Culture of the Philippines
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Customs and Traditions of the Philippines are strongly influenced by its colonized past. The Spanish colonization of the Philippines, actually governed from Mexico, lasted for more than 350 years, thus there is a significant presence of Spanish and Mexican influence in many facets of the Filipino culture. The Filipino language, more commonly known as Tagalog, contains many borrowed Spanish words. Most of the present celebrated religious traditions are a mix of both Christian, Pagan and other local religious rites. As an example, each year, towns from around the country hold major festivities known as Fiesta which commemorate the patron saints of each town, villages or regional districts. The festival season is celebrated with church ceremonies, street parades in honor of the patron saints, fireworks, beauty and dance contests for generations of old and new, and in some areas there are even cockfighting tournaments. These Fiestas are also observed in countries that had a Spanish occupational past. The Southern island of the country where the majority of the Islam faith resides also celebrate their own customs and traditions.
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[edit] Philippine Society
The Philippines is a mixed society, both Singular and Plural in form. Singular as one nation, but it is plural in that it is fragmented geographically and culturally. The nation is divided between Christians, Muslims, and other religio-ethno-linguistic groups; between urban and rural people; between upland and lowland people; and between the rich and the poor.
[edit] The Filipino cultural psyche
- Bayanihan: the creation of alliances with neighbors and the helping attitude whenever one is in dire need. Oftentimes, the Bayanihan spirit in action can be seen when a bus gets a flat tire. The bystanding or surrounding Filipinos would assist the bus driver in whatever undertakings to get the bus back on going.
- Close Familial Ties: Filipinos tend to uphold close family ties. The primary social welfare system for the Filipino is the family. Many filipinos live near their family for most of their lives, even as independent adults.
- Pakikisama: Pakikisama, or harmony, in English, involves getting along with others to maintain a harmonious relationship.
- Hiya: Hiya is shame and is a motivating factor behind behavior. It is a sense of social propriety and conforming to societal norms of behavior. Filipinos believe they must live up to the accepted standards of behavior and if they fail to do so they bring shame not only upon themselves, but also upon their family. An example might be a willingness to spend more than they can afford on a party rather than be shamed by their economic circumstances. If someone is publicly embarrassed, criticized, or does not live up to expectations, they feel shame and lose self-esteem.
- Utang na Loob: Utang na Loob, or Debt of Gratitude, is owed by one to a person who has helped him through the trials he had undergone. There is a local saying: 'Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan', meaning, 'One who does not look back to where he started, will not get to where he is going'.
- Amor Propio: Concern for self image.
- Delicadeza: Sense of discretion
- Palabra de Honor: "word of honor"
Although these traits are generally positive, these practices also have the tendency to be applied in the wrong context. A debt of gratitute is sometimes repaid by giving special favors to the other person regardless of the moral outcome. Close familial ties can also lead to nepotism. Pakikisama can lead to intolerance or even outright hostility of differences and of individual liberty.
[edit] Folk Traditions and Beliefs
Before the coming of the Spaniards and the introducing of Roman Catholicism, the indigenous inhabitants were adherents of animism, or the worship of nature. Bathala was the supreme God of the Tagalogs, represented by the araw, or sun. The supreme God of the Bikolanos was Gugurang. Other Tagalog Gods and Goddesses include the buwan or moon, tala or stars, and even objects, such as trees, shrubs, mountains, or rocks. The spirits consist of aswang (ghoul), tikbalang (a man having the head of a horse), kapre (a giant that is smoking tobacco), tiyanak (monster-like, vampire-esque child), santelmo (fireball), dwende (dwarves and elves), ik-ik (witches who feed on fetus' blood), and a lot of engkanto (minor spirits) and diwata (fairies/nymphs). Aside from that, voodoo practices were practiced by the pre-colonial inhabitants, such as pangkukulam, or witchcraft. Beliefs such as usog (a child greeted by a stranger will get sick) and lihi (unusual craving for something during preganancy) are also present. These beliefs were carried on up to the present generation of Filipinos, which has led some foreign authors to describe them as 'Pagano-Christians'.
[edit] Celebrations
[edit] National Holidays
- February 25 - E.D.S.A Revolution
- April 9 - Araw ng Kagitingan
- May 1 - Labor Day
- June 12 - Independence Day
- August 28 - National Heroes Day
- November 30 - Bonifacio Day
- December 30 - Rizal Day
[edit] Native Holidays
- January 1 - Bagong Taon (New Year's Day).
- January 9 - The Black Nazarene procession in Quiapo and Manila.
- Third Sunday of January (date varies) - The Fiesta del Santo Niño de Cebu (Festival of the Child Jesus of Cebu); Sinulog in Cebu; Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan.
- Lent; March or April (date varies) - Semana Santa (Holy Week).
- May - Flores de Mayo. Summer-starting festivities when the rain starts pouring back, after a blistering hot summer that begins around mid March, these festivities may have been rooted to the celebrations of the farmers as they welcome back the fertile season. Celebrations around towns showcase crops, food and delicacies. One famous festivity is the "Pahiyas", a colorful celebration in Lucban, Quezon where houses are decorated mainly with dried rice papers in different shapes and colors. Crops also accentuate these houses in artful shapes and styles.
- Third Saturday and Sunday of September (date varies) - The Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Bicol Region. During the festivities, people attend church services, followed by parades on the streets, fireworks, and feasting in honor of the Roman Catholic faith and native culture, and are attended by hundreds of thousands of Filipinos each year. The Peñafrancia Festival is also highlighted by a fluvial procession in the Bicol River.
- November 1 through 2 - Undas (Day of the Dead) All Saints Day and All Souls Day. During All Saints/Souls Day, it's traditional to visit the cemeteries and pay homage to their dearly departed. The usually solemn cemetery takes on a party atmosphere, with much merry-making rather than a solemn celebration.
- December 24 - Noche Buena (Christmas Eve).
- December 25 - Araw ng Pasko (Christmas Day).
- December 31 - Media Noche/ Bisperas ng Bagong Taon (New Year's Eve).
[edit] Arts, culture and music
[edit] Arts
Weaving is popular in the northern mountain Filipinos. Pottery was also common in pre-hispanic socities. Ornate carvings are found in the southern Philippine islands.
[edit] Architecture
Pre-hispanic architecture is usually characterized by using indigenous woody materials. The bahay kubo is the mainstream form of housing. It is characterized by the use of indigenous materials such as bamboo and coconut as the main source of wood. Cogon grass and Nipa palm leaves are used as roof thatching, although coconut fronds are also used. Most are usually on stilts due to the frequent floods and rainwater during the wet season. Regional variations include the use of thicker and denser roof thatching in mountain areas, longer stilts on coastal areas especially if the structure is built outright on the water. The architecture of some tribes in other regions are characterized by very angular wooden roofs, bamboo in place of leafy thatching and ornate wooden carvings, especially on Mindanao island.
The Spanish introduced stones as housing materials. The introduction of Christianity brought western style churches and subsequently became the center of most towns. Colonial era architecture still survives in Intramuros and Vigan.
Contemporary architecture usually favors western style structures although pre-hispanic housing is still largely common in rural areas. American style suburban gated communities are popular in the cities, especially Metro Manila and the surrounding provinces.
[edit] Music
[edit] Movies
Filipino directors and actors produce many comedies, accounts of hardship, and action films. Two Filipino comedies which are well-known in the Philippines are Pelukang Itim (The Black Wig), starring Eddie Gil, and Mr. Suave, starring Vhong Navarro.
[edit] Heritage
[edit] Cuisine
- Main article: Filipino cuisine
Filipinos cook a variety of foods influenced by both Castilian-Mexican and Asian cuisines such as:
- Adobo typically pork, slow-cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, crushed garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper corns
- lechon (whole roast pig)
- lechon baka (roast cattle)
- chorizo sausages
- asado
- menudo
- chicharon
- torta
- empanadas
- adobong baboy
- adobong manok
- tsokolate (chocolate)
- polvoron
- pan de sal (breadrolls)
- mani (roasted peanuts)
- afritada
- lumpia
- avocado
- ensaymada
- mais (corn)
- paksiw (fish, cooked in vinegar and water, some spices like garlic and pepper)
- patatas (Potato)
- pescado (fried or grilled fish)
- balut ( boiled egg with duckling inside )
- pancit canton
Indigenous Filipino and regional cuisines include the following:
Local liquors include lambanog, tuba, and basi.
A typical Filipino meal consists of at least one viand (ulam in Tagalog) served with boiled or fried rice (kanin), which is eaten much like Westerners eat potatoes. Filipinos also regularly use spoons together with forks, as opposed to knives and forks in Western culture. They also eat with their hands, especially in informal settings and when eating seafood.
[edit] Heritage Sites
Several sites in the country have been recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and these are:
- Baroque Churches of the Philippines
- Historic Town of Vigan
- Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park
- Banaue Rice Terraces
- Tubbataha Reef Marine Park
[edit] Native Games and Sports
Sipa and cockfighting are the national sports in the Philippines. Other popular recreational sports include boxing, billiards, basketball, chess, ten-pin bowling and football (soccer). Boxing, billiards, basketball and soccer are popular among Filipinos. The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) was founded in 1975.
The sports where the Filipinos have gained international successes are boxing, billiards (notably nine ball), ten-pin bowling , chess and Football (soccer). Notable champions include Paulino Alcántara, Francisco Pancho Villa, Manny Pacquiao, Mansueto Velasco, Flash Elorde, Efren Reyes, Francisco Bustamante, Rafael Nepomuceno and Eugene Torre.
The Palarong Pambansa, a national sports festival, has its roots in an annual sporting meet of public schools that started in 1948. Private schools and universities eventually joined the national event, which became known as the Palarong Pambansa in 1976. It serves as a national Olympics for students, with victors from competitions at the school, province, and regional level emerging to participate. A recent (2002) event included the following sports: soccer, golf, archery, badminton, baseball, chess, gymnastics, tennis, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, track and field, and volleyball are starting to gain great public interest in the country.
There is also a traditional type of Filipino Martial Arts called kali which was first developed and used by tribes in Mindanao and later spread to the northern regions of the Philippines long before the Spanish colonization. A much more simpler form was developed in response to Spanish limitations on the possession of weapons called eskrima (from Spanish escrima) and arnis. These simplified styles were also developed so that they could be taught to many at once which is why they are referred to as a soldiers art like karate and not a warriors art like judo or its derivative, kali.
[edit] Tribes and minorities
Certain indigenous groups such as the Negritos, Mangyans, and Manobos who live in remote areas of Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao have largely retained the pre-Hispanic beliefs of their ancestors. Having been somewhat isolated from mainstream society, their cultures differ greatly than that of the majority of Filipinos.
[edit] See also
- Arts of the Philippines
- Music of the Philippines
- Original Pilipino Music
- Literature of the Philippines
- Hispanic culture in the Philippines
- Gabâ
