Roots & Wings Spring Edition -2016 by Roots and Wings

Dear Kababayans, Welcome to the Spring 2016 issue of R&W. We are delighted to welcome Marthy Arguelles Angue, Associate Editor as well as Layout & Design Editor, Donna Patricia Lopez Manio, LifeStyle Editor and Desiree Munoz, Marketing & Advertising Director. With these three young Manila-based multi-talents at the helm, we have a great deal of exciting things to look forward to. R&W is a magazine dedicated to Filipinos in Europe. We like to highlight Euro-Pinoy talents and creativity in various fields of interests, our arts and culture values, our career choices, our entrepreneurial activities, our personal journeys, our travels and adventures etc.

street dance by Ricky Carranza, in the awesome volunteer work of Carl Hansen in Tacloban, in the Norwegian language courses offered by Filipinos to other Filipinos in Norway, in the travel stories of Marthy Angue and Sathiel Ramos, in the diving tips of Desiree Munoz, in the victories in Lillehammar, and more.

While kababayans at home are facing the challenge of choosing a new President, which many consider a very difficult task, Pinoys in Europe are affected by the crisis caused by the never ending flow of asylum seekers hoping to find a new home in Europe. We all need to open our hearts to see what is essential.

What does it mean to be a Filipino in Europe? To strengthen our communities, to make a meaningful contribution, to give back. To connect with kababayans. There is now a brilliant way to get connected with other kababayans in Europe. The European Network of Filipinos in Diaspora (or ENFiD) is now established in over 20 countries in Europe. Just log in to www.enfid. com and see the difference.

In the midst of difficulties, we find glimpses of beauty in the artworks of Helen Svendgaard from Stockholm, in the love story of Jose Rizal and Josephine Bracken written so beautifully by Vising Kennedy from Ireland, in the inspiring documentary film about

Mabuhay ang Euro-Pinoys!

Rachel Hansen, 2

Editor in Chief & Founder

| THE TEAM

Rachel Hansen

Isabel Lerma

Aina Bauer

Miles Viernes

Liza De Vera-Preiczer

Ma Victoria Madarieta

Lyndy Bagares

McKlein Onoya

Arianne Faye Calvero

Sathiel Ramos

Luz Bergersen

Donna Manio

Mayra Panganiban

Marthy Arguelles Angue

Elizabeth “Betsy” Von Atzigen

Jonathan Arevalo Coo

Editor & Founder

Bureau Editor, Paris France

Copy Editor

Bureau Editor, Athens Greece

Bureau Editor, Vienna, Austria

Bureau Editor, Barcelona

Web Editor, Fornebu, Norway

Web Master, Oslo, Norway

Web Support

Travel Editor, Philippines

Associate Editor, Oslo, Norway

Lifestyle Editor, Philippines

Bureau Editor, Prague, Czech Republic

Associate Editor & Designer Philippines

Bureau Editor, Switzerland

Culture Editor, Philippines

R O O T S & W I N G S | F E AT U R E D A R T I S T

helen svengaard distinctions among colours Every time I look at Helen’s artworks I am always impressed with its generosity and joyful movements, its bright happy colors and fluid strokes which always seem to leave a calm and soothing effect to the senses. In short, Helen’s artworks simply make the viewer feel good and I think that is the true meaning of an artwork – to lend beauty and harmony to our existence. >> as Interviewed by 5

Rachel Hansen

How long have you been painting Helen? I still remember the first time I held my paintbrush and that was the summer of 2009, which is close to seven years now. Did you go to an art school? If it so, how long did you study Painting? I have always loved colors and get very fascinated with its outcome when combining them. I attended a one-year program in an Art Academy in Manila. There I learned the basic skills like mixing colors, drawing etc. Then I studied photography, which is a 2-year course in Stockholm University in Sweden. I made documentary photographs which granted me a scholarship award. I then continued studying photography in an art school in Denmark, since my family and I moved there. During that time I was asked to show my photographs in World Culture Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exhibit in Denmark. The Danish TV noticed my work and they interviewed me live on television which I found very overwhelming.

I believe my knowledge of photography has influenced and nurtured the inner artist in me.

I believe my knowledge of photography has influenced and nurtured the inner artist in me 6

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commission work? How long is the waiting time for an order?

thereby enhancing my painting skills and ideas. You do regular art exhibits around Sweden, oftentimes selling out the whole collection. Do you do

Well, I have painting exhibits once or twice a year, it can be in or outside Stockholm. I am happy 7

and humbled that people actually spend their money to acquire one of my paintings and then hang it on their homes. It is always satisfying for me as an artist to see people appreciate my art work. I do paintings according to my mood and never had a painting copied from a photo. It usually takes three months for me to finish a piece. I combine colors based on the buyers suggestions but I still decide what the subject should be, upon mutual agreement.

work. To join art exhibitions will give exposure and establish good contacts that might help us to be identified in the art industry. One can arrange a joint gallery exhibit and invite a mixed audience to get more feedback not only from the Filipino community but also from a wider audience. Joining an art club will also give some benefits to the artist and it does not cost that much. As an individual artist, one need not have to pay for the exhibits venue, for the Art Union usually does that.

There is now an annual All Filipino Art Exhibition & Competition every autumn open to established and aspiring artists in Sweden. Through this event, there has emerged a bunch of young and promising artists with great potentials. What do you think can be done more to encourage Filipinos everywhere to give expression to their creativity and artistic talents?

For a beginner, one needs a lot of patience and dedication to become an artist but as soon as one has started, then everything comes easier afterwards. One may need a little push for inspiration or motivation on how to improve one’s creative skills, so one should not hesitate to show one’s talent and passion. It’s a matter of trusting one’s artistic instincts. On a personal note, and this is really worth sharing with Roots&Wings readers across the globe. I think you are the only Filipino who has attended the much coveted Nobel Banquet twice - the last one was just last year. Can you tell us why? And can you tell us what is it like to brush

We Filipinos are very creative, artistic and diligent by nature. We should try to take advantage of art courses offered, either private or public. Some are almost free of charge, especially in Europe. Then we need to believe in ourselves and be brave enough to show our 8

R O O T S & W I N G S | F E AT U R E D A R T I S T

One may need a little push for inspiration or motivation on how to improve one’s creative skills, so one should not hesitate to show one’s talent and passion. elbows with the royalties, the dignitaries, and the Nobel Prize awardees, all in one evening?

myself amongst such distinguished people, like the Royal Family, the dignitaries and of course all the Nobel laureates. To listen to the King and the Nobel Laureate’s’ speeches – how through many years of research and studies, their work and perseverance have resulted into something valuable if not powerful, something that will improve the quality of life and will make this world a better place to live in, it was mind-blowing.

The first time I attended the Nobel Banquet was in 1997. My husband was a brain surgeon and head physician at a neurology department at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm. He was in addition a research scientist specializing in cerebral hemorrhage. Last year I was informed that the research that he has began many years back, has been showing very promising results and because I was the wife, they decided that I should attend the Nobel Banquet in his honor, which surprised and delighted me.

