Overview of the Phil. Culture
AN OVERVIEW OF PHILIPPINE CULTURE
Introduction
Before the coming of the Spaniards the Filipinos had a civilization of their own. The various aspects of this civilization doubtless came partly from the Malays who settled in the country and partly from a response to the new environment. The customs and traditions, the government and mode of living have, to a great extent, come down to the present and may be found in remote rural areas which have so far succeeded in resisting the impact of modern civilization. For this reason, many of the customs and practices of the pre-colonial Filipinos are still operative in many parts of the country, a circumstance that is, in a sense, advantageous for it offers an observer first-hand materials for the reconstruction of the distant past.
Philippine culture is a blend and mixture of Western cultures and Eastern cultures, which makes for a very interesting and distinct culture. There are American influences, Asian influences, Spanish influences, and Malay influences that affect the diversity of this culture. There are also many traditions of the Philippines, including: kissing the hand of someone who is older than you to show them respect, holding family reunions for all birthdays and holidays, and eating pancit on their birthdays
Geographical Location: The Republic of the Philippines, a nation of 7,107 islands is located on the Pacific Rim of Southeast Asia. Her neighbor on the north is the Republic of China (Taiwan or Formosa), while on the west is Communist Vietnam. Further west is Thailand. Immediately to the south of the Philippines is Indonesia and to the southwest are Malaysia and Singapore. The Philippines is separated from her nearby Asian neighbors by several bodies of water - the Pacific Ocean on the east, the South China Sea on the north and west, and the Celebes Sea and the coastal waters of Borneo on the south. Two thousand of its islands are inhabited. Luzon, the
Introduction
Before the coming of the Spaniards the Filipinos had a civilization of their own. The various aspects of this civilization doubtless came partly from the Malays who settled in the country and partly from a response to the new environment. The customs and traditions, the government and mode of living have, to a great extent, come down to the present and may be found in remote rural areas which have so far succeeded in resisting the impact of modern civilization. For this reason, many of the customs and practices of the pre-colonial Filipinos are still operative in many parts of the country, a circumstance that is, in a sense, advantageous for it offers an observer first-hand materials for the reconstruction of the distant past.
Philippine culture is a blend and mixture of Western cultures and Eastern cultures, which makes for a very interesting and distinct culture. There are American influences, Asian influences, Spanish influences, and Malay influences that affect the diversity of this culture. There are also many traditions of the Philippines, including: kissing the hand of someone who is older than you to show them respect, holding family reunions for all birthdays and holidays, and eating pancit on their birthdays
Geographical Location: The Republic of the Philippines, a nation of 7,107 islands is located on the Pacific Rim of Southeast Asia. Her neighbor on the north is the Republic of China (Taiwan or Formosa), while on the west is Communist Vietnam. Further west is Thailand. Immediately to the south of the Philippines is Indonesia and to the southwest are Malaysia and Singapore. The Philippines is separated from her nearby Asian neighbors by several bodies of water - the Pacific Ocean on the east, the South China Sea on the north and west, and the Celebes Sea and the coastal waters of Borneo on the south. Two thousand of its islands are inhabited. Luzon, the