10 Things to Do to Nurture Your Filipino Roots in 2009

As Pinoy expats, or Filipinos living outside the Philippines, it’s easy to blend into the culture that we find ourselves in, wherever it may be. More and more, the Philippines becomes a distant land where we once lived. We lose touch, we drift away, and suddenly, we are not so ‘Filipino’ anymore. The richness of our culture bears some nurturing because, no matter what happens or where we go, our Filipino roots will always be part of who we are.

This year could be the year that some of us could go back and recapture or nourish those roots. Here are 10 things I plan to do to help me accomplish this:

1. Call ‘home’ more often. ‘Home’, of course, means the Philippines. Most of us have relatives there who would be thrilled to hear our voices on the phone. I call pretty regularly, and try not to miss special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and graduations. But I also like to call for no reason at all, just to catch up, ask about the day, the weather, the traffic, the town, the news, and so on.

2. Connect with your classmates on Facebook. Ah, Facebook, the best thing that has happened to online networking in a long while. I have re-connected with high school classmates like never before. There’s nothing like shared memories of the 80s (complete with photos!) that kindles camaraderie.

3. Learn a Filipino dish. You can make even the simplest one your signature contribution to Filipino gatherings. Try my Arroz caldo or maja blanca. If you’re already top chef in your kitchen, try out a new cookbook to brush up on other dishes. There are always a number of good Filipino cookbooks available.

4. Watch a Filipino movie. There are no movies like Filipino movies. They may not be Oscar caliber, but they speak right to the Filipino heart.

5. Go to a performance by a Filipino artist. If you live in L.A. or Las Vegas, there are always concerts by Filipino musicians to go to. You might even catch some of the hottest names in Philippine showbusiness today. But if the concert tours don’t happen anywhere near you, there might be performances by local groups that you can attend. Maybe a demonstration of tinikling by local Filipino familes or clubs. It’s one way to celebrate our heritage.

6. Buy a CD by a Filipino singer. Online shopping makes it so easy to keep updated on the newest hits in the Philippines. Just pop one in your car and sing along every time!

7. Teach your children a Filipino song. Remember those songs from your youth. Teach your children to sing songs like ‘Bahay kubo’ and ‘Leron leron sinta’, even if they don’t understand the words.

8. Tell more stories about your life in the Philippines. Recall your days of playing patintero in the streets. Better yet, write these stories down in a journal or scrapbook.

9. Eat at a Filipino restaurant. Whenever you get a chance, sit down at a Pinoy restaurant and enjoy home-cooked meals just like back home. I honestly get a kick out of Filipino restaurants that have rickety metal tables and chairs. They remind me so much of the neighborhood eateries back home!

10. Sing karaoke with your loved ones. Filipinos love to sing. Whenever there is karaoke, there’s a good time to be had by all. Pretend you’re Imelda Papin and just belt it out. Nobody cares whether you’re in tune or not. It’s not about that at all. And if your family has never experienced karaoke before, 2009 is the year to introduce them to this fun activity!

image: Flickr