Saturday, October 16, 2004

Culturally speaking

Intercultural Posted by Hello

Pic: A mixed assemblage of statues shows the multi cultural aspect of the church in Intramuros (the old walled city of Manila). Trade with China and the Catholic faith combines in the most bizzare of ways. Still a functioning church and parish with parts turned into a museum for housing religious iconographs and also the resting place of Legaspi (the first few pioneers sent to open up Manila). Intramuros, Manila, 2004.

The Filipinos are a mix of culture due from historical colonization, loose immigration policies, trade and intermarriages. As I’ve mentioned before the Filipinos are amazing in the fact that a homogenous culture has evolved whereby everyone is Filipino first and foremost. A Filipino of Chinese origin is able to interact without difficulty with a foreign origin Filipino and the collusion of race has led to difficulties in categorizing one by skin colour. Religion has allowed the Filipinos some sense of identity as at least 90 % are Roman Catholics. Language is also another uniting factor with everyone fluent in Tagalog and also English which many can speak fluently. Some even has commented that the mixed lineage has contributed to the best of both worlds whereby Filipinos can boast to have some of the most beautiful girls out there, to the point that many have gone and vied for the Miss World title. Picking up a copy of For Him Magazine (FHM), the poster girls can attest to the fact (pictures here are not as sanitized as those for the Malaysian edition with advise on sexual positions, columns on dressing, seduction and intimacy ideas and of course the center spread of half naked to naked babes).

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