Reflection#5. Indigenous Filipino food; post-colonialism and its relation to dishes

From the documentary that I have watched during the class was about Filipino food culture. It was very interesting film because I was able to interconnect the political issue, specifically post-colonialism, with food culture in the Philippines.

The documentary was titled as ‘No Reservation’ and it was all about the food and cultural trip led by Anthony Bourdain. He travels all over the countries and experiences the culture, especially through food. It seemed that he enjoys the Filipino dishes including lecheon, sisig, and other street food.

<Documentary 'No Reservation'>

No difference with him, I do really like Filipino food. What I like the most are sisig and ballot. The reason behind my preference is this; a unique and traditional food that could only be found in the Philippines. One day, my professor asked our classmates the reason why there are no fine restaurants in other countries while there are prevalent fine Vietnamese, Thai, and, Arab restaurants. The most supported answer regarding this question was ‘because Filipinos value kinship or network rather than the food itself. With whom you are with is much more important than what you eat’. I agree on this argument. I, however, would like to answer his question by elaborating my supports from post-colonial era. From now on, I would like to write my personal opinion and it might seem to be discriminating Filipino culture when reasoning out this question. But I do not have any offense to any Filipino culture, rather, I am just writing my own opinion based on my understanding regarding lack/absence of fine Filipino restaurants in other countries.

The Philippines has been colonized by three different countries; Spain, America, and Japan. On the process of colonization, Filipinos accepted several culture, practice, traits, and, even, food from its colonizers. The key point of success in terms of colonization is harmony through hybridity of Filipino and colonizer’s culture. Once the culture is rejected by the mass, it gradually declines and disappears in the end. Japanese colonization could be perfect example for this. Even though Japan colonized the Philippines before World War II, no or rare cultural traits, practices, or tradition is remained among Filipinos. American and Spaniard colonization, on the other hand, could be considered as the most influenced ones in the Philippines.

Based on my research and observation, BBQ and Lecheon came from America and Spain. Mixing them with vinegar and calamansi and eating with all family members could be seen only as Filipino indigenous culture. The hybridity of Western food and indigenous practices completes the work of post-colonialism and explains its survival in present time.

I do not consider barbeque and lecheon as indigenous Filipino dishes rather as Western. If I ask other foreigners, they also do not consider these as Filipino food. Moreover, if I ask any of my foreign friends except Filipinos or those who have been to the Philippines, their main idea on Filipino food are fruits such as mango, pineapple, and banana rather than any fine dishes.

In order for Filipino fine restaurant to be prevalent, I would suggest two advice. First, promote the dishes that are really unique and indigenous rather than popular dishes in the Philippines. Second, develop popular dishes by empowering Filipino traits in terms of taste, decoration, or any other unique Filipino culture on the way of eating the food.

Through the passage, I am not saying that all popular food are not indigenous Filipino food because the hybridity of culture creates another unique Filipino culture. In other word, there should be a movement on creating its own image of food from the hybrid outcome on which the Western image is more strengthened than indigenous culture.