on the walls of the Embassy. Many children and some adults were given special pieces of drawing paper with strange designs to color. When time was up, Julian Oteyza with the assistance of Charles Oteyza, Amber Nucols, Nikki Oteyza and GWPCS members, worked to assemble all 26 of the completed pieces of strange designed paper as Linda Pirrone told the legend of the Tutubi (dragonfly) to all of the children. The children were very attentive as they were told that like young tutubi’s they all had much to learn and experience before they would have wings to fly, and even though they may be small, they were an important part of the community and valued for every contribution they had to offer. She said tutubi energy required support and encouragement and community involvement whether in the family, in the country, or wherever they happened to be. At that point, she directed the children and parents and guests to view on the stage what working together as a community in the Philippine Embassy on this first ever Children’s Heritage Day had produced and they gasped with surprise to see all of 26 pieces of paper were assembled on the stage to produce a giant Tutubi.
The assembled guests were invited to enjoy some wonderful food prepared by Mrs. Leonila Oteyza and food donated by other volunteers while the children took great pleasure in explaining their interpretations of the stories they heard to their parents and guests.
Several of the parents have volunteered to be story tellers at any future events and those who were first time guests of the Embassy exclaimed how proud they were to be a part of a historical first “Children’s Heritage Day.”
Tutubi Productions, (Julian Oteyza and Linda Pirrone) would like to thank the Embassy officials and staff for the opportunity to conduct an inter-active day for children in the beautiful Philippine Embassy and special thanks to all of the story tellers and GWPCS helpers; donor, Mya Talavera (Realtor); the winners of the 2005 children’s art contest and their families and friends and all of the guests who for one Saturday in October joined together to honor the children in the community and give wings to a dream.
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