Parade of nations, parade of costumes

CEBU, Philippines - It would be easy to look for something to wear if you are supposed to wear the national costume of the Philippines on United Nations Day.

For the boys, the official national costume is the “Barong Tagalog.” It is worn over a Camisa de Chino or a collarless cotton shirt. For a headpiece, the boys would wear a “salakot” or the traditional wide-brimmed hat made of bamboo strips and “unas” or wilted banana leaves. These materials are sewn with the use of “uway” or rattan strips.

For the girls, the “Baro at Saya.” Baro is the blouse and the saya is the skirt. For the head, there is the “bandana” or a triangular piece of cloth that either comes in striped or floral pattern.

For footwear, boys and girls have the choices of either the “tsinelas” (slippers) or flipflops or the “bakya” (wooden clogs).

Korean pupils who are here in Philippine schools have certainly brought with them their “hanboks.” The traditional girl’s hanbok has a jeogori. This is a blouse shirt or a jacket and chima, which is a wrap-around skirt usually reaching the feet. This ensemble is often called chima jeogori. For the boys, the hanbok consists of jeogori and baggy pants called baji.

But what if a Filipino student is asked to represent Korea or Kenya or Norway or Germany? Where would he/she get the costumes?

Some parents may go online to post orders, but there are no sites selling United Nations Day costumes.

So, the best advice is to do it yourself!

For example, if you are to represent Japan, you can use a small-sized robe and pair it with a small square or rectangular pillow and a toy sword that resembles a katana.

Or if you are to represent the Arab world, you can borrow the white garment of an altar boy. You can borrow from your neighbor a “kumbong” that looks like that used by the Muslims to cover their heads. For the girls, you can use glittering jewelry pieces to match the equally shimmering costume of a “singkil” dancer. Or you can use a mumu (long straight dress) with an outer garment to double as a burqa (worn by girls in some Islamic traditions to cover their bodies). Cover the head with a veil or the face with a black kerchief or shawl.

The keyword is “improvise (do it yourself!),” not buy, because you don’t have to!