The Nobel Banquet is indeed a smashing experience. Of course, impeccable etiquette is expected how to greet someone, how to talk, how to manage all those endless cutleries, how and when to raise your glass for a toast – all these should be done accordingly. But I managed somehow. Altogether, those were unforgettable moments that I will cherish forever.

I must say that I was very overwhelmed to be invited to the Nobel Banquet in 1997 and 2016. It is indeed a great honor to find 11

It’s a small world!

by Vising B. Kennedy

Our National Hero meets his Irish Love.

Rizal fell in love with Josephine at first sight. Shortly after they met, he articulated his feelings in this poem: “Josephine, Who to these shores came, Searching for a home a nest, Like the wandering swallows, If your fate guides you to Shanghai, China, or Japan, Forget not that on these shores a heart beats for you.” Where and when did Josephine arrive from Ireland to the Philippines? How did fate bring them together?

Would you believe we Filipinos have a close affinity with the Irish through an Irishwoman named Josephine Bracken? So much, so that it may now become a mantra for a Filipino diplomat to mention on an Irish state function, “Our diplomatic relationship with Ireland started way back in 1895 when your Josephine met our Jose.” Josephine is the Irish wife of Jose P. Rizal the Philippines’ national hero and martyr whom he married after a series of complexity. She is the foreigner alluded to in his immortal poem ‘Mi Ultimo Adios’ (My Last Goodbye) where he wrote: ‘Farewell my sweet foreigner, my darling, my delight’.

It all happened in Dapitan, a secluded, rural village at the southern tip of Zamboanga in Mindanao where Jose Rizal was 12

R O O T S & W I N G S | C U LT U R E

JOSEPHINE BRACKEN 1876-1902 13

JOSE RIZAL 1861-1896 14

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banished to by the Spanish colonists in 1892. He was not only a peaceful political reformist; Rizal was a renowned ophthalmologist and doctor who continued his practice of Medicine in this far-flung area. He lived a simple, uneventful but fruitful existence that enriched his life and the people whose lives he touched.

ophthalmologist in Hong Kong could cure. Having heard of Rizal whose fame as an ophthalmologist had spread in Hong Kong, Taufer traveled a long way to Dapitan, Philippines where Rizal was exiled by the colonial Spain.. She was accompanied by his 18 year-old adopted daughter Josephine. As any good doctor would do, Dr. Rizal gave everything he could to cure his patient. Sadly, however, Taufer’s sickness was incurable; Rizal couldn’t do more for him.

Until his love - the eighteen-yearold Josephine- arrived in town. The smitten hero couldn’t hide his admiration of the ‘slender, brown hair with blue eyes, dressed in elegant simplicity with an atmosphere of light gaiety. Though she was not highly educated, she was witty, quick, and eager to hear all the things that Rizal had to say.”

But his love for Josephine was immovable. After a whirlwind romance of one month, they agreed to get married. When Mr Taufer, however, learned about their plan, he flared up in a violent rage. Unable to endure the thought of losing Josephine, he tried to commit suicide by cutting off his throat with a sharp razor. Rizal, however, grabbed Mr Taufer’s wrists and stopped him from killing himself. To avoid further tragedy, Josephine returned to Manila with Mr Taufer by the first available steamer the next day.

Josephine Bracken was born at the Victoria Barracks in Hong Kong on 9 August 1876 to an Irish couple, Cpl James Bracken and Elizabeth McBride. Because her mother died after giving birth to her and because her father, being a military man was always on the move, Josephine was adopted by an American couple, Mr and Mrs George Edward Taufer. Mr. Taufer worked as an engineer in Hong Kong at that time and was widowed when Josephine was a child. In his old age, Mr. Taufer fell ill from a double cataract that no

After six months, Josephine returned to Dapitan. Doña Teodora, mother of Rizal, permitted her son

to marry Josephine, but Fr Antonio Obach of Dapitan refused to marry them without a special dispensation from the Bishop of Cebu. But because Rizal was a Mason and Josephine was a Roman Catholic, a dispensation was not given. There was no other alternative but to get into a common-law marriage executed in the presence of two witnesses. They lived together as husband and wife in an octagonal bamboo house that Josephine turned into a love nest-stocking the pantry with pickles and preserves; cooking, washing, and finding food when supplies ran low; and trying desperately to build bridges with Rizal’s family especially his sisters who heard rumors that Josephine was a woman of the streets and was a singer in a tavern in Hong Kong.

assignment to Cuba as a medical volunteer was also prompted by his unhappiness with her. On his way to Cuba, however, Rizal was arrested, and after a mock trial, Spanish authorities sentenced him to death. On December 29, 1896, Josephine visited Rizal in his cell where Rizal sadly exclaimed: “Ah! My dear, my time has come to be united to you but to be separated forever.” After which, he begged for forgiveness for the sorrows he had caused her. Minutes before he calmly faced the firing squad, Spanish authorities allowed Rizal to marry Josephine. He gave her a copy of Fr Thomas á Kempis’s De La Imitacion de Cristo y Menosprecio del Mundo with the dedication: “To my dear and unhappy wife, Josephine, December 30th, 1896, Jose Rizal”. She became a widow at twenty.

In his letter to Trinidad on January 15, 1896, Rizal wrote that “we had no quarrels and we always laugh happily”, but unlike fairy tales that end with ‘and they lived happily ever after,’ Rizal and Josephine’s love affair did not last long. Quarrels came much later, one of which, based from an article in the Philippines Free Press, was violent, leading to her miscarriage. The same article suggests that Rizal’s days of consolation with Josephine were over and that his request for

After the revolution, Josephine asked for the mortal remains of Rizal, but she was refused by the Spaniards. She swore to avenge his death by joining Gen Emilio Aguinaldo’s revolutionary movement on January 6, 1897. She once led a charge against the Spaniards and killed one Spanish officer using her own rifle. She participated in many

R O O T S & W I N G S | C U LT U R E

battles, and most of the time, she was hungry and barefooted.

Kong, and who was married to Don Salvador Mina of Ilocos Sur. When Dolores was one year old, her parents brought her to the Philippines, and they lived with the other Abads in a big house in Calle Magdalena, Tondo, Manila.

Josephine stayed in Cebu where the American colonial government employed her as a public school teacher. One of her students was Sergio Osmeña, who became the Second President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. Afterwards, she returned to Manila, taught at the Lyceum de Manila, and witnessed the Tejeros Convention of the Magdalo and Magdiwang factions of the Katipunan at San Francisco de Malabon in Cavite. She was then summoned by Governor General Camilo Polavieja who gave her an ultimatum to leave the country. Frightened because of an impending torture, she left Manila for Hong Kong in May 1897 .

Afflicted by tuberculosis of the larynx, Josephine wished to die in Hong Kong. A certain Father Spada, then Vicar General of Hong Kong, said that he was deeply touched upon seeing her deplorable condition. Father Spada added that the last time he saw Josephine, he was stricken with pity. She was broken down in health and in spirit, and she had lost all her hope and her faith in humanity.

She died on 15 March 1902 unaware that a line of her husband’s poem had rendered her immortal.

Father Spada took Josephine to the Saint Francis Hospital where nuns took good care of her. At the eve of her death, she asked for the Holy Sacrament that Father Spada and another priest administered. She died on 15 March 1902 unaware that a line of her husband’s poem had rendered her immortal: ‘Adiós, dulce estranjera, mi amiga, mi

When her foster father died, Josephine was married to Don Vicente Abad of Cebu, who was then working in a tabacalera in Hong Kong, on December 15, 1898. They had one daughter, Dolores Abad, who was born on April 27, 1900, in Hong

alegría’ (Farewell, sweet foreigner, my darling, my delight). Her mortal remains were buried in the Catholic section of the Happy Valley Cemetery in Hong Kong (Cabrera, 1999).

Ireland, Malta, and Gibraltar. On his retirement from military service, James Bracken settled and died in Dublin although he originally came from Ferbane, Co. Offaly. Fr. Martin Murphy was responsible for tracing the Dublin descendants of Josephine Bracken. Using the Irish telephone directory he sent letters to a selected numbers of James Brackens. His efforts were rewarded when one day in 1997; he received a call from Francis Bracken in Dublin confirming Josephine’s connection with his family. When Fr. Murphy met with Francis Bracken, it was made clear that his great, great grandfather James was the father of Josephine.

In honor of Rizal’s dulce estranjera, the City of Manila named a small street, Josefina, (the Filipino equivalent of Josephine) after her. The said street crosses España Street near the Quezon City boundary. Proof of the Irish Connection The Irish connection was uncovered through the joint efforts of Fr. Kevin McHugh and Fr. Martin Murphy, both Columban missionary priests who worked for many years in the Philippines. Both of them have great admiration for our national hero and wanted to prove that his wife Josephine was indeed an Irishwoman.

Fr. Martin Murphy then happily filled him in on the love story of his grandaunt Josephine and her husband Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero and martyr. Rizal-Bracken Commemorative Statue Planned in County Offaly A planned statue commemorating our national hero and his Irish wife Josephine Bracken was aborted when the Philippine Embassy in Dublin suddenly closed during the recession.

Fr. McHugh on his part traced the military postings of James Bracken, Josephine’s father. He found out that, indeed, Josephine was born in Hongkong to Irish couple Corporal James and Elizabeth Bracken, and was the last of four children. The three other children were born in

R O O T S & W I N G S | C U LT U R E

about the author Vicenta Benavidez-Kennedy has been living in Ireland for the last 38 years. She is co-founder of the first Filipino-Irish Association in Ireland (1980) which she chaired five times in its lifetime of twenty years.

However, by dint of circumstances, she left the religious life. In 1977, she arrived in Ireland with her Irish husband to take up residency here. She became contributing feature writer for the Woman’s Way magazine, a Smurfit Publication in Dublin.

Vising, as she is fondly called, is a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines. She worked with The Manila Chronicle for three years, first as a provincial correspondent and staff member of the provincial section before being appointed staff writer for the Saturday Weekly Magazine of the same publication.

At the height of the Celtic Tiger, during which a thousand and more Filipino nurses and workers were recruited, she co-founded and edited The Filipino Forum (2004 – 2012) and wrote a column for Metro Eireann (2006 – 2013), the only multicultural newspaper in Ireland.

Sadly, the Manila Chronicle was suppressed by President Marcos during the martial law regime. Vising went on to edit the Echo, house organ of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, Philippines which congregation she joined in 1967.

Now retired, she lives with her husband James in Lucan, Co. Dublin, Ireland. They have two grownup children, Patrick and Noriana.

SUN TALES FROM THE

As the next generation of the world’s best athletes prepare to compete at the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games, they were quickly reminded of the last time the Norwegian city hosted an Olympic Games in 1994. Twenty-two years to the day after the prince of Norway, Crown Prince Haakon, lit the cauldron to officially open the 1994 Olympic Winter Games, his 12-year-old daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, lit the same cauldron last Friday night at the Lysgardsbakkene Ski Jumping Arena to welcome the youth of the world to Lillehammer.

Lillehammer Olympic Games have left here. The International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said “They are also a great opportunity on the one hand to inform and educate young athletes and also to make obvious what athletes and sport are doing for society, and the contribution of sport sto society.”

These Games are a great opportunity for Lillehammer to refresh and modernize the great legacy the

Lillehammer 2016 is not only about the ten fantastic days in February, but more importantly, it is about the legacy 20

ROOTS & WINGS | EXPERIENCES

& SNOW LILLEHAMMER WINTER YOUTH OLYMPICS by

Kyle Christian Manajero

of the values, attitudes and outcomes, which will last long after the Olympic flame has extinguished.

consisting of 70 medal events. The vision of Lillehammer 2016 is to make an educational difference in the life of the young athletes. The Youth Olympic Games are essentially about competing, learning and sharing. They are a celebration of sport, youth diversity and the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect. They also exemplify the fundamental principles of Olympism, blending sport with culture and education.

In addition to competing against some of the youth athletes in the world, the 1,100 Youth Olympians and 3,000 volunteers in Lillehammer will participate in the Learn & Share program, a culture and education initiative with more than 150 activations designed to equip athletes with the skills they need to succeed both on and off the field of play. Over 10 days, approximately 1,100 athletes from 71 countries will compete in 15 sport disciplines,

The Youth Olympics, a sporting event tailor-made for the youth of the world, has actively tried to distinguish itself 21

from the Olympic Games in terms of the program settings. The Youth Olympic Games began in 2010 with the intention of exposing athletes ages 1518 to the Olympic values and inspiring them through competition and culture to become ambassadors of Olympism.

and international interest in the YOG among young people. I am very happy and thankful to be selected as one of the international volunteers and it is a great opportunity for me to meet other people, to explore new places, to acquire new skills and knowledge about how Olympic Games are being organize, to share and devote my time in volunteering because it is one of my passion.

At the same time, the Olympic Games cannot be completed without the help of the amazing volunteers. Almost 7,000 volunteers have signed up to fill the 3,000 places required during Olympic Games, with close to 70 percent being under the age of 30 and almost half being international volunteers, this demonstrates the growing reach

There may be no ice or snow in the tropical countries like the Philippines, but that does not stop me from volunteering in the 2nd Winter Youth

ROOTS & WINGS | EXPERIENCES

Volunteering has been like a school of life; I have learned a lot and discovered a world I did not know existed. Olympic Games and to represent my beloved country. Honestly, I cannot make it without the help from my kababayans in Norway whom I contacted before the Lillehammer 2016. But, thanks to Mrs. Luz Therese Bergersen for her greatest assistance to me like contacting other Filipinos who can accommodate me and to give financial assistance as she is with support of the Hiligaynon Association in Norway, with the help of Mrs. Lida KjĂ¸lberg for giving me some winter clothes from her son and extra money for my allowance, and to my wonderful hosts in Lillehammer, Mrs. Zenaida G. Lindberg and her family.

volunteers will be part of a unique and awesome community before, during, and after the games. Volunteering for Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games will be an opportunity for learning, acquiring new skills, lifelong relations and work experience. The volunteers are made up of different nationalities, cultures, races, languages and outlooks. All of these differences enrich who we are today, which enables us to move forward together, driving us towards a different future.

