00:00The upcoming Habing Katutubo celebration will showcase the richness of indigenous Filipino culture through a stunning display of traditional weaving and contemporary fashion.
00:15Designers are set to highlight distinct regional textiles, blending heritage and modern aesthetics on the runway.
00:21The event will also feature cultural performances, emphasizing the living traditions behind the craftsmanship.
00:30Organizers aim to promote the preservation of indigenous practices while providing economic opportunities for local weavers.
00:40And to tell us more, we have with us tonight Jenya Peleo, Visual Director for the sixth edition of Habing Katutubo via Zoom.
00:48Good evening. Sharm Zespina here. Welcome to Interface.
00:52Good evening, Jenya. Thank you so much for guesting here tonight on Interface.
00:57So let's get right down to it.
01:00What can audiences expect to see in this year's Habing Katutubo?
01:04And most importantly, how exactly does it push the cultural and artistic direction of the event?
01:11Well, audiences can expect a richer, more immersive cultural experience this year.
01:16So Habing Katutubo 6 is our biggest edition yet.
01:20Now a two-day celebration featuring expanded exhibits, live demonstrations, performances and fashion showcases.
01:27So by bringing the event to SMX Aura in Taguig for the first time,
01:31we're pushing our cultural direction forward by widening the platform of our indigenous artistry
01:37and giving more visibility to the communities we represent and what is authentic.
01:41And our goal is just not to display culture, but to create a meaningful interaction between artists, cultural bearers and, of course, the public and the designers.
01:52I love this concept.
01:53But how are the designers and collections selected for this edition?
01:56And what themes or narratives are they bringing to the showcase?
02:02So our designers were chosen through a careful curation process.
02:06So we prioritize those who consistently champion indigenous textiles and artists and shape in their work.
02:13So we look at the integrity of their practice, their storytelling and their collaborations with local communities.
02:20So this year, the collections highlight the theme of identity, sustainability, modern indigenous wares and, of course, cultural preservation.
02:30So each designer will pay homage to the place or to the indigenous group that they represent.
02:36So bringing a unique narrative from honoring their ancestral weaving patterns to reimagining them in a contemporary silhouette.
02:44So the show becomes a conversation between tradition and innovation.
02:49Wow, I love that.
02:50The show becomes a conversation between tradition and innovation.
02:54This being your sixth year, Jenya, what new elements or innovations are being introduced this year that sets it apart from the previous versions?
03:05Well, there are a lot, actually, of new elements to expect this coming sixth staging of Habing Katutubo.
03:11So aside from the 2D exhibit, which will feature food and non-food items rooted in our different indigenous community,
03:21we also have our live weaving demonstration, I'm sorry, and we also do have a go in green sustainable fashion where we talk about fashion in a sustainable world
03:32and how we can keep it eco-friendly, of course, since this is one of the goals now of our designers.
03:39And we have a diverse lineup of designers coming from Baguio, Ifugao, Abra, Iloilo, and the different parts of Manila.
03:46And aside from that, I think the main highlight or the main element that I would love to showcase in this interview is the talk show
03:54or the opportunity to try and communicate with our young cultural bearers who are also part of our organization,
04:01which is Laika and Ezra.
04:02They will be discussing to you what cultural appropriation is and appreciation is.
04:07So this is like a platform for everyone to do a question and answer to clarify on the things that they should know on cultural appropriation and appreciation.
04:16And aside from that, we will be having Indigenous Studies Circle, who will be on the topic of Indigenous Studies being aesthetic.
04:25So, yeah.
04:26Wow, that is a lot to look forward to.
04:29Yeah.
04:30Before this whole thing started, though, what behind-the-scenes efforts were made to ensure that every performance,
04:36the textiles, and design remains authentic to the communities being represented?
04:40So, of course, we do our continuous research.
04:46We also do IP community visits and conversations.
04:48Actually, mainly it is our producer, Mamayla Alok, who does this.
04:53She's also actually taking up her PhD in Indigenous Studies, which actually inspired her to create this huge project that we are all in.
05:02So, aside from the continuous research and the talks we have with community,
05:07with the different kinds of community conversations that we have with Indigenous people,
05:13we also do our best to cast models also together, models, volunteer, media, HMUA, that will make the show even better.
05:24And, of course, we would like—actually, the best way to collab or to walk beside the weavers and cultural bearers is not to be in front of them.
05:33So, we do our best to provide logistics support, such as transportation, accommodation, airfare, and meals for performers,
05:41artisans, and cultural bearers, so that they will be ensured that they are respected as collaborators.
05:45We do not want to give them the fear that they are being displayed for merely cultural or, you know, human zoo, like the issue we had before.
05:55We do not want that to happen again.
05:57We do not want to have that misinterpretation.
05:59But we want to be it—to be—to this project, to be a community instead of a show itself,
06:07where we can converse, showcase at the same time, and respect everyone,
06:11and that we do respect each other as collaborators and not merely as displaced to showcase or exploit them also of their indigenous traditions and culture.
06:22So, aside from that, to clarify things, by the way, we are not backed by a huge financial support.
06:28So, we do not have a huge financial backing.
06:30So, we actually survive with the help of our network, our models who do their best also to help us with the tickets and stuff like that.
06:41And also, we have designers who also try to collaborate with us to ensure that they have friends also that may help us with press or promotion
06:50or even through selling the tickets also and also the booths that we sell in order to raise funds for our project.
07:01Okay.
07:02For first-time attendees, what key moments can they look forward to as far as the segments of the programs are concerned
07:10as being the heart of this year's cultural celebration?
07:13Well, for the first-time attendees, we do expect you, we do want you to look forward to all of these segments
07:23because, actually, in our two-day segment or two-day show, you would experience the feeling of authenticity
07:31and the heart of keeping the culture alive, even in this world of modernization and innovation,
07:37that it is always good to go back to our IP communities.
07:41Okay, Jenya, please do invite our viewers watching right now to join you for the sixth iteration of the Habing Katutubo Fashion Show.
07:53So, hello, everyone.
07:54To those who would like to reserve your tickets, you may reach out to us via our Facebook page or our website, Habing Katutubo, or www.habingkatutubo.com.
08:05We are inviting everyone to join us and experience the feeling of authenticity and the heart of keeping culture alive
08:11in this world of modernization and innovation through Habing Katutubo,
08:16from fashion shows to live weaving demonstrations and, of course, through our exhibits.
08:22So, I hope that you will join us on November 29th to 30th at SMX Aura in Taguig.
08:27All right, many thanks, Jenya Pileo, Visual Arts Director, for the sixth edition of Habing Katutubo.
08:34Have a great evening.
08:35Thank you so much.
