Lingg students & alums “Light the Way Home,” bring Asian autumn traditions to spotlight

The UP Department of Linguistics and its alumni held their second installment of the X² series titled “Light the Way Home” last 03 October 2026 at the CSSP Health and Wellness Center. This time, the series centered its theme on the different autumn traditions in Asia.

In conjunction with this, another edition of the Lang Café opened the event day.  Lang Café is another initiative of the Department which serves as a third space for language students from the Department’s undergraduate and extramural classes programs to practice their foreign language skills. Learning materials such as books and tabletop games were shared among attendees while coffee was served.

The latter half of the event continued with discussions on the concept of autumn and how it is celebrated across different countries in Asia, facilitated by BA Lingg alums Sander Ayala and Lisette Manliclic. Although practices vary from country to country, some common themes found were (i) gratitude for the bountiful harvest from summer, (ii) eating seasonal foods, (iii) family and community gatherings, as well as (iv) slowing down in preparation for the harsh winter months.

The talk went on to focus on three activities: Japanese lantern making, Thai loy krathong origami, and Chinese mooncake designing. The activities were also supplemented by some Lingg faculty members and alums regarding their experiences in autumn: Asst. Prof. Kritsana Canilao, PhD and BA Lingg alum Ruben Roxas discussed the significance of the loy krathong festival as a purification ritual observed in Thailand. Senior Lecturer Marcky Cabague meanwhile explained the mythological background behind the Mooncake Festival and shared his experiences of spending autumn holidays in China as a foreign student. BA Lingg alum Mika Faulan shared tips on designing paper lanterns and mooncakes, which was then applied by the attendees using simple art materials. Exceptional designs were rewarded with prizes.

To close off the event,  Department Chairperson Asst. Prof. Francisco Rosario, Jr. gave the closing remarks.  He thanked the alums for organizing the event, the volunteers from UP Samahang Linggwistika and the BA Lingg program for lending their efforts, the faculty for giving their full support, and all the participants for making time to join the activities of the Department. He stressed the importance of these events for students to share not only their skills on language learning but also their experiences with other cultures and countries.

The X² Series is a joint project by the UP Department of Linguistics and its alumni, where former students of the Department are given the opportunity to share their knowledge on linguistics, languages, and cultures with its current students in the undergraduate and extramural programs.