Don't look now, but the hustle and bustle in Binondo has just been amped big time!
KUNG HEI FAT CHOI!!!!
Dragon/Lion Dances. Firecrackers. Angpao. Tikoy...
When the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines, they were surprised to find a thriving, throbbing community that traded with the Chinese merchants. Their merchandise were loaded on to Chinese junks and which they exchanged for either gold or spices. Our taste and penchant for traded goods went through the roof.
Our concept of design as Filipinos is tweaked to reflect individuality and uniqueness. We're one-of-a-kind sort of people. We revel in individuality! On the other hand, give the Chinese a single design concept and they would run away with it and give it a hundred thousand permutations. Not only that, they can produce a great volume of it in varying sizes and colors as well. That was it... the native Pinoy population totally gave up on mass production!
Philippine History is replete with Chinese influence on it. Countless incursions of Chinese pirates Limahong and Koxinga breached the walls of Intramuros. The Chinese uprisings helped make changes in the poltical structure. And though the Spaniards hated the Chinese and didn't really trust them, they were relied on heavily for cheap labor and quality arts and crafts.
They were relegated outside the walls of Intramuros and yet kept close enough so they could be watched... and controlled if the need arose. So It was Binondo for them. Over the years the community grew and flourished and gave rise to a wealthy class of new Chinese mestizo.
They are now the movers and shakers of commerce, industry and finance. So for one day, all roads lead to Binondo as the descendants of the Chinese migrants who've decided to stay and make the Philippines their home celebrate on of the most important feasts of the Chinese calendar. Chinese New Year!
It doesn't matter whether you're Chinese or Filipino or Chinoy, at the first new moon after the winter solstice you recieve a box of tikoy... consult a feng shui master... or at the very least, get a chinese talisman to dispel negativity and attract good luck or consult the forecast on one of the 12 animals that represent your year of birth. Not that you totally believe in it. You are, after all, Roman Catholic. But goodness... you frantically want to harness the forces of nature through Feng Shui because you really. really want to win the 200 million peso Lotto grand prize. Drats! Too late! Someone already won last night.
Now, where is that jade amulet when you need it? Sigh.
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