Bring the family for a day of dance, activities, and songs, and jam to genre-sweeping Filipino songs of empowerment with Ihaw-Ihaw!

Ihaw-Ihaw is Tagalog for barbecuing, which reflects the natural, laid back quality of their music. Starting in 2004, the core group decided to make their jam sessions an annual tradition at the infamous Pinoy Hill at Seward Park. The Ihaw-Ihaw Jam Project is a collection of musicians that play Original Pilipino Music (OPM). OPM is a sweep of music genres from rock to folk, to pop with a twist of Filipino culture. The unique intertwining of the U.S.-Philippine cultural relationship fostered a surging of OPM in the tumultuous 70s, highlighted by activism against abuse in the arena of socio-political issues.

This special Ihaw-Ihaw Family Concert will feature other active community groups sharing songs of protests. Along with Ihaw-Ihaw’s folk group featuring pre-Spanish, anti-colonial “kundimans” to the more current songs of empowerment, the Gabriela Group will also render songs from the Filipina women’s movements.

So, bring the whole family for a day of songs, dance, and fun activities!

Gabriela Seattle is a member organization of GABRIELA USA, which itself is an international chapter of GABRIELA Philippines – a grassroots alliance of progressive Filipino women’s organizations. We seek to agitate, organize, and mobilize people of Filipino descent – especially Filipino workers, im/migrants, women, LGBTQIGNC people, and children to fight for National Democracy in the Philippines.

Anakbayan is the comprehensive national democratic mass organization of Filipino youth and students in the U.S.

Established on the 30th of November 1998 – the anniversary of Andres Bonifacio and pre-Martial Law organization, Kabataang Makabayan – Anakbayan-USA seeks to unite the youth from different sectors of society to advance the cause of national democracy.

About Saturday Family Concerts 

Saturday Family Concerts are specifically built for children to dance, play, and enjoy new music and art. 

This half of the season, Town Hall Seattle and Northwest Folklife focus on the theme of Art as Empowerment, exploring how protest music liberates and validates identity. This 4-part series brings awareness to issues that affect everyone at any age, encouraging young people and families to explore their heritage — past, present and future — as a source for individual and collective identity. 

As with all of our Saturday Family Concerts, this event is free for ages 22 and under.

Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Northwest Folklife. This event is supported by our media sponsor, Seattle’s Child.