Is Tradition And Filipino Culture Becoming A Myth?

[Jack Peterson]

In no way, is this new Topic aimed at Annoying, Upsetting or trying to degrade our host country or the people we are among.

 

I start it because I believe other Topics are running to the end of their usefulness. There are comments that do not seem to Fit the bill Some posts are getting Argumentative and some misconceptions can and to me seem to run into BS. 

 

This is purely my take and impression on the Traditions and Culture of this country that seems to be heading toward "Commercialism" in stead of what the People here are all about.

 

Years ago and they get are getting Further away but all in the last 15 years. I got involved with a Wonderful Family, I Married the 2nd Youngest Daughter then 42 I was 60. a good Age difference I felt. Now the family are devout Church and I am not. (this has made not one iota of a difference to the relationship either with the family or my Wife and Daughter) 25 years ago it would have maybe been frowned on but 1st thing out of the Window, Times change. and so does Culture.

I arrived in the middle of December to do all the things for a Wedding.

The family were busy sat round the table, Some making Invitations, some were Putting together the Favors

 

The boys were out side with the pigs, I say this because of course, tradition was that you reared your own Pigs for eating as "Lechon" the families standing in the "Purok' and even the Baringay was measured by the number of Lechon you could put up for the Feast.

 

Upstairs but of course I was not allowed to see, were the other Girlies and older family members Adjusting 

Hand made outfits. This went on for 2/3 weeks.(Although it was 4 months in the total Time. Xmas came, one of the Pigs got Eaten over the period.

 

Turkeys were cooked, a close family gathering that was kept to close only because there was a Wedding to Organize and  provide for so no lavish Waste.

 

The dresses, Invitations, Favors, Lechon, turkey, Eggs, in fact most things like this were Home done 'That's Traditional Filipino Culture.

 

as a Foreigner   Ex-pat ( I dislike the F word as to the family, if you are from Cebu or Luzon you are also an F :unsure:

The only thing I had to pay for, was the venue and catering for the 200 guests. ( a little out of culture but....

 

So to me, it has all gone out of the Window, Too easy to buy everything ( god bless SM we may say) 

 

 New money, Ex-Pat money call it what you want has taken all this wonderful Traditional Culture from the PI

 

Standing in the Baringay can now be Bought, Just buy 7 Lechon and like in our own Countries we are now Competing with our rich Neighbours " Keeping up with the jones's" we call it in the UK

 

so when I read about Culture and what to expect from a Family Gathering, I sit and Remind myself of how it was not too many years ago. Not today's Bought tradition but home grown Traditional Culture.

 

My mother in law ( now 95) was so pleased that I accepted what they could offer. Too many times she had heard of  people Throwing money at the wall for a Wedding, Debut or Birthdays. Simple home grown Tradition is not what it seems today.

 

So I short, I do not believe it is the way we should help, by paying for something that they are not happy with. Help yes but.......... are we not also helping to destroy the culture.

 

This is my take on it and if it upsets some I am Sorry but in a lot of cases just of late, are we sending out the Wrong message and then blaming them?

 

 

JP :tiphat:

Edited October 23, 2014 by Jack Peterson

[frosty (chris)]

In no way, is this new Topic aimed at Annoying, Upsetting or trying to degrade our host country or the people we are among.

 

I start it because I believe other Topics are running to the end of their usefulness. There are comments that do not seem to Fit the bill Some posts are getting Argumentative and some misconceptions can and to me seem to run into BS. 

 

This is purely my take and impression on the Traditions and Culture of this country that seems to be heading toward "Commercialism" in stead of what the People here are all about.

 

Years ago and they get are getting Further away but all in the last 15 years. I got involved with a Wonderful Family, I Married the 2nd Youngest Daughter then 42 I was 60. a good Age difference I felt. Now the family are devout Church and I am not. (this has made not one iota of a difference to the relationship either with the family or my Wife and Daughter) 25 years ago it would have maybe been frowned on but 1st thing out of the Window, Times change. and so does Culture.

I arrived in the middle of December to do all the things for a Wedding.

The family were busy sat round the table, Some making Invitations, some were Putting together the Favors

 

The boys were out side with the pigs, I say this because of course, tradition was that you reared your own Pigs for eating as "Lechon" the families standing in the "Purok' and even the Baringay was measured by the number of Lechon you could put up for the Feast.

 

Upstairs but of course I was not allowed to see, were the other Girlies and older family members Adjusting 

Hand made outfits. This went on for 2/3 weeks.(Although it was 4 months in the total Time. Xmas came, one of the Pigs got Eaten over the period.

 

Turkeys were cooked, a close family gathering that was kept to close only because there was a Wedding to Organize and  provide for so no lavish Waste.

 

The dresses, Invitations, Favors, Lechon, turkey, Eggs, in fact most things like this were Home done 'That's Traditional Filipino Culture.

 

as a Foreigner   Ex-pat ( I dislike the F word as to the family, if you are from Cebu or Luzon you are also an F :unsure:

The only thing I had to pay for, was the venue and catering for the 200 guests. ( a little out of culture but....

 

So to me, it has all gone out of the Window, Too easy to buy everything ( god bless SM we may say) 

 

 New money, Ex-Pat money call it what you want has taken all this wonderful Traditional Culture from the PI

 

Standing in the Baringay can now be Bought, Just buy 7 Lechon and like in our own Countries we are now Competing with our rich Neighbours " Keeping up with the jones's" we call it in the UK

 

so when I read about Culture and what to expect from a Family Gathering, I sit and Remind myself of how it was not too many years ago. Not today's Bought tradition but home grown Traditional Culture.

 

My mother in law ( now 95) was so pleased that I accepted what they could offer. Too many times she had heard of  people Throwing money at the wall for a Wedding, Debut or Birthdays. Simple home grown Tradition is not what it seems today.

 

So I short, I do not believe it is the way we should help, by paying for something that they are not happy with. Help yes but.......... are we not also helping to destroy the culture.

 

This is my take on it and if it upsets some I am Sorry but in a lot of cases just of late, are we sending out the Wrong message and then blaming them?

 

 

JP :tiphat:

Jack, I think it's a world wide thing now, I remember as a young boy, Christmas, Easter, National Holidays, those days are gone, Young people now don't seem to have the time for those old traditions, just the way it is now, PI and the world are changing rapidly and I think not for the better. I value the culture here and really enjoy when I can share in it. This is my last post, so enjoy your life here and may you prosper. Good luck to all of you.

[Jack Peterson]

This is my last post, so enjoy your life here and may you prosper. Good luck to all of you.

 

Frosty, you do Yourself and All of us her an injustice by leaving, it is for this very reason I did the Topic. we need to help each other and our families here to understand that a True heritage and Traditional Customs are not lost yet! They just need to be re-invented through thought and common sense, as I said early in the Post, it is People who are Not Exposed to the everyday 24/7 issue that taint it all.

 

The customs of the Filipinos is on the wain I admit but if we all joined together and did away with this thought of money is everything, we can get it all back into perspective I am sure.

 

The main problem just at this time is that those that are sitting in the comfort of a Safe? House and Country? can't see wood for trees, They accuse many of us of Being Scammers YET it is they, who come  Woo the young lady and then Whisk them off to obscurity and blame  Everyone else when it goes wrong. Saying the Lady was the Scammer.

 

" You can take the Lady out of the country BUT you will never take the Country out of the Lady"

Doubting Thomas's, come and show us how you think it should be is done. Obviously, you think we are getting it wrong but of course, here in other Threads we have those Part Time Barmen that think Owning the Bar is easy!

 

Frosty Please don't be a stranger.

 

 

JP :tiphat:

[jpbago]

" You can take the Lady out of the country BUT you will never take the Country out of the Lady"

 

When you say this and then think of the posts by Unchecked Other, then what do you think?

[Jack Peterson]

When you say this and then think of the posts by Unchecked Other, then what do you think?

 

I would think the saying was correct and her understanding of her heritage goes to Prove that  :)

Edited October 23, 2014 by Jack Peterson

[Methersgate]

If I infringe on "Traditional Values and Culture" I get told, in short order!

[i am bob]

Jack, you are correct in your belief that the traditions are slowly going by the wayside.  And Frosty, you too are correct when you say that this is common throughout the entire world. 

 

Filipino customs are slowly going by the wayside as we sit and read these words.  But, as it is throughout the world, most prevalent in the areas closest to the big cites.  Even the smaller cities, as they progress, the customs and traditions are going out the window.  The further back we go from so-called civilization, the more we will find the old customs and traditions that are being missed by many... It is really a shame that this is happening but it is also a result of what the world calls progress...  My parents observed and said the same things...  And so did our grandparents, great-grandparents and so on... 

 

Like the wise man said...  "Life goes on!"

[Hey Steve]

 I do not believe it is the way we should help, by paying for something that they are not happy with. Help yes but.......... are we not also helping to destroy the culture.

 

 

Jack, it's always good to gain prospective of how Filipino families share special traditional events in Filipino culture with an Expat and how good it feels to be invited into this wonderful world where you are invited to be part of the purest sense of one's culture with big money and commercialized conveniences are all set aside. My wife, who married for the first time in her early 40's (to me  :tiphat:), has held onto a lot of the traditions in her area where she grew up in the farming community of South Cotabato. Harvest time is a special time to have a big gathering of family, friends, and neighbors and for me to be part of helping to set this up (without once reaching in my wallet) is truly amazing to me anyway.Everyone prepares and works tirelessly in such a joyous way. I too know that warm feeling of being part of it-and yes, I know other countries have variations of this type of traditional bonding, but I only know this experience in the Philippines, so I will leave it there. Nice topic, Jack-truly positive and uplifting in the right mindset.

[i am bob]

Here in Canada is a French Canadian family that has lost most of their traditions for the Christmas holidays...  A young lass from New Delhi and new to Canada married into the family.  She single-handedly brought back all the old family traditions by simply asking about the Christmases  when her husband was younger and then trying to apply them when the time was right..

 

Why can't we do the same with our Filipino families?

 

:dance:  :mocking:

[Methersgate]

OK, so I need to...

 

Buy a guitar

 

Learn to play it, and learn to sing nicely

 

Serenade K under her window for several months

 

Get a friend to ask her parents for their permission to propose*

 

Provide two carabaos, five pigs, and eleven cords of firewood...

 

in order to get married ...

 

(she does point out that her father actually did this - but she has heard my singing voice and would prefer not to hear it again...)

 

*I was traditional enough to do this bit. It has stood me in very good stead with her father.