Rabat – The Philippines and Morocco marked 50 years of diplomatic ties this week with a celebration that went past protocol.
This morning, the Embassy of the Philippines in Rabat invited Moroccans to witness a efficiency that embodied each of custom and connection.
Kontra-GaPi, an ensemble from the College of the Philippines, stood on the heart of the gathering. For the primary time in its historical past, the group traveled to Africa, not solely as vacationers, however as cultural ambassadors.
Their devices, some carved from bamboo, others stretched with pores and skin, supplied rhythms formed by centuries. The dances they introduced mirrored the lives of communities who’ve held onto their methods by waves of colonization, struggle, and migration.
Philippine Ambassador to Morocco Leslie Baja opened the occasion with calm conviction. “We hope by the performances of Kontra-GaPi, we will create a cultural bridge between our two international locations,” he instructed Morocco World Information (MWN) on the sidelines of the occasion.
“And naturally, create larger consciousness and understanding between the peoples of the Philippines and Morocco.”
“This can be a particular second for us,” the group’s founder and inventive director, Pedro Abraham Jr instructed MWN . “We’re right here not simply to carry out, however to share one thing historic and alive from our nation.”
Abraham defined that the ensemble drew on traditions from almost 100 ethno-linguistic teams within the Philippines. “Many of those communities had been barely touched by colonization. Their music holds reminiscence, and we feature it with care,” he mentioned.
For Abraham, the efficiency in Morocco felt private. “We don’t usually get to face in locations so removed from residence and be obtained with this a lot kindness,” he mentioned.
“And but right here we’re, in North Africa, sharing one thing that started 1000’s of years in the past within the Austronesian world. For just a few moments, our histories sit aspect by aspect.”
The efficiency introduced heat, silence between notes, and the gradual recognition that folks throughout continents usually carry comparable longings, for dignity, continuity, and friendship.
The go to additionally marked the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence. However, the evening didn’t revolve round dates or official speeches. It belonged to the musicians, the dancers, and the friends who leaned in to hear.
The Embassy’s option to carry Kontra-GaPi to Morocco served as greater than symbolic outreach. It stood as an invite, to look past geography, and to seek out familiarity in distinction.
