Coming
to the Philippines has been an entirely new experience for me. Having traveled
across the United States, I was unsure of what I was walking into as I came
into a new country, one that is completely foreign in comparison to the states.
The Philippines has its own diverse culture, yet the remnants of colonization
are clearly visible. Over the last couple days, I’ve found myself becoming more
and more confused as to what it means to be Filipino due to the fact that the
Philippines has had so many foreign influences over the centuries. At the end
of this first week, one question that I’ve found myself consistently asking
over and over is what is a true Filipino identity?
From
the moment that I stepped off of the airplane in Manila, I realized that I was
in for a surprise. From the towering skyscrapers and billboards, to the endless
jeepneys that rule the streets, the city of Manila itself exemplifies the
fusion of both past and present, a collaboration of each of the cultures that
have contributed to the colonization of the Philippines over the centuries. Unsure
of what I was walking into, I’ve attempted to keep an open mind, without
limitations, yet I’ve come to the realization that there are limitations in
place that are beyond my control. Having grown up in the United States,
colonization has only been something I’ve learned about in classes, although
it’s not something that I experienced firsthand myself. The impression that colonists
have left and the effects of colonization reach far and wide throughout the
islands of the Philippines, affecting every aspect of the Filipino identity.
This is such a diverse country, and there are so many different identities that
have melded together to create the Filipino identity that it seems nearly
impossible to pinpoint exactly what the Filipino identity is.
This
trip has acted as an illustration as to how extreme the effects of colonization
can be, to the point that it can strip a nation of it’s native identity,
replacing it with a compilation of many different identities. Contrary to my
initial thoughts, colonization is not only a thing of the past, despite the
fact that the Philippines is now an independent nation. As we began to travel,
the effects of colonization truly came to light. Hiking through the rice
terraces in Banaue, one could feel the rich culture and history that exists
within the Philippines. In contrast to the rice terraces that have existed for
thousands of years, there is a clear sense of modernity, a result of other
nations having imprinted themselves on the Philippines. As Americans began to
infiltrate the islands, they brought with them a new way of life. “On one hand
Americans conquered yet another tradition society” Writes E.R. Alcantra, “On
another, they introduced institutions like the new churches, hospitals and a
public school system” (1). As we
traveled through Baguio city, the implementation of American culture was
extremely noticeable, a result of the United States Government’s Army Base that
was established there in 1903. There is an incredible contrast that exists
between the native Philippines and those who have come later. As Third points
out in his article, surprisingly, little is known about Filipinos in the US and
even less information is available in libraries, resource centers, or
institutions of higher education (2).
In
the midst of a conversation with a local, I was told that Filipino culture is
not an autonomous entity, but that it changes depending on whom you ask. She
talked about how there is a lack of understanding and resistance to
colonization, yet there isn’t any Filipino self for the natives to revert back
to. As we traveled throughout Baguio City, Banaue, La Union and other cities,
one could get a sense of just how diverse the Philippines have become as a
result of colonization. In his piece, Third recognizes the “feelings of
inferiority of self” that Filipinos have endured over the years in relation to their
cultural standings, a result of “his or her ethnic culture or embarrassment” at
the hand of the colonists (2).
As the first week comes to a close,
I feel that I’ve absorbed an incredible amount of information in relation to
what a Filipino identity is. While I still am not sure that one can pinpoint a
singular Filipino identity, I now understand the vastness of what it actually means
to be Filipino. From the rice terraces high in the mountains of Ifugao all the
way down to the beaches lining the Pacific Ocean in La Union, the people of the
Philippines have maintained a strong, distinct culture that is unique to these
islands, giving them an identity unlike any other in the world.
Citations:
1) Alcantra, E.R.
(2002). Baguio Between Two Wars: The Creation and Destruction of a Summer
2) Andresen, T.
(2012). Knowledge Construction, Transformative Academic Knowledge, and Filipino
American Identity and Experience, in E. Bonus, E. & D. Marambda, (Eds.) The
“Other” Students: Filipino Americans, Eduation and Power. Charlotte, NC : IAP.
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