Celebrating Asian American And Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month

May 20, 2021

I am a First-generation immigrant with parents who made their way to Hawai’i from the Philippines. They always tell my sister and I of their struggles when they left behind their home to live “The American Dream.” The biggest hurdle was having an accent since English was their second language. When my parents had my sister and I, they chose not to teach us how to speak Filipino because they did not want us to have a difficult time learning two languages and they feared my sister and I would be treated differently just like they were when they first traveled here. With times being different, I wish my parents had taught me the language. Though I may not understand or speak the native tongue of my ancestors… I will never allow myself to forget my culture. It is important for me to know my roots and what my ancestors had to overcome in order to pave the way so that I can live a life filled with opportunities. If it were not for my parents, I would not be blessed living in this beautiful state and receive an education that helped me be a part of a team that embraces diversity.

In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month, I share with you my roots through food. Every year I look forward to making and eating pancit with my family on holidays, anniversaries and birthdays! In Filipino cuisine, Pancit is a staple dish typically made from long rice noodles. Over centuries, Chinese immigrants introduced noodles to the Philippines and it has been fully adopted into Filipino cuisine with a variety of ways to prepare. According to Filipino superstition, Pancit is often prepared for birthday celebrations as it symbolizes long life and good health. One must not cut the long rice noodles too short during preparation for it may disrupt the balance of the celebrant’s life.