about pilipino cultural night |
The KABA tradition of PCNThe Pilipino Cultural Night tradition dates as far back as the 1970’s. Most date the first PCN as 1979, five years after the inception of the club in 1974. That brings the Cultural Night tradition to 27th year of dance, culture, and song. However, the elements of Pilipino Cultural Night have always been a part of the Kababayan repertoire of events. Kababayan Alumni can recall having potlucks and cultural performances since the club first started. Indeed, the seeds for the PCN experience were laid long before it took the name and feel of PCN. PCN has gone through various stages and changes. The venues that have been played by Kababayan Alumni include Crawford Hall, Gateway Commons , Irvine Barclay Theatre, and its current venue, the Bren Events Center . The first few PCNs were performed for an audience of a couple hundred, but PCN is now boasting a ticket sale of over 2,000 audience members. Even the content of the show has grown. In the 1980’s live commercial skits were added to the program to utilize the time in between suites and skit scenes. In the mid 1990’s the live commercials were replaced with pre-taped edited video commercials and UC Irvine remains one of the only PCNs to utilize such technology. In addition, dance genres and suites in Pilipino Cultural Night have expanded; adding such staple suites such as the Traditionalist Suite (a genre of dance that represents dances from the tribal regions of the Philippines ) and Modern (a genre of dance that represents the stylistic change and fluidity of culture in the contemporary age).\ As many can see, the Pilipino Cultural Night has changed and evolved, expanded and grown to become a staple feature of the Pilipino American experience at UC Irvine. With such a rich tradition, building a community of support is not only important… it is at the heart of our tradition. PCN is…a showcase of different genres of Pilipino dance (Rural, Maria Clara, Muslim, Kordilyera, Traditionalist, Modern), songs, and drama. It is a time to learn a bit of the Pilipino Culture. It is a place to construct and articulate a “Pilipino” identity. In any case, Pilipino Cultural Night means so much to so many people. For years, it has been an affirmation of the presence of Pilipino Americans in Higher Education, as demonstrated by a dance suite dedicated entirely to Graduating Seniors. It is also a political forum where issues are communicated through a skit. For those of non-Pilipino descent, it is a dose of Pilipino Culture. For the cast, it is a chance to make memories with long-lasting friends. For those in the audience, it is a night for family to support fellow members in the cast. For alumni, it is a night to relive a nostalgic experience. More importantly, it is a night for the community to celebrate unity. |