The Philippines = B Movie Backlot

I knew that our country was the birthplace of the first-ever midget action star, Weng Weng. I knew that our country was chosen by Francis Ford Coppola for his film, "Apocalypse Now" because it looked a lot like Vietnam. But this aspect of Philippine filmmaking, I did not know about: 

Click for  a clearer video on Vimeo

How shall I describe this piece of knoweledge? Funny? Disturbing? I believe this will go down in the annals of history as part of the most humiliating (yet hilarious) things we did for Americans. I would very much like a copy. For now, I'll leave you with the official poster and documentary synopsis. 

Machete Maidens Unleashed! is the first detailed examination and celebration of Filipino genre filmmaking - a world where stunt men came cheap, plot was obsolete and the make-up guy was packin' heat!

From the early '70s well into the '90s the Philippines was a back-lot for a bevy of renegade B-movie makers and cinema visionaries alike. The country was utilized for its inexpensive labour, exotic locations and distinct lack of rules. A tidal schlock-wave of genre work emerged that somehow managed to capture the raw, chaotic energy of contemporary Filipino culture. These productions (a cavalcade of monster movies, jungle prison movies, blaxploitation and kung fu hybrids) were miraculously made at a time when the country's political situation was repressive at best. But, this was a revolution that even the Marcos dictatorship couldn't crush!


A big thanks to Mark Olivan for linking it to me!

Jose Rizal as Hitler's Father and Other Mysteries

I'm so happy about my latest article, "Rizal: Man of Mystery" which delves into the enigmatic rumors surrounding our national hero, Jose Rizal. It was one of the most enjoyable things I've ever written and it's my first article for Juice.ph.

 

Rizal Portrait

Here's an excerpt:

"The most infamous mystery is that Rizal fathered the German Fuehrer, Adolf Hitler.  This rumor began circulating because of an educational film about Nazism and World War II.  In it, a framed photo of Rizal was found hanging on Hitler’s bunker.  This poses the question, “Was Hitler a fan of our national hero or was it something more?”  Jose Rizal was educated in Europe and he spent a great deal of time in Germany.  To this day, he is revered with a street and statue in Wilhelmsfeld. In fact his novel, Noli Me Tangere, was first published in Berlin in 1887. "

For the complete article, click on this link.

An Homage to Rizal’s Great Love: Leonor Rivera

I spent the start of my long weekend deep in Rizal research, reading about the world’s perception of our national hero. As expected, his love life is a curiosity for many.

Described as somewhat of a womanizer, some historians believed he was commitment phobic.  When he becomes close to a woman to the point of "intimacy/revelation/love", Rizal runs away. But one woman one woman who seemed to have captured his heart completely was Leonor Rivera. The Filipina he was engaged to marry. 

She is described as a “pretty woman” whose physical features included having a “high forehead”, “soft and wavy hair”, a face that supported “almond eyes”, “small and pensive mouth”, and “engaging dimples” in Rizal: Philippine Nationalist and Martyr. Reading this, I remembered some old photos I had. I was supposed to use them on a feature about fans but I think the mood of the photos perfectly portray the sadness of their doomed romance. 

The two were in a long distance relationship as Rizal had to be in Europe for his studies. They would correspond only through letters, which eventually were intercepted by Leonor’s mother. Believing that Rizal was a subversive, her mother kept them from her, and arranged for Leonor to marry a British engineer, Henry Kipping. Leonor, thinking that Rizal had forgotten her, agreed but only on the condition that she’d stop doing the two things she loved which was to sing and play the piano. She also proclaimed that she would die young and that she did. She was buried with the letters of Rizal stitched to her gown.

Rizal immortalized her as the character Maria Clara. Click this link to see a sketch that Rizal made of her. 

Thanks to Bryan, a good friend, a great tour guide, and an all-around Rizal enthusiast. Check out his blog on this link. 

