“Filipinos” chocolate
This is very interesting.
My sister Dolour’s laugh was contagious. I was immediately drawn to what she was chuckling about — a video on youtube. Ever heard of the “Word of the Lourd?” It is a compilation of video clips by a guy named Lourd, which tackle intriguing and thought-provoking issues, mostly on Philippine patriotism.
One of the videos entitled “Word of the Lourd: Putim” dealt on racial colors: how the Americans love to get tanned and how the Filipinos envy their fair skin.
How ironic. Two nations wanted to switch colors!
Increasing the fact on this irony, interestingly Lourd showed at the near end of the clip, a chocolate bar manufactured in Spain intriguingly named “Filipinos.” The perfect description for Filipinos: brown in the outside; white in the inside.
If we put our thinking caps on and critically think about the logic behind this chocolate, we would probably conclude: yes, we are a representation of this satiric bar of snack. Born brown yet wanting white.
But this is actually not an issue on color alone, the entirety of our individuality and culture seemingly enshrouded by “white” clouds — our thinking; the way we talk, dress, act; the music we listen to, the movies we watch, the food we eat, the places we go to and want to be in.
But what’s wrong with this? Does it hurt?
I have personally witnessed this paradox during my college years in Brigham Young University- Hawaii (BYUH); actually even long before that. This irony on colors has long been alive here in the Philippines, since who-knows-when.
In BYUH, many Americans marry Filipinos: one proof that the true Filipina color and beauty undisputedly magnets the Haoles (as they’re referred to in Hawaii). Definitely a complete compliment; as the attraction is mutual.
More on color concerns, I had this major class in BYUH which centered on the study of international cultures and cultural differences. We had one discussion on racial colors; the same irony on the let’s-switch-colors issue.
I was the one orally reporting on the topic. I went on talking about how Filipinos carry their umbrellas around anywhere they go on a sunny day with the most concern on not spoiling the whitening cream they just rubbed on their faces, necks, and arms, (but even if there’s no such, umbrellas are still tightly hand-gripped). How benches are nowhere to be found in any spot in the Philippines where sunlight could reach. How Filipinos go from buying costly whitening creams to enduring painful peeling effect of astringents; and now, undergoing equally expensive and painstaking surgeries.
Everyone in the class which was 80% American was somewhat amazed; knowing that they themselves would want a chocolate or a mocha tinged skin and yet Filipinos appear to be incubating themselves just to get rid of some melanin.
But there was one statement I blurted out which made me regret saying. I ended my report with “Maybe when I’d come home I would go back under my umbrella.” Then I got negative and disappointed “Ahhh’s” from my classmates. One of them was my sister Dolour who is an advocate of Filipinos’ natural characteristics and culture, including color,language, and hair.
As a pure Filipino, I should’ve acted better, should’ve been prouder of my color specially in a foreign country.
But in general, I have never been prouder of my roots, my color, my language, and everything that makes up my being a Filipino than when I am hundred of miles away from the Philippines.
We are a race of unique and rich culture; home to famed and unsung heroes; hardworking, funloving, godfearing, hospitable, and happy people; land of beauteous natural resources…
Hence, as Filipinos, we should hold our heads high, be righteously proud and close our umbrellas, take off our jackets (except of course with the purpose of avoiding UV rays), and flaunt our beautiful pigment; flaunt our beautiful land and culture; flaunt us, the Filipinos: brown in and out.
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i thought you might do an article commenting on what word of the lourd said. but you’re so good, you did it in such a short time. you’re very good with words. i remembered that report you made when i watched this video, too. but even if you said that i do think that you’re proud to be Filipino. (tatapusin ko na sana ang comment ko ng “Proud to be Pinoy” nung naisip ko na English pala ang pinagsulat ko. Naisip ko na baka dapat magTagalog ako para mas ma-express ko ito. But then, that would be another article – about my love for the English language, for the Filipino language and my Pangasinan dialect.) So end ko na muna ito. Proud to be Pinoy!
they just have to be 100% sure, that tastes perfectly good…
oh and i was laughing about another video of word of the lourd when you heard me
it was a very interesting report, too. and very thought-provoking.
Ayos to ah. galing mo. keep writing.
I wonder how that “Filipinos” chocolate bars taste like? That’s interesting how someone would think of a name for a chocolate being Filipino. Maybe someone that study or did a research about Filipinos culture. Hhmmm I wonder?
A little “fyi” here.. Lourd De Veyra is the singer/songwriter of a band called Radio Active Sago Project.
I’m not really a fan of the band but yes, Lourd’s a really witty guy.
Pinoy ako!
and with this brown skin they’re calling, well, I have never heard any news yet about a Filipino who had skin cancer..