Media Log 1

Philippine Colonial Mentality – Confusion Over Identity

http://ejadelpilarphils.deviantart.com/art/Filipino-Identity-422737883

Many people say that Filipinos do not have an identity to call their own. Even to many constituents of the Philippines, Filipino identity is a mystery that needs to be solved. This comic was created by an artist that aims to tell the Filipinos, possibly the world, that colonial mentality is an enormous issue in the Philippines. A humorous tone is displayed by the artist with the comic.

The artist used a drawing style similar to the characters of the popular anime “Hetalia”. This medium is a witty way to address the issue of colonial mentality. The artist portrayed the problem through a comical sense. It attracts a reader’s attention because others may find it humorous, while Filipinos can relate.

The comic gives off a feeling that the Filipinos lost their sense of identity because of Spanish and American imperialism. The Filipino culture ranges from Spanish to American due to the colonization that the Philippines had been under for almost four hundred years. It is difficult to determine Filipino identity when Philippine history is mostly formed from colonialism.

Different people aside from Filipinos might think that it is not a huge deal because colonialism actually helped in the development of the Philippines. It most certainly did, but the price the Filipinos had to pay was their sense of identity. The colonizers led the Filipinos to believe that their race is more superior to the Filipinos’. The Philippines blindly accepted the superiority of the colonizers; while they imposed that the Filipinos are inferior to them.

Other people might say that the Philippines seems like a country that does not belong in any category, just like this comic. People can view this in a more positive note by saying Filipinos can belong in any category. The Philippines had adapted to different lifestyles throughout history. There are many things that being a Filipino is known for. The first and foremost is that Filipinos are very hospitable. Their friendliness and warmth can welcome anybody into their country. Filipinos are known to be very religious people. Thanks to the Spanish, Filipinos have a deep faith, and values their relationship with God. Resilience is another important quality that the Filipinos possess. They can adapt to any situation, and will recover quickly.

The message being sent in the comics is that Filipinos have been having an identity crisis ever since the Philippines had been colonized. This message is being sent in a way that the artist is sarcastically stating that the identity of Filipinos has been a confusing subject due to its mixed cultures. However, Filipinos have their own qualities that are products of colonialism and their adaptation towards their colonizers.