When I knew in November 2015 that I had been chosen to volunteer in the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games, I had no words to describe my excitement and I was ecstatic. I will be working at the Learn and Share Program which will inspire and empower the youth in order to enable them to go beyond and create tomorrow.

The Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games showed me how sports can bring the world together and how sports can change lives not only for athletes and coaches but even for the volunteers who help them. As volunteers, we are the witnesses to the finest moments of the human spirit and the driving force to make this sport event a memorable one. It is our responsibility to share and help others to inspire more people especially the young people.

The volunteers may be the greatest heroes of the Youth Olympic Games. A total of 3000 volunteers will make Lillehammer 2016 possible. They will create unique experiences for 1100 athletes from 70 nations. We the

I feel happy because I am contributing something to this event, no matter how tiny the effort might be. I believe all volunteers want to devote themselves to the games and work for the prosperity of the Lillehammer 2016. It is 23

totally something worthwhile. For me, volunteering has been like a school of life; I have learned a lot and discovered a world I did not know existed. Unpaid volunteers are often the glue that holds a community together. Volunteering allows me to connect to my community and make it a better place. Even helping out with the smallest tasks can make a real difference to the lives of people and organizations in need. One of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships is to commit to a shared activity together. My experience in Lillehammer took me many memories and great fun like building strong networks with volunteers, athletes, coaches and staffs of the International Olympic Committee. Lastly, I will share a wonderful quote from Marjorie Moore “Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.” So come and join us, be the driving force that will change the world. Don’t miss out the opportunity to volunteer for the next Summer Youth Olympic Games in Argentina this 2018 and the 3rd Winter Youth Olympic Games in Switzerland this 2020.

Kyle Christian Manajero is a 19-year old student from Iloilo, Philippines, he is a scholar studying Political Science at the Pamukkale University in Denizli, Turkey. He got a place as a volunteer at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics at Lillehammer, a town in Norway, site of the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is not only the athletes making waves at this winter Olympics. The unique and interesting work done by the volunteers are noteworthy life-long learning experiences. We are impressed with Kyle’s maturity, vision, and mission, his enthusiasm about volunteerism, his focus and determination to succeed. Kyle is a young man on the go, a role model for many young people.

ROOTS & WINGS | EXPERIENCES

_ Carl is a 25 year old traveller/ adventurer from Danderyd, a Swedish suburb north of Stockholm city. Carl likes diving, martial arts and playing the guitar. R&W had a rare opportunity to spend a few hours with Carl and to talk about what he has been doing in Tacloban in 2015 up to the present. www.hands.org 26

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You have been a volunteer for All Hands International as part of a team dedicated to disaster relief assistance around the world. Amongst others, your team had been constructing homes and a school building in Tacloban. Tell us, how did you become a volunteer? I first heard about All Hands from a friend I met while I was traveling in Cambodia. After a few months we met again in the Philippines while we were just travelling around. She told me she was on her way to do some volunteer work, and since I’d never done volunteer work before in my life I decided to give it a try for four weeks. That four weeks has now become six months and I am still here in Tacloban.

How does it look like in Tacloban now in February 2016? In your opinion, what do you think is left to be done? Some parts of Tacloban seems to have recovered quite well since typhoon Yolanda hit the island last November 8, 2013. It’s hard to believe a typhoon of such awesome magnitude ever happened while wandering around downtown area, now with several shopping areas, restaurants and two McDonalds, even though the city isn’t very big. But just a short walk from the main roads you can still see structural damages and its effect on the inhabitants and their communities. Tacloban is still in a rebuilding stage, and there is still so much that can be done when it comes to homes, repairs, and preparation in case a typhoon like Yolanda should ever occur again considering

the location of the Philippines – which is in the ring of fire belt.

no shade. Once groundwork was finished the carpentry started, having a few volunteers working with local workers until the house was finished. I was a part and team leader for the Gladiators (yes, that’s exactly what the team was named) where our job was to everyday supply all the building sites with what they needed for that day. Everything from wood, cement, steel bars and bags with gravel and sand were tossed on our shoulders which we then took to the different sites. It was hard and heavy work, nothing for the weak

It’s a tough and heavy work to build homes? What does your day look like? When we were building homes the toughness of the work depended on which “team” you were a part of, and what building stage the house was in. Groundwork which was one of the toughest, which included countless brutal hours of digging, and often hand mixing cement, and a lot of days doing it under the scorching sun with 28

ROOTS & WINGS | SOCIETY

and the fainthearted. But seeing the progress of each house being built everyday made the work incredibly rewarding. What have you learned from this experience? The strength and the amazing things that can be accomplished when people with the same mind-set are brought together. People here are from different parts of the world, different, upbringings, personalties, religions, young and old. But what we all had in common was that we all wanted to help, and that we all wanted to make a difference, and as I said, we accomplished amazing things! Before you became a volunteer in Tacloban, you have travelled intensively around the Philippines for sightseeing, diving etc.

What do you think is the most interesting/exciting place to be in the Philippines for a young man from Europe like you? Why? One of the great things being in the Philippines is that it has almost everything one is looking for. If you enjoy beautiful beaches, diving and snorkeling you can find it almost everywhere in the south. Some of my favorite places are Palawan, Moalboal, Malapasqua, and if you enjoy surfing you could go to Siargao (which is my favorite island), which is known for its world famous dive spot Cloud 9. If you want a change of scenery you could go north, although I still have to make my way up there soon. If you are more into trekking and hiking thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the place to go, but beaches, surfing, and a lot more can be found almost everywhere.

Language is Key to Success in Norway by Miles F. Viernes

ROOTS & WINGS | SUCCESS

For the au pairs, nurses and students in Norway,

learning the Norwegian language is a ticket that will open up opportunities to improve their situation in the country. Knowledge and skill of the language enable the au pairs to communicate with their host families and integrate into the society. As members of a cultural exchange program, au pairs will be more familiar with Norwegian culture and at the same time make their hosts and Norwegian acquaintances aware of Philippine culture.

Universities and other educational institutions in Norway require knowledge of Norwegian language for admission into their programs. This is also true for nurses who wish to apply in the nursing homes or hospitals.

especially our au pairs, and for the Embassy to be able to keep in touch with them on a regular basis,” Ambassador Bayani Mercado said. The course is in two levels. Level 1 is Beginner’s Course. Those who finish Level 1 may continue to Level 2.

The au pair scheme provides that host families pay for the language courses of the au pairs. However, the amount is not sufficient to cover the entire course. In fact, some host families are not willing to pay for this course.

The Filipino lecturers have volunteered their services for free. Ms. Regina Pascual, the Embassy translator/interpreter at that time was the first lecturer. She was later joined by Ms.Armida Villanueva, Ms. Fritzel Lambo and Ms. Mary Antoniet Ramones who taught Level 1,and Mr. Raul Vasquez.

Informal Norwegian Language Course The Philippine Embassy in Norway decided to open an informal Norwegian language course to help the newly arrived Filipinos in Norway, the au pairs and nurses.

The course started in 2009 and since then, a total of 321 au pairs, nurses and students have graduated. In the Spring session of 2015, 23 students graduated.

