Banana ketchup and ‘bayanihan’ in Sweden
GOTHENBURG—In a town square in Sweden, children waved Philippine flags, women in ternos shared chicken inasal and halo-halo, and some guests heard the National Anthem “Lupang Hinirang” for the first time. It was a sunny fiesta on June 14 when the Filipino community and their Swedish relatives gathered to celebrate in the usually dark Nordic country.
Bayanihan or community building made the 127th Philippine Independence Day celebration happen, said organizer Katherine “Kay” Lajom Alvefelt. She was working as front-end developer and her husband Peter was a construction project manager when they opened the Filipino store Merkado PH (merkadoph.se) at Torslanda Square in 2024. The shop sold Asian food to homesick Pinoys and curious Swedes. It also served as a hub that bridged Filipino and Swedish cultures.
Through word of mouth and social media, volunteers organized and performed for this year’s event with the theme “Unity in Freedom: Celebrating Filipino Culture in Sweden.”
“We hosted a smaller Independence Day event last year and since then, we also launched the “Tambayan Sessions” at Merkado where guests can buy and sell Filipino food, and musicians can jam,” Kay said. “Once, we joined a Christmas market and only four Filipinos showed up. It was heartbreaking, but the network grew and we now have a committee of volunteers.”
Around 1,500 participants joined the daylong event which started with a concelebrated Mass by Fr. Björn Göransson and Fr. Roño Toledo who, in his homily, called on the faithful to set aside political color and highlighted the importance of youth participation in Filipino gatherings.
“Many children born in Sweden may not even speak Tagalog or have Filipino citizenship,” Fr. Toledo said. “The future of keeping Filipino culture alive in Sweden is through fostering in the young the spirit of being Filipino.”
Over at Stockholm, newly appointed Philippine Ambassador to Sweden Patrick A. Chuasoto also led an Independence Day celebration featuring the graduates of the “Silid Aralan sa Embahada” program, an initiative of the embassy to teach children ages 4 to 14 the Filipino language, values, arts and culture, and traditional dance.
24,000-strong
On the Torslanda stage, Consul General Gines Jaime Ricardo D. Gallaga delivered President Marcos’ Independence Day message of congratulations and nation-building. While statistics show that there are 17,000 Filipinos in Sweden, Gallaga said the true number exceeds 24,000 when including Swedish citizens of Filipino descent, and their second- and third-generation children.
“These gatherings give the Philippine Embassy in Stockholm a chance to connect with our community—learn how many they are, get to know them personally, engage and know their concerns,” Gallaga said.
“Filipinos overseas tend to assimilate and integrate to the communities of their host country, which is good because it makes them part of the fabric of their adopted country.”
Adaptation is a valued Filipino skill, said Honorary Consul David Kristensson, who is also the CEO of Northern Offshore Group, a shipping solutions company founded in Gothenburg, with offices in Denmark and the United Kingdom.
Kristensson, a sea captain, said he has been working with Filipino seafarers since he was a young mariner. In his speech, he thanked the Filipino workforce for their contribution to the Swedish economy and culture, noting the “connection between the two nations built on mutual respect, shared values, and friendship.”
His advice to Filipinos who are trying to integrate is to explore other communities: “Try to find Swedish friends. We share a lot of the same values and Filipinos are very positive people as I see in the workspace, in the ships.”
Talent show
In true Pinoy fashion, the Independence Day party hosted by Lorraine Hager and Allan Perlado was also a talent show for those eager to flex their skills. The ladies from the Filipino Catholic Community did a folk dance, while live music from Manila Vibes, We R FamiLee, InFlow, Swenoy Band, Project R, and Funka Youth Band played throughout the day.
Kids had face-painting sessions with The Artist Elizabeth who exhibited her watercolors alongside paintings by Ophelia Casel Persson of the Filipino Artists Association of Sweden in an art exhibit.
As for Swedes married to Filipinos who want to explore the Philippines longer, Gallaga reminded them that foreign nationals can apply for the 13A nonquota immigrant visa that allows foreign spouses an indefinite stay as long as the marriage and visa conditions are maintained. The visa is also extended to unmarried children under 21.
The crowd favorite tapsilog by Hapag.se and colorful kakanin were sold out by the end of the affair. The Alvefelts’ goal of bridging cultures rounded up a community yearning for a true Filipino fiesta. And about the best-selling item at Merkado? It’s banana ketchup, a beloved taste of home for Filipinos and an intriguing exotic condiment for everyone else.