Outfit: Dress from Deng Tee; accessories and fan from yours truly 

Photo credits: Ms. Kaity Chua

Styling credits: Deng Tee and Cay Kho

 

Were Marcos and Ninoy Friends?

Registration is open for the 2013 elections and I thought posting this political video would be apt.

The vid shows an alternate way of seeing what went down during People Power. I had an earlier post talking about my thoughts after reading, American Boy, by James Hamilton-Paterson. In that book, he claimed that Marcos and Ninoy were confidantes. In fact it was Ferdinand Marcos who would supply information to Ninoy Aquino if ever he needed to take criticize Imelda Marcos, then the governor of Metro Manila. Marcos would then try to console his wife, Imelda, by saying that he'd get Ninoy the next time.

Strange.
But is there truth to it?

The Story of My Tamburin

On my previous entry, I proudly showed off my tamburin necklace and it made think about when my fascination with it began.  I got this photo from an encyclopedia. I almost bought a cross with this "tinik" design. Instead, I ended up buying a more traditional "pineapple" tamburin.

The first time I saw a tamburin up close was when I was a Mabuhay guide. The owner of Tesoro's Handicrafts was telling us about the beauty of pinya cloth and other special finds in the Philippines. There she was standing regally, in a simple starched barong blouse accessorized with a beautiful gold tamburin necklace and matching pearl earrings. She looked so chic that the image of her and her necklace stayed with me. It looked kind of like this...

 

I got this off someone's Flickr. So pretty!

Upon researching, I found out that the gold necklace was no ordinary piece of jewelery. It was an antique that could cost up to P250,000. The way of making it involved techniques that are no longer used because goldsmiths don't know how to replicate it. Thus, I was ecstatic to have found my tamburin at a reasonable price. Though if you look at the photos on my previous entry, it’s quite simple compared to the ones featured here. Also, mine is gold-plated. The best tamburins are made from 100% gold. The more intricate the design, the wealthier the owner.

I’m not sure if I want to believe the saleslady who sold me mine but she said that all tamburins are atleast 100 years old. I wonder who mine belonged to. I love a good story to go with my jewelery and how I wish mine was passed down to me by my grandma. Then she would tell me of how it was passed on to her by a devout mestiza woman who wore it everyday after she was gifted it by a Spanish merchant.

I can dream right?

But I’m just happy I can pass something on to my future grandchildren. With my tamburin, I will tell them the story of how our great ancestors were gold fiends. They used to make everything out of gold: from their pots to their bangles to their chastity protectors.

The Return of the Manila Galleon

 

If you happened to be in Manila Bay on the morning of October 6 and you spotted a 17th century ship sailing towards the shore, do not panic. Ghost pirates are not attacking. You are looking at the famed Manila Galleon, grand ships built in Manila during the Spanish colonial times. After a century and half of being absent, it is coming home in the form of a working replica christened, “Andalucía”. This replica was built late last year as part of the Dia Del Galeon Festival and it’s travelled from Spain to China and now to the Philippines using the power of the wind, two emergency diesel engines, and minimal navigation and communications technology.

The Manila galleons were the world’s first supersized malls. The largest ships of their time, they were once laden with the treasures from Southeast Asia, China, India, and Arabia. They carried goods like porcelain wares, silks, spices, jades, jewels and luxury items to Mexico and the rest of the Americas and even Europe. When the ships came back from Mexico, it brought home chests filled with the Spanish Dollar or silver pieces of 8, the first world currency. The galleons allowed for the lucrative Manila-Acapulco trade to thrive from 1565-1815.

These giants of the seas voyaged once or twice a year serving primarily as vessels for exchanging goods but it also transported the cultural cargo of two Spanish colonies, eventually paving the way for a global exchange. Here are some quirky trivia you may not have known about the Filipino Mexican connection:

-       Mexicans gave Filipinos words like “tatay” and “nanay” from their own “tata” and “nana” meaning father and mother. Filipinos gave them the words “palay” and “palapa.” Palapa is coconut frond in Filipino while in Mexico; “palapa” is a beach hut.