“It is our way of assisting them, 31

Ambassador Bayani Mercado addresses the Fall 2015 graduates.

Ambassador Mercado addresses Fall 2015 Graduates In the Fall 2015 session, 32 students in Level 1 and 18 in Level 2 completed the requirements for graduation. The graduates received their certificates of completion at the Philippine Embassy on December 14.

employment in any of the Nordic countries.” He also advised those who are already legal residents of any Nordic country, to check for educational opportunities they can avail themselves of in order to improve their chances of getting a good job. Norway and Finland offer free tuition to legal residents from college to doctoral courses.

In his inspirational remarks, Ambassador Mercado encouraged them to “learn the language of the country where you reside as soon as possible. It is the key to finding

“Be proud of your Filipino heritage,” the Ambassador said. 32

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“Always remember, you are our ambassadors of goodwill to this region. What you do reflects on the Philippines.”

documents from Norwegian to English. She enrolled in Norwegian course at the Rosenhoff and completed the required number of hours. Her knowledge and skill in the Norwegian language which she learned through the years helped her get a job at the Philippine Embassy as translator/interpreter for eight months. She would translate autopsy reports from Denmark, among others.

“Teaching is my passion” Ms.Regina Pascual worked in Jeddah and London before she came to Norway with her husband in 1988. They were both employed by Stolt-Nielsen Limited, a leading global provider of bulkliquid transportation, storage and distribution services through its largest operating units: Stolt Tankers, Stolthaven Terminals and Stolt Tank Containers. After six years, she and her husband separated. He returned to the Philippines while she tried her luck in Norway.

When the informal Norwegian course was offered at the Philippine Embassy in 2009, then Consul General Evelyn Garcia-Austria asked her to teach the first enrollees. Since then, she has been teaching Levels 2.

When her contract with StoltNielsen was not renewed, she had to look for other jobs. A graduate of Hotel and Restaurant Management from St. Scholastica College, she was able to find work in hotels and as a mayordoma in the Canadian residence.

“Teaching is my passion,” Ms. Pascual said. Although she doesn’t have any teaching experience, she tries her best to impart her knowledge about Norwegian language to the students. Last year, Ms. Pascual set up Veien- Frem,(the way ahead) the Center for Learning and Integration for Filipinos, a nonprofit organization aimed at helping Filipinos integrate into the Norwegian society. To attain this objective, it holds Norwegian

She then worked at the Raytheon International, Inc, an American company involved in the aerospace industry. She started as Secretary and eventually she was promoted as Office Manager. Part of her job was to translate 33

language course (Levels 1,2,3) to newly arrived Filipinos and other migrant workers at a minimal fee. The fee will be used to pay the rent of the venue and for handouts. Teachers render their services for free.

To succeed in Norway, one must master the language regardless of the kind of job that will be offered to you.

This program complements the free informal Norwegian course being conducted at the Philippine Embassy. The first enrollees to the threemonth course also graduated last December. Forty-eight students graduated: 28 in Level 1, 6 in Level 2 and 14 in Level 3. Ms. Julianne Yang taught Level 3. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To succeed in Norway, one must master the language regardless of the kind of job that will be offered to you. As au pairs and students, you have the obligation and the responsibility to learn the language at whatever costâ&#x20AC;?, Ms. Pascual advised her students. Ms. Pascual was recently appointed Community Consultant of Western Union. She has three children. Two of them are Nursing graduates who chose to work in the Philippines. Her youngest son,23 years, old stays with her in Norway.

ROOTS & WINGS | SUCCESS

“Share your blessings. If you have so much knowledge, share it.” Ms. Pascual was joined by Mr. Raul Vasquez as lecturer at the Norskkurs (Norwegian Language Course) at the Philippine Embassy several years later. He is one of the first group of Filipinos who arrived in Norway in the ‘70s. Norway lacked so many nurses then so there was a nursing exchange between the Norwegian Nurses Association and the Philippine Nurses Association for the employment of nurses.

nursing degree and graduated in 1979. He was the first Filipino to graduate at the Rode Kors Sykepleierhogskole College of Nursing in Drammen. His quest for advanced learning did not stop. He completed Psychiatry in 1 ½ years at the Statens utdanningssenter for helsepersonell, psykiatrisk sykepleie, University. While working as a Psychiatric Nurse, he took up and completed Health and Social Administration for another 1 ½ years at the Kommunal hogskole-helse og sosial administrasjon University.

Mr. Raul Vasquez arrived in 1973 to join his family in Oslo after martial law was declared in the Philippines. He was a Senior year BS Nursing student then and he wanted to finish the course before going abroad.But under Martial Law schools were closed with no assurance of being opened.

Then he studied Chinese medicineAcapuncture, a four-year course at the Norsk skole for tradisjonell akupunktur (NOSTRA). After graduation, he taught Chinese Medicine, Acapuncture and Medical Ethics in three different schools. Finally, he finished Environmental Health at the Hogskolen pa Lillestrom-miljo og helse University.

He thought he could continue his studies in Oslo right away. But knowledge of Norwegian language was required. Everything was in Norwegian and there were no institutions then that would offer language courses in Norwegian. He learned to speak and write Norwegian the hard, practical way.

Mr. Vasquez thus held various jobs in several hospitals and clinics in Oslo. Before he got sick which rendered him disabled, he became the District Chief of Grunerlokka, one of the boroughs of Oslo. He was responsible for the home of the aged.

He eventually qualified for a 35

He has written a book about acupuncture entitled, “Magisk Nal”. The book, which is in Norwegian discusses Chinese medical philosophy and acupuncture,

Embassy ‘s free language course because the allowance provided for this language in their contract is not sufficient. After her contract expired, the hosts helped her obtain a student visa.

Although he is no longer working, he is still active in the Filipino community. He does volunteer work like teaching Norwegian language in St. Hallvard Catholic church in Toyen every Thursday. He has also volunteered his services to the free Norwegian course being conducted by the Philippine Embassy.

She now works as a nursing assistant at Tȧsen helsehus, a nursing house for patients who are discharged from a hospital but still need to be rehabilitated. Connie Ann Gatillo, another graduate of the free language course, was an au pair in The Netherlands before she found kind hosts in Norway. She finished BS Nursing at the Central Philippine University College of Nursing and Allied Sciences in Iloilo. She is now a health worker (helsefagarbeider) at the Kingosgate bo ogrehabilitering senter.

“This is my way of giving forward,” Mr. Vasquez said. “Share your blessings.” Successful graduates April Rowine Paña and Connie Ann Gatillo are two of the graduates of the free language course at the Philippine Embassy who have gone a long way in their careers in Norway. They are highly motivated nurses who use their knowledge and skill in Norwegian language in their pursuit of ways to enhance their status in Norway. April Rowine Paña was an au pair in Switzerland before she came to Norway. A BS Nursing graduate from Far Eastern University, she was lucky to have kind hosts. She enrolled at the Philippine

Both April and Connie came to Norway as au pairs. Thanks to the knowledge and skill they acquired from the language lessons, they have found work in Norway practicing their profession as nursing assistants. But they aspire to improve their status and move up to being nurses. So they took up Norwegian Level 3 (norskkus trinn3) from the Universitetet i Oslo (UiO) . Level 36

ROOTS & WINGS | SUCCESS

Consul General Charmaine Rowena C. Aviquivil with April Rowine Pana and Connie Ann Gatillo.

