TRAVEL
Philippine Tricycle strolls in California streets
Romar Fernando
April 8, 2021
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Photo Credit: TNT Instagram
Considering you’re a driver of a four-wheel vehicle here in the country, how does it feel when you see a tricycle in the middle of a national highway? Yes, it never gets old.
Want something new? For now, aside from main thoroughfares of the country, a Philippine tricycle was once spotted traversing the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco in California state, United States of America.
What you saw online was called as “TNT Traysikel,” a funded mobile artwork by San Francisco Arts Commission spearheaded by Filipino-Americans Mike Arcega and Paolo Asuncion.
The tricycle unit is made as a cultural marker for the San Francisco’s SOMA or South Market Pilipinas, a venue for cultural heritage in California. It has made history as well by becoming the first tricycle crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. They made it along with 60 Filipino American motorcyclists.
It is a piece of artwork. The TNT Traysikel looks like a regular tricycle in the Philippines. It was made special with the icons from Philippine culture such as handpainted details, curtain headings with neon balls made of yarn and at the back, there’s a saying “UFO: Unidentified Filipino Object.” It has also a built-in karaoke blasting OPM tracks.
But one of the best features of the tricycle is the term “por wan pibe” or “four one five” on the front of the sidecar. In California, 415 is a code for “Disturbing the Peace.” It came from the California Penal Code 415 saying that “playing excessively loud music, getting into a fight with someone, or using certain offensive language or fighting words. Disturbing the peace can be filed as either a misdemeanor or a noncriminal infraction.” And the tricycle with blasting karaoke seems guilty of this!
At the front of the side car, all caps TNT, meaning “Tago Ng Tago,” can be found. It is a code for undocumented Filipino immigrants.
On their Instagram account, TNT Traysikel was described as “an immigrant metaphor constructed from a deep colonial history. As a social sculpture, TNT Traysikel was used as an aesthetic object, a protest tool and symbol of solidarity with the Black community against Police brutality and delivery vehicle during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
In an interview made by Manila Bulletin, Paolo Asuncion said, “It’s undeniably Filipino and is a catalyst for conversation. So we are collecting stories of the Filipino diaspora and making a documentary about Filipinos in America called ‘TNT in America’, a deep dive into the Filipino American history and a celebration of the Filipino’s presence in the USA.”
Proudly Pinoy!
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