-       In Mexico, a clan with the last name “Maganda” has resided for more than 2 centuries. People from their area have the habit of drinking sap of a coconut which they call “tuba”.

-       The town of Mexico, Pampanga was originally named Masicu because of the abundance of chico that grew there. But the Mexican emigrants who settled there renamed it.

-       The Philippines got a taste of Mexico’s through culinary flavors like sampaloc, achuete, and tsokolate batirol. Filipinos added sugar, groundnuts, or milk making for their own version of the Aztec drink

-       80% of the crew on the galleons was Filipino. Perhaps it was due to the Manila-Acapulco trade that the Philippines developed an enduring relationship with the sea and shipbuilding. Filipinos are currently the most sought after seafarers making up 1 out of 3 seamen in the world.

Learn more at the exhibit “Connecting Continents: The Filipino in the Galleon” at the Senate Building and by boarding the Galleon Andalucía at Pier 13, South Harbor, Manila from October 6-9. Open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission is free. These events are part of the Dia Del Galeon Festival organized by UNESCO, NCCA, and the office of Senator Angara. For more information contact: Ms. Charisse Aquino-Tugade (632) 527 2192 local 616 or email diadelgaleon@yahoo.com.

Latest Schedule for the Galeon Andalucia

The Galeon Andalucia is a replica of the 17th century Galleon. I wrote about its upcoming visit on a previous entry. You can hop on-board and jump into history starting Wednesday! (That's tomorrow. Woohoo!)

Galeon Andalucia Design

 Galeon Andalucia under construction

Leaving Port Pinto on it maiden voyage

ADMISSION IS FREE! 

WHERE:   
PIER 13, SOUTH HARBOR, MANILA (Next to Manila Hotel)

 

DATES
October 6 1:00 pm - 4:00pm
October 7 9:00am – 12:00 noon, 1:00 pm - 4:00pm
October 8 8:00am – 12:00 noon, 1:00 pm - 4:00pm
October 9 8:00am-12:00pm

DAILY SCHEDULE
9:00am-12:00pm - LARGE GROUPS
9:00am-4:00pm - PUBLIC

For Groups of 30 or more, email us your information and desired time between 9:00am-12:00pm. If there are no slots available, we will give you an afternoon schedule.

INDIVIDUAL GUESTS
There is no need for reservation for individuals and groups with less than 30 people

AGE LIMIT
Children under eight years old are not allowed due to safety reasons. Children under twelve need to be chaperoned

LOGISTICS
The Capacity of the Boat is 100 at a time, and guests will be asked to queue in line. Please expect some waiting.For large groups, it is suggested that you arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled time slot. Late comers will be bumped off their slot
Some walking will be required from the registration to the boat, we advise that you are as comfortable as possible. 

ACTIVITIES
There will be waiting area where guests can view an exhibit, mural paintings and information on the Galleon Trade. Also, there will be a creative trade fair selling indigenous arts and crafts, and items from around the world.

PARKING
There is no ample parking at the pier, however there will be some at Quirino Grandstand.

FOR RESERVATIONS
E-mail Abi Portillo at diadelgaleon@yahoo.com <http://diadelgaleon@yahoo.com>  with your information including: day, time, number of guests, contact information.

Manila Through the Eyes of Teodulo Protomartir

American Flag Down. Philippine Flag Up.

July 4.


On this same day, 64 years ago, the United States granted the Philippines full independence. After trying unsuccessfully to make the country a colony, getting it involved in World War II, using it as their military base in Asia, and after shelling its mother city Manila to near dust, they finally decided it was time to let go. Left behind were more than 100,000 people dead. A city once hailed to be the Venice of the East was in ruins. Whole edifices, churches, and monuments left in rubble.

People forget that Manila was the 2nd most damaged city on the Allied side during World War II.

