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I find this super interesting. Any resources to read more? In all my travels, Philippines stands out as having the most unique people. I could write a novel

I find this super interesting. Any resources to read more? In all my travels, Philippines stands out as having the most unique people. I could write a novel on it, but in the name of not sounding racist, won't. It's not bad things, or good things, just different things. I'd love to know more about their history.

CyanBird 5y ago
> but in the name of not sounding racist, won't Just say that it comes from an ethnographic perspective and do it
- axaxs 5y ago
  For some reason, pointing out differences in people triggers some racist warning. I think it's absolutely fascinating. I'll list just a few. To list a few examples from the Philippines...they point with their lips, small people with unusually big feet, which probably lends to climbing trees. I noticed this riding transport, as everyone wears flip flops. I wear a 13 US, and I borrowed shoes that fit from a 5'7 man. I saw people climb a vertical tree like a ladder. Please don't take this as some insult, I'm jealous. They generally have small noses and recognize people by noses. I've never had so many people comment on my nose in my life. Half were in awe, half were insulting. But it varies so much. In Manila you see a lot of lighter, almost hispanic looking people. In the villages, you see darker and wilder looking people. I remember a bad storm in the villages, and a lady sitting rocking holding her legs and something just seemed so primal in the reaction and look on her face. I'll -never- forget how they cry, it's so different than Americans. Haunting really. Probably the most stark thing I noticed though was how easy they sleep. You could get on a hot, crowded, bumpy bus and everyone is sleeping as if they're on a mattress. My wife and daughter are from the region, and are usually sleeping by the time I leave the neighborhood in my vehicle, which makes me think there's something there. They are the friendliest, and by far the most spry people. I remember waking up hearing the hotel lady's flip flops clanking as she ran between rooms. Everyone ran everywhere, it's so much faster and more efficient than how us overweight Americans waddle around. Jealous, again.
  - dirtylowprofile 5y ago
    I’m from the Philippines and first time I read someone commented about our cries. Haha!
    - axaxs 5y ago
      I happened to be in a village where someone died. I was blown away by how different it sounded. The first person almost sounded dramatic(to me), but the choir that joined truly made something that was haunting.
  - danans 5y ago
    > I'll -never- forget how they cry, it's so different than Americans. Haunting really. How do "Americans" cry exactly? Perhaps the Americans you know, or what you've seen depicted in movies, but you can't generalize about all Americans, not at the least because that term isn't defined at all by things like how people cry. > They are the friendliest, and by far the most spry people. I'm sure you meant nothing but the best, but using superlatives, even positive sounding ones, to describe an entire population, especially one as diverse as those of the Philippines, echoes colonial perspectives that denied the cultures that they subjugated the right to be complex. It's akin to how white Americas would often essentialize blacks as inherently rhythmically or musically gifted, ostensibly as praise, but in doing so casting them as incapable of doing things that whites did. I have no doubt that your own personal experiences with them are as you describe, but they are just that - your experiences, and not generalizable.
    - silisili 5y ago
      Please go away. You embody the reason I wanted to say nothing at all. I'm not colonizing anything, I'm just an ugly guy with a curious brain. If you can't tell a difference between an American and Filipino cry, you have no business refuting anything.
      - danans 5y ago
        You misunderstood what I said. I think you are well intentioned, but your choice of descriptive language, superlatives and broad characterizations echo the language used by less well intentioned people of the colonial era, which is why it comes across the way you yourself described it. If you read colonial ethnographies, you will find descriptions written in the same tone. > If you can't tell a difference between an American and Filipino cry, you have no business refuting anything It's entirely unclear what you mean by American here. Big diverse country after all.
philtar 5y ago
Disappointing that cancel culture has actually stopped you from educating us on a topic I would be interested about. I knew this was bound to affect me personally some day but I didn't know how to tackle it.
- axaxs 5y ago
  I wrote more in another comment, at the risk of getting canceled. I just don't understand why noticing trends and things about other people is racist. Most things I noticed were things I was jealous of. All people aren't the same, no matter what people push for.
tomcooks 5y ago
What's racist about having curiosity, and writing about it?
bananatype 5y ago
I'm not sure who among the commenters here are from the Philippines (unless I'm misreading the other comments, my impression is that there is none), so I'd be glad to help. Born here and lived here for all my life (currently living in the capital city of Manila). Are you looking for a general overview of Philippine history, or are you looking for a specific period or era? Any particular aspect of Filipino life and culture you also want to explore?

