Asia Culture - Philippines

The culture of the Philippines reflects the complexity of the history of the Philippines through the blending of cultures of diverse indigenous civilizations with characteristics introduced via foreign influences. Spanish colonization of the Philippines from Mexico, governed from Spain, lasted for over three centuries (1565-1898); thus, there is a significant amount of Spanish-Mexican influence in many facets of Filipino custom and tradition.

Hispanic influences are most visible in Philippine folk music, folk dance, language, food, art, and religion. Pre-Hispanic indigenous Filipino culture had many cultural influences from India (see Greater India), through the Indianized kingdoms of Southeast Asia, particularly the Srivijaya Empire and the Majapahit Empire, in what is now Malaysia and Indonesia. Many customs and the Filipino psyche reflect these cultural influences. Philippine Mythology, like many Southeast Asian mythologies, has been influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism. The Philippines was a U.S. colony from 1898 until the Second World War. American influences are evident in the use of the English language and in contemporary pop culture such as fast-food, music, movies, and basketball. The Chinese have been settling in the Philippines since pre-colonial times and their influence is evident in the popularity of noodles (locally known as Mami) and the gambling games of mahjong and jueteng. The various Muslim Filipinos of Mindanao, the southern island of the country, also celebrate their own centuries-old customs and traditions, such as concepts of local law (Agamat) and personal honor (Maratabat), which are related to both Islamic, and native concepts. The martial art of Kali emerged from Muslim Mindanao. The Kulintang gong-chime ensemble, which is still played by various groups in the south, is a celebrated icon of surviving ancient Philippine culture. Kulintang has a history that dates back hundreds of years before the Hispanic period, and shares concepts with other court and folk gong ensembles in Southeast Asia such as Gamelan.

PHILIPPINE DANCE