 

Scenes of Destruction

Carlos Celdran, Manila’s foremost advocate and most notable tour guide says that if Manila had not been destroyed it would be, "Nothing less than the most beautiful cosmopolitan city in Asia," He notes that the city streets were impeccable with neat lines that radiated outward from the city's center, "like the rays of the sun." There were a handful of 100 year-old churches right beside contemporary buildings and it had a modern tram system. Manila was masterminded by renowned architect and urban planner Daniel Burnham, who drew inspiration from Classic Greek and Roman architecture.


No wonder the nation was traumatized.  People found it too painful to talk about the greatness we’ve lost. Carlos Celdran calls it, “collective amnesia.”

 

Pinoys were so angry at Westerners, they defaced statues with high noses

Found photographs of Teodulo Protomartir have thrust the memory back into our consciousness. A month ago, Silverlens Gallery exhibited these photos in a showcase entitled, “Being There”. It is an amazing story told best by Jessica Zafra in her article for Philippine Star. I almost missed the whole exhibit had it not been for the urging of a friend, Ms. Kaity Chua to go. Sadly, I did not know about the talk by Carlos Celdran until the day after. So I pieced together what I could and I made these inspiration boards using Protomartir's original photographs.

 

The Parade

If you look closely, you will find little droplets on the surface of the photographs. This is because the negatives were rotting in storage until they were rediscovered, saved, and digitized. Just like Manila, it's been irreparably damaged. But adversity has embedded character to the city and to the prints. I want to remember Manila in its heyday and use to that to dream up an even better Manila for someday.

Mused this Weekend: Ambeth Ocampo Rocks Ayala Museum

History has gained an awful reputation for being boring and irrelevant but if you were at the Ayala Museum last Saturday for Ambeth Ocampo’s lecture on prehistorical Philippines, you’d think history was (gasp) cool.

I’ve never met Ambeth Ocampo but I’ve heard much about his passion for Philippine history and Jose Rizal in particular. So I dragged my sleepy self out on a Saturday morning despite a crummy tummy. He did not disappoint. Not a boring second in the lecture. I was impressed because despite being hailed as a “Rock Star Historian” with the ability to command reserved seating and a venue packed with almost 500 people, he was candid and dare I say it, even dorky. In one anecdote, he shared how in the British Library, he found the Antonio de Morga Sánchez Garay book used by Jose Rizal. So in his everyday research, even when he didn’t need the book, he would put it by his side and caress it lovingly then touch his head hoping to be great someday too.

Well sir, I would have wanted to pat your head for greatness when I asked for a photo but I am not that bold. So, I just got my free book signed. (I read it in one sitting.)

I ran into a childhood friend from Saudi Arabia, Ate Kristine. She’s now a teacher based in Rhode Island, U.S.A. She enjoyed the talk a lot and I think it’s fed her patriotic spirit. Our meeting was serendipitous. The conversation gushed out over lunch and I couldn’t help but compare the feeling of catching up with an old friend to the talk Mr. Ocampo gave. He makes history intensely personal, almost like friends discussing the latest news regarding a common friend  (who just happens to be a historical figure.)

 

So yes, let's double the crowds the next time around.
His next lecture is on July 24, 2010. 3:00 pm. It's on the Philippine-American War.

Ambeth Ocampo Brings History Alive at the Ayala Museum

I'm really excited to attend tomorrow's talk at the Ayala Museum. History buff, Rizal fanatic, and all- around Filipino Idol: Ambeth Ocampo kicks off his new lecture series designed to take us through the nation's entire history in four short sessions.  I've heard a great deal about his work at the National Historical Institute and my friends have told me that he is a phenomenal great teacher. For those of you like me who have never had the opportunity to attend any of his classes, tomorrow is the day. The first session is pre-colonial Philippine society. It will be held at the Ground Floor Lobby of the Ayala Museum at 10:30 a.m. That's tomorrow! Come, let's go.

For details. please click: