Echoes of Identity: Tracking Filipino Cultural Landscapes in Edmonton

Philippine Arts Council Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta

Echoes of Identity: Tracking Filipino Cultural Landscapes in Edmonton is an intergenerational archival project preserving the rich, multifaceted cultural heritage of Filipinos in Edmonton. The project uses a multi-stage community engagement model to create a public-facing archive honouring lived experiences across generations and geographic regions.

The project engages community leaders, artists, elders, and youth through interviews, focus groups, and surveys. The archive encompasses both tangible assets (historical sites, visual arts, traditional attire, and textile crafts) and intangible heritage (culinary practices, oral histories, musical traditions, language, and migration narratives).

The accessible digital archive safeguards invaluable cultural data — particularly multigenerational oral histories — from erasure. By mapping significant locations and cultural markers, the project asserts the enduring presence and historical importance of Filipinos in Edmonton’s mainstream artistic and social landscape.

The project serves as a catalyst for cultural pride and intergenerational dialogue. Participants — ranging from youth data gatherers to senior storytellers — are empowered as active curators of their own history.