Filipinos and Mexicans share a connected history under Spanish colonial rule, the Manila-Acapulco trade route, and farm labor in the United States. Today it can be said that they are colonized yet again by capitalist forces, pitting them against one another while making millions of dollars as a majority of the people from both countries live “beneath poverty lines.” Let’s celebrate our common ties, as opposed to attacking each other in and outside of the ring, and hope that maybe one day future fighters at the very least will use their winnings to aid each other’s communities as a requisite dictated by the informed audiences that pay them their salaries to watch them fight.

This public disservice announcement has been brought to you by “Lokas”, the insane mind enlightening creme.

Another event I can’t go to because there aren’t any buses that go to Manila. From Daly City.

The Manila Music Festival is in 10 days and it looks like a pretty awesome line up. And June Mariezzy is performing too, her music makes me want to cruise late on a warm night riding an electric-powered motorcycle (because my dreams are environmentally sound. And quiet, have you heard these things? Of course not, they don’t make noise).

Check out a snippet of “Heavy Eyes” by June Marieezy:

And can’t forget “Sometimes”:

If you’re in Manila, be sure to check this event out!

Manila Music Festival 2012
May 1, 2012
Aseana Ave. Alphaland Bay City Grounds in Paranaque City

Manila Music Festival is an event organized by Volume Unit Entertainment, the same group of people that made the vastly booming Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival. The two day festivity that was held last February 18-19, 2011.

The Philippine music scene is unique. With the energy, enthusiasm, and desire that the artists brings on and off the stage just sets the house jumping over the ground. Filipino bands, performers, DJ’s, songwriters and dancers alike give their heart and soul whenever they perform, making them one of the greatest performers of the world.

Regardless of the enormous number of talents, the number of musical events in the Philippines
are very low. Yes, there are rather a number of annual music festivals like Pulp Summer Slam
and the San Miguel Oktoberfest, which might I say amazing, but with the talents that our local artists have there is basically no excuse not to come up with a bigger astounding that will leave the world so dumbstruck they won’t even know what hit them.

Now VUE is back for another round of fun and excitement through the art of music. Showcasing some of the greatest musicians both international and local.

So girls and boys Mark your calendars on May 1, 2012. In cooperation with Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Ticketworld, Department of Tourism, and Universal Zulu Nation. About 5,000 people will take part and experience yet another historic event in our country’s music scene. DJ’s, Bands, and solo performers around the world will be participating and witness one of the most booming and prosperous event this year. The Manila Music Festival is bound to be an outbreak of melodies, symphonies, notes, beats and lyrics from all music genres.

Volume Unit Entertainment has two main roles: First is change-making, which they already did
and currently doing. Second is to put on an awesome show that will exceed beyond expectations and will defy all limits of imagination.

List of performers:

Afrika Bambaataa
Ali Shaheed Muhammad
Shinichi Osawa
Razorback
Kjwan
Wilabaliw
Sinosikat
June Marieezy
Similar Objects
Complex
Kristian Hernandez
Kishore
Liquid A
BADKISS
Katsunami
Angelo Mendez
SKRATCHMARK
Noodles
and many more (to be announce)

Ticket Price:

PhP 1,545.00

Tickets are now available at all Ticketworld outlets.
Call 891-9999 or visit https://www.ticketworld.com.ph/ for more details about the show

VISIT US:

http://www.manilamusicfestival.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ManilaMusicFestival
https://twitter.com/manilamusicfest

Peter de Jesus is a marketing consultant for Manila Music Festival and Interaksyon an online news portal of TV5, a television and radio broadcasting network based in Quezon City,
Philippines.

The last time I remember drawing this much was when I was 14. Then I got distracted by puberty. But now I’m back at it again finally.

With the help of an iPhone app called Instagram (which is now available for Android phones) I’ve been sharing my sketches with friends and family. Follow me on Instagram if you have it!

“R.I.Pig”

Last year I created a digital version of this sketch with Adobe Illustrator after my friend Fred from IloveSisig said I should draw a pig skull and crossbones as a t-shirt idea. After we both became occupied with life’s other priorities it was shelved, but at least now the idea sees light in this sketch I made yesterday.

“Ifugao Weave”

The other day I was googling here and there about the Ifugao and began to finally appreciate their complexities, as well as other tidbits I wasn’t taught growing up “as a Filipino.” I found a link to a brief description about how Ifugao blankets are made from the National Museum of the Philippines, and observed the patterns on this Ifugao “Death Blanket” from Yale’s digital archive.

I also read that the Ifugao create specific patterns on their fabrics that pertain to certain uses, debunking my ignorant assumption that the beautiful reds, yellows, whites, and blacks found in their fabrics were random. And that today, the word “Ifugao” seems to be used interchangeably with the word “Igorot”, which I at first assumed was a different culture altogether, but now might mean the complete umbrella of cultures found in higher elevations in Luzon. Overwhelmed and inspired by the complexities and new found information, I then proceeded with sketching out an idea I had weaving the letters of “Ifugao” together in a complicated way.

“Bahala Ka!”

I researched a bit more and drew more words, this time in Baybayin, the ancient writing system of the pre-Hispanic Filipinos. Isn’t that weird? How can something be pre-Hispanic and Filipino at the same time when the term Filipino is post-Hispanic??? CONFUSION!!!!

I drew the characters for “BA – HA – LA – KA” or “Bahala Ka” below, which loosely translates to “it’s your choice.” My mom used this phrase a lot but in a negative context, using it to mean “it’s your problem”. It’s all in the intonation. Like when you scream it.

My inspiration to start drawing on paper again occurred a couple of weeks ago. I attended an event at the ManilaTown Heritage Foundation in San Francisco where DJ Qbert was sharing stories of how he rose to turntable-scratching prominence.

Hanging on the wall next to him was an artist’s tribute to another Filipino-American hip-hop-inspired artist named Mike “Dream” Francisco.

It was a piece that incorporated a Philippine peso sign and even some Baybayin. When I saw it, along side DJ Qbert talking about his own art, I felt an overwhelming urge to return to my own.

After a foodie road trip down to Los Angeles last year Emilie, one of the awesome Pinay foodies we met asked me to create an illustration of her and her family for her website Foodtruckadventure.com.

The planets had aligned: I was in-between projects and felt homesick for my Los Angeles friends so I sat down and sketched out some ideas. At this moment in my “art life” I am really into “Manga” style, cutesy art. I’m by no means as talented as those I follow, like Simone Legno, an Italian dude who loves Japanese art. But I’m definitely an Am-boy (Filipino slang for “American born”) who loves to create new Filipino art, so I saw this as another awesome opportunity to do so.

After sketching out ideas I drew the whole plan out, things like where Emilie’s character would be in relation to her kids, the general shape of the art so on and so forth. I knew I wanted it “triangular” in shape with the three family members inside, a super-subtle hint at the Philippine flag with the 3 stars inside it. The details, like colors and the food items they’d be holding would be later. Those would also ultimately hint at Filipino subjects too.

The first color applied? Brown, or “kayumanggi” of course =).

After applying the lines and colors digitally, I threw in more straight-forward Filipino elements. The purple ice cream was ube, and the color choices of their clothing were yellow, white, blue, and red: the four colors of the Philippine flag. Emilie, being the driving force of the family was the one in yellow and white and on the left, signifying the life-giving sun on the nation’s flag. NAKS!! lol

I was pleased to see her so happy with it. Despite our brief encounter over Filipino food and new friends, it was a visit long enough for me to enjoy making this illustration for her and her family.

Be sure to visit Emilie for her culinary adventures on the streets of Los Angeles!

Foodtruckadventure.com!

After crying, cussing, clapping, and then crying again, I finally redesigned Filipeanut.com. The only redesign of this blog since its birth… 6 years ago!

The site is now viewable in different devices without forcing tablet and smartphone users to pinch in and out on their screens. They can now focus their pinching on the cheeks of fat children or on people falling asleep at the church pew!

Unfortunately it only works in browsers as young as baby deer. But i’m hoping that this website will be usable in about 6 years. Around the same time I might have to redesign it again whoo hoo!

Here are some photos of the website being sized down, or “responding“, as snobby hipster web designers like to call it. If you’re on a desktop (and your browser is the same age as Bambi) you can do it too!

X-Large

Here I am testing the new site at Office Depot on one of the worst browsers ever made: Internet Explorer. I prefer to test my websites at Best Buy because they have far more devices on display, but as long as there’s a Windows machine with IE someplace, I’m good to go. They have a sale on markers by the way, in aisle 8.

To save even more time I guess I could code and test right there inside the Best Buy store but it’s already hard enough to pretend to shop for a new 17″ Windows machine while snobby hipster web designers probably test their own blogs about eyeglasses without the glass in them on 5 or 6 different devices they already own, thanks in part to their hard-working parents with 3 jobs who also happen to pay for their rents in what was once poorer but modest communities prior to gentrification… whoops where was I again? Oh yeah here’s x-large:

Medium

When the site is squeezed down between 500 and 820 pixels, a CSS code called a media query then tells the page “hey, take that side bar and move it down below will ya?! And bring up da white box closer to da black box”.

CSS don’t really say things like that, but if they did, for some reason I feel like they’d have a New Yorker’s accent. Anyway, so that’s how the website should look in iPads, Playbooks, and other tablets.

Small

Finally there’s the cute size. Here the query is waving its fist in the air telling the browser to bring the white box all the way to the sides. People with Samsungs, Ericssons, iPhones, and Androids should be able to view the website fine without having to pinch.

I just uploaded the new site this morning so if you’re reading this without seeing any breaks in the font or the layout, you have the newest browser/device on the market!

Which also means you might be a snobby hipster too. Welcome!

Philippine comic book artist Ed Tadeo sent me the final ink and watercolor of my commission request last weekend! Cebuano hero Lapu-Lapu holding the severed head of Magellan. Check out the initial pencils here.

A big thanks to Fil-Am comic book artist Brian Soriano for letting me know about Ed, and last but not least, daghang salamat to Ed Tadeo! Check out some of his work and commission opportunities on this website: http://comiconart.com/EdTadeo.html.

Friend and Fil-Am comic book artist Brian Soriano introduced me to the art of Ed Tadeo, another Filipino artist based out of the Philippines. After seeing his work I crossed my fingers hoping he’d take my commission request: Cebuano hero Lapu-Lapu holding the severed head of Magellan. And he did!

Can’t wait for the final inks and colors! Thanks Ed! Check out Ed’s work and commission rates here: http://comiconart.com/EdTadeo.html

In other Philippine history news, one of my favorite Filipino clothing shops just released their “No history, No self” line yesterday. Check out the new digs at Pnoyapparel.com!

Just finished this animated version of my pixelated Pacquiao. Pakcute di ba?!

Found these Jordans at the mall yesterday. These are the Jordan Spizike’s that came out in 2011 apparently. Did Nike know these would sell with the Filipino crowd? Pacquiao must have said something.

Meanwhile growing my collection of Philippine flag colored items for my future museum lol.

And found this Crooks ‘N Castles Filipino-flag colorway cap along side three hats by WIP Caps. The one with the Baybayin “Ka” symbol is a product of WIP’s collaboration with Baybayin.com.

And now you know. P.I JOOOOEE!

Here Bogart the Explorer follows the rather elusive… ok, the rather common… Filipino Traffic Jam. And always remember: “You can’t use a cellphone while eating a coconut.”

As the generation of 8-bit Nintendo and Sega gamers get older I can’t help but notice the world bring back the “nostalgia of the pixel” in different ways. So I took some aspects of video games I played as a child, Filipeanut-ized them, and took photos of them via Instagram as I created the art. Apparently for only me to enjoy lol.

“Little Brown Mario Brother”

“Pixelated Baclayon Church”

“Lemme see yo pixel face!”

“Halo. Halo?”

“Pixelated Pacman.”

I then decided to slowly use all these illustrations to create a music video for a song called “Pinoy Gamer”. Work in progress!

In the meantime check out my art in different barrios of the Internet below. And F**K SOPA! Only I censor myself, not anyone else!

http://society6.com/filipeanut
http://www.zazzle.com/filipeanut
http://filipeanuts.deviantart.com/
http://filipeanut.tumblr.com/

Palo me!
https://twitter.com/Filipeanut
http://www.facebook.com/Filipeanuts
And I’m on Instagram!

Here are some graphic campaigns geared toward bringing awareness and information to help Typhoon Sendong (international name: Washi) survivors in the cities of Cagayan de Oro (CDO) and Iligan.

The Philippine Red Cross posted the above flyers and accompanying video below to get folks to donate. The “water line” just about reaches the point on the Philippine map where Typhoon Sendong hit.

Xavier University located in Cagayan de Oro has been posting updates such as these below with information from various evacuation and distribution centers in the area.

December 17, 2011. 8:13pm:

December 18, 2011. 3:00pm:

They also posted maps detailing the numbers of families served each day, such as these designed by Kristoffer James L. Nambatac…

…and even flyers requesting specific resources from clean water to volunteers with large vehicles and trucks.

Communities may not need graphics and fancy video to assist in obtaining aid, but daily updates providing content in a creative and easily understood fashion might just help in relaying information to people as quickly as possible so that they know what is needed, and where to give it.

Here is an image of the Cagayan de Oro river and the surrounding damage in red:

Here is a before and after image of one part of the river affected:

And here are images on the ground. Evacuees in Iligan City, located west of Cagayan de Oro City (CDO):

A girl on a street in Cagayan de Oro:

It is times like these that make me feel helpless, but these updates have kept me informed despite the fact that all I can do at the moment is donate money. And watch from afar.

Please donate to help Typhoon Sendong survivors via the Philippine Red Cross here: http://www.redcross.org.ph/donatenow

“Couple and a Tree.”
Here I am… taking a photo of my cousin and his girlfriend. I am the most useful third wheel in the world.

Oh, well, hello there internet traveler. My name is Filipeanut, and welcome to my December gallery of photos.

Somewhere in the world, I am renowned as a famed photographer. I have yet to find this place, but thanks to apps like Instagram and photo editing tools like Photoshop, I can, as you American valley grils say, “fake it ’til I make it.”

“Drink of Kings.”
I used to think “Fundador”, a Spanish brandy popular in the Philippines, translated to “fun” because the word fun was in it. It actually means “founder”, which is boring.

“Malipayong Pasko.”
Visayan for “Merry Christmas.” I associate with a group of “paper cousins”, or family members linked through friends of relatives, who hold a Christmas party every year that I get invited to every 2-3 years for some reason.

“Pinay Wine.”
It turns out a beautiful woman by the name of Tondi makes her own wines under the brand “Pinay.” A wise man once said… “Ooooh Pinay. She cannot deny.” That man was Rex Navarette.

“Bahay Kubo.”
This really wasn’t a bahay kubo, or a small Philippine nipa hut. It was a wooden replica of one that was labeled as a “traditional Native American hut.” Looks like a bahay kubo to me!

“Birthday boy.”
Whether you are religious or not, everyone agrees this baby changed the world. And gave us black Friday and cyber Monday deals.

“Humba.”
I felt it was ironic that “humba”, a visayan sugar-braised pork dish, rhymed with “pumbaa,” an optimistic Disney pig character. They’re also roughly the same color!

Here it is with its significant other, rice.

“Hello Balut” case: http://society6.com/Filipeanut/Hello-Balut_iPhone-Case

“Filipino Food Pattern” case: http://www.zazzle.com/iphone_4_filipino_food_pattern_speckcase-176948727766556731

1st row of 4:
Isaw (grilled intestine, chicken)
Lumpia (Filipino vegetable/meat roll)
Kwek-Kwek (deep-fried quail egg)
Pusit (squid, usually prepared in an adobo or savory stew)

2nd row of 4:
Bangus (milkfish, usually split in half to be deboned)
Coconut
Calamansi (Philippine lime)
Puso (“heart” in Filipino, rice steamed inside banana leaves)

3rd row of 3:
Lechon (spit-roasted whole pig)
Sapin-Sapin (rice cake)
Balut (boiled duck egg)

*What the in the heck is a Sorry-Sorry store?
It is a nod to the ubiquitous Sari-Sari store, a “mom & pop” convenience store found everywhere in the Philippines. Contributing to their prominence is the fact that they are usually built by their owners as an extension to their homes, and the items they sell are typically small and affordable on both the owner and consumer end.

Late 19th century Ilocano painter Juan Luna comes in with a dragon-paint-punch attack but is suddenly cornered by no other than Jose Rizal’s own character of choice, Simoun!

After getting my fill of 8-bit Pinoy heritage, I decided to get myself “gamerized”. Look at those sexy lips.

Game ka na ba? GAME NA!

When I was a kid my kuyas and ates (older cousins) would watch episodes of Unsolved Mysteries, a show about unsolved crimes and phenomena. Although I’m older now the theme song still creeps me out. What creeps me out even more is the following solved (but still mysterious) case of a Filipina from Chicago.

Above is the introduction to a Unsolved Mysteries episode featuring a story on the murder of Filipina respiratory therapist Teresita Basa on February 21, 1977 in Chicago. Although the case was solved, what remains unsolved is the bizarre way in which detectives obtained the killer. Apparently via the possession of a woman by the ghost of Teresita Basa herself. Watch part 1 of the show here. Part 2 here.

According to this article in the June 1978 issue of Ebony, Teresita’s body was found under a burning mattress after neighbors complained of smoke coming from her apartment. After 5 months of investigation, detective Joe Stachula of the Chicago police department had been running out of leads until he received a call from the Evanston police department just north of Chicago.

Evanston police referred detective Stacula to a Filipino couple named Mr. and Mrs. Borda (false names were used in the Unsolved Mysteries segment to protect their identities). Mrs. Borda worked at the same hospital as Teresita Basa, but mentioned that although they met during an orientation session at the hospital, they worked different shifts thereafter and were never close friends. Stacula noted that the Bordas were “at first, reluctant to talk to me, and indicated they did not want to be involved.” Stacula would soon find out why as Mr. Borda, after much hesitation and disclosing his own disbelief of the matter, explained that his wife had been experiencing bizarre hallucinations involving both visions of and possessions by the late Teresita Basa herself.

“…he {Dr. Borda} had never heard of Teresita Basa, nor had he been aware of her murder until recently when his wife unexplainably got up from a chair in the front room of their home and went into the bedroom. He told Stachula that he asked whether anything was the matter. The strange voice replied in Tagalog, ‘Ako ‘y {I am} Teresita Basa.’” Dr. Borda went on to explain that the voice stated the name of her murderer to be a “Allan Showery.” After 2 more instances of these “possessions”, the Bordas then decided to notify the local police.

To test Dr. Borda’s statement, Stachula asked him if the “voice” had explained whether or not Teresita Basa was raped, knowing forensic evidence deemed that she wasn’t. Dr. Borda verified that the voice never mentioned anything about a rape and on top of that, the “voice” added that specific pieces of jewelry had been stolen from the apartment, a pearl cocktail ring and a jade pendant. The “voice” indicated that both pieces of jewelry had been given by Allan Showery to his girlfriend.

Stacula looked up the name “Allan Showery” and found not only did he have a criminal record but that he too was an employee at the same hospital Teresita Basa had worked. Upon approaching Allan Showery Stacula observed he had been fully cooperative and said that he did not kill Teresita Basa, giving an alibi noting he was indeed present at the apartment the night of the murder to fix Teresita Basa’s television but went home immediately after.

Suspicious, Stacula then interviewed Showery’s girlfriend who was then asked about any jewelry Allan Showery may have given her. She mentioned a pearl cocktail ring and a jade pendant given to her as a “belated Christmas” gift. The jewelry was identified by Teresita Basa’s relatives and friends, and when presented with this evidence, Allan Showery confessed to the murder and explained what really happened.

Robert Stack, the host of Unsolved Mysteries ends the segment with the following message:

“Is it somehow possible that Teresita Basa could have spoken through Alicia Borda to catch her own killer? One thing is certain, without the information Alicia provided police would never have known that jewelry was missing, and Allan Showery would never have been arrested.”

Mga links:
Unsolved Mysteries introduction to the Teresita Basa story.
Part 1 of the episode.
Part 2 of the episode
Photos of the now abandoned Edgewater hospital.
Episode synopsis on Wikia.
Synopsis on Voices From the Grave blog.

Related reading:

“Accused of murder by a voice from the grave“. June 1978 issue of Ebony. By John O’Brien and Edward Baumann.

“The Basa Murder“. The mammoth encyclopedia of the unsolved. By Colin Wilson, Damon Wilson.

“A Killer’s Deed Comes Back to Haunt“. More Chicago haunts: scenes from myth and memory. By Ursula Bielski.

A few weeks ago I found a blog by Musamanila where she was sporting what she coined an “Ifugao top”, a cardigan whose bottom edges were uniquely curved, lined with black, red, and white patterns that were distinctly associated with an indigenous cultural group in the Philippines called the Ifugao.

Along with the Ifugao*, near the center of the northernmost Philippine island of Luzon resides a number of different ethnic peoples and cultures collectively known as the Igorot (wiki). Both the Igorot and the Ifugao reside on and around the largest mountain range in the Philippines, a set of 6 provinces called the Cordillera region. The name “Cordillera”, most likely coined by Spanish colonizers, is defined as a chain of mountains (wiki).

The Igorot and Ifugao have been weaving cloth for centuries, keeping them warm in the midst of cool weather experienced in the high altitudes of the region. On top of that, the region is also one of the furthest away from the warmer weather emanating from the equator about 800 miles to the south (World Atlas).

The Spanish colonizers considered the clothing of these cultures immodest so they pushed for “a much more conservative culture and a mode of dress that emphasized modesty” (wiki). A negative perception of indigenous Philippine cultures was made and has remained engrained in contemporary Philippine society (Igorot Blogger). Despite that, I am happy to see much of the weaving traditions still intact and even happier to see young urban Filipinos embracing the beautiful and intricate designs of these timeless cultures and people.

Items like these can be found in local shops in the region (Virtual Tourist), shops who are “weaving the threads of traditions into contemporary elegance” (Narda Shop). In addition to cardigans and wraps, the Igorot and Ifugao also make intricate table cloths and bags. Bags such as the ones below from another Cordillera municipality or town called Sagada.

A few weeks later I fell upon another blog, this time by 20-year-old art student and fashion blogger David Guison, where he posted his “Primitive Revival” collaboration with another blogger. Here he sported two Igorot cardigans layered one on top of the other. Both from a city called Baguio also located in the moderately cool Cordillera region. Cool in more ways than one!

I soon clicked further and found out that David, along with other young fashion bloggers, collaborated with Aivan Magno who coined the term “Primitive Revival,” which to me is his way of embracing the negative stereotypes against older Philippine cultures with the word “primitive” and juxtaposing it with the word “revival.” Especially since they are wearing these items with pride as opposed to as a joke.

In another form of Pinoy youth empowerment, 8,000 miles away Filipino-Americans are also in tune with classic Philippine traditions and cultures. Pnoy Apparel, a Filipino-inspired clothing company renowned for their “Know History, Know Self” slogan released a “Bahag print” on black v-necks and tank tops years ago. “Bahag” refers to the “loincloth commonly used throughout the Philippines” before the arrival of the Spanish (wiki).

I have never visited the Cordillera, but upon my discovery of this, now I really have to go. Especially since i’ve spent the last few years dreaming of when i’d visit the infamous Banaue Rice Terraces, also located in the province of the Ifugao. The Ifugao not only weaved intricately designed clothing, but they also weaved and sustained 4,000 square miles of rice terraces for 2,000 years (wiki).

Until then, my arm-chair observations of Philippine fashion and creativity both contemporary and traditional will have to be from clicks on my computer.

Mga links

Musamanila’s “Ifugao Top”
David Guison and his Igorot Cardigans
Aivan Magno asks, “can you pull it off?”
Pnoy Apparel’s “Bahag” print on v-necks (sold out)

Be sure to check out my post listing the 15 illustrations of “pre-colonial Filipinos” found in the 400-year-old document “The Boxer Codex.”

*Although the Ifugao province is technically a part of the Cordillera region, according to this highly-biased wiki the Ifugao differentiate themselves as a group separate from the Igorots. If this is true, whether this is because the Ifugao are an entirely different ethnic group altogether or if the negative stereotypes against the Igorot have caused dismay among the Ifugao (Igorot Blogger) I could not find the exact reason for the differentiation online. I need books lol.

That’s all I wanted to say. For those curious as to why, google the search term “Mayweather disgrace“.

“Pac You” t-shirt now available!
http://society6.com/Filipeanut/Pac-You_T-shirt#11=49&4=13

The title of this magnificent piece of work is “Suck my duck.” In summary, you may suck ducks in just 4 easy steps:

1) Crack the top and then you suck it
2) Touch the duck and then you rub it
3) Pull it out and then you love it
4) Eat it up and then you chuck it

If you think this song has a sprinkle of sexual innuendo, that’s actually salt. You have no idea how hard it is to make lyrics whose words rhyme with “suck” and “duck” without having it sound bastos (indecent).

Lyrics:

Suck my Duck

Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam to China
But you’ll never find them in North Carolina
I love Disneyland ‘cuz of Donald Duck
Kidnap the quack and throw him in a truck
Start interrogation, ask where his mom is
Search across the nation her eggs are humongous
Join my fan club the balut maniacs
Eat all you can ‘cuz, it’s an aphrodisiac

CHORUS:
Crack the top and then you suck it
Touch the duck and then you rub it
Pull it out and then you love it
Eat it up and then you chuck it
Heat it up when you’re at the market
Pick it up and then you hug it
Listen up it’s not a nugget
Hit me up if you don’t want it

Wait, you ask, Filipeanut how you do it?
I love the you way crack it and the way you suck the fluid
Here’s how you find them, go duck hunting
Go find a duck, with some eggs, not ducklings
Catch him or be polite and ask him
Boil up the eggs ’til you hear them stop quackin’
Take em off the stove and now get to crackin’
Sit back relax, get fat and attack ‘em

CHORUS

Don’t be scared of his beak and his feathers
Treasure the pleasure the taste is in the texture
Balut, damn, i love it so much
I made another song about the ducks i suck
In United States, they’re hard to find
My fine feathered friends find places to hide
Forget about scrambled, forget over-easy
Fly to the Philippines if you don’t believe me

FIN

Beat made with Reason 2.5
Audio editing made with Peak 4.0
Video made with iMovie
Illustration made with Adobe Illustrator 10
Hardware: Apple Powerbook

Hello Balut t-shirt now available!
http://society6.com/Filipeanut/Hello-Balut_T-shirt#11=50

The illustration above is from one of the pages of the “Boxer Codex” or the “Sino-Spanish Codex”, written around 1590. It shows two tattooed individuals from the Visayan region in the Philippines.

