Introduction to Philippine Culture PDF

# The Philippines - Island country of Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. - 7,100 islands and islets lying around 500 miles (800km) - Manila is the capital - Quezon City is the most populous city. - Manila and Quezon are both part of the National Capital Region, located on Luzon, the large...

# The Philippines - Island country of Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. - 7,100 islands and islets lying around 500 miles (800km) - Manila is the capital - Quezon City is the most populous city. - Manila and Quezon are both part of the National Capital Region, located on Luzon, the largest island of the Philippines. - Mindanao is the second largest island in the southeast. ## Philippine Culture - The culture of the Philippines is influenced by both the east and west, commonly referred to as a melting pot of Western and Eastern Culture. - The major religions in the country are Christianity and Islam, which shape the culture of the Philippines. ## Social Beliefs and Customs - Customs practiced in the Philippines are primarily influenced by religion and demographics of the region. ## Religion, Festival and Holydays - The Philippines provide for the freedom of religion. - 90.07% of Philippine residents identify as Christian with 80.58% of the population followers of the Roman Catholic Church and 11 % being other Christian denominations. ### Festival - Silmugi Festival (held on honor of Saint Sebastian) - Sinulog Festival (held on honor of Santo Nino de Cebu) - Kuraldal Festival (held on honor of Saint Lucy) ### Holidays - New Year's Day (January 1st) - Holy Week (between March and April) - Independence Day (June 12th) - Christmas Day (December 25th) - Rizal Day (December 30th) ## Music - Music in the Philippines is influenced by all the cultures in the country. - Traditional folk songs are primarily inspired by indigenous customs and beliefs. - Notable composers of Filipino folk music include: - Lucio San Pedro - Antonio Buenaventura - Pinoy music or Philippine pop music. The popular musicians from this genre include: - True Faith, Yano, The Teeth, and Neocolours. - Popular genre include jazz, hiphop, reggae, and Latino music. ## Dance - Dance in the Philippines range from traditional indigenous inspired dances to modern "Western Inspired" dance. - Example: Folk Dance ## Literature and Arts - Ancient Filipino literature was primarily made up of legends and folklore which were the main forms of literature before the Spanish colonization of the country. > *"Ibong Adarna"*, a story written by Jose dela Cruz > *"Florante at Laura"*, Francisco Balagtas - The tattoo work on these ancient Filipinos was done so well that Portuguese explorers called them the "Painted People" or the "Pintados". - Modern artists in the Philippines include Damian Domingo, Juan Luna, Fernando Amorsolo, and Elito Circa who is known worldwide for painting using his blood. ## Clothing - The Maria Clara is a traditional dress worn by Filipino women. - The Maria Clara is in the epic 19th century narrative *"Noli Me Tangere"* written by Jose Rizal. The Maria Clara is made of four components: | Component | Description | |---|---| |Saya | A long dress| |Tapis | A knee-long skirt | |Camisa| A collarless chemise | |Panuelo | A stiff scarf | - In recent years, the Maria Clara has been modernized to produce a modern version known as the terno. - The terno was popularized by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who wore the terno during special occasions, including the 2008 state of the Nation Address. - Barong Tagalog is normally worn by men during special occasions. - Barong Tagalog features a formal long skirt devoted with embroidery. - The attire was popularized by President Ramon Magsaysay who wore the baro in most state functions. ## Linguistic Affiliation - The official language is Filipino, which is based on Tagalog with words from other native languages and English. - 55% of residents speak Filipino fluently. - English is used in colleges, universities, the courts, and the government. - The country has 70 to 80 dialects derived from Malay language. - Three dialects are of national importance: - Cebuano in the Southeastern island - Ilocano in the North, and Tagalog - Tagalog is the language of the National Capital Region. - When Tagalog was chosen as the basis for a national language, Cebuanos refused to use Filipino. ## Climate - November to February are the coolest months. - March to May is the summer months in the country and are classified as hot and dry. - June to October is rainy, with the months between July and September characterized by typhoons. - Some parts of the country, such as Cebu and its neighboring provinces in the Visayas are warm and comfortable in all seasons.