We Filipinos Are Mild Drinkers
Summary
TLDRThe story humorously portrays the cultural differences between a Filipino farmer and an American soldier during World War II. The Filipino narrator describes his encounter with 'Joe,' a nickname for all Americans, who is eager to try lambanog, a local coconut-based drink. Despite the soldier's confidence in handling alcohol, he quickly becomes overwhelmed by the potent drink. The story explores themes of hospitality, resilience, and contrasts in drinking habits, while highlighting the symbolic significance of the coconut tree in Filipino culture.
Takeaways
- 😀 Filipinos are described as mild drinkers, drinking for three reasons: when happy, when sad, and for any other occasion.
- 🪖 The story takes place during the American recapture of the Philippines, where American GIs became common in the narrator's barrio.
- 🐃 The narrator, while working in a rice field with his carabao, encounters an American soldier named Joe.
- 🥃 Joe, who loves drinking, asks the narrator for whiskey, but the narrator offers him lambanog (a local coconut-based liquor).
- 🍋 The narrator prepares the lambanog with calamansi, a Philippine lemon, to enhance the drink, following local customs.
- 😲 Joe reacts strongly to the lambanog, as it is much stronger than the liquors he is used to, causing a humorous scene.
- 💧 The narrator pours some of his drink on the ground, a Filipino custom symbolizing giving back to the earth.
- 😵 Joe becomes progressively more affected by the strong drink, experiencing physical discomfort and hilarious reactions.
- 🛏️ Joe eventually passes out from the lambanog, and the narrator, with help, takes him back to the barracks.
- 🍺 Despite the offer for more alcohol, the narrator ends the story by reinforcing that Filipinos are mild drinkers.
Q & A
What are the three reasons Filipinos drink according to the narrator?
-Filipinos drink when they are very happy, when they are very sad, and for any other reason.
How does the narrator describe his inability to differentiate between American soldiers?
-The narrator says he cannot pronounce their names or tell them apart because all Americans look alike to him, specifically noting that they all look white.
What is the significance of the carabao, Datu, in the story?
-Datu, the carabao, symbolizes the narrator's connection to his work and daily life. The carabao helps with plowing the field and provides a sense of partnership, as the narrator says it does half of his work.
Why does the narrator offer lambanog to the American soldier instead of whiskey?
-The narrator explains that Filipinos are 'mild drinkers' and that he drinks lambanog, a traditional Filipino alcoholic drink, instead of whiskey.
What is lambanog, and how does it differ from whiskey?
-Lambanog is a drink extracted from the coconut tree, often mixed with mango bark to prevent spontaneous combustion. It is also used as a remedy for snake bites, as a malaria counteractive, insecticide, and for tanning carabao hide. It is a much stronger and more versatile drink compared to whiskey.
How does Joe, the American soldier, react to drinking lambanog?
-Joe reacts dramatically to the lambanog, with his eyes popping out, clutching his throat, panting, and sweating. He struggles to handle the strong drink and eventually passes out.
Why does the narrator pour some of his drink on the ground before consuming it?
-The narrator explains that it is a custom in the Philippines to give back to the earth a little of what has been taken from it.
What symbolic comparison does the narrator make between the coconut tree and the Philippines?
-The narrator compares the coconut tree to the Philippines, saying that while it reaches for the sky, its leaves bend down to the earth, symbolizing how it does not forget the soil that gave it life.
What cultural differences are highlighted in the interaction between the narrator and Joe?
-Cultural differences are highlighted through the narrator's mild drinking habits, the custom of pouring a bit of drink for the earth, and his preference for lambanog over whiskey, while Joe represents the American tendency to drink excessively and his unfamiliarity with Filipino customs.
How does the story reflect the relationship between Filipinos and Americans during the time of American presence in the Philippines?
-The story reflects a mix of camaraderie and cultural misunderstanding between Filipinos and Americans. While there is friendliness and mutual respect, as shown by the narrator taking care of Joe, there are also differences in behavior and customs that lead to humorous and awkward moments.
Outlines
🍻 Mild Filipino Drinkers and the American Encounter
The narrator explains how Filipinos are considered 'mild drinkers,' drinking for three main reasons: happiness, sadness, or any other reason. The story is set during the American recapture of the Philippines, where U.S. soldiers were commonly seen. The narrator describes meeting a friendly American soldier, whom he calls 'Joe,' as all Americans were called by that name in the Philippines. Joe offers him whiskey, but the narrator declines, stating that Filipinos prefer lambanog (local coconut liquor). Joe boasts about his drinking history, listing many types of alcohol he’s consumed, from whiskey to even non-traditional substances like perfume and shaving lotion. Intrigued by the local drink, Joe insists on trying lambanog, and the narrator agrees to bring him some.
🌴 Comparing Pine and Coconut Trees: A Symbolic Exchange
As the narrator and Joe walk toward the narrator’s house, they discuss trees that symbolize their respective countries. Joe mentions the American pine tree, tall and straight like a skyscraper, symbolizing America’s growth and ambition. The narrator contrasts this with the Philippine coconut tree, which grows toward the sky but bends its leaves down toward the earth, representing a connection to the land and humility. Upon reaching the narrator’s home, they prepare for their drinking session, with the narrator picking Philippine lemons (calamansi) for chasers and readying the lambanog. Joe begins to experience the local customs and environment.
🍋 The Ritual of Drinking Lambanog
In the narrator's home, they prepare to drink lambanog, a coconut-based alcoholic beverage with multiple uses, including as a remedy for snake bites and an insecticide. The narrator follows the tradition of pouring some of the drink onto the ground as an offering back to the earth. As they start drinking, Joe struggles with the strong lambanog, coughing and showing exaggerated reactions, despite his earlier confidence. The first drink hits him hard, but he insists on trying more. The narrator, being a good host, continues to drink with him while observing Joe’s increasingly dramatic responses to the potent liquor.
🥴 Joe’s Downfall: The Lambanog Challenge
Joe continues to drink the lambanog, but each time he reacts more dramatically, panting, loosening his clothing, and even mistaking his leg for his tongue at one point. He fumbles with his teeth, complaining that the drink has loosened his bridgework. His exaggerated reactions, like sweating and making strange noises, amuse the narrator. Joe eventually passes out from the strong drink, lying flat on the floor like a starfish. The narrator, concerned about getting Joe back to the airbase, calls on neighbors to help carry him. They place Joe on a carabao and take him back to his barracks, where his fellow soldiers are relieved to see him return. The narrator declines a beer from them, reaffirming that Filipinos are 'mild drinkers.'
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Mild drinkers
💡GI (Government Issue)
💡Lambanog
💡Carabao
💡Calamansi
💡Nipa hut
💡Jungle juice
💡Yankee soldier
💡Coconut tree
💡Bolo
Highlights
Filipinos drink for three reasons: when happy, when sad, and for any other reason.
Americans built an airbase near the narrator’s barrio after recapturing the Philippines.
All Americans are called 'Joe' by Filipinos, symbolizing the familiarity yet difficulty in telling them apart.
The American soldier offered whiskey to the Filipino, who refused, stating that Filipinos are 'mild drinkers'.
The Filipino introduces the soldier to 'lambanog,' a traditional coconut-based drink, and explains its cultural significance.
The American soldier, despite his confidence in drinking different types of alcohol, reacts strongly to the lambanog.
The narrator humorously describes how the first drink of lambanog hits hard, comparing the soldier's reaction to swallowing a centipede.
Lambanog is described as having many uses, including as a remedy for snake bites, malaria, and even as an insecticide.
The Filipino custom of pouring a little of the drink onto the ground to give back to the earth is highlighted.
The soldier struggles with the potency of the drink, causing him to think his bridgework has come loose.
The comical image of smoke seemingly coming out of the soldier’s ears after drinking lambanog.
The American soldier passes out from the lambanog, and the Filipino narrator has to carry him back to his barracks.
The entire barrio helps carry the soldier back, creating a sense of community and camaraderie.
Upon returning the soldier to his barracks, another American offers the narrator a beer, but the narrator declines, reaffirming that 'we Filipinos are mild drinkers'.
The story humorously contrasts the American soldier’s brashness with the Filipino’s understated yet strong sense of culture and identity.
Transcripts
we Filipinos are mild drinkers by
Alejandro AR
Roes we Filipinos are mild drinkers we
drink for only three good reasons we
drink when we are very happy we drink
when we are very sad and we drink for
any other
reason when the Americans recaptured the
Philippines they built an air base a few
miles from our bario Yankee soldiers
became a very common site I met a lot of
GIS and made many friends I could not
pronounce their names I could not tell
them apart all Americans looked alike to
me they all looked white one afternoon I
was plowing a rice field with our
caribow named
datu I was barefooted and stripped to
the waist my pants which were made from
abaka fibers and woven on homemade looms
were rolled to my knees my bolo was at
my
side
an American Soldier was walking on the
highway when he saw me he headed toward
me I stopped plowing and waited for him
I noticed he was carrying a half pain
bottle of whiskey whiskey bottle seemed
part of the American
[Music]
Uniform hello my little brown brother he
said patting me on the head hello Joe I
answered all Americans are called Joe in
the
Philippines I am sorry Joe there are no
bars in this
bario oh no you know where I could buy
more
whiskey here have a swig you have been
working hard no thank you Joe we
Filipinos are mild
drinkers well don't you drink at
all yes Joe I drink but not whiskey
what do you
drink I drink
lambanog jungle juice
a I guess that is what the gis call it
you know where I could buy
some I have some you can have but I
don't think you will like
it I'll like it all right don't worry
about that I have drunk everything
whiskey ROM Brandy tequila Jin champagne
AK
vodka he mentioned many more things that
I cannot
spell I not only drink a lot but I drink
anything I drank Chanel Number Five when
I was in France in New Guinea I get sa
on Williams shaving lotion when I was
laid up in a hospital I pie eyed with
medical
alcohol on my way here on a transport I
got Stoned on torpedo juice you ain't
kidding when you say I drink a lot so
let's have some of that Jungle Juice
eh all
right I will just take this Carib about
to the mud hole then we can go home and
drink you sure love that animal don't
you I should it does half of my work why
don't you get two of
them I didn't
answer
I unhitched thatu from the plow and led
him to the Mud Hole Joe was following
me that laid in the mud and was going
whoosh
[Music]
whoosh flies and other insects flew from
his back and hoovered in the
air a strange warm odor rose out of the
mudel a carab about does not have any
sweat glands except on the nose it has
to wallow in the mud or bath in a river
every 3 hours otherwise it runs a
[Music]
mock thatu shook his head and his
widespread horns scooped the muddy water
on his
back he rolled over and was soon covered
with slimy
mud an expression of perfect contentment
came into his
eyes then he he swished his tail and Joe
and I had to move back from the Mud Hole
to keep from getting splashed I left duu
in the mud hole then turning to Joe I
said let us
go and we proceeded toward my house Joe
was cautiously looking
around this place is full of coconut
trees don't you have any coconut trees
in
America
no back home we have the pine
tree what is it
like oh it is tall and stately it goes
straight up to the sky like a skyscraper
it symbolizes
America well the coconut tree symbolizes
the
Philippines it starts up to the sky but
then its leaves way down the Earth as if
remembering the land that gave it birth
it does not forget the soil that gave it
life in a short while we arrived at my
NEPA house I took the bamboo ladder and
leaned it against the tree then I
climbed the ladder and picked some
calaman what's
that Philippine lemon we will need this
for our drinks oh
Chasers that is right Joe that is what
the soldiers call
[Music]
it I filled my pockets and then went
down I went to the Garden well and
washed the mud from my legs then we went
up a bamboo ladder to my
[Music]
Hut it was getting dark so I filled a
coconut shell dipped a wick in the oil
and lighted the wick It produced a
flickering light I unstrapped my bolo
and hung it on the
wall please sit down Joe
where he said looking
around right there I said pointing to
the floor Joe sat down on the floor I
sliced the calamansi in halves took some
rough salt and laid it on the foot high
table I went to the kitchen and took the
bamboo tube where I kept my
lambanog lambanog is a drink extracted
from the coconut tree with pulverized
mango bark thrown in to prevent SP
aneous
combustion it has many uses we use it as
a remedy for snake bites as a
counteractive for malaria chills as an
insecticide and for tanning carabal
hide I poured some lambanog on two
polish coconut shells and gave one of
the shells to Joe I diluted my drink
with some of Joe's whiskey it became
milky we were both Seated on the floor I
poured some of my drink on the bamboo
floor it went through the slits to the
ground
below hey what are you doing throwing
good liquor
away no Joe it is the custom here always
to give back to the earth a little of
what we have taken from the earth well
he said racing his shell here's to the
end of the
war here is to the end of the war I said
also lifting my shell I gulped my drink
down I followed it with a slice of
calaman dipped in rough salt Joe took
his drink but reacted peculiarly his
eyes popped out like a frogs and his
hand clutched his throat he looked as if
he had swallowed a centipede quick a
chaser I gave him a slice of calaman
dipped in unrefined salt he squirted it
in his mouth but it was too late nothing
could chase him the calaman did not help
him I don't think even coconut would
have helped him what is wrong
Joe nothing the first drink always
affects me this way he was panting hard
and tears were rolling down his cheeks
well the first drink always acts like a
mind sweeper but this second one will be
smooth I filled his shell for the second
time again I diluted my drink with Joe's
whiskey I gave him his shell I noticed
that he was beaded with perspiration he
had unbuttoned his color and loosened
his thigh Joe took his shell but he did
not seem very anxious I lifted my shell
and said here is to America I was trying
to be a good
host here's the
America Joe
said we both killed our drinks Joe again
reacted in a funny way his neck
stretched out like a Turtles and now he
was panting like a a Carib about gun
berserk he was panting like a caribow
gun a
mo he was grasping his thigh with one
hand then he looked down on his thigh
threw it to one side and said oh Christ
for a while I thought it was my
tongue after this he started to Tinker
with his teeth what is wrong Joe I asked
still trying to be a perfect host plenty
this dang drink has loosened my bridge
work as Joe exhaled a moth flying around
the flickering flame fell dead he stared
at the dead moth and said and they talk
to
DDT well how about another drink it is
what we came here for no thanks I'm
through okay just one more I poured the
juice into the shells and again diluted
mine with whiskey I handed Joe his drink
here's to the FIP Philippines here's to
the
Philippines Joe took some of his drink I
could not see very clearly in the
flickering light but I could have sworn
I saw smoke coming out of his
ears this stuff must be
radioactive he threw the remains of his
drink on the Nipa wall and yelled Blaze
God dang you
blaze just as I was getting in the mood
to drink Joe passed out he lay on the
floor flat as a
starfish he was in a class all by
himself I knew that the soldiers had to
be back in their Barracks at a certain
time so I decided to take Joe back I
tried to lift
him it was like lifting a caribow I had
to call four of my neighbors to help me
carry
Joe we slung him on top of my carow I
took my Ballo from the house and trapped
it on my waist then I proceeded to take
him back the whole bario was wondering
what had happened to the big
Americano after 2 hours I arrived at the
Airfield I found out which Barracks he
belonged to and took him there his
friends helped me to take him to his cot
they were glad to see him
back everybody thanked me for taking him
home as I was leaving the barracks to go
home one of his buddies called me and
said hey you how about a can of beer
before you
go no thanks we Filipinos are mild
drinkers
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