Consulate General of the Philippines Frankfurt

National Heritage Month 2020 – Tradition of Atang

For many Filipinos, death is not the end when it comes to relating with their relatives and loved ones. And the Ilocanos, the third largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines are no exception. Through the elaborate ritual of the “atang,” Ilocanos have their own unique way of honoring their dead.

The Ilocano Ritual of “Atang” is known as a food offering that is intended to drive away evil and malevolent spirits. It plays an important role in Ilocano culture, as Ilocanos generally believe that there are spirits who live among us, either of the dead or of other worlds who need to be appeased whenever they are disturbed or offended.

Dive into the Philippines’ intangible cultural heritage!

PH Consulate General in Frankfurt Assists Repatriation of 239 Filipino Seafarers

Filipino seafarers from AIDAblu and, AIDAmar line up to check in for their flight to Manila at Frankfurt Airport in Germany.

FRANKFURT 13 May 2020 – The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt assisted in the repatriation of 239 Filipino seafarers in their transit in Frankfurt, Germany on 11 May 2020.

The latest batch of repatriates was composed of 188 crew of AIDAblu and 51 of AIDAmar who signed off while their ships were docked at the German Port of Hamburg. The shipping company, AIDA Cruises, chartered the Condor flight to bring home the seafarers.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) facilitated the arrival of the seafarers from Germany amidst the cap imposed by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID) on the daily number of arriving overseas Filipinos in the country in order to manage the existing quarantine protocols and to ensure that OFWs are adequately attended to upon their arrival. END

The chartered Condor flight DE 8474 carrying 239 Filipino seafarers prepares to depart the airport in Frankfurt, Germany.

National Heritage Month 2020 – Kudaman Epic of the Pala’wan

By the river Tabunganan is a spring, which is the abode of an evil spirit. Tuwan Putli, accompanied by her cousin Ambaynan, goes there to fish. As they are about to leave, Tuwan Putli sees a river lobster with golden pincers. Ambaynan waits for her, but Tuwan Putli disappears. There is blood in her fish basket. Ambaynan goes home and reports the incident…..

Sounds interesting? This is just the beginning of the epic of Pala’wan people.

“Kudaman” is an epic of Palawan. It is dramatization of nature and social life, a validation of the beliefs, ethics, way of life to Palawan culture. The complete epic is composed of six songs. It takes seven nights to perform the epic. The first night is used to introduce the epic; each of the six songs takes a night to perform. The hero Kudaman appears after the introductory chant.

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National Heritage Month 2020 – Batek/Batok

In the Philippines, there is a tradition that has been practised by women for many years. This is popularly referred to as “batok” meaning the art of tattooing your body with tribal designs using bamboo stick and thorn.

Batok is believed to have been practised for about one thousand years. Usually, Filipino women who have reached the right age are allowed to get tribal designs to enhance their beauty. But this art of beauty is not just left to women only. Men that have proved themselves worthy enough to get the mark of beauty are allowed to participate in mambabatok tradition.

Apo Whang-Od, known to be the last ‘mambabatok’ has been tattooing women and headhunters in the region of Kalinga for more than seventy years.

Meet the legendary woman and learn about the stories of ‘batok,’ Buscalan’s traditional tattoo.

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WATCH: “Ang Babae sa Likod ng Mambabatok”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=634UCbJTLWA

National Heritage Month 2020 – Punnuk

Tugging rituals and games in the rice-farming cultures in East and Southeast Asia are enacted among communities to ensure abundant harvests and prosperity. They promote social solidarity, provide entertainment and mark the start of a new agricultural cycle. Many tugging rituals and games also have profound religious significance.

In the Philippines, the Punnuk of the Ifugao has been around for at least a thousand years but has only been revived about 20 years ago.

Both the local and national governments are exerting efforts to help organize the punnuk to further ensure community involvement and
to further preserve the punnuk tradition and the culture of the people as a whole.

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#PHIntangibleCulturalHeritage

 

International Art Contest “Untitled Land”

In “Untitled Land,” artist Joel L. Geolamen envisions a world where natural resources are protected and conserved, and the environment is well taken care of, with ecosystem preserved.

Let’s show support for the Philippines and vote for his work at “The Future We Want,” an international art contest organized by the UN Offices in Geneva (UNOG) in celebration of the United Nation’s 75th Anniversary.

Voting starts on 15 May and ends on 15 June 2020. Visit https://thefuturewewant.unog.ch/ to vote!

 

 

 

International Art Contest “The Future We Want”

What is the future we want?

In “Untitled Land,” Filipino artist Joel L. Geolamen views a future where preserving the environment and respecting ancestral lands are of utmost importance and value.

Vote for his work at “The Future We Want,” an international art contest organized by the UN Offices in Geneva (UNOG) in celebration of the United Nation’s 75th Anniversary.

Head to https://thefuturewewant.unog.ch between 15 May and 15 June 2020 to vote!

Moriones Festival of the People of Marinduque

Marinduque’s Moriones festival is one of the most colorful festivals in the country. The participants use morion masks to depict the Roman soldiers and Syrian mercenaries within the story of the Passion of the Christ.

Under the domain of rituals and festive events, the Moriones Festival is being proposed for nomination by the Philippines for inclusion in the intangible cultural heritage lists within the coming few years.

Keep this tradition alive, dive into the Philippines’ intangible cultural heritage!

National Heritage Month 2020 – Kapayvanuvanuwa

Another element of our intangible cultural heritage that is being proposed for nomination for UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list is the KAPAYVANUVANUWA, a fishing ritual of the Ivatan of Batanes.

Learn more about the Ivatan’s Kapayvanuvanuwa ritual and their stories of deep connection with the sea and help preserve this cultural heritage.

DIve into the Philippines’ intangible cultural heritage!

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMKazWIZL84