Filipinos LOVE to say that. Of course, who can argue? We all have Spanish names. Isn't that why all the Spanish speaking telemarketers call my house? Because they know I'm a teenie weenie part Spanish?

I always tell people who meet me and mistaken me for being Chinese or Japanese that I'm Filipino, and that you can usually figure out a Filipino by their darker skin, bigger eyes, and the Spanish surname.

In 1519, the great Spanish explorer Magellan, who has gone through history as the man who sailed around the world, landed in the Philippines. He immediately declared this newly 'discovered' land for Spain. Because back then, you find a land where they don't speak your language, and you can claim it for your people back home. Who cares if there are people who've lived there for thousands of years? This land is going to SPAIN, baby!

Many people think that the Philippine history started at that moment, but there was a rich culture on the islands before Magellan stepped foot on it. Unfortunately, when the Spanish came to colonize the Philippines, much of that history was lost, since they were forced to convert to Spanish ways. Most Filipinos converted to Catholicism (which is another difference from their Asian neighbors - a majority of Filipinos are Catholics) though in the Southern Philippines there are many Muslim groups (which is the reason why there is so much suspicion of terrorist activity there). Although Filipinos converted to Catholicism, they changed it to be in line with the gods and goddesses they had worshipped pre-Spanish times, which is why statues of the Virgin Mary are so prominent in Filipino homes.

So where was I?

Oh. Magellan came. He said, 'Hey, Spain would love to hang out here for several hundred years!' So he sent for his people to come on over and party as he went from island to island impressing the locals with his smooth talk. However, he got to the island of Mactan and didn't play nice, so he was killed by a native named Lapu Lapu (who is actually a hero in the Philippines).

But that didn't stop the Spanish from coming.

So they came, hung out in the Philippines for about 300 years, teaching them about Catholicism, government, materialism, 'culture' and putting down any uprisings the natives would come up with now and then.

So that's about 300 years to mingle with the natives, sprinkling the Spanish genes among the mostly Malay (and some Chinese) people. Some people have a Spanish surname because of that, though most have it because the Spanish needed an easy way to figure out who was who so they just gave people in the same village a listing of last names that they could use. That's why you see so many Filipinos with the last name of Garcia, Reyes, Ortiz, Javier, Cruz, etc.

Of course, there are the Filipinos who have the 'real' last names, the ones who weren't subjugated to the name assignments. Those are the names like Macapugay, Capulong, Salonga, or Bulawan. True 'Filipino' names.

So yeah. I could be Spanish, or I might not be. It doesn't matter. Estacio is my slave name anyway. Slave to the Dave-man! From now on, I shall be known as Christine Yano Dances with A Towel On Her Head.

Posted by Yano at May 12, 2005 01:56 AM

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