Scholars, Artists, Researchers Gather in London for Mindanao History, Culture, and Identity Conversation
Cultural anthropologist Cherubim Quizon discusses the botanical practices related to indigenous textile production in Mindanao. (Stacy Garcia photo)
LONDON 10 July 2019 — The Philippine Embassy in London proudly supported the annual Philippine Studies Conference at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University of London from 05-06 July 2019.
The conference gathered scholars, artists, policymakers, cultural workers, and researchers for a series of talks, exhibits, and performances on the theme, “Mindanao: Cartographies of History, Identity, and Representation”.
The annual two-day conference explored many of the region’s complex and dense issues, including the coexistence among its diverse ethnolinguistic communities, its complicated history, and the interactions among the different societies staking out claims on cultural capital, resources, territory, and opportunity.
“Mindanao is an important crossroads of Philippine and Southeast Asian culture,” said Ambassador to the United Kingdom Antonio M. Lagdameo. “The region is rife with opportunities but in order to seize these opportunities, there is a need to first understand the people, the history, and the culture that have shaped what has often been referred to as the ‘Land of Promise’.”
The conference concluded with a series of cultural performances featuring the traditional dances of Mindanao’s different indigenous and ethnolinguistic communities.
“We want to have a space where we can have dialogue, where we can be open to ideas, to critique, to discussion,” said SOAS-Philippine Studies Programme executive director Dr. Cristina Martinez-Juan. “For the academics from the Philippines, we hope we were able to provide you with a space to share your knowledge and expertise on a global platform.”
According to Dr. Martinez-Juan, next year’s conference will focus on the Visayas. END
Daniel Ceeline Ramonal, a graduate student in Dance Knowledge, Practice, and Heritage, performs a Manobo ritual dance during the closing ceremony of the conference. (Stacy Garcia photo)
For more information, visit https://www.londonpe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/pg/PHLinUK or https://twitter.com/philippinesinuk