GrowlersWorld - Growler dreams of the Philippines...

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Growler dreams of the Philippines...

Welcome to a brief eye opener, to a country I have yet to visit, with the help of my good friends Katarina Whalley and Lany Liston.

Rawle Austin presents...

An introduction to the Philippines

I have never been to the Philippines but I have heard and seen enough about the place to make me want to visit there one day.

You may or may not have heard much about this country or it’s people but there is a large Filipino (people of the Philippines) community living in Britain today.

The Philippines are a collection of about 7000 islands, which are located in the Pacific Ocean in Asia just below China and above Malaysia and Indonesia.

It consists of three main areas which are, the island of Luzon in the north where the capital, Manila is based, the Visayas islands scattered throughout the centre and the island of Mindanao in the south.

A wide variety of dialects (around 85 in fact!) are spoken throughout the country depending on the region and it is not uncommon for individual Filipino’s (people of the Philippines, ladies are refered to as Filipinas) to be fluent in many dialects. The main dialect is called Tagalog (pronounced Tagarlog).

There is a mild Spanish sound to some of the words in the language. Some basic words are kumusta meaning hello, and mahal kita which is ‘I love you’.

The local currency is the Peso and the country has a population of about 65 million people. Popular tourist destinations are Boracay and Island Cove.

Early Filipinos originated from Taiwan and the surrounding areas including the Polynesian islands in the Pacific Ocean.

They were trading with Chinese and Japanese merchants way back in the 8th to 10th centuries. In 1521 the Spanish explorer and seafarer Ferdinand Magellan visited the islands and claimed them for Spain.

The Spanish named the islands the Philippines after their then king, Phillip ll. By the 1880’s internal demand for independence was spreading.

The Spanish-American war of 1898 lead to the defeat of Spain and the islands falling under American rule. Finally, on 4 July 1946, independence came with the forming of the Republic of the Philippines.

Many Filipinos have settled in Britain. There is an annual outdoor gathering of the Filipino community called a Barrio Fiesta with is held in Hounslow.

It has a carnival feel to it and many activities are held on the day. Also, beauty pageants are held regularly and are very well attended.

A favourite pastime is karaoke and this is a very popular family event and karaoke parties are always well attended with songs in both English and Tagalog.

The atmosphere is always warm and friendly and I heartily recommend experiencing. Many popular Thai restaurants in London have a joint Filipino run karaoke bar in the premises. Another popular pastime is the game, Mahjong, which originated in China.

There are also many shops, which sell imported Filipino food, newspapers – with community and overseas news - and other products. Located mainly in Earls Court and Tooting with various others scattered around London.

There are many Filipino films and music which are dominantly ballads or tunes for the heart. Two big name singers (based in the Philippines) are Regina Velasquez, and Sharon Cuneta.

This brings me nicely on to the food. Oh, the food! Fantastic flavours and delicious cuisine!

My personal favourite is Sinigang which is a sour soup or stew made with tamarind. It has a lovely sharp kick in the taste.

Adobo is also a popular dish which is basically stir fried pork. Pancit is stir fried noodles with vegetables and meats. It is a delicacy and is traditionally served on birthdays and signifies long life.

Seafood including mussells, locally called Tahong, are widely enjoyed and Mungo which is a local name for moon beans, stir fried with shrimp.

Of course, this article shows only a mere slice of the Philippines and a small representation of it’s community in Britain.