3 is required by the school for them to obtain nurse authorization to take extra units in school. In Norway, the units completed in the Nursing colleges in the Philippines is not enough.

take learning the language for granted. At the start of the course, many would enroll but after the third or fourth sessions, some of them would quit for various reasons. Completion of language course, minimum at Level 3, is now being required for nurses and also for employment in other fields.

Connie and April encourage au pairs to learn the language. “ You gain some respect if you can speak Norwegian,” Connie says. “ Yung iba nahihiya pag nagkamali. Ako, hindi ako nahihiya kahit mali mali. If we talk to the Norwegians in their language, they will correct you and teach you,”

Indeed, language is key to success in Norway.

First appeared in x.Rappler.com 2016

Many Filipino au pairs in Norway 37

In this post I will specifically address the problem of stubborn body-fat. If you are already relatively lean or have recently lost weight, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good chance you still have stubborn body fat. You know what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m talking about.. Lower abs, triceps, low back. Take your pick. Naturally, this is frustrating for a lot of people, and it may seem hopeless at times. Let me clear up some of the frustration for you. by Coach Eddie Bergersen

R O O T S & W I N G S | H E A LT H

1. Stubborn body fat is often a different â&#x20AC;&#x153;kindâ&#x20AC;? of fat This type of fat often has less blood flow, is more sensitive to insulin, and has more of the receptors for hormones causing fat to be stored and less of the receptors causing fat to be released. Because of this, your body tends to draw on fat stores in other areas first,

The process of fat loss can be analogous to the process of draining a swimming pool of water. No matter which diet or style of eating you follow, in order to burn fat you must consume fewer calories than you use. This is based on the law of thermodynamics which, unfortunately, no one has figured out how to break. As you reduce calories your body mobilizes fat (and potentially other tissues) for energy. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s return to the swimming pool analogy; if fat were water, the swimming pool would be slowly emptied. However, almost all swimming pools have a deep and shallow end and as you approached the bottom you would begin to see the shallow end a lot sooner than the deep end. In order to completely empty the deep end, you would have to completely drain the pool. Regarding fat loss, the deep end represents your stubborn body fat. In order to burn this, you need to drastically reduce your OVERALL body fat. Sounds simple right? Just keep eating less and less? Well.. In reality there are things that complicate this process. Here are a few of the most common complications (from baye.com):

2. Rate of fat loss is inversely proportional to how much you have This simply means that the less fat you have, the harder it is to lose. This is because your body can only take a certain PERCENTAGE of its energy from fat each day. If you are familiar with the Law of Diminishing Returns from economics, you will find that it applies quite poignantly to fat loss also. 3. As you get leaner, the contrast may appear greater This is an observation I made chatting with clients and through my own experience. As you start to lose body fat, these stubborn areas can APPEAR more visible, even though during measurements total body fat is lower. Understandably, this can be frustrating as despite all your hard work, it may actually feel like you are fatter when the opposite is true. 39

Ricky Carranza, is a Filipino/Finnish world class street dance specialist,

choreographer, and filmmaker. Ricky’s newly released movie about street dance, also an autobiographical movie of sorts, is an interesting and noteworthy project. “Roots and Wings” has featured Ricky in its summer 2010 issue, and has followed him and his career since. Ricky and his wife Essi, a worldclass Irish dance teacher, run Style Dance Industry, a non-profit dance school outside Helsinki. We are proud of you Ricky, for your undying faith and tenacity to produce this movie against many odds! Congratulations! RW has recently interviewed Ricky:

R O O T S & W I N G S | E N T E R TA I N M E N T

RW. Please tell us about this project/ the movie - “BEYOND THE BLOCK” Why did you decide to make this movie? Please tell us about the background, your inspirations and motivations.

RW. Was it easy or difficult to make this movie? Any hindrances along the way? Inspirations, Collaborators and/ or supporters? It was easy and difficult at the same time. Filming is easy. Just click the camera and it does all the work! The difficulty, however, is putting them all together which includes the technical aspect of it. I did not know anything about Depth of Field, 48 Khz audio, ISO, shutter speed, and many other technical stuff. I just love to film and capture those precious moments. That’s the nice and easy part.

I had the thought of making the movie sometime in the late ‘90s. But, the decision was actually compelled by a conversation with a good friend of mine. He is a well-known cinematographer in Manila. During my visit to the Philippines in 2006, he mentioned that I should make a documentary on the history of street dance since I saw and personally experienced how it all started. So, that was it. I recognized the need for it.

Editing is also easy (even if you have a minimal understanding of your editing program). But, again, the technical aspect requires so much knowledge, experience and professional advice. I have not been to a Film School. I basically taught myself to film and edit. I learned the hard way. I committed so many mistakes. That’s the hard part – correcting those bad takes. Sometimes, you can’t fix the clips anymore because of their defective condition. Here’s where wisdom and the ability to assess a situation, and forgiveness come in. You got to do what you can do!

RW. How long did it take to make the movie? As early as late ‘90s, around 1999 to be specific, I developed the passion for video filming. A friend of mine in Florence, Italy, let me borrow her JVC mini-DV camera. So, I filmed all my shows, rehearsals and dance classes. I practically filmed everything. I knew then that I would use the footage sometime later. And indeed, the documentary contains those valuable clips. If we are going to consider that initial stage, then, it will be about 17 years. At least, more than 15 years to be precise.

There were all kinds of hindrances I experienced, for example, people letting you down, lack of financial support, my responsibility to my family, to our dance school, to my students,

and even my own self. Sometimes I did not want to work on the project because I was tired or I did not feel like doing it. Sometimes it was really hard.

I prayed a lot to the Lord to give me a strong heart to fight the bitterness and rage growing in me and to be able to forgive them. That was the hardest obstacles I faced. The good Lord kept me and gave me patience. I had to edit everything myself from scratch with the help of others. And I was able to forgive them and put all those things to the side.

But, I think the greatest hindrance of all was when I lost some very important files in the project. What happened was, the Post Production company in Manila that was editing the documentary, released the project materials in the middle of the work without my consent. Apparently, a local associate took all the external HDs containing all those files still unknown to me. During the process of transportation, I think, some files were corrupted and disappeared.

Thanks to Future Media Concept in Irvine, California. They gave me some sort of “scholarship”. I got to know the manager, Brett Harrison, and he helped me so much. That’s how I learned editing with Final Cut Pro X through him. And then, my teacher at the course, Victor Maldonaldo, became a good friend and personally supervised me. That’s how I made the whole structure of the film. I owe this project to them.

But, the biggest blow was they erased the project files from their own computer even if the work was not yet done. So we could not continue the editing. All the previous work and expenses went to waste. And its all gone because of that negligence and unprofessionalism I went at least twice to the Philippines for that purpose alone. And it all went to nothing. I really thought it was game over then. I kept my composure, though, and did not tell anyone about it, even my own family. I did not want them to panic and lose heart. But, I was so angry and kept it to myself. I paid the Post Production company about $1,000 and they lost my files!

