colture of the philippines

Philippines is a really beautiful country that sees a mix of diverse cultures. The culture of Philippines has seen various influences in the past. This beautiful country consists of around 7,107 islands with a large settlement of mostly Malay people. The Filipinos, as the people over here are known, are distinctive in many ways and have preserved their rich traditions and culture. Here, we shall take a look at the finer aspects of the culture of Philippines.

The Culture of Philippines: Family and Lifestyle
With over 70 million people, the Republic of Philippines has a mixed crowd that consists of different religions and people from various regions. One can see a mix of Christians and Muslims. The Chinese, Americans and Spanish lot are also spotted and Christianity is widely practiced out here. The Filipinos hold family ties in high regard. Discipline is instilled in the blood of young Filipinos at an early age. Nuclear families are a common factor out here although many Filipinos do stay close to each other. Families are rather conservative in their outlook and it is considered inappropriate when a female visits the house of a male. The people of Philippines are bound together by strong values.

The Culture of Philippines: Cuisine
The cuisine of Philippines is as varied and diverse as the culture in itself! One can see an array of food items being prepared apart from the traditional flavor of Philippines. The Chicharon is a popular snack in the Philippines. This is deep-fried pork or chicken dish. Apart from this, the bibingka which is a rice cake and the ensaymada which is a sweet roll is also popular as a snack item. The lechon which is a whole roasted pig is also a popular food dish in the cuisine of Philippines. Filipinos love to gorge on pescado - a fried fish dish, pinakbet - vegetable stew, puto-rice cakes and pan de sal - salted rolls of bread.

The Culture of Philippines: Music and Dance
The various forms of music also are an indication of the different cultures that exist out here. There is a fine blend of native compositions and modern tunes. The music styles seen here have European and American influences. From hip-hop to pop music, it's all popular out here. The Spanish people have left a distinct mark even in terms of music. With their influence, came the use of guitars and the zarzuela. Filipino rock and Filipino reggae also have a major fan following. The dance of the Filipinos is seen in various forms and styles. The Filipinos also have certain distinct forms of folk dance. Here, bamboo sticks are used in accompaniment with the steps being performed. Such dance forms are known as the tinkling and the skilling. All such folk dances of Philippines are only done in groups. There are many interesting legends associated with these dance forms as well. These dances are mainly visible being performed for religious occasions and weddings.

The Culture of Philippines: Art
Apart from music and dance, traditional forms of paintings are also very much predominant in the culture of Philippines. The painting style that began in the 17th century is continued even today. Other forms of art and craft such as weaving and pottery are also common amongst certain groups of people. A peek into the homes of many Filipinos would reveal the popularity of wooden art that is used for display. History also reveals the association of creative poetry with the people of Philippines. Tanagas are short poems that are typically without any title. Originally, Tanagas were always written in Tagalog, but today, many aspiring poets are using the basics of this form to write creative verses.


These are some of the basics aspects.It only reflects the wide influences and the wonderful blend that has formed with the traditional culture of Philippines.



The culture of the Philippines reflects the complexity of the history of the Philippines through the blending of many diverse traditional Malay^[1] heritage mixed with Spanish,^[2] American and other Asian cultures.
Pre-Hispanic, and non-Christian Philippine cultures are derived from many native traditions of the Austronesian people called Malayo-Polynesian or the Malay people. The prehistoric Philippine Mythology and Philippine indigenous culture was later influenced by the Malay cultures of Southeast Asia, accompanied by a mixture of Western-Christianity, Eastern-Islamic, Hinduism and Buddhism tradition.
Spanish colonization in the Philippines lasted from 1565 to 1898. Most of that time the islands were governed from Mexico and later directly from Spain. As a result, there is a significant amount of Spanish and Mexican influence in Philippine customs and traditions. Hispanic influences are visible in traditional Philippine folk music and dance, cuisine, festivities, religion, and language, though usually integrated with other influences. The most visible example of this are the Spanish names of Filipinos, which were given through a tax law (see: Alphabetical Catalog of Surnames), the thousands of Spanish loanwords in native languages such as Tagalog and Cebuano, and the majority Catholic religion.
Later, the Philippines was a territory of the United States from 1898 until 1946. American influences are evident in the use of the English language, and in contemporary pop culture, such as fast-food, music, film, and basketball.
Other Asian ethnic groups such as the Chinese and Japanese have been settling in the Philippines since even before the colonial period and their influence is also present in the popularity of gambling games such mahjong, jueteng, Kali and a variety of Asian cuisine.
Muslim Filipinos also celebrate their own customs and traditions. These groups follow a Philippine Islamic culture, and other Muslim recreation such as the Kali, Kulintang and Gamelan, are used by Islamic groups in the southern islands of Mindanao and Sulu archipelago.