When Campbelltown & Region Filipino Community Council (CRFCC) joined the Campbelltown Council’s Twilight Parade for the annual Fisher’s Ghost Festival, they marched down the streets in style.

In keeping with the Twilight Parade’s theme, “Life and Light Under the Sea”, the CRFCC Filipino contingent drew inspiration from Dr. Jose Rizal’s poem “Perla del Mar de Oriente” to highlight the Philippines.

This was Rizal’s last poem which translates to, “Pearl of the Orient Sea” which encapsulated  the beauty of the islands and the rich diversity of marine life of the Philippine waters.  It also highlighted the beautiful pearls harvested from the deep sea diving industry in the south of the Philippines.

CRFCC’s parade theme “Pearl of the Orient Sea”.

The CRFCC group shimmered  through  the streets like ripples of waves, garbed in  flowing  kaftan style outfits of shades of blues and greens. Their attires symbolized the myriad creatures under the sea highlighting the parade’s theme even more.  Focal point of the parade was a huge clam shell with a brightly lit pearl in the center held by two sailors.

Campbelltown City Council provided the lanterns and umbrellas  decked with lights which added to the spectacle of the street parade. The Fisher’s ghost parade relives the legend of Fredrick Fisher, a shopkeeper who disappeared in June 1826.

CRFCC won for “Best Use of Lighting” effects at the parade.  “We’ve been participating in the Fisher Ghost parade for years.  It’s the Filipino’s contribution to the diversity of the city of Campbelltown,” said Lourdes Kaisser, the indefatigable president of CRFCC.