Monster Project
Spanish Colonization of the Philippine Archipelago
The monster in my project is colonization, more specifically, Spanish colonization of the Philippines. I chose this topic because it was something personal to me, despite growing up in America and still not feeling very connected with my culture.
I wasn't taught much about Filipino history, and only slowly learned more about it through other Filipinos on social media. It wasn't until a few years ago that I found out my pre-colonial ancestors lived in a society where:
- queerness was normal
- women had the same rights and privileges as men
- women held positions of power
- abortion was common
- unwed mothers and fathers weren't shamed
- divorce was accepted
- virginity held no value
- there was no gendered language
However, when Spain came to the Philippines, it turned into a society with them they brought patriarchal, conservative, Catholic ideals that changed the country. Although it's not good to dwell over things you can't control, I still feel sorrow for what my homeland could've been. I wonder if my mother and I would still have such different views if the Philippines was never colonized, and I wonder about the loss and suffering my ancestors went through when Spaniards came and changed everything.
(Background Art: Pre-colonial Lowland House - by JBulaong 2020)