CyanBird 5y ago

> but in the name of not sounding racist, won't Just say that it comes from an ethnographic perspective and do it

axaxs 5y ago
For some reason, pointing out differences in people triggers some racist warning. I think it's absolutely fascinating. I'll list just a few. To list a few examples from the Philippines...they point with their lips, small people with unusually big feet, which probably lends to climbing trees. I noticed this riding transport, as everyone wears flip flops. I wear a 13 US, and I borrowed shoes that fit from a 5'7 man. I saw people climb a vertical tree like a ladder. Please don't take this as some insult, I'm jealous. They generally have small noses and recognize people by noses. I've never had so many people comment on my nose in my life. Half were in awe, half were insulting. But it varies so much. In Manila you see a lot of lighter, almost hispanic looking people. In the villages, you see darker and wilder looking people. I remember a bad storm in the villages, and a lady sitting rocking holding her legs and something just seemed so primal in the reaction and look on her face. I'll -never- forget how they cry, it's so different than Americans. Haunting really. Probably the most stark thing I noticed though was how easy they sleep. You could get on a hot, crowded, bumpy bus and everyone is sleeping as if they're on a mattress. My wife and daughter are from the region, and are usually sleeping by the time I leave the neighborhood in my vehicle, which makes me think there's something there. They are the friendliest, and by far the most spry people. I remember waking up hearing the hotel lady's flip flops clanking as she ran between rooms. Everyone ran everywhere, it's so much faster and more efficient than how us overweight Americans waddle around. Jealous, again.
- dirtylowprofile 5y ago
  I’m from the Philippines and first time I read someone commented about our cries. Haha!
  - axaxs 5y ago
    I happened to be in a village where someone died. I was blown away by how different it sounded. The first person almost sounded dramatic(to me), but the choir that joined truly made something that was haunting.
- danans 5y ago
  > I'll -never- forget how they cry, it's so different than Americans. Haunting really. How do "Americans" cry exactly? Perhaps the Americans you know, or what you've seen depicted in movies, but you can't generalize about all Americans, not at the least because that term isn't defined at all by things like how people cry. > They are the friendliest, and by far the most spry people. I'm sure you meant nothing but the best, but using superlatives, even positive sounding ones, to describe an entire population, especially one as diverse as those of the Philippines, echoes colonial perspectives that denied the cultures that they subjugated the right to be complex. It's akin to how white Americas would often essentialize blacks as inherently rhythmically or musically gifted, ostensibly as praise, but in doing so casting them as incapable of doing things that whites did. I have no doubt that your own personal experiences with them are as you describe, but they are just that - your experiences, and not generalizable.
  - silisili 5y ago
    Please go away. You embody the reason I wanted to say nothing at all. I'm not colonizing anything, I'm just an ugly guy with a curious brain. If you can't tell a difference between an American and Filipino cry, you have no business refuting anything.
    - danans 5y ago
      You misunderstood what I said. I think you are well intentioned, but your choice of descriptive language, superlatives and broad characterizations echo the language used by less well intentioned people of the colonial era, which is why it comes across the way you yourself described it. If you read colonial ethnographies, you will find descriptions written in the same tone. > If you can't tell a difference between an American and Filipino cry, you have no business refuting anything It's entirely unclear what you mean by American here. Big diverse country after all.

philtar 5y ago

Disappointing that cancel culture has actually stopped you from educating us on a topic I would be interested about. I knew this was bound to affect me personally some day but I didn't know how to tackle it.

axaxs 5y ago
I wrote more in another comment, at the risk of getting canceled. I just don't understand why noticing trends and things about other people is racist. Most things I noticed were things I was jealous of. All people aren't the same, no matter what people push for.

tomcooks 5y ago

What's racist about having curiosity, and writing about it?

bananatype 5y ago

I'm not sure who among the commenters here are from the Philippines (unless I'm misreading the other comments, my impression is that there is none), so I'd be glad to help. Born here and lived here for all my life (currently living in the capital city of Manila). Are you looking for a general overview of Philippine history, or are you looking for a specific period or era? Any particular aspect of Filipino life and culture you also want to explore?