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There
is something about being a Filipino that always puzzles me. Here I am, a
Filipino-Canadian who migrated here in the land of milk and honey in
search of greener pastures not very long ago. I have always taken for
granted who I am and where I came from until the moment that I finally
left my motherland for good. I always thought I knew what it means to be
called a Filipino since I was born and raised as one for the most part of
my life. But now that I moved away to this new country I have suddenly
developed a longing to trace back my beginnings. To find out more about my
roots and my heritage. I guess having been transported to a far away place
did this to me.
I
wanted more than ever to be able to tell the next person who asks me what
my nationality is that I am a Filipino. But more than that, to be able to
say so with dignified conviction in my heart of what being a Filipino
really meant. For who we are really? Why do Filipinos appear to be
invisible in every part of the world we're in other than our own country?
We can very easily get assimilated in any culture and go unnoticed whereas
other cultures stand out. Have you ever noticed our uncanny ability to
imitate others be it in music, the arts, movies, etc.? We never seem to
develop our own style but thrive well in copying others. Perhaps, this
attribute can be considered as to our advantage especially in adapting to
another culture but definitely is also a weakness because it shows how
hollow we are inside.
So
I made it my life-long goal to discover myself and my true character as a
Filipino. I hope that my legacy to my future family and my fellow
Filipinos who will come across my sphere of influence is a better
understanding and awareness of who we really are inside. It maybe said
that we Filipinos are intelligent, with retentive memory, quick
perception, and talents for the arts and sciences. We are also gentle,
friendly, and cheerful people, noted for our courtesy and hospitality. We
are famous not only for our warm hospitality but also our close family
ties. Out parents work hard and sacrifice much for us their children; in
return, we their children love and respect them and take care of them in
their old age.
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Perhaps
owing to our beautiful country, we Filipinos are passionately romantic. We
are ardent in love as we are fierce in battle. We are born poets,
musicians, and artists. We are a liberty-loving and brave people. We
valiantly resisted the Spanish, the American, and the Japanese invaders of
our native land. We are ranked among the bravest people of the world. Our
courage has been proven in the Battle of Mactan (1521), in the Battle of
Tirad Pass (1898), in the Battle of Bataan, Corregidor, and Besang Pass
during World War II, and in many other battlefields.
Gratitude
is another sterling trait that we Filipinos have. We are grateful to those
who have granted us favors or who are good to us. Our high sense of
gratitude is expressed in the phrase "Utang na Loob" (debt of
honour). We are also cooperative. We value the virtue of helping each
other and other people. We cherish the ancestral trait of "Bayanihan",
which means cooperation.
Our
Spanish colonizers made us believe that we are indolent. In reality, we
work hard in the face of very adverse conditions. We work on the farms
from sunrise to sunset, though not from noon to 3 PM due to the scorching
heat. We work hard in the sugarcane and pineapple plantations in Hawaii,
the orchards of California, the fish canneries of Alaska, and in the oil
wells of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other Arab countries of the Middle
East.
Finally,
we Filipinos are noted for our durability and resiliency. Through the ages
we have met and endured all kinds of calamities- revolts, revolutions,
wars, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons, and epidemics. Unlike the
Polynesians of Oceania and the Indians of North Central and South
Americas, we did not vanish by contact with the white race. We can
assimilate any civilization and thrive in any climate. Against the
adversities of life or nature, we merely bend, but we never break. We
possess the formidable durability of the "Narra" tree and the
resiliency of the "Bamboo".
With
this I welcome you, dear "kababayan", to our Sistehan Corner. In
these pages you will find articles ranging from the mundane to the absurd
but nevertheless interesting stuff pertaining to our culture that is
uniquely ours. In essence, it is a hodgepodge of jokes and anecdotes both
local and foreign that would bring a smile or laughter in our otherwise
much too serious view of life. As well, we have included some original
poems from some members in the forum. So just relax, and for a few moments
let yourself be amused by these collection which will be continually
updated on a regular basis. But most of all, never forget who you truly
are. Cheers!
Edgar
Millan
Leamington, Ontario/Olongapo City
ZambalesForum (ZF2) moderator
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