The Philippine Embassy organized an authors’ forum on Contemporary Conversations on Philippine Culture and History.
The forum offered an excellent update on contemporary books, literature and the commemoration of National Literature Month and National Heritage Month. The venue was the Embassy of the Philippines, Judge Cesar Bengzon Hall, on 12 April 2023.
Featuring at the Authors Forum were Dr Stephanie Marie Coo, Ms Katrina Stuart Santiago, and Mr Kristian Sendon Cordero. They all delivered outstanding presentations. Isolating the presentation by Dr Stephanie Coo, she held an expose on her encyclopedic study on Clothing the Colony: Nineteenth-Century Philippine Sartorial Culture, 1820-1896.
In her expose Stephanie Coo focused on the use of the Barong Tagalog and on the colonial clothing culture of the Philippines. She mentioned an interesting detail, the undeniable role men played in fashion. Dr Coo is a passionate chino filipino author and historian educated in Manila, Beijing, and Nice. She was in The Hague for a brief visit.
Dr Stephanie Marie Coo has won the prestigious International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS) Book Prize for her book “Clothing the Colony: Nineteenth-Century Philippine Sartorial Culture, 1820-18.
In his welcome remarks, H.E. Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya underscored the significance of writing, reading and literature, setting the tone for an evening of engaging discussions. “Reading and literature enables us to see through the lenses of others, and the experiences of others. It makes it possible to comprehend and understand various situations from many perspectives,” the Ambassador said.
Dr. Stephanie Marie Coo, author of the multi-awarded book “Clothing the Colony: Nineteenth-Century Philippine Sartorial Culture, 1820-1896,” provided a visual overview of the attire worn by men and women in the Philippines during the Spanish era. As she explored colonial clothing, she provided unique insights into the clothing styles during that period and emphasized the significance of rigor in doing research, stressing that it must be done scientifically and presented creatively.
Ms. Katrina Stuart Santiago, an author, literary critic, writing professor, and founder of PAGASAph, shared the story of how she co-founded “Everything’s Fine,” a Philippine press that publishes books on independent cultural practices. She shared her personal journey in writing and how she pursued independence, not by isolating but by immersing herself in her surroundings and simply aspiring to be better. “Storytelling is an act of rebellion, and that it is crucial to support independent cultural practices,” she said.
Chosen as one of the Philippines’ Ten Most Outstanding Young Men in 2022, Mr. Kristian Sendon Cordero, talked about the inspiring story of how he established the bookshop “Savage Mind: Arts, Books and Cinema,” which has become the creative heart of Naga City. He shared how this bookshop opened new engagements and networks among younger populations and indigenous communities in Naga and the whole of Bicol province, built around the common love for arts, books, and cinema.
The lively and insightful open forum that followed was moderated by Ms. Dheza Aguilar, Managing Editor of The Filipino Expat Magazine, while Consul Nomer Ado served as the event’s master of ceremonies.
In a Facebook post, the SARO Community said “Cultures have always been changing and adapting… but being away from home should not give us the impression that it’s okay to forget our own – it is our moral responsibility to encourage, understand, protect and preserve our cultural heritage.”
The event was organized in collaboration with the SARO Community, the Bicol Community Nederlands Foundation, and the Savage Mind: Arts, Books and Cinema, a bookstore based in Naga City, Camarines Sur.”
Indeed, a vivid, insightful and captivating open forum.
