Module 13: Filipino Food in Diaspora
written by Precious Arao
Objective
At the end of today’s session, you will be able to:
- compare/contrast Filipino food in diaspora and gain basic understanding of differences, similarities, and diversity
- Understand basic notion of “diasporic return” (food memory)
- Talk about their own Food memory and its significance
Motivating Activity
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Present the following questions to the students:
Other questions to answer after watching the video:
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Alternative videos to watch:
After watching the video, let’s go back to the question again: How is food connected to memory?
ICE BREAKER: Let’s answer the following question:
- Chef Dale Talde on Why Filipino American Doesn't Equal "Less Filipino"
- ON THE LINE | Lasa
- Why is the Filipino Calamansi Being Left Behind?
After watching the video, let’s go back to the question again: How is food connected to memory?
ICE BREAKER: Let’s answer the following question:
- What is your fondest food memory?
- where did it take place?
- the best ________(Filipino food) I ever tasted was located in _________(where?).
Processing Activity
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Have you seen the movie Ratatouille? Let’s watch this scene and talk about what happened to Anton as he tastes the dish ratatouille.
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Did you have a similar experience?
Anton experienced what Manalansan (2013) calls diasporic return.
Diasporic Return
“Food has a tendency to transport us back to home”
Diaspora refers to people leaving their homelands or places of birth and become part of the larger population and, at the same time, apart from it. (Manalansan, 2013)
Cyclical notion of diaspora is contingent on a return to the homeland. (Manalansan, 2013)
However not all experiences with food are positive. For example, Filipino spaghetti became a topic of conversation among Filipinos in New York.
“Some of the Filipino guests responded by being defensive; they said that while some of these dishes are served in many Filipino homes, other, “more Filipino” dishes would better “represent” the culture, nation, and people. Some discussed their own family culinary traditions involving specific dishes that, they claimed, were more “representative” and “truly Filipino” (Manalansan, 2013, p.293)
According to Zappia she grew up thinking, “eating certain dishes made you more Filipino, that there was a ranking system in place.” Below, is her personal ranking, she calls it the Five-Step Filipino Plan:
Anton experienced what Manalansan (2013) calls diasporic return.
Diasporic Return
- Diaspora - people leaving their homelands or places of birth and subsequently becoming “dispersed” into other countries.
- Diasporic Return - returns us to our homelands or places of birth. When we consume food, when we talk about food, it has a tendency of transporting us somewhere.
“Food has a tendency to transport us back to home”
Diaspora refers to people leaving their homelands or places of birth and become part of the larger population and, at the same time, apart from it. (Manalansan, 2013)
Cyclical notion of diaspora is contingent on a return to the homeland. (Manalansan, 2013)
However not all experiences with food are positive. For example, Filipino spaghetti became a topic of conversation among Filipinos in New York.
“Some of the Filipino guests responded by being defensive; they said that while some of these dishes are served in many Filipino homes, other, “more Filipino” dishes would better “represent” the culture, nation, and people. Some discussed their own family culinary traditions involving specific dishes that, they claimed, were more “representative” and “truly Filipino” (Manalansan, 2013, p.293)
- Discussion: In your opinion, what makes Filipino food, Filipino? What is Filipino food?
- Activity: What Would Get Your Asian Card Revoked?
- Teacher note: You may do this anonymously or students share their thoughts out loud. You may use applications like mentimeter to collect answers.
- Activity: What Would Get Your Asian Card Revoked?
- Read: Here’s a paper written by Zappia and her take on what it means to be authentically Filipino through her Five-Step Filipino Plan:
According to Zappia she grew up thinking, “eating certain dishes made you more Filipino, that there was a ranking system in place.” Below, is her personal ranking, she calls it the Five-Step Filipino Plan:
- Bagoong, a fermented shrimp paste used as a condiment and spice
- Kare-kare, an oxtail stew thickened with ground peanuts
- Sizzling sisig, chopped, boiled,and grilled pig’s ears and face
- Dinuguan, a stew made with pig’s blood
- Balut, a half-developed duck embryo
Moreover she adds,
“Move past the first two levels and you win approving nods from relatives. Those who make it to the fifth level can call themselves authentically Filipino, even if they never stepped a foot outside of Cleveland. But what does it mean to be authentic? Is it about where one comes from, how one behaves, or what one eats? The culinary historian Raymond Sokolov (1991: 219) once described it ‘‘as slippery a notion as happiness.’’ As the daughter of a Filipino mother and an Italian-Hungarian father, as some-one perceived as Asian but raised in Texas instead of the
Philippines, I wonder how much authenticity I’ve let slip through my fork.”
Below is Zappia’s Five-Step Filipino Plan. Read through her list and her reasoning why dinuguuan made her list!
Five-Step Filipino Plan
“Move past the first two levels and you win approving nods from relatives. Those who make it to the fifth level can call themselves authentically Filipino, even if they never stepped a foot outside of Cleveland. But what does it mean to be authentic? Is it about where one comes from, how one behaves, or what one eats? The culinary historian Raymond Sokolov (1991: 219) once described it ‘‘as slippery a notion as happiness.’’ As the daughter of a Filipino mother and an Italian-Hungarian father, as some-one perceived as Asian but raised in Texas instead of the
Philippines, I wonder how much authenticity I’ve let slip through my fork.”
Below is Zappia’s Five-Step Filipino Plan. Read through her list and her reasoning why dinuguuan made her list!
Five-Step Filipino Plan
- Bagoong, a fermented shrimp paste used as a condiment and spice
- Kare-kare, an oxtail stew thickened with ground peanuts
- Sizzling sisig, chopped, boiled,and grilled pig’s ears and face
- Dinuguan, a stew made with pig’s blood
- Balut, a half-developed duck embryo
“Dinuguan was the triple-dog dare of our little world, something we’d whisper about at parties: ‘‘Sure you like bagoong, but have you tried ... dinuguan?’’ Every once in a while I would spy a bowl of it hovering in a far corner of the buffet table—the opaque, blackish-gray stew sitting there like some dark metaphorical abyss, the Heart of Darkness trapped between paper napkins and the rice cooker.” (Zappia, p. 18, 2015)
The stories showed us how Filipino Americans’ lived experiences about Filipino food can bring about the process of growing up in the diaspora. The process of growing up in Hawaiʻi as Filipinos consists of many shifts in one's identity that may even involve acceptance or rejection of one's own ethnic race, which also results in dismissal of using their native tongue. Filipinos who grew up in Hawai’i may need a comfortable space to produce their language whether by speaking or writing.
This also puts into questions how Filipinos position themselves through these culinary encounters that result from rejection of their own ethnicity.
Let’s take a look at the experiences of two Filipino Americans, James and Chad with Filipino food:
The stories showed us how Filipino Americans’ lived experiences about Filipino food can bring about the process of growing up in the diaspora. The process of growing up in Hawaiʻi as Filipinos consists of many shifts in one's identity that may even involve acceptance or rejection of one's own ethnic race, which also results in dismissal of using their native tongue. Filipinos who grew up in Hawai’i may need a comfortable space to produce their language whether by speaking or writing.
This also puts into questions how Filipinos position themselves through these culinary encounters that result from rejection of their own ethnicity.
Let’s take a look at the experiences of two Filipino Americans, James and Chad with Filipino food:
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James, born and raised in the U.S.
Spent a year living in the Philippines Resides in a predominantly Filipino neighborhood in Hawai’i Ganoon pa man, noong bata pa ako nararamdaman ko na kakaiba ako at hindi nabibilang sa paaralan. Bilang halimbawa, pinagtatawanan ng aking mga kaklase ang aking pagbigkas ng Ingles, pagsuot ng makulay na damit at pati pagdala ng baon na Pilipinong pagkain. Sinasabi nila, “Mabaho ang pagkain mo.” o “Ano ang sinusuot mo? Bukbuk ka!” Para sa isang bata, ito ay masyadong masakit at maaalala naman mga bagay ito. [When I was young, I felt that I was different, and I do not belong at school. As an example, my classmates would laugh at my pronunciation of English words, wearing colorful clothes and as well as bringing baon [home lunch] that is Filipino food. They said, “Your food stinks.” or “What are you wearing? Bukbuk ka!” For a child, this is painful and these things are not easy to forget.] |
Chad , born and raised in US continental
Biracial Filipino American Experienced denied opportunities in learning about his Filipino side “I would learn more about the Philippines and life there from my tita [aunt], during high school years, she would share with me about my dad’s life and their life growing up in Manila. With her, I did watch some movies but there was no subtitles so I was a little lost, but I would eat delicious Filipino food which was hard to find in XX.” |
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We see noteworthy sponsors in Chad’s life who introduced Filipino culture during his childhood years who supported his Filipino American identity with Filipino food and media. When we think about the best experiences we have in our lives it usually involves food, it’s one thing that brings us together.
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Example of Filipino gathering in Hawaii
(Precious' Photo) |
What is Filipino food? (Do we need to define it or just enjoy it?)
“...formed by multiple culinary convergences, attempted adaptations, and ‘outside’ influences. . . . This is the messy reality of any cuisine, whether it is called fusion, diffusion, or confusion’’(Manalansan, 2013, p. 298).
Food culture is always changing much like our identity it is also changing, always evolving. When we talk about migrating to a new place, we go into a new environment and these have results of hybrid or blended practices.
Now you have heard multiple examples of Filipinos with food. We can take a different approach and start to embrace the diverse food culture of the Philippines. We can also look into new discourses that surround Filipino food. Much like from the examples shared, These experiences can happen in different spaces and they unconsciously reveal experiences of migration, language, food, and belonging. And lastly, food is a reflection of ourselves, it is always changing, evolving, and at times challenged.
“...formed by multiple culinary convergences, attempted adaptations, and ‘outside’ influences. . . . This is the messy reality of any cuisine, whether it is called fusion, diffusion, or confusion’’(Manalansan, 2013, p. 298).
Food culture is always changing much like our identity it is also changing, always evolving. When we talk about migrating to a new place, we go into a new environment and these have results of hybrid or blended practices.
Now you have heard multiple examples of Filipinos with food. We can take a different approach and start to embrace the diverse food culture of the Philippines. We can also look into new discourses that surround Filipino food. Much like from the examples shared, These experiences can happen in different spaces and they unconsciously reveal experiences of migration, language, food, and belonging. And lastly, food is a reflection of ourselves, it is always changing, evolving, and at times challenged.
Culminating Activity
Part 1: Food Memory
Here are a few more questions students can engage in with their padlet entry:
Click here to view sample entries: https://padlet.com/mgakuwentongpagkain/what-is-your-fondest-filipino-food-memory-4qr9dh3p3kdis2d0
Part 2: Five-Step Filipino Plan
Referring back to Zappia’s paper, Five-Step Filipino Plan, What do you think is your Five-Step Filipino Plan? Why did you pick those dishes? Below is a sample explanation why dinuguuan made it on the list. If you do not have any experience with Filipino food, think of a food in your own culture that would make it on your list.
Dinuguuan
What is dinuguan according to Zappia (2015).
“Dinuguan was the triple-dog dare of our little world, something we’d whisper about at parties: ‘‘Sure you like bagoong, but have you tried ... dinuguan?’’ Every once in a while I would spy a bowl of it hovering in a far corner of the buffet table—the opaque, blackish-gray stew sitting there like some dark metaphorical abyss, the Heart of Darkness trapped between paper napkins and the rice cooker.” (Zappia, p. 18, 2015)
SHARE: Share your plans with the class as a presentation. Be sure to add photos! Take us back to that memory and show us what transpired around Filipino dishes that you ate!
- What is your fondest Filipino food memory and where did it take place?
- What Filipino dish or dishes do you dislike? Why?
- Did your opinion change?
- How were you first introduced to that dish? Where?
- What Filipino dish or dishes do you like? Why?
- How were you first introduced to that dish? Where?
Here are a few more questions students can engage in with their padlet entry:
- What is your favorite Filipino dish, especially one that’s unique to your region?
- What is your favorite Filipino rice cake/kakanin, especially unique to your region?
- What is your favorite Filipino sawsawan, especially unique to your region?
- What is the fiesta like in your Filipino hometown?
- What food from your region is usually mispronounced? misrepresented?
Click here to view sample entries: https://padlet.com/mgakuwentongpagkain/what-is-your-fondest-filipino-food-memory-4qr9dh3p3kdis2d0
Part 2: Five-Step Filipino Plan
Referring back to Zappia’s paper, Five-Step Filipino Plan, What do you think is your Five-Step Filipino Plan? Why did you pick those dishes? Below is a sample explanation why dinuguuan made it on the list. If you do not have any experience with Filipino food, think of a food in your own culture that would make it on your list.
Dinuguuan
What is dinuguan according to Zappia (2015).
“Dinuguan was the triple-dog dare of our little world, something we’d whisper about at parties: ‘‘Sure you like bagoong, but have you tried ... dinuguan?’’ Every once in a while I would spy a bowl of it hovering in a far corner of the buffet table—the opaque, blackish-gray stew sitting there like some dark metaphorical abyss, the Heart of Darkness trapped between paper napkins and the rice cooker.” (Zappia, p. 18, 2015)
SHARE: Share your plans with the class as a presentation. Be sure to add photos! Take us back to that memory and show us what transpired around Filipino dishes that you ate!
Enrichment Activity
- Name your restaurant & Create a menu
- Design a menu that includes:
- Restaurant name (provide WHY and link to memory)
- Design a menu that includes 3-5 dishes (3 main dishes & 2 desserts)
- Be sure to include WHY you picked these dishes and link to memory
Below is a template that students can use:
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Here’s a sample output:
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Encourage students to create their own design of the menu! Below are samples of actual restaurants and their design.
Restaurant Websites:
