:shock:  Day 2

Filipinas: La Colonia Más Peculiar, by Josep M. Fradera

There ought to be a Dept. of Colonial Studies in any university of an ex colony, to study the nature of its own colonization experience and compare it to those of other ex colonies.

In the case of the Phil., this is very impt. to create awareness that the principalía is the principal problem, the historico-social burden that must be addressed, to allow a new consciousness to be formed that can process it out of our national karma.

I've been wrong when I've implied that Filipino historians didn't know our history because they couldn't refer to the Spanish documentation.  They could, they have, and the U.S. and British historians have been mining the documentation effectively (for their purposes naturally)(academics are notoriously removed from the concerns of ordinary people).  But I've been right when I've claimed that I was not taught my own history well. It's still true that the majority of Filipinos, no matter what age they are, have no deep grasp of our history. Yes, we're taught that there was exploitation, encomienda, tribute, etc.  But there were sacred cows left untouched and the implication was that the ones to blame were the Spanish.  The Americans are also blamed for the unfair economic laws.  BUT there are also sacred cows of the American period. 

It's superficial.  I stand by this.  It is disempowering and alienating in consequence.

And it's true that Phil. history when a non-cynical Filipino like myself tries to understand it, has to be tackled with an anti-depressant on hand. Not necessarily traditional medication.  But it is very depressing indeed.  However, how else can you understand the consequences of behavior, the interrelations between historical agents and patients?

From this viewpoint, it's interesting and not a waste of time. It's formative, it contributes to development.