“The Filipino people are the most pro-American people, maybe even more pro-American than the Americans themselves.”
Ladies and gentlemen, that was our President Gloria Arroyo, with a candid description of how she regards her country’s former colonizers. And she’s hardly alone in this attitude. Many Filipinos do promote this idea of a westernized Philippines, with proud statements like “We’re the only Catholic country in Asia.” Or that we assimilate easily into American culture. We speak American English and are thoroughly westernized.
What is the root of this exceptionalist thinking? Why the desire for approbation from colonizers? Why do we revel in being so distinct from our Asian neighbors?
In honor of Philippine Independence Day last June 12, I spent the week re-reading Paul A. Kramer’s The Blood of Government: Race, Empire, the United States, and the Philippines. Kramer shows how racial ideologies were used to justify US imperialism in its first colony. As a fringe benefit, these ideologies also served to construct a racial hierarchy among Filipinos.
While other works have looked at racial ideologies embedded in Spanish and US colonization, Kramer employs a more intersectional analysis by examining the Filipino elite’s complicity with the creation of a “national colonialism.” For the Filipino elite—the illustrados—the goal was not just nationhood. Rather, they argued that given their Western education and values, illustrados were fully capable of ruling over the rest of the Filipinos.
Jose Rizal’s push for Filipino representation in the Spanish Cortes was predicated on the notion that the educated, Spanish-speaking “Filipinos” were a class apart from the non-Hispanicized Muslims and indigenous groups, the very groups who successfully evaded colonization. These were the groups who were “dirty,” “indolent,” “monkey-like.” And “lacking in virility.” In contrast, the illustrados, with their allegiance to western civilization, were fit to govern.
In other words, the Filipino elites argued that they could take over the white man’s burden. Because they were virtually white men themselves.
The Blood of Government then moves in American colonialism, detailing how illustrado exceptionalism easily lent itself to the creation of Philippine-American special relations. And here again, we see how race plays a role in deciding who is fit to govern.
Instead of the illustrados who desperately wanted to rule, the white man’s burden passed on to the Americans. And here, we see how the racial hierarchy among Filipinos began to reflect race in late nineteenth and early twentieth century America. Americans frequently referred to Filipinos as “niggers.” The parallel struggles of Black people in the US and Filipinos in the colonies fanned fears that the “dark races” were trying to take over the empire.
Racial ideologies were once again in play to frame the Philippine war for independence. Filipino soldiers fought a guerilla war, tactics that the American colonizers characterized as “savage.” This portrayal justified the Balangiga Massacre and other brutal atrocities of the Philippine American War, a war that has since been characterized as an “insurrection” and has mostly been forgotten.
“Kill every one over ten.” – Gen. Jacob H. Smith.
Originally from New York Journal, May 5, 1902. Wikipedia.
Furthermore, these Filipino savages were hopelessly engaged in tribal warfare among themselves. Obviously, they were not fit to carry on the white man’s burden of perpetuating Anglo Saxon empire.
Thus, the era of “fiesta politics,” where Filipino elites, especially those in Manila, threw lavish social events for American guests. These elaborate parties and balls were an opportunity for Filipino elites to convey “civilization as bourgeois style.” Filipino elites were not savage, because they don’t go around wielding bolos and sneaking around forests like guerillas. Filipino elites had elaborate balls and dances, just like westernized countries.
The incorporation of dances like the rigodon and the social setting also paved the way elite Filipinas, the illustradas, to participate in the quest for colonial governance. Whereas the task of colluding with the Spanish fell largely on educated men, the Filipina elite—illustradas—played a significant role in the new fiesta politics. Presumably, the illustradas presented themselves differently from the peasant women who had dark skin, worked in the fields, and joined the revolution for independence. The illustradas had social graces. They hosted lavish balls. They danced with Governor Taft and other American dignitaries. They maintained households that showcased their wealth as well as their western tastes and sensibilities.
The idea was that such social equality would later translate into political equality as well, since the Filipino elites shared the same westernized values.
The desire among many Filipinos to be westernized, to be the most pro-American people is thus not a new phenomenon. It is rooted in how Filipino elites strived to assume political authority in the face of colonization. And sadly, the racial hierarchies that were created in the process are still very much intact.
