What do this native outfit look like to you?

[Aiko_E_Lara]

That’s a Filipino romanticized “pre colonial outfit” of the region I’m living in. (Implying that’s what we wore before the Spaniards arrived in the mid-1500s). They’re what I see in wall paintings and sometimes they wear a cross talisman/rosary. And even what some performers would wear on a Catholic event we have dedicated to child Jesus. I would actually argue yes, we technically have that outfit in pre-colonial times but not for the same reason most of us think it is. It’s because we weren’t colonized in the 1500s I’d say but just had strong trades with spain. The island group where I’m in is the first part in the Philippines where Spain that got contact with Spain and their first trading post is in Cebu (where I’m in). We use to just wear loincloths and tattoos until the Spaniards came. I’d argue we got that look from trades and accepting Christianity not by force (It’s more of a strategic alliance with Spain) rather than from colonialization and it became like a natural evolution of our tribe not a forced influence. And our island group (specially Cebu, the ship building capital) has a strong history of ship building which is what rose their economy. So that explains the Pirate-ish look they have and it’s distinct. I could even argue that some actually do look like those romanticized British pirates but it would look “unoriginal” so they try to remove that idea. The pirate look is not even just for look but more on practicality because it's breathable, doesn't come off easy and it's sun protection. Women didn't really have that kind of look because there were no female traders to influence them but for the sake of romanization, they included then to look like that.

Updates

10 mo

Turns out the pirate look (wearing big earrings and bandanas) is not historically accurate and explorers may have just got that idea from Asia because it's cooling. Like when the Dutch arrived in Indonesia, Even had trades from Japan, those two countries already start wearing bandanas and the explorers that time used to look like just knights. That maybe where the pirate look originated and brought to the Philippines. It's not just for aesthetics but it's practical.

Updates

10 mo

I meant Spain copied and popularized it in the Philippines.

Updates

10 mo

My other theory is the Philippines may have been lowkey colonized by Austria through Habsburg Spain using the "Spanish Empire" on Paper directly under King Philip. King Charles' rule on South America was different. I don't think it's a coincidence that our houses and clothing look more Austrian and our music is more Waltzy and formal than festive. And we have more of that Aragon and Castile influences (where Habsburg Spain Royals resided). We call "Kastila" I have more to back that up.

Updates

6 mo

Update, I've actually researched more about it and it turned out most of them are speculative but the relationship of the Visayas and the Spaniards were actually complex. Alliances keeps shifts, negotiation keeps happening, All of the islands were like their own kingdoms rivaling each other and many use Christianity for prestige.

[NathanDavis]

the Filipinas were colonized as much as everywhere else... and it was done by force as well

the mere fact that it is called the Philippines is enough to realize that it was a land of criollos and not of natives, the natives who refused to convert died and did disappear... same as everywhere else

the fight, the resistance, the revolutions... the independence... all signs of force

even the national anthem is one written in blood... the blood of those who died both, conquerors and conquered..

the religion was also given to all of you, to all of us... it was fought, it was changed it was eliminated... from one faction to another... it is a Roman Catholic nation by force not by choice

that's Colonization

[Aiko_E_Lara]

Actually, I'd say that only Luzon was conquered (the northern big island). The Philippines wasn't even united before Spain arrived. It was a very conflicted archipelago. The island i lived in, Cebu was the first one where the Spaniards settled in because they were welcomed. Before the Spaniards, Cebu was quite weak and they the leader was threatened by another leader who originally came from Borneo (Malaysia/Indonesia) so they formed an alliance with the Spaniards to defeat them and other islands too. When spain took Luzon, they didn't care. Their war for independence may have started when Spain started colonizing the whole Philippines in the 1800s also because that was when they were desperate since they lost South America which sparked revolution. The whole Philippines wasn't colonized. It was only until 1800s and the archipelago was originally called "the Philippine island" not a country yet.

[NathanDavis]

quite similar to what happened in Mesoamerica... when the Spaniards showed up "first" with the intentions to conquer, they first met the Tlaxcala people who were not weak, but they were less... and both groups did ally... in order to advance to take on the Mexica (what the world knows an Aztecs) together

coincidentally... it is said that a couple thousand of these Tlaxcala warriors from Mesoamerica ended up fighting at Cebu and later established at over there at the Philippines which is also reasons as to why some Tagalog words are of Nahuatl roots (a Mesoamerican language)

[Aiko_E_Lara]

The difference here is that, The Philippines is very far and it's only very plausible that they won't risk conquering an archipelago especially if it's well populated and hearing Magellan lost there which would spark a red flag. The only possible reason why they came back is because they were reassured to by Cebu's leader. Sure south america has factions too but in Visayas, It's like every island there are like rivals and there are 6,000 of them. Legacy only brought five ships and it's not really realistic that that five ships alone can conquer all of those. It's only very possible that they never conquered them but only got Cebu to upgrade and did the work for them which united that whole island group. By thanking the spaniards, they were offered the North to create a new capital there for a new trading post to access Asia. Really there was no reason to risk conquering all those islands when they already have many tropical resources from South America. And the reason why they may be more brutal in South America is because the Spaniards rely more on labor force. And since America is nearer Europe, It's a contested zone against British and French especially with a British and the French advancing in technology, They felt more threatened and militarized and force them them to fight them. Compared to the Philippines, it wasn't as contested.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

*Legaspi only brought five ships

[Staximus]

People of the Philippines were forced to accept Christianity or die, they had no choice. The Spanish were absolute bastards to every country they colonized. They colonized the Philippines right after the height of the Spanish Inquisition, which was still going strong.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

The actually weren't. I mean Visayas Island group. We weren't colonized the same way Latin America was. We don't see Christianity is a burden but we use it as a way to bond. It even is combined with animism practice and ancestral worship like Sinulog festival and we treat saints like ancestors and use Christian events to bond with families. It became like an evolution than a revolution.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

It's because they were hungry for influence and they are those groups that are resistant against Islamic sultanates and even the religion. Also because they are weaker and less developed compared. When they saw the Spaniards, they were like "these guys are different. I'd rather take them over getting ruled by those Sultanans"

[Staximus]

Yeah you were, look at all the Filipino people that aren't pure Islanders. Look at all their names. Just like the Latin American countries, you guys were colonized and forced to become Catholics by the Spanish.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

And what does the names of the do with it? Unlike people in Latin America, Filipinos are actually prouder to be "colonized" by spain and even proud to be Christians and we don't use Christianity to guilt trip anyone. The same practice the Spaniards used in Latin America. We don't even speak Spanish. Logically speaking, The really is no reason for them to conquer those small island group because the lands are so small and Magellan's death is logically a red flag. Legaspi only brought 5 ships but the island group with 6,000 that's also heavily populated? And they got "conquered" in no time? And if you think that's realistic, then you're not thinking straight.

[Staximus]

No, your foolish pride in your country and religion just doesn't let you admit it

[Aiko_E_Lara]

Also they choose to conquer that island group first over Luzon at the North which has a bigger land? Very realistic (sarcasm). When Magellan arrived, they became friends with the leader right away what's also threatened by another island leader. And that other island leader is the one that killed him. The remaining Spaniards were probably told to come back and which is exactly why when Legaspi came, of all the islands, That's the first island to be christianized and urbanized. When all of those surrounding islands got conquered, It's not legazpi who did it. It's the people of Cebu who did that job for him uniting those islands while big island of the North is just something they don't care about. The Philippines wasn't even one country before the Spaniards arrived.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

Then can you prove what you're saying? Can you give me a grounded explanation than just saying I'm foolish? Because it's very funny when a foreigner tries to know better about the country then someone who is a native in there.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

And if you're an American, (or maybe even British)

[Aiko_E_Lara]

And if you're an American, (or maybe even British) *I'm not surprised

[Aiko_E_Lara]

Also I won't deny that the Philippines actually got colonized but I would say it's only in the 1800s when the Spanish Empire is collapsing and they got desperate so they tried to take control of the Philippines which is their last colony which sparked rebellions. There was no reason for the Spaniards to militarize Filipinos soldiers because it's not as contested as America which it's also closer to Europe so it's not really contested. The Spaniards only militarized the people in South America to fight the British, French and Americans until they turned into rebels against Spain. Filipinos got militarized not by force but influence and they even already got their own leaders and organized military group before the Spanish tried to take over in the 1800s.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

I forgot to say, you're just salty for being brute forced and you cannot speak for yourself.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

Update: I agree the Spaniards were actually bastards in the Philippines but that has nothing to do with Christianity itself. A lot actually did accepted it by choice, especially in the island where I lived but they use that as a divide conquer strategy and painted us as "loyal allies" and "conquered" on paper, even though they didn't.

[alice55]

make me think of pirate of the caribbean, look pretty

[biraileeşkadını]

War, blood, nothing else comes to my mind.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

That's how your country is made

[biraileeşkadını]

True

[melis765]

Very beatiful filmes