We're More Than Just Wily

What you see above is not a representation of hate and cruelty. It’s a symbol of national pride that spearheaded a group of people to act.

The flag you see above is the first flag of the Kataastaasang, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan, better known as The Katipunan and symbolically known as KKK.

I figured since today is Philippine Independence Day, I would take it a little easy and educate at the same time. I don’t wear my culture on my sleeve and disdain everything that isn’t “brown” enough, but I always say it is important to know where you came from. And the older I get, the more I want to know. And seeing as I’ve been looking up stuff all day – I want you guys to know more.

Often, I get the feeling that people outside of the Philippines and the Filipino culture don’t know what to make of us. The very few depictions of Filipinos in film, music, and society don’t even come close to what showing a real life Pinoy or Pinay. When people find out I’m Filipino, their usual response is, “Oh, I have a friend who is Filipino too” or “Do you know how to make pancit or lumpia?”

Well, I lied. It’s rougher when people don’t recognize your ethnicity. We get mistaken for other cultures. When I first moved to Arizona, queries about my heritage ranged from Indian (both the Asian and Native American variety) to Mexican to What-the-Heck-Are-You? But I can’t really blame most people for their ignorance. When the first (and few) Filipinos you see on screen are played by Desi Arnaz (BABALOO!) and Anthony Quinn (ZORBA THE GREEK!)…well, you can’t really know what a Filipino looks like.

Despite the misrepresentations and lack of knowledge, Filipinos and their ancestors have flourished since declaring their independence on June 12, 1898. You would be surprised to know how many Filipinos have made a difference in the way the world around us works today.

So in honor of my culture’s independence, I invite you to do what I’m doing. Instead of surfing for your next YouTube fix, take a glance and learn about Filipinos and Filipino-Americans that have made their mark in history. You’ll be surprised – we’re everywhere.

And for all my Pinoy and Pinay peeps out there – hope you enjoyed the Araw ng Kalayaan!