Seattle Central College students with the Asian American & Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) program celebrated the Panagbenga festival on Feb. 27. The event was a great opportunity not only to learn about the festival but also to celebrate the beauty of unity, caring, and ethnic diversity in the college community.
“We were thinking about which cultures had been overlooked,” said Kaung Pyi Kyaw, a Seattle Central student and a peer mentor at AANAPISI. “When I was talking with Filipino students who hang out here, I learned about the flower festival they celebrate in their culture.” He explained how the idea of the Panagbenga Festival celebration came about. Weeks in advance, he researched the festival to better understand its significance.
Panagbenga is a month-long annual festival celebrated in February in Baguio, Philippines. “Panagbenga” is a Kankanaey word that means “the season of blooming.” It is also known as the Baguio Flower Festival. The origin of the festival is related to a devastating earthquake in Luzon in 1990. This unique festival marks the recovery from the earthquake while also welcoming spring.
“As we learned, they wanted to rebuild their city and encourage people to gain confidence from the earthquake,” said Songmei Hu, a Seattle Central student and a peer mentor at AANAPISI. “So, people in the Philippines started this celebration to rebuild and encourage their community.”
Since Seattle Central has a lot of students from the Philippines, Hu noted that “it’s important to let them feel college is welcome and warm. So, they can feel more like home in college.”
For weeks, peer mentors and students prepared for the festival, making bunches of flowers and looking forward to the celebration. As a result, hundreds of vibrant flowers decorated the premises. “I had to make them on the way home and to college, even on the light rail,” Kyaw said.
Both Kyaw and Hu explained how much they had learned about Filipino culture while organizing this event. They also highlighted how sharing knowledge and cultural experiences helps build a stronger multicultural community. “We also set up a display where everyone can learn about the Panagbenga festival and Filipino culture,” Kyaw added.
Joanna Christine Maurera, a Seattle Central student from the Philippines, joined the celebration and recalled the Flower Festival in Baguio. “It is the biggest festival in Baguio that draws a large crowd, including tourists.” She described how the city looks vibrant with colorful flowers, street food, float parades, street dancing, and various events.
To share a taste of Filipino culture, Maurera brought Kwek-Kwek, a popular street food made of deep-fried quail eggs, and Palabok, a traditional noodle dish. Students enjoyed the authentic food and beverages specially prepared for the event.
The celebration was filled with creativity, knowledge sharing, delicious food, and entertainment. While some students crafted flowers, others participated in karaoke.
“I heard the original Filipino music when I entered here,” said Maurera. “I feel so happy and proud about our culture. The Panagbenga festival brings people together. Our college community also brings everyone together.”
“Some of our students are from the Philippines, and we wanted to respect and acknowledge their culture,” said Jeff Bermudes, director of the AANAPISI program. “Connecting to culture is a really powerful way to do that. I hope that this means a lot to them.”
Bermudes noted that there are over 100 different communities and ethnic groups, including Asian and Pacific Islander people, at large. He emphasized that the program strives to offer diverse events that recognize and celebrate many of these cultures.
Moreover, he highlighted that students who may not identify as Asian or Pacific Islanders are always welcome to participate in events. “We are a program that’s open to all students. We do want to be in the community with other students. We understand that a lot of our histories are very similar. We’re more powerful when we stand in solidarity. And I want other students to feel they’re welcomed in our space as well,” he said.
As the Panagbenga celebration came to a close, the students took with them the festival’s deeper meaning–honoring resilience, cultural pride, and rising back again with unity. Through shared traditions, music, and food, the event not only brought students together but also highlighted the importance of celebrating diversity within the college community.
Author
Indunil Usgoda Arachchi is from Sri Lanka and has worked for several years as a newspaper journalist and freelance photojournalist for local and international media. After becoming a student at Seattle Central College, she joined The Seattle Collegian.
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