Influences in Philippine Art, Culture, Sculpture, Architecture, Music,

and Dance

(Japanese Influences)
Japan invaded the Philippines for approximately 36 months (3 years). This
short span of time was not for Japanese to establish the foundation of their
culture into our already-shaped Filipino culture. In spite of this, the Filipinos
were still able to learn few things from the Japanese.
Influences in Art

Origami from ’ori’ meaning “folding” and tkami, meaning “paper” is the art
of paper folding, which is often associated with Japanese culture which is
often associated with Japanese culture. In modern usage, the word ‘origami’
is used as an inclusive term for all folding practices, regardless of their
culture of origin. Modern origami practitioners generally discourage the use
of cuts, glue, or markings on the paper. Origami folders often use the
Japanese word kirigami to refer to designs which use cuts, although cutting is
more characteristic of Chinese papercrafts.

Influences in Culture
It has become a Filipino practice to remove a slipper from one’s feet before
entering the house. This is in fact an Asian custom that the Filipinos learned
from the Japanese - they were the only Asian colonizers of the Philippines.

Kite flying is now a popular activity in the Philippines - kite flying is now
considered part of a Filipino’s childhood. It is believed that the practice of
kite flying was learned from the Japanese. In fact, the Japanese even spend
their whole New Year’s Day while flying kites.

Others:
Duck Farming/Raising

Fish Breeding
Bonsai Planting

More recently, Japan has influenced the Philippines by bringing similar

cultural additions to our country, similar to its influence on the rest of the
world. Karaoke is a past time practiced in parts of the Philippines, and many
Filipino children watch Anime shows on television and read Manga just as
they do elsewhere.
Also, the Japanese influenced the government in the Philippines by enforcing
a strict curfew, adding Japanese currency, instituting a military government,
and reducing neighborhood government systems by half.
Influences in Literature
During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II which
produced many long lasting effects, both good and bad, on Filipino literature.
Writing in Tagalog, the native Philippines language, was greatly encouraged,
while writing in English was severely limited and often forbidden altogether.
Furthermore, there was no freedom of speech or press, and censorship was
widely practiced.

During WWII, Filipinos were forced to learn Japanese, so the Tagalog

language began to incorporate Japanese slang and idioms in its vocabulary
and literature. The Japanese form of poetry, Haiku was also explored y
Filipino writers during the occupation. Additionally, short stories came more
into fashion.
Haiku is a poem of free verse that the Japanese like. It is made up of
seventeen (17) syllables divided into three (3) lines. The first line has five,
the second - seven, and the third - five. It is allegorical in meaning, short and
covers a wide scope in meaning.
Since writing in English was severely limited by the Japanese regime, the
vernacular Tagalog language became more widely utilized in literature. This
exploration lasted beyond WWII, and helped Filipino writers embrace their
native tongue. The Japanese occupation was fraught with fear and suffering
for the Filipinos, and this is reflected in the literature of the time. Wartime
Filipino literature is marked as being pessimistic and bitter.
Influences in Music and Dance

The Japanese also brought radio calisthenics to the Philippines. Radio

calisthenics refer to the broadcasting of exercise music through radio
stations early in the morning in order to encourage exercise. Today, radio
calisthenics may still be seen in the form of aerobic performed in groups.

Other Influences of the Japanese in the Philippines

Back then, the Japanese introduced martial arts to the people of the
Philippines. Famous examples of which include Aikido, Judo, and Karate.
Animal skin tanning Weapons like katana and shinai Tools like bento box

Mongo con hielo, or red bean preserves on top of finely shaved ice, is said to
be a Japanese influence. So is the practice of preserving two other beans in
syrup: garbanzos and kidney beans. The halo-halo is therefore basically
inspired by the Japanese shaved ice dessert called kakigori.
Also, the use of miso in sinigang sa miso indubitably Japanese, the use of
vetsin, specifically the Ajinomoto brand, is clearly Japanese, and the use of
udon or odong noodles in Baguio City, Davao, and other parts of Mindanao is
another Japanese influence.

All we know about the Japanese invasion is that it was the peak of violence in
the Philippines. Back then, no one would think of the Japanese people as
good people due to their bringing up of violence and death upon their
islands; but little do they know that the Japanese also brought with them
these few influences that are now embedded in the Filipino culture. These
influences, however, do not make a great impact on our culture because our
culture has already been shaped by the long history of our country even
before this era and because the Japanese only had little to penetrate our
culture.
AMERICAN INFLUENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES ART

BRIEF HISTORY
On 30 April 1898 the Americans defeated the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay.
From this day onwards, the war between American forces in Manila and the
Filipinos began. The Filipino-American War lasted until 1902 when Aguinaldo
was captured.
American rule in the Philippines was paternalistic. They called their policy
'Benevolent Assimilation'. They wanted to 'Americanize' the Filipinos. Many
American teachers were sent to the Philippines in a ship called the Thomas
and they did increase literacy.
In 1935 the Philippines were made a commonwealth and were semi-
independent. Manuel Quezon became president. The USA promised that the
Philippines would become completely independent in 1945. However in
December 1941 Japan attacked the US fleet at Pearl Harbor. On 10 December
1941 Japanese troops invaded the Philippines. They captured Manila on 2
January 1941. By 6 May 1942 all of the Philippines were in Japanese hands.
However American troops returned to the Philippines in October 1944. They
recaptured Manila in February 1945.
The Philippines became independent on 4 July 1946. Manuel Roxas was the
first president of the newly independent nation.
CLOTHING

The TRAJE DE MESTIZA ensemble rose in popularity during the 1900s. This
example is from the late 1920s to the early 1930s, its silhouette influenced
by the flapper dress.
 The women then wore the Traje de Mestiza, the more modern version of the
Maria Clara. It had bigger sleeves and a narrower floor length skirt with a
long train called saya de cola and replaced the full wide skirt.
During the American regime, Filipino men were introduced to the
“AMERICANA.” No not a woman, but westernized suits and jackets. Women
wore “terno” dresses with butterfly styled short sleeves and “panuelo,” a
Filipino national dress.
DANCE

The America's entry into the Philippines brought with it their cosmopolitan
and commercial culture. During the colonization of America, the dances have
created a great impact to us. American rhythm is frenzy and cheerful. Some
of the dances that America brought to us are the:

°SKIRT DANCE - A skirt dance is a form of dance in which women dancers

would manipulate long, layered skirts with their arms to create a motion of
flowing fabric. Skirts used in skirt dances reportedly were constructed from
over 100 yards of fabric.

°TAP AND SOFT SHOE - is a type of dance characterized by using the sounds
of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion. The sound is made by
shoes that have a metal "tap" on the heel and toe. "Soft-shoe" is a rhythm
form of tap dancing that does not require special shoes, and though rhythm
is generated by tapping of the feet, it also uses sliding of the feet (even
sometimes using scattered sand on the stage to enhance the sound of
sliding feet).
°BUCK-AND-WING - a fast and flashy clog dance usually performed in
wooden-soled shoes. Buck-and-wing combines Irish clogging styles, high
kicks, and complex African rhythms and steps such as the shuffle and slide; it
is the forerunner of rhythm tap.
°SWING - is a group of dances that developed with the swing style of jazz
music in the 1920s–1940s, with the origins of each dance predating the
popular "swing era". The majority of swing dances began in African American
communities.
°BALLROOM - is a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and
competitively around the world. Because of its performance and
entertainment aspects, ballroom dance is also widely enjoyed on stage, film,
and television.
Filipinos increasingly experienced the BALLET, is generally accepted all over
the world as one of the most artistic forms of dance entertainment cherished
by people of all ages. Due to the influence of the America in terms of dance,
the Filipinos formed a Philippine Ballet Theatre, a classical ballet company in
the Philippines. The Philippine Ballet Theatre was founded in 1987 out of an
alliance of leading dance groups.

Another dance that popularized here in the Philippines is the BOOGIE-

WOOGIE, The dance form was originally inspired by American Rock 'n'
Roll/Lindy Hop dancing of the 1950s. Boogie Woogie is a playful and
improvised couple dance, often in medium or slightly fast tempo, with a
significant footwork based on musical interpretation. Boogie Woogie of today
functions as a social dance, but is sometimes recognized even more as an
established competition dance.
DISCO DANCING is also brought by the Americans that is widely known
because of its free for all dance which is still anticipated in this generation
MUSIC

BLUES - is an African-American music that traverses a wide range of

emotions and musical styles. “Feeling blue” is expressed in songs whose
verses lament injustice or express longing for a better life and lost loves,
jobs, and money.

FOLK MUSIC -
R&B -

ROCK & ROLL -

ARCHITECTURE

The landscape was transformed as highways, bridges, ports, markets,

schools, hospitals, and government office bu

SPORTS
In 1898, American colonizers introduced the sport as part of revisions they
made to the official Philippine school system. Although the Americans also
attempted to teach baseball, basketball was the sport that took off, and just
15 years later, the Philippines won gold in the 1913 Far Eastern Games.
The Filipinos’ love for basketball may begin at any time, but it is definitely
nurtured by the school system, from primary school up to the collegiate
level. In 1938, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP)
was born. This varsity league is still alive and kicking, and many non-players
get roped into the passion and excitement of the game during their
university years, as long-standing rivalries come to a head and thousands of
students troop to the Araneta Coliseum for the heated finals of each UAAP
season.
Many visitors to the Philippines wonder about the roots of the Filipinos’
adoration for the sport, considering that Filipinos are not known for their
height (a major asset in basketball). Experts point to the basketball’s
accessibility, its entertainment factor, and its fast pace as the main reasons
why it has merged so well with Filipino culture.
Since it requires little space, no maintenance, no expensive gear, and no
required number of players for a social game, basketball carries well across
the poverty-stricken Philippines, where it staves off boredom for countless
Filipino teenagers. Besides being easy to learn, the sport also fits well in the
Philippines because of its strategic and dynamic nature, making the game
rewarding for both players and spectators. Filipinos, who love being
entertained, enjoy being kept on the edge of their seats by the game’s
unpredictable twists.
FOODS

American influence on Filipino food is how some authentic meal was turned
into a frozen, defrost, cook it however pleases, and enjoy. American influence
did not only bring their staple food of burger, pies and salads. They also
brought technology like the refrigerator and microwave ovens that makes
cooking easier and preserving food longer now possible. The Americans
introduced to the Philippine cuisine the ways of convenience: pressure-
cooking, freezing, pre-cooking, sandwiches and salads; hamburgers, fried
chicken and steaks.

Here are the foods that the American introduced to the Philippines that have
been widely adopted into their lifestyle:

Hamburgers
Sandwiches

Oatmeal
Ketchup

Chewing Gum
Apple Pie

Mayonnaise
Hotdogs

Steak
Ice Cream

Corn Flakes
LITERATURE
The Americans began English as the official language of the Philippines. They
brought teachers called "Thomasites" that lend education to the native
Filipinos. Up to the present these teachings became part of our daily lives.
Even though English is no longer the official language of the Philippines, it
continues to be taught today along with Tagalog in the public schools.
Several English words have also found their way into Tagalog and other
Filipino languages, and are simply conjugated and adjusted to fit the
conventions of the languages into which they are adapted. Some examples
are the English word "transfer" which is used in some languages to mean
"move" and the English "adjust" which is used with the same meaning. Most
Filipinos can’t help but mix in English words when they speak. “Taglish” has
literally become part of the culture. In fact, English is now the 2nd national
language. Lots of English words have made their way into the Tagalog
language. Often they are pronounced the same, but the dictionary spelling is
Filipino-ized. Here are a few fun examples:
Cake = Keyk

Cookie = Kukis
Biscuit = Biskwit

Ballpen= Bolpen

Architecture , literature and culture during “martial law”

Cultural Center of the Philippines

• Executive Order No. 30 s. 1966 by President Ferdinand Marcos

• Provides performance and exhibition venues for various local and

international productions

• Cities of Pasay and Manila.

• September 8, 1969, three days before the President Marcos’ 52nd

birthday

The Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas (Folk Arts Theater)

• Famous concerts are usually staged in this covered amphitheater

• seating capacity of 8,458 with ten sections

• commonly known by its original name of Folk Arts Theater

• the building was originally built to seat an audience of 10,000 and was
commissioned by then First Lady Imelda Marcos in 1974 for the Miss
 Universe Pageant, which was to be held in Manila. Inaugurated on July
7, 1974

• built in record time of seventy-seven days in time

• was designed by Leandro V. Locsin

Philippine International Convention Center (PICC)

• located in the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex in Pasay,

Metro Manila

• has been the host of numerous local and foreign conventions,

meetings, and social affairs

• served as the office of the Vice President of the Philippines until 2005

• previously housed the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO)

• has been associated with what has been termed Imelda Marcos'
"edifice complex

• was undertaken in a short span of 23 months, from November 1974 to

September 1976

• September 5, 1976, the PICC, Asia's first international convention

center was officially inaugurated when it hosted the 1976 IMF-World
Bank Meeting

• Leandro Locsin as architect, who was subsequently named a National

Artist

• The Philippine International Convention Center is composed of five

building modules; the Delegation Building, Secretariat Building, Plenary
Hall, Reception Hall and The Forum. The facility which was designed by
Leandro Locsin, who would be later named National Artist was built in
reclaimed land and has a floor area of more than 65,000 sq ft (6,000
m2)

Makiling Center for the Arts (National Arts Center)

• Located in Mount Makiling, Los Baños, Laguna

• was established in 1976 by First Lady Imelda Marcos as a sanctuary for

young and aspiring Filipino artists

• Its various buildings and facilities are scattered over 13.5 hectares of
the Makiling Forest Reservation and also houses the Philippine High
School for the Arts
 • Its theater is the Tanghalang Maria Makiling or the NAC Center which
has an audience capacity of 1,000 people

• Venues aside from the theater include the Pugad Aliguyon or the
Marvilla Cottages, the Pugad Adarna or Executive House, a two-storey
clubhouse called the Bulwagang Sarimanok, and the St. Marc's Chapel.
[1] The chapel's cross was designed by Leandro Locsin and features an
outline of a crucified Jesus Christ
NAYONG PIILIPINO

• built from scratch in 1969

• highlights Filipino creativity in arts and crafts

People’s Park in the Sky

• Built in 1981

• serve as a guest house for then U.S. President Ronald Reagan

Philippine Heart Center

• Originally named as Philippine Heart Center for Asia

• established through Presidential Decree No. 673 issued by President

Ferdinand E. Marcos in 1975

• Inaugurated on February 14, 1975

• first Director of the PHC was Avenilo P. Aventura (1974-1986

Lung Center of the Philippines

• Formerly known as the National Kidney Foundation of the Philippines

• established on January 16, 1981

• Located in Quezon City

• constructed of three buildings (Main, Annex and Dialysis Center)

connected to each other

San Juanico Bridge

• stretches from Samar to Leyte across the San Juanico Strait in the
Philippines

• length of 2.16 kilometers (1.34 mi)

 • longest bridge in the Philippines spanning a body of seawater

• 1969-1973

LITERATURE
BOOKS

Tibak Rising: Activism in the Days of Martial Law

Killing Time in a Warm Place

Subversive Lives: A Family Memoir of the Marcos Years

UG, An Underground Tale: The Journey of Edgar Jopson and the First Quarter
Storm Generation
POEMS

Searching
by Doris N. Baffrey

to Manoling and his tribe

you look into our windows for light

hoping for the right answers

to question those answers

serve only
to give birth

to more questions

confusion brings you back

to our dingy halls

to layers of musty screens

which

though meant to divide us

instead bring us closer
bond us

as brothers and sisters

of a distraught nation

we were born to serve

you ask us
don't you ever cry

the answer my brother

is no

for what right do we have

to shed tears
over a few iron bars

while others have spilled their blood

for a sacred cause

no brother
there is no reason to cry
for as long as
you search for the truth

your thirst for knowledge

remains unquenched

as long as you keep coming back

to take with you

the little that we have to offer

then you are reason enough

for making prison

worth its while
A December in Prison

by Isagani R. Serrano

We waited all day long

On the twenty-fourth

Unable to figure how our patience

Had carried us through to this day

From the painful countdown

That began on the second

When our bellies went empty.

In our lonely cells

We fancied our little blessings

Imagining how it's like

Beyond the guarded gates

To be in the midst of near and dear ones

Singing the same songs of hope
And marching against the winds of doom.

Through the layers of wire mesh

That divide us

Our children would ask questions

None of us wanted to hear

They would press for answers

That were best understood in silence

Or in white lies that must be said.

We won't be home this Christmas

The message is written clear

On the wall

The high and mighty wall

That would heed no protest carols

No tears from eyes that hunger

For salvation.

But someday

We shall be with you on a Christmas

To share the many untold stories

Long buried within walls and cages

That by then we shall have

Smashed to pieces.
Sister home for the weekend

by Patria Rivera

When she came home she did not say a word

for a very long time.

The hours went by the tick of the lizards.

The holes in her eyes wouldn't leave us.

Barricades, poor wages, backbreaking work,

the women in the garment factory hurling their lunch pails

at phalanxes of soldiers on the picket line,

the men beaten up, fired at like woodpigeons in a carnival.

Now when she jerks her hand to reach out to us,

her scarred knuckles coil, gray as her argument, marked
where cigarette butts

had tattooed targets on a mesh of veins.

Under her skirt, they stuck a live cord,

ran current enough to light the bulb in her cell,

the blurred plot of her coded life,

her questioners getting edgier with each turn.

ARTISTIC AND LITERARY WORKS BANND DURING MARTIAL LAW

Voltes V (Cartoons)- This hit Japanese cartoon may not be provocative and
radical in the traditional sense but its story does carry with it the same idea
on which many great movies, graphic novels, and literature are hinged on :
revolution and resistance. This was the suspected reason why, in 1979, just
as the cartoons was reaching its peak in popularity, Voltes V was suddenly
pulled by from broadcast. The Voltes V fanatics would not see the last four
episodes until after the 1986 People Power Revolution.

The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos (Book)-

Among the most scathing publications on the Presidential couple, “The
Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos” was published in
1976 in the US amid growing demand for unsanitized information on the
administration. Prior to defecting from the government, the author Primitivo
Mijares was a Marcos propagandist and reporter for the government-backed
‘The Daily Express’. Months after its publication, Mr. Mijares disappeared, and
copies of the book were allegedly stripped from book stores in the US. The
publication was banned in the Philippines.

Manila by Night (film) by Ishmael Bernal- A stark depiction of Manila’s

underbelly and the characters that operate in it, Manila By Night gained
critical acclaim (and pressure) for the bold move to portray the capital city as
anything but ’true, good,and beautiful’. While not fully censored, facing
pressure from the government the film was heavily edited and distribution
was limited. The word ‘Manila’ was also dropped from the title, and barred
from entering the 1981 Berlin Film Festival.

The Untold Story of Imelda Marcos (Biography) By Carmen Navarro

Pedrosa- Once Martial Law took effect in 1972, Carmen Navarro Pedrosa’s
the Untold Story of Imelda Marcos was immediately banned, understandably
considering the substance of the publication. The ‘unauthorized biography’
allegedly revealed the magnitude of the former First Lady’s extravagance
during the ML period.

Bayan Ko (song) by Freddie Aguilar- The quintessential anthem of a

suppressed nation, ‘Bayan Ko’ popularised by folk singer Freddie Aguilar in
the 70s, became the rallying song of protest groups, from particular
advocacy organisations to student-led groups. Due to the popularity it found
in the revolutionary set, the song was banned from the airwaves. This would
only spur the song’s popularity, and would later be used by the opposition
party for their own campaign.

Culture

• “New Society”

• The history of the Philippines, from 1965–1986, covers the presidency

of Ferdinand Marcos, also known as Ferdinand Marcos Administration.
The Marcos era includes the final years of the Third Republic (1965–
72), the Philippines under martial law (1972–81), and the majority of
the Fourth Republic (1981–86).

• suspended the civil rights and imposed military authority in the

country

Artists
Bonifacio Ilagan- Underground artist at political prisoner noong martial law

Heber Bartolome- founder ng protest band na “banyuhay”

Brenda Fajardo- Art historian/ PETA
Malakas at Maganda
Ferdinand was Malakas (the strong one) and Imelda was Maganda (the
beautiful one). As glaring as it is, the myth-making is the couple’s obvious
attempt to hide their intense and selfish desire for power and wealth. It was
their way to achieve “mythic legitimacy for 1970s authoritarianism,” as
mentioned by educators Pia Arboleda and Peter Cuasay in a book on folklore
and folklife.