Today, for example, the threat of Muslims as the deviant other is used to justify militarization, both in the countryside as well as cities. Non-Catholic and non-Christian populations, such as the indigenous peoples, are marginalized and often infantilized. Colorism remains alive and well, as indicated in part by the popularity of skin whitening products.
In later posts, I’ll continue to think about how these racialized hierarchies, spawned in a transnational and colonial framework, continue to affect Filipinos. But for now, I’ll end with a little story.
An acquaintance once told me about various trips around Asia. His height, pale skin color, and Texas twang guaranteed that he stood out in most of the Asian cities he visited. But Manila, he told me, was his favorite. Why?
“I felt right at home,” he drawled. “Because it was so un-Asian.”
Sad. Do you think this western mindset is reversible?
Have you heard about proposals in the Philippine congress to change bilingual education to pure English? Filipinos they say are loosing “competitiveness” due to the bilingual system. How does one measure competitiveness in the first place? How does one equate Filipino versus English instruction with competitiveness? Japan and China are not wild about English but look at them now. Here in HK, I really feel that the Chinese are very proud of their language and heritage. Why can’t we stop pretending that we are white and do the same?
I haven’t heard of that proposal, Joe, salamat for the heads-up. Great points about equating English with competitiveness. It’s frustrating how speaking English is equated with being educated.
As to being white, yeah. Part of the reason lies in the various sources of privilege in the Philippines, how factors like whiteness, ethnicity, class intersect. I’m still trying to work it out in my mind and appreciate the dialogue.
Hey, suggestion lang. I’d love to read your insights about how and why the HK Chinese show pride in their heritage. Maybe you could blog about it when you’re so inclined.
Hmmmm that’s a good idea. Thanks! 🙂
I’m learning this first hand for the first time in the Philippines. It’s been two weeks and the colonized mentality is everywhere, my gosh.
I’m in shock…
-S
That mentality still shocks and frustrates me whenever I visit, and I grew up there. But I guess it’ll take time to erase a racial hierarchy that was centuries in the making. I wish more people recognized it’s existence, though.
That was their purpose when they took over this country.
We have lost our Hispano and Asian identity.
Kamusta, Arnaldo. I sadly agree about the identity issue. Salamat sa pagbisita!
[…] as Filipino elites supported revolution not because of nationalism, but on the grounds that elites were honorary whites themselves, or at least figuratively white enough to take on the “white man’s […]
hi tanglad!
ipapaalam ko lang ja at kinopya ko un clasico na cartoon na nasa post mo, if i’m not mistaken it was the new york times who originally posted it. until today, the US refuse to surrender the church bell they stole as war booty, when they torched that waray town.
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let’s link up – maligayang pasko!
Hey Arnaldo,
Nakita ko iyon sa wikipedia, originally galing sa New York Journal (5/05/1902). May updates ka sa Balangiga bells? Aabangan ko ang post mo.
“Filipino elites supported revolution not because of nationalism, but on the grounds that elites were honorary whites themselves”
I’m afraid this is not accurate. Filipino nationalism is as complex as nationalism elsewhere. Class — not racial — distinctions between rich and poor, the “illustrado” elite and the common peasant “tao,” and the Hispanized magnates in Manila and Cebu and the gentry class in the provinces, certainly existed, as they did in most other revolutionary situations, including during the American Revolution. During the Philippine-American War, a central American strategy was to seek defections from among the Filipino elite, which severely weakened the Filipino side in that conflict. However, virtually all Filipinos who fought the Americans, and especially the elites, who comprised practically the whole office corps, did so for the defense and the independence of their Motherland. After more than three centuries of Spanish colonialism, they were fighting for a country of their own. The Americanization of the Philippines, to the extent that it exists and is not simply skin deep, took place only after that war.
@Marcelo – Welcome to the blog and thanks for commenting. Even though Filipinos fought on the same side, there were already clear demarcations as you noted with your observation that the elite comprised the officer corps. The racial/class divide between the elite and the masses predates the Americans, and there were great differences in their reasons for fighting. It’s a qualitatively different argument to say “We’re fighting for a country of our own” and “We’re fighting for a country of our own because we the elite are capable of being the rulers, because we went to school in Europe and speak English and Spanish and are more like you, we’re not like these other brown people.”
[…] collusion of Filipino elites’ would later be repeated during the American colonial period. (via fiesta politics, for […]