The Filipino Culture and Society (Part 01)
The Filipino Culture and Society (Part 01)
The Filipino Culture and Society (Part 01)
“There has been a notion that Filipinos are culturally diverse and that it is
difficult to determine what really makes us Filipino. This survey now shows us
what distinguishes Filipinos from other nationalities based on common values,”
said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia.
The survey shows that Filipinos are generally proud of being a Filipino and
are quite traditional, religious, and trusting of others irrespective of their sexuality
and religion. The survey’s initial results also indicate that the Philippines is a
relatively conformist and interdependent society.
“The survey results provide insights on specific Filipino cultural values that
have potential effect on national development and the role they play in shaping
public policy,” Pernia added.
“That we are a relatively conformist society may hinder efforts at spurring
innovation and change. This a challenge we need to overcome,” Pernia said.
Although slacks, shirts, skirts, and dresses based on European designs are
common throughout the Philippines, some garments are unique to particular groups
or regions. The malong, a colourful woven tube of cloth that can be worn in a
variety of ways by both men and women, is characteristic of Muslim communities
in Mindanao. In the urban areas, many men wear an intricately embroidered shirt,
the barong, for casual and formal events. On special occasions, urban women may
wear the terno, a long dress characterized by broad “butterfly” sleeves that rise
slightly at the shoulders and extend about to the elbow. Many of the smaller ethnic
groups have characteristic attire for events of special cultural significance.
Early Spanish chroniclers testified that the Filipinos carved the images of
their anitos (gods and goddesses) and ancestors in wood. They also played a
variety of musical instruments, including end-blown flutes, nose flutes, jew’s
harps, gongs, drums, and lutes, among others. Various seasonal celebrations (e.g.,
harvest) and life rituals (e.g., courtship and marriage) called for certain
instrumental music, songs, and dances. For instance, in some of the Muslim
communities of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago, the kulintang ensemble,
consisting of a set of gongs suspended horizontally and vertically and a single-
headed drum, can still be heard at festive events.
Filipino painters have included Juan Luna, whose agitated works helped
inspire a sense of Filipino nationalism in the late 19th century; Fernando
Amorsolo, who is known for his traditional rural scenes; the muralists Carlos V.
Francisco and Vicente Manansala; and the modernists Victorio Edades and Arturo
Rogerio Luz. Among sculptors, Guillermo Tolentino and Napoleon Abueva are
prominent. Rural artists from mountainous regions in northern Luzon and
craftsmen living northwest of Manila and in Paete on the eastern shore of Laguna
de Bay are known for wood carvings. Romblon and other nearby islands are noted
for their marble sculptures. Notable Filipino architects include Juan F. Nakpil,
Otilio Arellano, Fernando Ocampo, Leandro Locsin, Juan Arellano, Carlos
Arguelles, and Tomas Mapua.
Filipinos have a tradition rich in local and regional lore. Myths and legends
deal with such subjects as the origin of the world, the first man and woman on
earth, why the sky is high, why the sea is salty, and why there are different races.
Other tales are associated with the Spanish conquest. On the island of Mindanao an
epic known as the Darangen (“To Narrate in Song”) depicts the historical and
mythological world of the Maranao community, while in northern Luzon the
Ilocano epic Biag ni Lam-ang (“Life of Lam-ang”) recounts the exploits of a
traditional folk hero.
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