HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A new month-long series of free events honoring the legacies of Filipino plantation workers known as “sakadas” and sharing today’s creative Filipino voices in Hawaii is underway for Filipino American History Month.
“FiliRooted: From Plantation to Diaspora, Filipino-American Voices in Hawaii Now” features programs at Capitol Modern that weave together music, movement, food, fashion, and storytelling.
The series is presented by House of Gongs in partnership with Capitol Modern, the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA), Art+Flea, and supported by the Office of Representative Trish La Chica, the Office of City Council Member Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, and The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu.
House of Gongs founders Lydia and Ron Querian will join HNN’s Sunrise on Sunday morning to talk about the celebrations and share a special performance.
All month, the public can view “Bamboo to Brass: Sonic Journeys Across the Philippines,“ a glass case exhibit curated by House of Gongs and Elle Karayan designer Lydia Querian, featuring indigenous Filipino musical instruments from bamboo of the northern highlands to the brass gongs of the southern islands. The exhibit highlights how instruments carry memory, identity and rhythm across generations.
On Oct. 18, from 10 a.m.-noon, UH Manoa Professor Imelda Gasmen will teach keiki about Filipino heritage through storytelling, language, songs, and games in a hands-on workshop designed to pass living traditions to the next generation. The Pamana Kids Workshop will be held at the Capitol Modern Multipurpose Room.
On Oct. 25, from 4-8 p.m., the “Sakada to Cypher: Island Gongster Edition” festival finale will feature Sala Karayan Dance Project, Jehzan Exclusive, Brian Adrias, Wilbur Shansey, Kaelyn Howard, The Zion Band, UH Kulintang Ensemble and a performance by Ruby Ibarra with NPR’s 2025 Tiny Desk Contest winning band. A Filipino American marketplace will showcase local vendors, artisans, and food.
Organizers say FiliRooted aims to uplift local artists, while bringing in inspiring artists from across the Filipino American diaspora.
“We’ve been producing Gongster’s Paradise in San Francisco and have presented a few local programs in Hawaii for the last eight years,” said Ron Querian, artistic director and co-founder of House of Gongs. “We are learning that Hawaii’s Filipino community may need this kind of medicine for empowerment and for understanding the voices they hold today.”
The Capitol Modern Museum is located on the second floor of 250 South Hotel St.
For more information, visit houseofgongs.com/filirooted.
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