Another first for the Filipino community, the 1st Annual Manitoba Filipino Street Festival was held at Garden City Shopping Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba on August 25th. A colourful parade marked the start of the event as it also showcased cultural exhibits, programs, promotional kiosks, street dancing and a lot more.
Bright Ati-Atihan costumes
"I feel so proud to show Manitoba how rich and beautiful our heritage is" says Jennifer who moved to Winnipeg in 2007 with her family. "Participating in the event made me feel closer to my homeland". Jennifer is the only one of the hundreds Pinoys and Pinays that joined the festivity.
Ladies with their floral arcs
Arguably, Filipinos have the most number of population in Winnipeg among the visible minority group. About 40,000 is living in Winnipeg alone. According to Statistics Canada "between 1996 and 2001 the number of people who said they had Filipino origins rose by 35%, while the overall population grew by only 4%". Wow! That is a very rapid growth. Up to date 2012, they are still growing and will continue to contribute to Canada's vibrant multiculturalism.