Philippine Weaving Workshop, Native Snacks and Chinese Tea  

Chongqing, 23 September 2024 - The Philippine Consulate General in Chongqing hosted a Philippine Weaving Workshop at Xi Gua Tea House, Chongqing, on the occasion of the Centennial Year of Manlilikha ng Bayan Magdalena Gamayo.

Post invited Hibla PH to teach twenty (20) participants basic weaving patterns  common to Philippine indigenous groups using compact weaving loom kits and to provide the cultural background of Philippine weaving. Hibla PH is a social enterprise that aims to assist Filipino weaving communities and connect the Filipino people to the beauty of Philippine weaves through interactive and immersive technologies.

The weaving workshop was participated in by the Consul General of Myanmar and representatives from the consulates of UK, Belarus, and Italy.  Senior corporate executives  of Marriott Executive Apartment, Air Asia, and Eva Air also attended, along with representatives  from the Foreign Affairs Office in Yuzhong District, Chongqing, and a member  of the Filipino community.  

Consul General Ivan Frank M. Olea, in his opening remarks, shared that the vibrant colors of Philippine handwoven garments reveal the way of life of the Indigenous people and reflect their cultural identity and that weaving--one of the oldest and most important crafts in human history--tells a story of a people, and connects to their culture, language, and the environment. He said that given the Philippines’ rich weaving culture the  Filipino people could also relate to the handwoven textiles by ethnic groups in China which have   their own unique and interesting story. 

The Consulate served  Filipino meryenda of biko, menudo giniling empanada and turon. which was complemented by the Pu-erh  tea that was freshly prepared by  Xi Gua Tea House. Participants enjoyed the tactile experience of weaving and were inspired to explore future pairings of Filipino food and Chinese tea.

As participants completed their weaves, Xi Gua Tea House demonstrated the tradition of preparing Wuyi Rock tea, an intangible cultural heritage of China. By sharing both the Philippines’ weaving and food culture and China’s tea heritage, Post seeks to promote people-to-people exchanges through each other’s cultural heritage.

The event was made possible through the Consulate’s partnership and coordination with the Chongqing International Culture Exchange Center (CQICEC) and Xi Gua Tea House. END