A big salamat to the Lilly Library at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN for photographing each of the pages, 625 photos total!

When I first heard of the “Boxer Codex” I thought, finally, a collection of the greatest Philippine boxers who ever lived in one tell-all manual!

But I was wrong, it’s actually something just as interesting, if not more so (graphic above by artist LeRoid David via TheFilipinoAmerican.com).

The “Boxer Codex” (wiki) is a 16th century (421-year-old) 600+ page manuscript binded into a book or “codex” that contains descriptions as well as illustrations of various East Asian groups: the Chinese, Japanese, and the inhabitants of pre-colonial Philippines. 15 of the 75 illustrations are of these “pre-colonial Filipinos”, specifically from Zambales and Cagayan as well as a few depictions of the Tagalogs and the Visayans. It is also known as the “Sino-Spanish codex” (Sino- means related to China).

The illustration above shows two people from the Tagalog region wearing a style of dress. The yellow accessories they wear are gold. An extensive exhibition of gold jewelry found in pre-colonial Philippines can be seen in Ayala Museum in Makati, Philippines. More than one thousand gold artifacts from all across the Philippines fill the entire fourth floor, where a short movie is also shown featuring the “Boxer Codex.” The debate on whether most of the gold was obtained via trade or made in the Philippines continues. I don’t know what “Nanirales” (sp?) is.

The photo above is of the spine of the “Boxer Codex”.

It turns out this “codex” or manual is one of many that the Spanish used to record and understand the populations they colonized (like the Florentine Codex that recorded the lives of inhabitants of what is now known as Mexico and Central America) or as written reports that were required by the Spanish government from the governors living in the colonies.

Codices are usually named after the location they reside, or in this case after the individuals that popularize or study them. The “Boxer Codex” is named after the man who purchased the book from an auction in 1947. The term “codex” refers to the time/method these were made.

Despite the fact that this was produced by the Spanish and carry along with them Spanish colonial biases, the codex provides a look into how life was like at the moment they arrived. No one seems to know the specific reason why the Boxer Codex was written, though there is speculation.

The book is in Spanish and the Lilly Library doesn’t have an English version. Chances are the only translations may be found in the book “The Boxer Codex (The Manners, Customs and Beliefs of the Philippine Inhabitants of Long Ago: Being Chapters of ‘A Late 16th century Manila Manuscript’)” transcribed and annotated by Carlos Quirino and Mauro Garcia. I guess we have more books to find and read!

Until then, we can at least enjoy the illustrations. Below are are the 15 illustrations of pre-colonial residents of the archipelago at the time, including illustrations of the Japanese (“Iapon”) and the Chinese (“Sangley”).

Books, books, books!

Speaking of books, I am real excited for the Filipino American International Book Festival on October 1st in San Francisco. I’ll definitely pick the brains of some of the folks there.

Also, check out what is known as one of the first books printed by a press in the Philippines, the Doctrina Christiana (wiki).

-The original Doctrina Christiana in the Library of Congress.
-Doctrina Christiana… the e-book!

Tsismis on the street (word on the street)…

-The illustrator may have been a Chinese artist (speculation made here).
-On the spine of the book reads “Islas del os Ladrones” which I think means “Island of Thieves.” I couldn’t find any info on this so i’ve made an assumption that it is referring to the Mariana Islands that Magellan discovered on March 6, 1521, 10 days before he “found” the Philippines (speculation based on Mariana Islands history).

Please contact me if you see any errors, or if you have anything enlightening to add. Salamat (thank you)!