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The Philippines: An Island of Culture by Kyle Cristoff L. Peña

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The Philippines: An Island of Culture by Kyle Cristoff L. Peña

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Philippines, where the sun turns gold,

Festivals bloom with stories told,

From cuisines that perfume the air,

To dances that will make you stare.

Baskets crafted with colors bright,

Handcrafted art brings such delight,

With foods so delicious and sweet,

The culture here is such a treat.

Honoring culture makes us unite,

Bringing joy that shines even at night,

Loud laughters, mixed with smiles so bright,

Creates such a wonderful sight.

Together we stand, proud all year,

On our island, we hold so dear,

The Philippines shines, like a star,

A land of love, wherever we are.

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“The Tinikling Dance” by Kyle Cristoff L. Pena

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“The Tinikling Dance” by Kyle Cristoff L. Pena

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Once upon a time, there was a girl named Mia who went to the Philippines with her parents, Maria and Antonio to visit her cousins named Ana and Carlos for a special festival. Mia was very excited because she wanted to learn more about Filipino traditions. One morning, she noticed her cousins practicing a traditional dance called tinikling, a dance where people have to step in and out between two bamboo poles.

Mia wanted to join in and try the dance, but she felt nervous.“Come on, Mia!” Carlos called. “You can do it!” Mia took a deep breath and stepped forward. The bamboo poles clapped together quickly and she struggled to keep up. Just a few steps in she tripped and nearly fell. The bamboo snapped together with a loud crack. Mia felt embarrassed and turned red as some kids giggled. “Maybe I’m just not good at this.” she thought.

Feeling embarrassed, Mia walked away. But Ana came over and put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay to make mistakes,” she said kindly. “We can practice together!”. This made Mia feel a bit better and decided to give it another chance. With Ana and Carlo’s help, they started practicing slowly to help Mia get used to the rhythm of the bamboo poles.

With Ana and Carlos helping her, Mia slowly started to get the hang of the dance. The bamboo poles clapped together more slowly, giving Mia time to focus and practice the steps. As she kept trying, Mia began to feel more confident and less nervous. The rhythm of the dance started to make sense, and she was able to step in and out between the bamboo poles without tripping. Meanwhile, her parents, Maria and Antonio, watched from the side, smiling with pride as Mia began to catch the rhythm.

By the end of the morning, Mia was dancing with her cousins during the festival, smiling and laughing. The crowd clapped along to the music, and Mia felt proud of how far she had come. After the festival her parents walked over and hugged her, saying, "We knew you could do it!”. She realized that it was okay to make mistakes and that with practice, she could learn anything.

THE END.