- “Trying to catch the sunset?” by Jan Isaac Bugante
Prior to my studies in multicultural communication, Clarissa Chikiamko’s award winning article, “Have Our Artists Found the Filipino Soul?” would not have captured my interest past the first glance. My genuine interest in Filipino culture stems from a personal relationship involving someone born in the Philippines. Until now, my intrigue was limited to unfamiliar customs and a desire to prevent myself from embarrassment while interacting with Filipino family members. My personal identity encompasses as little artistic capacity as one can claim while still functioning in society. Nonetheless, my role as a student, coupled with my recent enlightenment in the area of cultural identity, breaths life into a brilliant piece of writing I may have otherwise discarded.
This article speaks to my understanding of communal identity as it is reflected through art as a means of communication. Chikiamko asks if the Filipino soul is found in artist’s offerings. In evaluating this question, one must first recognize what is meant by the phrase, “Filipino soul.” Without the further probing questions Chikiamko leads the reader through, one might simply assume Filipino soul to be synonymous with a mental picture of historical Philippine values, worldviews, and norms. Defined as such, a concise answer might be given, but Chikiamko’s true meaning would be missed. The depth of the question is revealed in the conflicting concepts of the source versus the subject. Is Filipino soul certain in art created by those of Filipino descent, regardless of the work presented? Can it be found in work depicting Filipino issues, yet created by those without a drop of Filipino blood in their veins? In answer, I can only relate back to similarities with familiar Filipino culture that might disclose a link between a particular work and Chikiamko’s concept of Filipino soul.
In closing, I reflect back to Bradford Hall’s warnings about studying intercultural communication. Though my newfound tools for use in evaluating and interacting with other cultures have opened up a new world of interest, I must be careful not to fall victim to the hazards of quickly oversimplifying or inattentively overgeneralizing a situation. It is the failure to recognize subtle differences, says Hall, which leads us to failure in understanding meaning. (Word Count 370)