They said I could not do it, and it’s done now.

Then, in Finland, I got to know another FCPx editor, Jari Innanen. He did the finishing touch: color correction, sound standardizing and stuff. And of course, my line producer Christine Ramos in Los Angeles. She helped me find my Film Scorer, Jonathan Wandag, who became a wonderful friend, an amazing FilipinoAmerican composer. These people 42

R O O T S & W I N G S | E N T E R TA I N M E N T

and many others around the world, who have contributed something in different forms, made it all possible to complete the film. Due to limited space I cannot mention them all, but they are all in the end credits in the film. We are deeply indebted to everyone.

Team Vibe, The Philippine All Stars, The Crew, The A-Team and FMD Extreme. RW. When and where are the screenings, and other projected screenings? The special advance screening will be held in Manila on 27 February 2016. We are currently making the schedule for other places around the world.

And of course, the unwavering support of my family. My wife, who is a vital behind-the-scene worker of this project. I would not have lasted those difficult times without her constant support and encouragement.

RW. What are your immediate, middle term, and long-term plans? We heard of a foundation for street dance in the Philippines? To help children in the Philippines?

RW. Where was the movie filmed? Places, etc. Who are the actors? The movie was filmed in different countries: Finland, Philippines, Singapore, Dubai, Australia, Italy, Thailand, Canada, and the USA.

My immediate desire and goal is to set up the Urban Dance Institute of the Philippines. A place where dancers can learn, hone their skills, be educated, and get a certificate recognized/accredited by the Department of Education and Culture. A Christian-managed establishment following Christian principles and values with no monetary profit agenda. An outreach place for kids, particularly the economicallystricken young artists, where they can be guided and mentored by professionals with faith.

I interviewed more than 50 dancers from around the world. Among the famous ones include: Hollywood actor Dante Basco (Take the Lead, Peter Pan), Turbo (Breakin 1 & 2 movie), Scoo B (Soul Train), Skeeter (Locker legends),, Sugafoot (Dancin’ Machine/ Jeff Kutash dancer), Kobra (Booya Tribe/Blue City crew), Bboy Ronnie (Super Crew/Jabawockeez), Chris “Style” (Jabawockeez) Justin “Jet Li” (Poreotix, Kinjaz), Keone Madrid, Brian Puspos, and many more. As for local Filipino dancers and crews, the list includes Ray An Fuentes, Mike Monserrat, Sandy Hontiveros, Archie Lacson, Jojo Alejar, Jungee Marcelo, The Maneuvers, Street Boys, UMD,

All the proceeds of the film will go to pursuing this goal. So far, it’s going well. I have invitations around the world to show this film, basically, where there are Filipino communities. The USA in the summer and Australia in September are on the calendar as 43

RW. How are you now? Please tell us about your family, your spouse is a professional dancer too? The children?

of now and we are still reviewing and accepting invitations. The documentary is just an avenue to realize this dream.We already found the place to set it up. The land approx. 2,000 sqm costs 5M pesos (approx. 100K euro). Plus, the building which is at least double of that amount. It is a big complex with dormitories for students, dance studios, multipurpose/theater hall, video and audio studio, and our residence/office.

It’s been really tiring, but highly rewarding, doing this film project. I have learned so much in the process. And I know my family has too. I have 4 children at the moment: Alessandra 5 years old, Isabella 4 years old, Edi 2 years old and Leo 8 months old. They have been learning a lot from this project likewise. Patience and perseverance, I think, are among the first on the list.

I know it is an enormous and seemingly impossible task and cost. But, I have gone through various “impossible dreams”, and I always believe somehow. The film is a good example. They said I could not do it, and it’s done now. I believe that the Lord is able if He wants to. After all, I am doing this with my family as a service to HIM and for the common good.

My wife, Essi, is a wonderful person, my best friend, faithful supporter and my number one fan. Because she is also a dancer like me, she understands my world. That’s why she is very supportive. She is a world-class Irish dance teacher herself. She is also the administrative manager of our nonprofit dance school called Style Dance Industry. So, she knows the business aspect of the trade too.

It will change so many people’s lives. And I can go back to the Philippines for a while and help as many as I can. It is going to be the first institution of that kind in the country. A historical heritage for our own people.

RW. Can we show some photos during of the production of the movie? Can we include the ‘trailer’ as part of this article?

As for long-term plan, I would like to make more films: both documentary and feature narrative. I already have made a line-up of my movie projects.

I will send some pictures soon. Yes, you may include the trailer. Thank you so much.

RW. Thank you so ,much Ricky! It is indeed a pleasure and and honour to have you, and be among the first to feature this movie! RW wish you all the luck and more blessings that you certainly deserve.

R O O T S & W I N G S | E N T E R TA I N M E N T

G N I W FOLLO

THE

S P STE a brief review of

by Marthy Angue

A VIVID HISTORY From the Dance Hall Variety Television of the 60’s to what felt like the immediate environs of the convention, the documentary excavates this extremely rich and surprisingly welldocumented historical foundation and builds an impressive showcase around it— affixing all the anecdotal bits and pieces together onto a very intimate context. The sepia-tinted clips of “Penthouse 7” and “Dance 10” were from long before my time but their appeal and impact were discussed with such fondness that I could have sworn I was remembering some of these shows myself. Beyond the Block engages the viewer in that way, with

One comes into any spectacle with preconceptions, of course. I was a child of the nineties at the height of MTV, oversized basketball shorts and a very specific vein of street culture I confess I was much too “square” too appreciate even then. When ENFIDNorway’s Luz Bergersen tapped me to do this review for “Beyond the Block”, breakout film of Finland-based Filipino dance teacher and choreographer Ricky Carranza, I did intact come to the Hip Hop Dance Convention screening with a number of preconceptions. The film’s thoughtful, meticulous meditation on Filipino street dance wasted no time in dismantling them one by one.

the kind of sincerity and enthusiasm that is difficult not to empathise with. It does not manipulate; instead, it makes a case for this sense of wonder shared by this panoply of faces - bellbottomera dancers, betamax celebrities, funk forerunners, b-boys, and dance icons of all shades - concerning the milestones that changed the scene, the art, and their personal lives.

coherent, credible and entertaining. It’s documentation, exhaustive, and it’s scope, vast, it will likely be a definitive resource for Filipino Street Dance Culture for years to come. For me, however, it is the powerful sincerity of “Beyond the Block” that constitutes it’s greatest triumph. It is a work built on real emotions - the excitement of seeing a full-body wave for the first time, the anxiety back-stage of a youth dance competition, the tragedy of losing one’s deepest passions and the challenge of regaining it - and it manages to stir up those emotions in you each time. It makes a case for the intrinsic place of street dance in Filipino culture not just by discussing it but by finding that inextricable part of us that responds to variety shows and dance numbers and striking an unmistakable, undeniable chord.

A PERSONAL TESTIMONY Tying everything together - tumultuous though never overpowering the narrative - was Carranza’s own story which nevertheless weaves effortlessly between the key movements and figures of the last fifty years. I am no authority on the topic but if the documentary proved to cover all the major bases, I’d suspect that this documentary was a story he was uniquely mean to tell. On the note it concludes with, detailing the challenges for the present and his own hopes and plans for the future, you might realise why.

For that, if for nothing else, I recommend Beyond the Block. If a documentary on Filipino Street Dance doesn’t pique your interest, all the better: the movie anticipates your preconceptions. What it offers in exchange is much more rewarding.

FINAL NOTES By any account, Beyond the Block is an impressive documentary. A solid, if standard, work of editing and cinematography, it shines as a narrative that succeeds simultaneously at being 46

ROOTS & WINGS | NEWS

Above: The FAR Board pf Officers.

FILIPINO ASSOCIATION IN ROGALAND (F.A.R.) celebrates 29th Anniversary

FAR, one of the oldest, most venerable, and well-run Filipino community organizations in Norway, founded in 1987, celebrated its 29th Anniversary with an Officers Induction and a pre-valentines Ball, at the Quality Airport Hotel, Sola, Norway. Emceed by Ms. Jacqueline Cruz Mabanag Edvartsen, one of FAR’s founders and leaders, it was indeed a night to remember. The FAR Board of Officers 2016, was sworn into office by the evening’s special guest, Philippine Honoray Consul in Stavanger, Ms. Reneé Ikdal. The officers were led by FAR President-Fortunata Pedersen, 47

The FAR Dance Troupe perform the ”Salidumay”

provided by DJ Engr Ariel Aguda. Engr Ariel and his lovely wife Diana won the evening’s Valentine contest, and were crowned “King and Queen of Hearts 2016”.

Vice-President-Jacqueline Edvartsen, Secretary -Imelda Sarmiento, Treasurer- Luz Aasen, PRO-Teodora Haugstad, Deputy SecretaryJossiebel Nielsen, Deputy TreasurerJosephine Hadland; Deputy PROConcordia Eriksen, Auditor Geir Abrahamsen. Election CommitteeOle Pedersen,Eivind Edvartsen and Nils Pollestad.

Jacqueline Cruz Mabanag Edvartsen, First FAR Honourary Member. A highlight of the evening was the announcement of the first FAR Honourary member (or member of Honour) award to Ms Jacqueline Edvartsen. The citation leaves no doubt that the award is very much deserved: Jacqui being one of the original founders of FAR, past president and indeed a pillar of the organization. The plaque reads: “Jacqueline Edvartsen has

FAR Dance Troupe, led by beautiful and gorgeous dancer and choreographer, Ms Gloria Ricafort, presented a beautiful native Philippine dance, called ‘Salidumay’. Guests were treated to a sumptuous Valentine’s buffet dinner, and a bountiful raffle draw with many valuable prizes. The guests danced the night away to the beautiful music

R O O T S & W I N G S | F E AT U R E D A R T I S T

been unanimously voted as the first “Honorary Member”, for her notable and outstanding contributions to enhance the purpose and objectives of FAR, upon recommendation by the members and approved during a general meeting. Congratulations are indeed in order for a very well-run and manage organization that has withstood the tests of time. A tip here: FAR accounts are transparent, regularly published to members and the public. ENFID Norway (The European Network of Filipino Diaspora). FAR is the first Filipino organization in Norway to become a member of ENFID Norway. ENFiD Norway reps Luz Bergersen and Leonor Vintervoll travelled from Oslo, for the ENFiD Norway meeting, and to join the FAR anniversary celebrations. The ENFiD Norway country representatives are: Consul Reneé Ikdal, Dr. Zeny S. Baguio, Luz Bergersen, Leonor Vintervoll, and Jacqueline Edvartsen. Luz Bergersen led a brief presentation of ENFiD Europe and ENFiD Norway with a short video and distribution of ENFiD info flyers, and a summary of ENFiD Norway program. It was indeed a night to be long remembered. Looking forward to the 30th year anniversary in 2017. Thank you, FAR.!

Jacqueline Edvartsen with her Honorary Membership Plaque.

THE FACE OF E U RO- P I NOY YOUTH

by Betsy von Atzigen

A distinguishing mark of a EuroPinoy gathering is the fun spirit that permeates it, from preparation time to the actual happening. Where else do you virtually share pleasant moments where everyone has a hand on the headline and an infinite reach of readers and admirers, critics and naysayers? THE FACEBOOK.

mood clanging pots & ladles! pet dog dressed up like a reindeer? kids who can’t really sing but caroling for gifts while some cool YOUTH who would rather be left out of this craze gathered around a warm Igloo, enjoying themselves in a “sa amin lang to ha“ youthful imprint. As the pictures emerged, glee turned to exuberance and hidden talents came to the open. Part of their reward as you can already surmise is a befitting exposure to the wider readership of Euro/Pinoys. See the highlights of the season in picture, in no particular order and think of what may come up next? Congratulations and BIG thanks to all who participated.

Here the story unfolds. The ENFiDSwiss hosted a «Post Your Favourite Holiday Pics and Works of Art (in hiding)» and let the Euro-Pinoy Community mark their choice with the infamous ‘Like’. The fun of the season surely gets multiplied when shared among Kababayans. As soon as FB news took to the cracks, Voila! pictures of people on holiday 50

ROOTS & WINGS | NEWS

THE FACE OF THE YOUTH (Anonymous youth artist) garnered the top pick!

TH E FACE of th e EU RO-PINOY YOUTH

H IDD EN WORKS OF ART In the search for hidden Works of Art, fresh paintings surfaced from the easel of Mary Wismer, Virgie Holliger and one case of a youth artist who’d rather not share the limelight. Her wish is to remain just the Face of the Youth. Remember a stage in your life when you just wanted to be on your own? So be it. Glad her work is up but not for sale. She is a graduate of a Swiss Kantonsschule

major in Music and Arts with a number of prior International School art distinctions. Proud Mom adds her daughter plays trumpet and alto saxophone for the Swiss Youth Orchestra. Special appreciation is in place for Ariel & Lovely Funa of Megaworld Prague, pictured here awarding shimmering Bohemian crystals.

If you are a Euro/Pinoy Artist, young ones and young once, living in Switzerland, we’d love to connect with you. Send us an email at enfidswiss@gmail.com 51

Fab4@Feb hits London last Friday, February 12 at Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury London. A partnership European Network of Filipino Diaspora UK (ENFiDUK)with Prismworks Production Inc., in collaboration with Appellation of Origin: The Philippines (AoOP) The event intends to showcase 4 fabulous events in one show. These includes the launch of ENFiD-UK Projects for 2016, Fashion Show of Jaki Penalosa, one of the founding artist of AoOP, GMA7 Network Talent Solenn Huesaff performance and meet and greet with the audience. Philippine Embassy officials, Filipino Communities and Business sectors supported the event. Photos ÂŠ GBPhotography 52

R O O T S & W I N G S | E D I T O R I A L S TA F F

INTRODUCING NORWAY’S FIRST ONLINE STORE FOCUSED ON CATERING TO THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY !