An Exploration of Filipino Identity
My siblings and I were raised by three proud Filipino immigrants, my parents and my Lola (grandmother), who did their best to immerse us in our culture. We danced the Tinikling, ate all of the foods, and hung a Parol from our apartment balcony during Christmas. Our mom was even the director of a Filipino church choir and we’d regularly listen to them sing as they practiced at our house.
Yet I’ve always associated being Filipino with shame and confusion. As a child, I’d draw myself with white skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair. I still catch myself wanting to be everything but Filipino to this day. The older I get, the sadder I realize it is. Many Filipinos I’ve spoken to have felt the same, either growing up not feeling Filipino enough or ashamed of their cultural identity.
This project explores why these struggles of identity are so common within the Filipino community and how diasporic Filipinos find ways to connect to their culture. This is ongoing and primarily takes place in Hawai’i, where Filipinos are the second-largest racial group.
I plan to also take this project to the Continental U.S. and to the Philippines, showing the contrast between how we view our identities.
