Filipino Professor Reveals the Genius of the Filipino | Culture Bearer 01

Summary

Philippine culture, deeply rooted in a philosophy of unity and shared responsibility, is highlighted as one of the world's greatest. The script emphasizes the Filipino people's highly relational nature, exemplified by the concept of 'Kapa,' which signifies the interconnectedness of all individuals. This relationality is reflected in the language's complexity and the communal aspects of Filipino traditions, such as food sharing. The speaker, Philipp Delan Jr., calls for Filipinos to embrace their culture's richness and diversity, fostering pride and unity. He advocates for cultural education to enhance global appreciation and to promote the values of cooperation and harmony.

Takeaways

• 🌏 Filipino culture is highly relational and values connectivity, with a core philosophy of 'Kapa', meaning the other person is also yourself.
• 🍲 Food is a communal experience in Filipino culture, often shared among guests and neighbors, reflecting the value of togetherness.
• 🏝️ Despite being an archipelago, the Philippines is united by its shared language and maritime skills, which facilitate connection across islands.
• 🗣️ The Filipino language is rich in conjugations and collective verbs, indicating a deep-rooted sense of community and relationality.
• 🏞️ Geography plays a significant role in Filipino unity, with water acting as a connector rather than a divider, fostering a sense of togetherness.
• 🎨 Traditional Filipino cultures nurture creativity and multi-talented individuals, as the close-knit community encourages learning and sharing of skills.
• 🏆 The concept of 'Manik Bayan' exemplifies the multifaceted skills of Filipinos, where individuals excel in multiple roles within their community.
• 🌐 The speaker, Philipp Delan Jr, advocates for Filipinos to be educated in their own culture to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of their heritage.
• 🌈 The diversity of languages in the Philippines, with at least 131, showcases the rich cultural heritage and the ancient roots of the Filipino people.
• 💪 The dream for Filipinos is to embrace their cultural identity, which is based on cooperation and harmony, rather than competition, to contribute positively to the world.

Q & A

What does the speaker believe is one of the core aspects of Filipino culture?

The speaker believes that the core of Filipino culture is a high degree of relationality and connectivity, where Filipinos are highly relational people who want to connect with all kinds of people at all levels.

What is the philosophy of 'Kapa' as mentioned in the script?

The philosophy of 'Kapa' means that the other person is also yourself, implying that Filipinos believe they have no separate existence and are all one.

How does the script describe the Filipino approach to food and sharing?

The script describes Filipino culture as having no recipe for a single person, always preparing food for 6 to 10 people, emphasizing the expectation that food is to be shared.

What is the significance of the language's conjugations in the context of Filipino culture?

The language's conjugations are highly relational, indicating that Filipinos are highly relational from the very beginning, with every conjugation representing a kind of relationship.

How does the script explain the geographical unity of the Philippines despite being an archipelago?

The script explains that despite being an archipelago, Filipinos are more united because of their ancient prowess in maritime navigation, which made them skilled in crossing water, and thus maintaining cultural and linguistic connections across islands.

What is the role of community in traditional Filipino cultures according to the script?

In traditional Filipino cultures, the sense of community is very strong, which allows for a relaxed and open environment where people can express themselves artistically and learn from one another, fostering a multi-talented society.

What is the speaker's dream for Filipinos regarding their culture?

The speaker's dream is for Filipinos to be educated in their culture, to realize that Filipino culture is one of the greatest in the world, and to promote a philosophy of shared responsibility and cooperation.

How does the script suggest Filipinos can become more proud of their identity?

The script suggests that Filipinos can become more proud by understanding the philosophy of 'Kapa' and recognizing the richness of their cultural diversity, which includes having at least 131 languages and a history of at least 50,000 years.

What does the script imply about the relationship between language and culture in the Philippines?

The script implies that the language shapes the culture and vice versa, with the Filipino language being highly relational and indicative of the people's interconnectedness and collective spirit.

How does the script connect the concept of community and the development of skills in Filipino society?

The script connects the concept of community and skill development by stating that in a close-knit community, people learn from each other and develop multiple skills, leading to a multi-talented society.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 The Essence of Filipino Culture

Philippine culture is deeply rooted in a sense of community and relationality, as emphasized by Philipp Delan Jr., who has studied the culture since the 1960s. Filipinos are characterized by their desire to connect with others regardless of social status or background, which is encapsulated in the philosophy of 'Kapa,' meaning the interconnectedness of all people. This cultural trait is reflected in the country's culinary practices, where recipes are designed for sharing among groups, symbolizing the collective nature of Filipino society. The script also touches on the historical linguistic roots of the Filipino people, tracing back to an ancestral Southeast Asian group that has influenced languages across a vast geographical range, including the Pacific and Madagascar. The relational nature of the Filipino language, with its extensive conjugations and collective verbs, further illustrates the culture's emphasis on togetherness and community.

05:00

🚣‍♂️ Filipino Unity and Cultural Flourishing

Contrary to the notion that the Philippines' archipelagic nature leads to division, the script argues that the Filipino people are more united due to their maritime heritage and skill in navigation. The geographical separation by mountains in landmasses is contrasted with the connectivity provided by water, which has allowed for a shared language and culture across islands. The traditional Filipino culture's strong sense of community fosters a relaxed and expressive environment where creativity and artistic expression can thrive. This cultural richness is evident in the multi-talented nature of Filipinos, who often excel in various fields due to their upbringing in close-knit communities. The script also discusses the importance of recognizing the shared responsibility and cooperation inherent in Filipino culture, which stands in contrast to individualistic and competitive mindsets. The goal is for Filipinos to be proud of their heritage and to promote their culture globally.

10:01

🗣️ Celebrating Linguistic and Cultural Diversity

The script highlights the linguistic diversity of the Philippines, with at least 131 languages spoken across the nation, as a testament to its ancient and rich cultural heritage. This diversity is indicative of the country's long history, possibly dating back 50,000 years, and the multitude of distinct cultures that have developed over time. The existence of such a variety of languages and cultures is a source of pride and a means to foster a strong national identity. The script encourages Filipinos to learn about and appreciate their cultural diversity, which includes understanding the different ways of life, traditions, and contributions of various ethnic groups. By recognizing and celebrating this diversity, Filipinos can develop a deeper sense of unity and belonging, which is essential for the country's progress and harmony.

Keywords

💡Filipino culture

Filipino culture refers to the customs, traditions, and values of the people of the Philippines. The video emphasizes that it is one of the greatest in the world, highlighting its rich relational aspects and communal spirit. The speaker, Philipp Delan Jr, discusses how Filipinos are inherently relational and communal, desiring to connect with others across various social strata. This is exemplified in the script through the concept of 'Kapa', which signifies the interconnectedness of individuals, reflecting a core aspect of Filipino culture.

💡Relationality

Relationality in the context of the video refers to the strong emphasis on interpersonal connections and relationships within Filipino culture. It is described as a core value where individuals do not see themselves as separate but as part of a collective. The video illustrates this through the practice of sharing food and the expectation that meals are prepared for groups, not individuals, reflecting a communal approach to life.

💡Kapa

Kapa is a Filipino philosophical concept that means 'the other person is also yourself'. It underscores the belief in the interconnectedness of all people, suggesting that there is no separate existence, and everyone is part of one community. This idea is deeply ingrained in Filipino culture, influencing social interactions and the sense of collective responsibility.

💡Connectivity

Connectivity, as discussed in the video, is the quality of being connected or linked, especially in the context of social relationships. It is a fundamental aspect of Filipino culture, where people strive to maintain and foster connections with others, regardless of social status or background. This is evident in the script's mention of how Filipinos invite others to share meals, symbolizing the cultural value of togetherness.

💡Cultural diversity

Cultural diversity is the variety of cultures within a society, and the video highlights the Philippines' rich linguistic and cultural diversity with over 131 languages spoken. This diversity is a testament to the country's ancient and multifaceted cultural heritage. The video suggests that recognizing and celebrating this diversity can foster a stronger sense of national identity and pride among Filipinos.

💡Archipelago

An archipelago is a group of islands, and the Philippines is an archipelago consisting of thousands of islands. The video challenges the notion that being an archipelago inherently causes division, arguing instead that Filipinos are united by their ability to navigate and connect across water, which is a skill they have honed due to their maritime heritage.

💡Maritime navigation

Maritime navigation refers to the skill of sailing and navigating the seas. The video points out that Filipinos are master navigators with a history of crossing islands and connecting different parts of the archipelago. This skill has played a significant role in shaping the relational and communal aspects of Filipino culture by facilitating interaction and exchange among islands.

💡Multi-talented

The term 'multi-talented' in the video describes the Filipino people's ability to excel in various skills and crafts due to their close-knit communities and the cultural emphasis on learning from one another. The video provides the example of a national Living Treasures awardee who is not only skilled in playing a musical instrument but also excels in farming, religious leadership, and barbering, showcasing the cultural value of versatility.

💡Shared responsibility

Shared responsibility is the concept that individuals have a collective duty to one another, which is deeply rooted in Filipino culture. The video contrasts this with individualistic philosophies that promote self-interest and competition. Instead, it promotes the idea that cooperation and collaboration are the foundations of Filipino society, leading to harmony and collective well-being.

💡Harmony

Harmony, as discussed in the video, refers to a state of agreement and concord, which is valued in Filipino culture. It is presented as an essential element for survival and progress, both at the community and global levels. The video suggests that the world would benefit from adopting the Filipino approach of fostering harmony through cooperation and shared responsibility.

Highlights

Filipino culture is considered one of the greatest in the world.

Philippine culture emphasizes a high degree of relationality and connectivity.

The concept of 'Kapa' signifies that every person is responsible not only to themselves but to others.

Filipino culture is characterized by sharing and bringing people together.

Filipino language has been around for approximately 2,500 years, indicating a deep cultural history.

Filipino languages are highly relational, with a high number of conjugations reflecting relationships.

Filipino geography, being an archipelago, has paradoxically united the people rather than dividing them.

The traditional Filipino culture fosters a strong sense of community, which is essential for creativity.

Filipinos are naturally multi-talented due to their close-knit communities and the spirit of learning from one another.

The philosophy of 'Kwat' or shared responsibility is central to Filipino culture, promoting cooperation over competition.

The dream for Filipinos is to be educated in their own culture to realize its greatness and the philosophy of unity.

Filipinos should be proud of their culture, which is based on cooperation, harmony, and serving the common good.

The diversity within the Philippines, with at least 131 languages, signifies an ancient and rich cultural heritage.

Understanding the concept of 'Kapa' and the cultural diversity can make Filipinos proud and promote unity.

The richness of Filipino culture and its diversity should be a source of national pride and identity.

The transcript calls for Filipinos to discover and appreciate their unique cultural genius.

Transcripts

Filipinos do not realize that Filipino

culture is one of the greatest really

this is really I'm very serious about it

one of the greatest in the

[Music]

world I am Philipp Delan Jr I have been

studying Philippine culture since the

60s I've been to many parts of the

Philippines trying to understand who we

are and understand how Filipinos can be

their better

selves at the very core Filipinos are

very highly relational people wanting to

connect all kinds of people in all

levels young and old whether you are

educated or not from the poorest to the

richest Filipinos would like to bring

people together that's the very core of

Filipino culture a high degree of

relationality connectivity this has to

do with the philosophy of Kapa Kapa

means the other person is also yourself

Filipinos believe that they have no

separate existence they're all one

that's the meaning of Kapa every

person's responsibility is not only to

himself but to

others that's why according to CL tayag

a culinary expert our culture has no

recipe for a single person it's always a

recipe for 6 to 10 people because we

expect food to be shared that's why any

chance upon family is having dinner you

will always be invited to share the

dinner with them in a Festa even if you

are not invited you enter any house

where there is food is the basis of this

because in an individualistic culture a

person feels separated from others and

therefore there's no natural

responsibility for everyone to serve in

a materialistic culture where people are

confined to their physical selves you

don't see yourself connected to others

because connectedness has to do with a

spiritual belief no that the spirit of

God connects us all to one another so

this is the very essence of Filipino

culture a culture of sharing a culture

that would like to bring people together

[Music]

our language has been with us since

around 2,500 years ago we were already

Filipinos even though we were not called

philippinos at that time we were

aans all our languages came from one

Island in Taiwan and it's not Chinese

it's a Southeast Asian archipelago a

Southeast Asian place with at least nine

ethnic groups and one ethnic group there

was our ancestors this ethnic group went

down from Taiwan to batanes the of down

to the visayas men and Indonesia

Malaysia so the languages of Indonesia

and Malaysia came from us we even

brought this languages to the Pacific

Micronesia Melania poia as far as

eastern island and Hawaii and he brought

this languages even to the West in

Madagascar Africa that's why if you go

to madas Africa they speak a language

similar too Tagalog Kang it's called

malagi and that time alone no you're

already highly relational because our

language shape us we shape our language

and the language in turn shapes

us filipin languages are the most highly

relational of all the aonian languages

we have the highest number of

conjugations how many conjugations are

possible in English the word to eat eat

eating ate eaten what else are suppose

you can have at most 12 conjugations of

one word or one verb in English but not

more than 12 what about Kain the Tagalog

word for it in less than an hour you can

come up with 100 conations

[Music]

of so many no so what does that mean

that means we are highly relational from

the very beginning we're already highly

relational because every conjugation is

a kind of

relationship all of us let's go together

and

eat do the eating for me that's another

kind of

relation well I was compelled to eat

because others were eating oh that's

another kind of relation not every

conjugation is a relationship also

another thing look at our languages it

has very fine no one say for

relationships I don't know of any single

word in English that refers to a group

action a verb like Maus Maus all of you

go

out together let's eat I don't know

anybody in English any verb in English

that refers to a collective action it's

Collective that means This is highly

relational again and that's in the

language so much in the language

you're equally beautiful equally ugly

there's no translation in English these

are verbs adjectives that are mutually

reciprocal connecting people to one

another there's none of that in English

as far as I

know so we can see our relationality in

our language but we can also see it in

our

geography people say that we're a

divided country because we're an

archipelago but the truth is really

different

people who live in a land mass rather

than archipelago will even be more

divided if this land mass is so

mountainous a mountainous area that is

just one landm is where people will be

so extremely divided because it's

mountains that divide how can you easily

go from one side of the mountain to the

other side of the mountain it might take

you days before you can go to the other

side but people in a short time learn to

cross from one Island to the other

through water especially because our

origin from Taiwan we really cross

islands and our ancient prowess in

Maritime navigation really made us very

very skilled in water the Filipinos all

over the world we Master Navigators on

the sea so if you go to the Philippines

you will find that any two Island

separated by water we speak the same

language because we are connected by

water and divided by mountains look at

Negros Negros is divided by Mount Canon

decided faces ILO speaks elongo decided

faces speaks seano masb the one that

faes latest summer speaks warai the one

that faces Bol is speaks Bolano and so

on this is true anywhere in the country

if two islands are separated they water

they are more unified so it's not true

that we are divided because we an an

archipelago in fact we are more united

because of being an

[Music]

archipelago and so because of our highly

relational culture our creative genius

was able to flourish within the

traditional Filipino cultures and that's

because in traditional cultures the

sense of community is very very strong

this is the norm in all of our

traditional societies if there is a very

strong sense of community you feel more

relaxed you don't feel any tension no

now the more relaxed you are the more

open you are the more you are you the

more you can bring out who you really

are you become more expressive you

become more artistic you become a

natural artist that's why in our

traditional cultures everybody is an

artist almost no reception no matter

what the work is of a person you can be

sure that he is doing some kind of art

why because the more close you are to

one another the more you would like to

understand and do what others can do if

you're are very close to the farmer you

will learn farming if you're very close

to the carpenter you will learn

carpentry you are very close to the

arario you will learn traditional

medicine if you are close to your mother

you will learn how she cooks so closest

to one another makes you learn so many

things as you grow up this is the reason

why the Filipinos are so very

multi-talented simply because when you

are one with the community and you like

to relate to everybody you have to know

what others are doing how can you be so

close if you are only a very narrow

specialist for example I can cite the

example of s Salan who was one of the

awarders for the national Living

Treasures award in the Philippines

called manik Bayan well just like any

male in Mendo Society or even female

almost anybody can play the K but

someone happen to be the best but you

know that he is not only the best in

that instrument he's also the favorite

barber in his town and also a Muslim

Imam or priest but he was also a very

good farmer because he grew up in such

an environment where everybody is

multi-skilled and if you are really so

relaxed you can easily learn other

skills because you will have no

difficulty learning anything if you are

doing it in a spirit of play in a spirit

of play everything becomes so easy

that's the reason no our sense of

community which makes us very

[Music]

multi-talented my Filipino dream is for

Filipinos to be educated in their

culture Filipinos do not realize that

Filipino culture is one of the greatest

in the world because of the philosophy

of kwat if we are one we have a shared

responsibility for one another this is a

very profound philosophy a shared

responsibility it's not Dog Eat Dog

attitude ude it's not survival of the

fitness it's not ruthless competition

it's cooperation collaboration Harmony

you know how the world has survive how

Humanity has survived according to an

Poli we have survived because of

cooperation rather than competition

that's the wave of life there's no

Harmony on Earth no species would have

survived we have to emphasize that that

our culture is based on cooperation

Harmony by any hand doing things

together for the common good this is who

Filipinos are but philippinos don't

realize this the more we realize it the

better for not only us but the better

for the world because we can promote our

culture everywhere and we can be very

proud of being Filipino now the

Filipinos are not very proud of who they

are simply because they don't know who

they

are secondly I'd like Filipinos to

discover how different we are from one

another the first one is how we are one

no but the second is our diversity we

have at least 131 languages in this

country because the older Society is the

more language it has a young Society

will not have its own languages

Singapore Australia Canada they still

use English or French because they are

new societies that means if we have 131

languages that means we are a very old

culture we have at least 50,000 years

old we are a new nation but we are a

very old people if we have 131 languages

that means we have so many different

cultures the basic subject that I wish

Filipinos to learn aside from the

concept of Kapa How We Are One is how

rich we are in terms of cultural

diversity knowing all kinds of Filipinos

and their cultural genius this is the

best way to make the philippinos proud

of themselves because the more

philippinos know about Kapa and the more

they know about this diversity how rich

they are the more they will love the

country and they no longer fight against

one another they will have a strong

sense of identity they will know that

all Filipinos are

one all

[Music]