EXCLUSIVE: PH consulate in NY spotlights indigenous Filipino literature

Photos from Once Upon the Sun and Sea book

A love letter to the children of the Filipino diaspora, the book titled “Once Upon the Sun and Sea,” published in the US by co-Filipino authors Jo Tiongson-Perez and Denise Orosa, aims to celebrate and preserve cultural heritage centering on community voices.

Since its release, various Filipino American families have personally recounted similar experiences of barely knowing any Philippine tales, where Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at the Penn Museum, Tiongson-Perez, expressed that it “tends to be a shared experience among colonized nations.”

Book Cover (Photos from Once Upon the Sun and Sea book)

With this, the Philippine Consulate General in New York, together with Sentro Rizal New York, invited both authors of the Penn-funded book on May 4 to do a book reading and signing event in commemoration of Philippine National Heritage Month, also coinciding with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month.

“Events like this open up access to our Indigenous stories, historically characterized and othered as primitive or savage,” Tiongson-Perez added. “They can be powerful ways of reigniting pride in one’s cultural heritage.”

Meanwhile, Consul General Senen T. Mangalile of the PCG in New York stated that the upcoming book reading of the materials highlight and celebrate Filipino cultural heritage by presenting Indigenous tales often overshadowed by Western narratives.

The Carabao and the Shell illustrated by Tin Javier (Photos from Once Upon the Sun and Sea book)

“This engagement promotes cultural identity among Filipino Americans, especially the youth, fosters meaningful conversations within families about their ancestral roots and cultivates pride in their Filipino ethnicity,” the consul general further remarked as he emphasized the significance of this event in sparking meaningful intergenerational dialogues within families.

Moreover, co-author Orosa felt grateful and honored to be invited to the event and described the Indigenous stories and folk tales of the country as “magical, powerful and beautiful as the Western myths and fairy tales” and hopes to “make space for our Indigenous stories, and bring them to young readers of all ages and backgrounds.”

The Comb, Crown, and Necklace illustrated by Tin Javier (Photos from Once Upon the Sun and Sea book)

The book reading is one of the diverse lineups of cultural events hosted year-round by the Philippine Consulate, and both Fil-Am authors felt empowered to know that there is an ongoing commitment to keep heritage alive, especially among the Filipino diaspora.

“We hope this book inspires intergenerational conversations, cultural curiosity, and pride in our Philippine heritage,” Orosa concluded.

As reported by Relief Web, the archipelago is home to more than 17 million indigenous peoples, constituting 110 ethnolinguistic groups, estimated to be between 10 and 20 percent of the national population.

The Heron and the Eagle illustrated by Tin Javier (Photos from Once Upon the Sun and Sea book)

The book comprises 11 lyrical retellings, illustrated by Tin Javier, ideal for young readers, immersing them in a realm inhabited by Filipino gods, goddesses, heroes and magical creatures. It delves into the essence of pre-colonial and popular tales from the country.

The book reading and signing will commence at 10 a.m. at the Philippine Center in New York, located at 556 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10036.

To secure a signed copy of the book, attendees are encouraged to pre-order via the provided link, as books will not be available for purchase at the Consulate. Register now at https://tinyurl.com/bookreadingsunsea and join in celebrating the magic of Filipino cultural heritage.