Lydia Querian uses art to preserve Indigenous Filipino traditions

Oct 01, 2026

A Hawaii artist is staging a multi-art performance that celebrates Filipino heritage, a positive push for a community that makes up a large share of the islands' population.

  • Lydia Querian is combining dance, fashion, live music and Indigenous traditions into a single show honoring 120 years of Filipino presence in Hawaii.
  • The project grew out of her own late discovery of her heritage, and she gathered other artists who wanted to reconnect with the culture.
  • Filipinos are a big part of Hawaii's population, yet many younger people feel they are "not Filipino enough" — the show is meant to replace that doubt with pride.
  • Hawaiian and Filipino cultures share roots in the wider Austronesian world, with similar tattooing, weaving and language patterns.

Outlook: The performances run at the East West Center's Jefferson Hall auditorium on October 17 in the evening, with a matinee on October 18.

← Latest · Archive