Many words come to mind when considering the talented individuals involved in Mabuhay, the Asian/Asian American cultural show. “Reticent” is not one of them.
Taking a break from the variety of dance numbers, songs, spoken word pieces, and martial arts demonstrations that made up the evening, the performers presented the Mabuhay Video Project. Throughout the video, Asian and Asian American students at the University gave their opinions about how they feel Wesleyan cultivates diversity, and the effects these methods have on students. At one point, the sell-out audience, including a gaggle of pre-frosh, were unabashedly warned that the term “Diversity University” is, in no softer terms, “bullshit.”
This unapologetic tone defined the entire show, performed last Friday at Crowell Concert Hall. Whatever the form of performance, Mabuhay, taken from the Filipino word meaning “Long live,” allowed the audience a glimpse at the wealth of talent to be savored within the Asian/Asian American community on campus.
The pulse of the audience quickened early, with a rousing opening from the “Taiko” ensemble energetically performed on large Japanese drums. Asian pop/hip hop dance group “FlirtAsian” kept the excitement high during an inspired performance later in the evening. A dozen dancers busted some amazing moves to Korean hip-hop, popping and locking to some awesome choreography.
Performers showcased the martial arts, often derided as an Asian stereotype, in a series of varied acts. An exhibition of the Filipino Eskrima fighting style featured performers swinging weapons and somersaulting through the air. The Kung Fu fan dance, a nonviolent performance set to epic, colossally loud, traditional Chinese music, challenged the notion that martial arts functions solely as a method of conflict. Another fighting style demonstration, Shinken Shobu, culminated in a showdown that left both combatants “slain” in dramatic fashion.
“I was on the edge of my seat for many of the performances,” said Amy Lum ’10. “At some points, like when Kora Shin [’09] was about to break a cement block with her hand, I couldn’t even watch because it was too exciting.”
The acts had roots in a variety of geographic locations, from India, Japan, the Philippines, and Hawaii. Most were completely modern or updated from traditional performances.
The question of the show’s ultimate purpose became a running theme, constantly brought up throughout the hilarious skits put on by the four emcees. Was it intended to be a cultural showcase or political polemic? In the end, Dean of Diversity and Academic Advancement Daniel Teraguchi came on stage to clear matters up, and the two factions united.
Addressing issues within the Asian/Asian American community provided the evening with moments of sobriety. A spoken word performance discussed the difficulty of labeling within the Hawaiian and Filipino communities as one race or another, and the pitfalls of defining themselves by any combination of names. Another piece, entitled “Paraiso” (Paradise), illuminated the plight of the impoverished children of the many islands of the Philippines, and their ongoing struggle to escape the shantytowns that spring up in the countryside.
“The show did an incredible job of surfacing issues of concern that some of Wesleyan’s student body, myself included, may have neither been personally affected by nor been aware of,” said Betsy Dickerson ’10.
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