Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., one of the nation's most prominent African American scholars, was arrested last week at his home near Harvard University after trying to force open the locked front door of his own home. He later argued that the two cops arrested him who happened to be white were racist. It really became controversial.
I thought it was funny at first. But then I realized how wrong it was. A neighbor were the once who called the cops. Maan don't they know who he was? He even showed some ID to the cops. Other than that, I would be glad if someone calls the cops if someone is breaking into my own home. But if it was me, I would be really disappointed if my own neighboor calls the cops.
Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., hosted a show on PBS titled African American Lives. It's about African Americans like Quincy Jones, Chris Tucker, Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Mae C. Jemison (female astronaut), and etc., retracing their Genealogy and African Roots through DNA testing. Most African Americans believed to be from Ghana. But actually Cape Coast Castle of Ghana is the place where different tribes of Africa were set sailed from by Portuguese Sailors.
In the show, Dr. Mae C. Jemison has higher DNA percentage of East Asian. She either got her DNA from the Chinese Railroad Men or from the Filipinos that lives in Manila Village of Louisiana. In a way she does looks Filipina. She even mentioned in the show that while her visit in Cambodia, she was thought to be Cambodian. That was pretty interesting.
Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., has higher DNA percentage of Northern European Ancestry. I couldn't believe it. But that was the DNA test calculated.
I heard Michelle Obama were searching for her African Roots. Maybe they should contact Professor Herny Louis Gates Jr.
At the end of a primetime news conference, mostly revolving around President Obama's health care reform bill, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Lynn Sweet asks him about race relations in America...
Found this in Youtube the other day. Pretty interesting.
I know these are just simple questions with simple answers, some might even find them dumb questions. But it's one of them simple questions that has a much deeper answers. So I am gonna give it a try and answer these questions based from experiences as a Filipino. These are of my opinions and facts through quick research and living within the Filipino Community. Mind as well blog about it. I was gonna make a videoblog but I have a fat tongue and talks like a... goober.
Why Filipinos are short: Statistics says short people tend to have longer lifespan than tall people. But not all Filipinos are short. There are tall Filipinos too. Some you can't even tell they are Filipinos until you hear them speaking in Filipinos. Another explanation is that Filipinos has Aeta or Negrito DNA. These people are the first descendant of the Philippines Archipelago. They were considered as Pygmies due to a Genetic Mutation called Insular Drarfism. Filipinos today are actually taller compared to their predecessors. Wealthy Filipinos in the Philippines are also tall because they can afford vitamins to complete their nutrients in their diet. The Spaniards were also tall (spaniards who were born in the philippines) or Mestizos. Majority of these Mestizos were massacred during the Spanish American War by serving as Spanish Soldiers. The Spaniards fled back to Spain or perhaps even to Mexico after Spain sold the Philippines to the Americans for 20 million dollars. Most ethnic Mestizos that survived took the Filipino Entertainment Industries as their safe havens. Some Mestizos work their ways from the Entertainment Industry to Politics. One sample is Tito Sotto from the Eat Bulaga Show. Another is Fernando Poe Jr. Few of my favorite Fernando Poe Jr. flicks are of his series "Isang Bala Ka Lang" meaning "You Worth Only One Bullet". More like the Filipino version of Dirty Harry except Fernando Poe Jr, plays a Rebel. These two actors turned politicians are good people.
Why Filipinos are loud: I work with lots of Filipinos from the past, from different regions, and it don't matter if they were either Tagalogs, Ilocanos, or Visayans, but most of time, the loud once are the Filipinos that grew up in the Big Cities like Metro Manila. Even Jeepney Drivers, and Tricycle Drivers can be loud too. People that lives in the mountain sides are also loud. Like the Igorot Tribes. I know this is dumb but I have a distant relative from my town with a Japanese sounding last name, he even looked Japanese. Anyway I made the conclusion that his rowdy behavior could be Japanese DNA. Or maybe it's just a common personality just like any other people with high blood pressures. I also been told that Filipinos with Kinky or Curly hair are quick tempered because of common high blood pressures, which makes them loud people. That loudness personality could also trace back from the Papua New Guinean DNA. Papuans are loud in general.
Why Filipinos are quiet: It's normal for anyone to be shy. Most Asians are shy in general. Could also be their long lost descendants from Quanzhou of Fujian Province in China. I believe the province they were from were peaceful people, quiet, maybe loud in Chinese New Years. Plus in the Philippines, most people who lives in low land provinces didn't have to be loud, people come and go, so it's also genetic that they are simply quiet. Not that it's not normal to be quiet, some people are just not loud. Another reason, is when people in the low land provinces gets loud, they are usually made fun of or ridiculed as uncivilized Mountain People. It's a Spanish influence to make fun of Mountain Tribesman as Salvajes' (savages). Others say some Filipinos are quiet because of political oppressions for many many years from the Spaniards, Americans, Japanese, and then later the corrupt side of The Philippines Government after the first and then the second Indipendence. There were lots of domestic killings ever since from conflicts through Martial Laws, Regional Territory, Religious Diplomacy, Anti-Government Agendas, Clans vs Clans. Until there's nothing more to say and better off to just be quiet and let the guns do all the talking.
Why Filipinos are not Vegetarians: What? Filipinos loves vegetables. And because Filipinos can eat both Vegetarian and Meat. Filipino Americans and Immigrants survived the Great Depression from eating mustard seeds, taros, sweet potato leaves, okras, sometimes stuff Americans would not even considered eatable like pig feet, pig tails, pig ears, fish heads, and fish tails. Plus Filipinos can Adobo mostly anything, all you need is soy-sauce, garlic, onions, pepper, and vinegar to season what ever you wanna Adobo like pork, chicken, beef, fish, shrimps, clams, crabs, squids, octopus, tofu, bamboo shoots, the list goes on and rather not write what the rest are. The most popular vegetarian dish with meat or without is Pinakbet from the Ilocos. Sinigang is also a favorite vegetable soup but with meat. Some Filipinos back in the day (not too sure about today) in the Philippines were actually embarrassed of eating all vegetarian diets, and considered as a sign of poverty by Spanish influence. Most Spaniards favor adding pork to their recipes.
Why are there so many Filipino DJs: Filipinos were social groups since they settled in the Islands, always into music and dancing. Back in the day, like In 1930's The Lost Generation and The Greatest Generation were into Big Band Music. Maybe the first South East Asians to have Vinyl Record Players in their homes. And then for The Baby Boomers back in the 60's and 70's were Filipinos who embraced Western Pop Culture, and they DJ for Barrio Fiestas, Cha-Cha Contests, and Disco Clubs. Karaoke is also big, anything American and Latin Tangos. Some of these Baby Boomers also made Bands doing Cover Rock Music and had gigs in Japan. As well as collectors of Vinyl Records and Eight Tracks. Then came The Generation X as well as the birth of The Hip-Hop Culture. It was the Break-Dancing that caught the Filipino Youth's attention first, and then the music. The parents already had the turntables, and vinyl collections a basic starting points for them kids becoming DJs. Filipino parents that were nurses or wealthy enough spoiled their kids in any way they can just so their kids can socialized with American Kids. As long as they promised to get good grades and become doctors, lawyers, or nurses, they can be DJs. Turned out these kids didn't just become DJs but evolved unto cultural pioneers. Don't get me wrong now, if I have kids of my own I definitely want them to become doctors, lawyers, or nurses too. But open minded enough to let them choose a passion of their own. Like in the Arts and Music. There are lots of talented Filipinos but they had to be either masters of socializing or has good professions to back up their dreams. In some ways, skills are made rather than being born to it. Musical Savants usually comes 1 out of 1000 or less. Or more. Philippines isn't a big country. But if you go to the Philippines most of them knows more American Pop Music from the 70's and 80's than some Americans. They could sing all these music like taking a Tabo Shower in that one Filipino Show called Wooowee, my folks watches Wowowee religiously. They even went to their shows.
Why Filipinos are organized: True, maybe because of hundreds of years of oppressions and disciplines by Catholic Ideologies. Perhaps it has to do with creativity. Even in a messy unorganized places like in the poor communities, the Filipinos living there has organize ways of thinking. Survival purposes. They know what are worth organizing and not really worth organizing. Sadly some don't really care or lost all their hopes and turned unto something else. The main motive is to get out of the country and make money outside the Philippines. You can tell by the way Filipinos write on a piece of paper. The way they write are clean and organized - when they take notes. Education for a success are worth organizing than organizing the bad environment they lived on. But when these same people succeed and earned enough or have made it, they evolved by organizing their environment, and proud to socialize to other Filipinos and shows off their homes. A sense of pride and self respect.
The first time I heard of Samoans was back in the Philippines, when I was around 7 years old. A relative had this postcard and he says the people in it were Samoans. When I was in the States, the first time I've seen about Samoans were on TV in the WWF. A notorious wrestlers called The Wild Samoans: Afa & Sika. The Wild Samoans didn't even have to say a word, they just growl and Captain Lou Albano would speak for them, and then The Wild Samoans would finished off by wildly eating a raw lobster. It was pretty crazy. Later in my life I've met few Samoans but most of them are really soft spoken people. If you haven't seen The Wrestler yet, make sure to check it (r-rated). I think it's a really cool film, the script, acting, and even the soundtrack was cool. Afa one of The Wild Samoan trained Mickey Rourke for the film.
After learning that Samoans and other Pacific Islanders share the same Cultural Ladder as Filipinos, I wonder how they got so huge. Majority of Eastern Pacific Islanders are big in stature than the typical Southeast Asian. I always thought, it could be from their diet of hunting down The Giant Moas. But Giant Moas are only in one area, which is in New Zealand. The Giant Moas were hunted down for food until they were all extinct. But that wasn't the reason why they got so big because the Maoris were already big folks when they arrived in New Zealand.
On mother's day, my family and I went to this Buffet Restaurant which serves Asian Cuisines. As well as Shell Fish and Sushi. When we were there, the restaurant were also packed with Tongans. There were also Indo-Fijians. At first my Family and I thought they were Samoans. Big folks. It sucks though because the restaurant didn't have any dividers. I am used of eating alone. Everythin' was in the open and we didn't know a single one of them. It was sunday so I figured the Tongans must be from a Mormon Church. Perfect day to celebrate mother's day. Tongans are of Fijian people (melanesians) mixed with the Samoans (polynesians). But they do have their own Islands just bellow Samoa, and just across side of Fiji. The youth consider themselves the Vikings of the South Pacific.
About the restaurant, the restaurant is literarily called Crazy Buffet, there are a lot of Asian Buffet around Silicon Valley with funny names, there's another one called Yummy Buffet, next thing you know another one is called Eat Food Buffet or Very Fishy Food Buffet. These owners must be laughing on their way to the bank for having them catchy names. Good food though. Maybe even better than some Authentic Restaurants.
Noticing how they like shell fish, also brought back some memories of The Wild Samoans. Which gave me enough clue to know how they got so huge. These people lives in small islands. Which gave them lots of advantages over the large ocean that surrounds their homelands. Like one big table filled with lobsters and other types of fish. I like them too and I think they are tasty, but I can't eat shell food like: Lobsters, Crabs, and Shrimps. Not even Squid or Octopus. If I do, my skin starts to itch, my throat starts to itch, and then my lungs gets tighter. I can though eat regular fish. Oysters are okay. Just not that day, I had enough Tilapia and Tuna at home, and wanted to try other food than fIsh.
Common Polynesian Diets and Fishing Tool: Lobsters, Taros, and a Fishing Hook an evidence of hunting big fish.
Typical Wooden Clubs for Paddling, Hunting, Playing, and Fighting: You gotta knocked a huge fish somehow. And knocked territorial rivalries at the sea. To me the Wooden Club also gave birth to Cricket and then to Baseball. Boomerang is also a cool hunting tool and weapon from the Aboriginal People of Australia. Philippines has the Yo-Yo. But I ain't sure how Yo-Yo works as a Hunting Tool.
The Moai Statues of Rapa Nui: Just a sample of carving canoes evolved unto ritualistic carving of logs and stones as an artifacts. I mean if you live in an Island, there's gotta be lots of time to kill. Plenty of time waiting for the GODs in which they were from. Plenty of time for art. Plus art also keeps the mind occupied and strong.
Here is a sample of a Maori Tiki Jade. A Moko Facial Tattoo is also a form of carving but with ink. A Fish Hook Pendant made of Bone.
The images bellow illustrates the Austronesian People of Oceania:
MALAYAN Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Borneo, Taiwan, and etc. These groups migrated from Taiwan to Southeast Asia. Also known as the East Indies. The Westerners that discovered East Indies of Malay were Spanish, French, Dutch, and Americans. The Malaysians kept the name as their official country name. Malayans are the forefathers of the Austronesian Language and Culture.
MELANESIAN Solomon, Papua New Guinea, Australia (aboriginal), Timor (alfredo reinado), Fiji, and etc. The black people of Oceania. The Westerners that discovered the Melanesians were Portuguese, Dutch and British Missionaries. To me MICRONESIA is also part of the MELANESIAN, basically just smaller islands just above the MELANESIAN islands. It's cool how some people of the Solomon and Australia have natural blond hair. I think it has to do with the sun and the ocean. There are people in the Philippines who also has blond hair, mostly young kids that lives on the oceans.
POLYNESIAN Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand (maori), Hawaii, Tahiti, and etc. Polynesians has Portuguese and British blood lines, as well as American. They are more known as the standard Pacific Islanders. Since the rise of Colonialism, places like Guam (micronesia) and Hawaii, or even Tahiti has mixed blood with people from the Orient. Like Japan, Korea, and China. Specially Ilocanos of the Philippines. And made a unique language of it's own called Pidgin Language. Like a boomerang that flew from the east to west. Or something like that.
A well known Polynesian Actor other than Dwayne Johnson (the rock), is Cliff Curtis. Who appeared as supporting actor in Once Were Warriors, and an extra in some award winning film The Piano. Me and my Bro sometimes laugh about it because the dude can play any type of roles. He plays characters as an Arab and even a Cholo Mexican from the movie Training Day. And I don't think a lot of people seems to notice that. The dude came up though man.
I could be wrong though, but according to my research, Filipinos is a new nationality. Christianity is the official faith. Every Nations has a beginning. The first known Filipinos were Spaniards that was born in the Philippines. Eventually, most of these Filipinos blend in with the indigenous. Some Indigenous still practice Shamanism and into Mother Nature. Before the Spaniards, were the Malay People (austronesians) and then the Arabs, Indians, Japanese, Chinese (mostly merchants). Before that were the Aetas, the very first settlers of the islands, believed to be from Madagascar. An island just below Africa.
Aight, I just finished a track, just needed a little mastering and then I'll post it here. I sampled a little bit of Asha Puthli. I had to do this Blog about Polynesian Culture or else it will keep on knocking the sides of my head to come out.
There was another North Korean long range missile test-fire called Taepodong-2 back in 2006 but it failed. The recent rocket lift-off was from Sunday at 11:30 am (Eastern Time). The South Korean Newspaper says that the lift-off was a success. Other says it was another failure. If it was a real Nuclear Missile, it could reach up to 4700 miles from North Korea to Hawaii and Alaska. Possibly even in California. Maaan if Osama or a country that hates America with already developing Nuclear Weapons gets a hold to this project, North Korea would be a rich country until that same project backlashes. Communism and Islamist clashes too. But money do talk, my brother says right before our Sunday dinner. And it does makes a lot of sense. In the other hand, I don't think North Korea is dumb enough to do so. Remember the war between Russia and Afghanistan? I don't think these two will negotiate business on how to blow up the world. To me, the rocket would be more of an extortion situation. President Obama is now making peace to other countries soon as possible. Making our allies closer than before. Like France and India. Iraq in my belief is already an American Territory. A Capitalist owned, rooted from the Bush Administration. Obama is just cleaning up the mess where Bush left off. Iran might be on the counteroffensive mode for that reason.
I guess make friends with North Korea already? Although the land has nothing much to offer. Capitalism just doesn't work well with Socialism. Except for the Chinese style Special Economic Zones, a movement towards Capitalism. Could that also be part of the Taepodong Missiles Project. If it is, then it is a threat.
Also known as Mancala for International name. I ain't sure if Sungka are still popular in the Philippines but it sure does brings back some memories as a kid growing up there. Sungka is an ancient game from all over asia. South East Asia for the most part. They even play this game in Africa.
Sungka is a Philippine mancala game which is today also played wherever Philippine migrants are living; e.g. in Taiwan, Germany, and the USA. Like the closely related congkak it is traditionally a women's game. Sungka was first described outside of Asia in 1894 by the American ethnologist Stewart Culin.
Sungka is similar to many other Southern Asian mancala games such as naranj (Maldives), dakon (Java), congkak (Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia) and tchonka (Marianas). The game differs from kalah which is known in North America and Europe in being a multi-lap game. Another important difference is that the first move is executed simultaneously in sungka which is meant to balance the game. Sungka is distinguished from congkak by being played counterclockwise and also by some other minor rule differences.
It's hard to explain how to play the game but you'll get the idea while you play it here. On this game you start with 4 pebbles on each of the 6 holes, instead of 7 pebbles on each 6 holes: PLAY MANCALA
Since Cuisines is one of my interest subjects I am going to write more on Filipino Cuisines. In addition to what I wrote about Anthony Bourdain - Philippines. As a Filipino myself, most common food for a daily routine is not always the "traditional" dish but also Canned Food, like: Sardines, Spams, and Corned Beef. Dried or Smoked Fish is also common. A more upscale routine dish can also be cured meat called Tocino and different kinds of Sausages called Longanisa. These type of food are also International and not just for Filipinos. Canned Food were introduced in the Philippines by the American Soldiers in WWII.
International Canned Food. Also typical for most Pinoy Diet. Instant Noodles are also a big part of the list.
These are Longanisa. There are two types of Longanisa that I know of. The Ilocano Longanisa and the Tagalog Longanisa. Ilocano Versions are more tangy and more smoked or dried. And It's basically pork meat and lard mixed together with salt, pepper, vinegar, and garlic. Lots of garlic. Pork intestines are used for the sausage skins. The Tagalog Longanisa or Southern Version are more sweeter, same method except it's added with some Sweet Curing Powder to have that sweet flavor to it just like Tocino. Due to the high value currency in the Philippines, Southern Longanisas are evolving to a size of a quail egg. Some tourists are even trippen' what they are, and simply being introduced by tour guides as Finger Food or Pulutan (beer snack). Like how hamburgers in America today are becoming more like muffins. Obviously it's an alternative against economic crises.
This here is Tocino. Little portion on this can get you eating a whole lot of rice if you are Pinoy or Asian in general (cultured by it's origin). I used to have this girlfriend who wasn't asian and could eat a whole lot of it without the help of rice. It was a bit insulting to me when she says that "gneee... rice are for side dish only." So wrooong man. Rice is the center of the plate in some countries.
Toyo (dried or smoked fish). Big fish to small fish. From squids to eels. The Vikings also do the same method but with shark meat, I've seen it one time in Bizzare Food. Toyo is or was considered a poor man's diet but today Filipino Chefs are experimenting more and more on evolving Toyo as an upscale cuisine.
As I write about Dried to Smoked Meat Products, it sorta gives me the resemblance of how the Buccaneer Pirates used to eat back in the 1700 or earlier than that. I even found an old illustration of an old pirate making Lechon which is the image you see on the left.
This is a Lechon. It's traditional like how the Hawaiians cook their pork except not underground being cooked by hot stones but by bamboo poles and over a fire. Different Regions of the Philippines have their own stuffing for their Lechon.
Exactly who were the Buccaneers. Surely and most likely you hear about them in Novel Books, History Books, and even in the Fantasy Movies where they venture navigating through out the Caribbean Shores back in the 1700 or 1600. Buccaneers are also known as Pirates. Buccaneers came from the word buccan, a wooden frame for smoking meat. I hope who ever reads this won't get the idea that I am pushing an issue to claim some historical events for another culture. I am just writing about the resemblance on how the Buccaneers prepares their food the same way how Filipinos do theirs. Besides, during the times of the Caribbean Pirates were also the times when the European Fleets were navigating in the Malay Archipelagos (The Philippines).
Wikipedia: The buccaneers were pirates who attacked Spanish and French shipping in the Caribbean Sea during the late 17th century.
The term buccaneer is now used generally as a synonym for pirate. Originally, buccaneer crews were larger, more apt to attack coastal cities, and more localized to the Caribbean than later pirate crews who sailed to the Indian Ocean on the Pirate Round in the late 17th century.
The term buccaneer derives from the Arawak word buccan, a wooden frame for smoking meat, hence the French word boucane and the name boucanier for French hunters who used such frames to smoke meat from feral cattle and pigs on Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic). English colonists anglicised the word boucanier to buccaneer.
That's History right there. And part of history doesn't necessarily means perfection either. Well, in a way it is perfect no matter what the situation was, it happened and it will be talked about. Even the boooing part. For the fact that President Obama has to do the oath over again just to make sure that he really does have the power as president, is pretty much a big symbol of the process of change. I heard stuff in the news about the man (John G. Roberts) that gave the oath was a rookie and never made a big mistake before on his speeches, and that he was well known to a lot of people that he is legit and that he is a good man. It was a bit obvious to sense how Bush reacted about the mistake, when he was being escorted by the Obamas to the Chopper. Not that I am against the Bush Administration in anyway, I am just blogging about what I saw.
After escorting the Bushes, President Obama even forgot that each of the folders he had to sign had it's own pen to sign with. That's a lot of pen. Why not one pen for all them folders to symbolize the economy or something.
Why some of my music sounds more like the Orient when geographically I grew up in the US and from the Philippines. Not because I am trying to stereotype certain sounds. Most of my sounds comes out naturally using my instruments. The town called Paoay (formally called Bombay) that I grew up on in the Philippines used to channel these Cantonese and Mandarin stations from our television, and they used to have these Chinese operas. Although it was a black and white television and a bit staticky, it didn't really matter. They sounded pure and soulful to me, and gave me the natural ideas to my music today. Ilocos area are known to have lots of Chinese descendants coming from Fujian and Taiwan. Historians says even the Japanese settled there way before WW2. Eventually, most of them lost their identities due to Spanish rules back in the Spanish Colonialism. All these different groups also got together and built St. Augustine Church designed as a fortress to defend the town against incoming pirates. Today there are still some Chinese business owners that sells tires and medicines back in Paoay and South Indians that sells stereos, boombox, radios, and televisions from further down the north east of my town. Almost like the area I live on today - Chinese folks that lived in Vietnam, Indian folks from Punjabi, along side with the Latinos, and Filipinos.
I am done with my first Album. As a hobbyist and independent also means relying on my own finance to support it. Still have more to learn about the production side and I may have to take classes for that later. One thing for sure, passing this one test to get a license will finance that. Not just for me but to put some extra something something on the family table along with some bonuses.
If wondering where to get your tracks out for sale, here are few of them that are cool. Places like: Tunecore and CD Baby. Where they also sell them for you electronically like in iTunes.
I'm blogging pretty much about everything. Even to the most silliest things. So please "do not" take some of my opinions, journals, reports, and researches too seriously or act unto something destructive due to what you gathered from Wasabi Sandwich. I'm just a blogger and I do not intend for anyone to follow what I blog about. Unless for positive purposes - like maybe buying my music later. Consider my warning as a disclaimer.
