Tekniqlingz

(Honolulu, Hawai’i), In observance of October as Filipino American history month, Boom Boom Brown! A Celebration of Filipino American Youth Culture, featuring Hawai’i’s young and talented Filipino American visual artists, poets, music ensemble and dancers, will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2009.  The public is invited to this free event, which begins at 12:00 p.m. at the Hawai’i State Public Library.

“In the Filipino community, people are concerned that many young Filipinos are lost and disconnected from our roots.  That’s not true.  We do take pride in our Filipino American culture, heritage and identity.  We know about our history,” said April Bautista, event co-chair.  She added, “The youth and young adults featured at the event not only express their pride through the creative arts, but they do it in various genres.”

Boom Boom Brown! showcases the works of visual artists Christopher Aradanas, Calvin Bagaoisan, Shaun Castro and Elsie Simpliciano; poets Jessica Ladera, Melanie Medalle and Faith Pascua; and musicians and dancers from Mahalohalo Kolintang Ensemble and Tekniqlingz Dance Crew.  This diverse group of participants represents the depth and scope of talent found in Hawai’i’s Filipino American youth.  (Participant bios are attached)

The year 2009 is the second year that the State of Hawai’i is officially celebrating Filipino American History Month.  The Hawai’i State Legislature passed legislation in 2008 designating the month of October as Filipino American History Month to annually commemorate the contributions of Filipino Americans to Hawai’i and the United States.

Boom Boom Brown! is sponsored by the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) Hawai’i, the Filipino American Historical Society of Hawai’i (FAHSOH), and Friends of the Library.  NaFFAA Hawai’i is a non-profit, advocacy organization committed to empowering the Filipino American community by working with college students through its workshops, conferences and other events.  FAHSOH is a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster an appreciation for the heritage and experiences of Filipino Americans in Hawai’i.

Event Details:

What:  Boom Boom Brown! A Celebration of Filipino American Youth Culture

Who:   Visual artists: Christopher Aradanas, Calvin Bagaoisan, Shaun Castro, and Elsie Simpliciano; poets: Jessica Ladera,    Melanie Medalle, and Faith Pascua; and members from Mahalohalo Kolintang Ensemble and Tekniqlingz Dance Crew

Where: Hawai’i State Public Library, Courtyard, 478 South King Street

When:  Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 12:00 p.m., refreshment will be served

Christopher received a bachelor’s of fine arts from the University of Hawai’i-M?noa with an emphasis in photography.  Christopher’s works were featured in the Hawai’i Craftsmen’s Fiber Hawai’i 2006 Juried Exhibition at The ARTS at Marks Garage and at the Contemporary Filipino American Artists of Hawai’i Exhibition at the Contemporary Museum in the First Hawaiian Bank Downtown.  Christopher enjoys working with youth and is currently a paraprofessional educator.

Calvin is currently a student at the University of Hawai’i-M?noa majoring in fine arts and minoring in the Ilocano language.  He is part of the Timpuyog Student Organization at the university and was its former vice president.  Calvin won the 2008 Honolulu Magazine Photo Contest and recently performed at the Filipino Fiesta in May.  Calvin continues to volunteer in the Filipino American community to help perpetuate the culture, heritage and history.

Since 2003, Shaun has had his works in numerous exhibitions around Hawai’i and California, including local venues such as Prototype in Pearlridge, Studio 1 and the Ground Up art shows at the Chinatown Courtyard.   He received his bachelor’s in fine arts from the University of Hawai’i-M?noa.  Aside from being a painter, Shaun is also a youth minister and has done mission work in the Visayas region of the Philippines.  His Christian faith and love for hip hop culture are dominant influences in his work.

Elsie took art classes from the University of California-Berkeley and her works have been featured at Soul Signature Tattoos, the 2002 National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) Global Conference in San Francisco and in Maganda magazine.  Elsie is the co-vice chair of NaFFAA Hawai’i.  She honors her heritage by working within the Filipino American community and helping Filipino youth develop an awareness about the culture and history.  Originally from San Francisco, Elsie is a literacy resource teacher with Kamehameha Schools.

Jessica was trained under poet Travis T. of Youth Speaks Hawai’i and was a member of Farrington High School’s first slam poetry team.  She has competed at the Youth Speaks Hawai’i   InterSlams in which the Farrington Slam Team won second place in fall 2008 and first place in spring 2009.  Jessica is currently a freshman at Leeward Community College pursuing an associate’s degree in teaching.  She hopes to get a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Hawai’i-M?noa or from Nevada State University and become an elementary school teacher.  Jessica is also a youth leader in St. Theresa’s Youth Ministry in Liliha.

Melanie is a graduate student in the departments of Women’s Studies and Political Science at the University of Hawai’i-M?noa. She works with the Gender Equity and Civil Rights Advocacy Office at UHM, and is co-chair of the women of color collective CEJE (Collective for Equality, Justice, and Empowerment).  Melanie has performed at various community actions locally and abroad, and is published by PAWA Inc. in Field of Mirrors: An Anthology of Philippine American Writers (2007).  Her political, personal, and artistic practice aim to analyze, understand, unlearn, and undo racism, patriarchy, and all forms of oppression that deny our full humanity and bring pain to the earth and ourselves.

Faith is currently a sophomore at Farrington High School and is with Youth Speaks Hawai’i.  She is the vice president of the Farrington Slam Team and was a former T-Shirt Theatre performer.  In addition to her creative extracurricular activities, Faith is also involved with her class council in student government.

Founded in October 2008, the Mahalohalo Kolintang Ensemble is rooted in the traditions of Southern Philippine and Malay gong cultures. Mahalohalo is grounded in scholarship and decades of teaching and performative experience, while allowing space for innovation and playfulness. The group has performed in numerous events including the ANAK! Festival at the Hawai’i State Arts Museum, Pasko! at the Hawai’i Filipino Community Center, the Puja Dance Concert at Paliku Theatre and the Pan Pacific Festival.  In July 2009, ensemble members conducted fieldwork in North Borneo, Malaysia with Bajau music and dance practitioners.

The Tekniqlingz Dance Crew was created in spring 2008 as an offshoot of the tinikling dance workshops held by the Katipunan Club of the University of Hawai’i-M?noa. The crew has performed at various events such as National Night Out, the Filipino Fiesta, and A Taste of Kalihi. Members also teach the tinikling dance and give demonstrations in various schools and at the Filipino for Kids Summer Program.  With its foundation based on modernizing traditional Philippine folk dances, Tekniqlingz seeks to inspire and influence new innovations in the world of hip-hop and dance.