Kultura Filipino Arts Festival at Kensington Tomorrow

Filipinos are one of the largest visible minority groups in Toronto, and I would be willing to bet that everyone who lives in the city knows at least one Filipino person. But unlike the Chinese, Japanese, even Vietnamese or Thai, Philippine culture lacks representation in the mainstream, earning the monicker "the invisible minority". Most of us have eaten pho or pad thai but how many have tasted the garlicky goodness of adobo?

A group of young Filipino-Canadians at the Kapisanan Philippine Centre in Kensington Market are slowly trying to change this and bring their heritage to the forefront. After successful productions from Carlos Bulosan Theatre (People Power at Passe Muraille) and Pulang Maleta Collective (Baggage at this year's Fringe), the KPC is holding Kultura, the third annual showcase of Filipino-Canadian visual arts, music, theatre and spoken word tomorrow afternoon in the heart of Kensington Market.

Starting at 1:00pm with activities lasting through the night, Kultura (or "culture" in Filipino) showcases a variety of original and independent productions, all free. At Bellevue Square Park, hip-hop group Sick Sound Syndrome will share the stage with alt-indie Hooded Fang and DJ Michelle Turingan aka Kid Kulit. Simultaneously, installations in the Park will include live poetry and performance art (stories from labanderas or "laundry women"), graffiti, a video conference with UK-based Maya Fortunes on folk healing and yes, even a $20 haircut.

At the KPC (167 Augusta Ave., below Multi), an all-day visual art exhibits will feature photography by Jun Amihan ("Booyaka Boracay") and Ilona Fiddy ("Mother Tongue"), digital prints by Christine Mangosing, "Paalala/Remembrance" a video installation by Jo Si Malaya Alcampo and Jeff Garcia's "Process Journals". Photojournalist Alex Felipe will be documenting Filipino identity through an interactive photo installation. Award-winning director Romeo Candido and Vincent Galvez will be presenting a multimedia piece entitled "Into The Night Sky".

Also at the KPC, members of the Carlos Bulosan Theatre will be reading plays from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Short independent films will be shown from 7:30 to 8:15pm.

Oh, and according to the flyer authentic Filipino street food will be sold. I'm not sure if there will be adobo but I'm hoping there will be some good ol' pork barbeque, and green mango on a stick.

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Kultura Filipino Arts Festival
All-day, all-free at the Kapisanan Philippine Centre and Bellevue Square Park, Kensington Market
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Images c/o Christine Mangosing