The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, led by Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang, opened on June 17, the first-ever Philippine exhibition at the Nairobi National Museum titled “Perfected by Tradition: Philippine Weaves.”
Over 50 guests from the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Sports,
Culture and Heritage, National Museums of Kenya (NMK), ASEAN Nairobi
Committee, and faculty and students of the Department of Fashion Design and
Marketing and the Department of Fine Arts and Design of Kenyatta University
attended the Opening Ceremony and enjoyed the showcase of Philippine woven
textile traditions.
Nairobi National Museum, the premier museum in Kenya, attracts thousands of
students and tourists, both local and foreign, each year.
In her remarks, Ambassador Tang noted that as Kenya is also known for its very rich
and colorful textile traditions, the Philippine exhibit provides a good opportunity for
Kenyans to discover their similarities with Filipinos despite the significant geographic
distance between their respective countries.
“Philippine weaves are a tapestry of different colors, textures and materials. Every
detail of a traditional textile is a product of craftsmanship and has a story to tell. The
exhibit provides its visitors a glimpse into the lives, social structures, beliefs, and
values of the Filipino people,” said Ambassador Tang.
In his message read by Nairobi National Museum Principal Curator Mwanaima
Salim, NMK Acting Director-General Stanvas Onga’llo said that the NMK is honored
to host the Philippine exhibition that celebrates humanity through both history and
art, and that he hopes that this would be the beginning of more partnerships between
Kenya and the Philippines.
The guests, particularly students of fashion design, expressed how engaging and
informative the exhibit was, and proposed a possible collaborative project in which
they would create their own designs using various Philippine fabrics.
“Perfected by Tradition: Philippine Weaves” was organized in close collaboration
with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the NMK to mark
the Philippine National Heritage Month and the 124th Anniversary of Philippine
Independence Day. It will run from 17 June to 17 July 2022. (PR) – gb
