Religion:
Throughout the history of the Philippines ,
religion has shaped much of their culture. This dates back to 1521, when
Ferdinand Magellan first arrived in the Philippines . Priests had
accompanied him from Spain ,
and the native Filipinos were quickly converted to Catholicism. During the
Spanish colonization, religion and government were both controlled by the
Spanish monarch. The Philippines
became missionary hub, and most Filipinos became Catholics. Philippine
Independent Catholic Church was established by two priests named Gregario
Aglipay and Ignacio de los Reyes in 1902. It grew in popularity, and soon one
fourth of the population of the Philippines
were members of this church. However, it soon declined rapidly and was joined
with the Episcopal Church of America in 1961. Many forms of Christianity have
arisen from the Philippines ,
and today 83% of the population of the Philippines is Catholic.
Catholicism has created many religious holidays in the Philippines ,
and devotion to the saints is popular, making the Catholic religion an integral
part of Filipino culture.
Literature and Myths:
In
Filipino culture, myths and folktales preceded literature and books. Myths told
stories of creation of human life, the origin of animals, and also taught
lessons to the listeners. Story tellers memorized epics, or long poems that are
passed down through the generations. As Spanish culture influenced the Filipino
stories, stories evolved to tell tales of saints, kings, and treasure. With the
introduction of the printing press by the Spanish, tales began to be wrote down
in books and new novels and poetry were written, Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me
Not) by José Rizal being among the most notable work written in this time
period. Noli Me Tangere shows the
oppression of the Filipinos while they were under Spanish rule, a distinct
theme shown in all Filipino writing from this time period.
Art:
Art has been a prevalent part of the culture in the Philippines for
thousands of years as artists use different materials to depict a variety of
subjects. Wooden sculptures, weaving, metal work, and painting are all forms of
Filipino art, and each one brings something different to the culture of the Philippines .
Wooden sculpting is used in a variety of ways:
not only in creating the detailed carvings made by the Maranao people, but also
in creating household items such as tools and furniture.
Weaving is a skill held at high esteem in the Philippines . A
variety of materials such as cotton, silk, and even tree bark are used to
create intricate patterns, and are often dyed to create the bright colors that
decorate Filipino culture.
Metalwork is another form of art that is prized by
artisans in the Philippines .
Metalwork is used to create delicate jewelry to please T’boli gods, but also
creates the short daggers (sondangs) and long-bladed swords (kampilans) used in
the traditional dress of the Maranao peole. While precious metals are popular
for metal art, recycled metals are also used.
Painting is also popular in Filipino art, with
paintings dating back to the 1700s. The subjects of art evolved from designs on
pieces of pottery to Biblical figures during the three centuries that the
Spanish colonized the Philippines .
Filipinos then began to paint non-religious subjects, and eventually came to
paint non-portraits with swirling patterns and lines.
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| Nuestra Senora del Rosario Painted by Damian Domingo |
