Sariwa Farm’s Bahay Kubo Project 2026-2027

It has been a dream of mine to create a mobile public art piece in the heart of the Sammamish Valley. The Bahay Kubo project is inspired by the traditional hut in the Philippines to serve as a public art space where communities can come together to learn about Filipino history and cultural arts traditions.

What is a bahay kubo?

A bahay kubo is a traditional stilt house indigenous to the Philippines made up of bamboo, nipa palm, coconut tree, and other sustainable materials. This is the typical home that you see along the province where farmers and fishermen live. Literal translation is bahay or house, kubo or hut.

What is bayanihan?

The root word is bayan, meaning nation or town. Bayanihan refers to the spirit of communal unity and cooperation to achieve a particular goal. Bayanihan’s literal translation is to be in your community/country. Bayanihan is deep and ingrained cultural value that speaks to communal power. This term is often depicted in the image of villagers coming together to move a neighbor’s house.

This is a mural by Filipino National Artist Carlos "Botong" Francisco, commissioned in 1962 by UNILAB founder Jose Y. Campos, and currently on display at UNILAB's administration building in Manila. 

• Partnership includes Sawhorse Revolution as part of their Fall 2026 design curriculum and in Spring 2027 construction and buildout will begin, designer Boni Juan, and Kawayan Collective.

  Sariwa Farm is looking to fundraise between $10,000 - $15,000 from June 2025-June 2027 to go towards student stipends, materials, designer, travel costs, and cultural arts programming