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- Title:
- 50 Years of Feeding (Part B)
- Description:
- Fr. Juan Medina arrived in Manila in 1610. His “Historia” describes the Chinese church as so fine it would be “sightly even in Europe.” The Chinese had capital but they were abused and taxed at the slightest whim. A Chinese wanting to wear a cue, even if Christian, for instance paid to do so annually. But the smart Sangley (Chinese) himself says, “I do not pay this, the Castilian does.” Medina explains: “For since we get our food, clothing and shoes through them, and it is necessary that everything comes from [their] hand, therefore they avenge themselves very well, by putting up prices on everything and shortening measures, so that the loss is greater than is realised.” Medina lamented, “Even when [the Spaniard] is able to get his food gratis [from them]... [he] obtains it at excessive rates because of his lack of consideration or his heedless ways.” Chinese got even when they sold wheat flour, orange preserves, pear, chestnut, ham, dried beef, Chinese chicken, almond and salt imported from their mainland. Spaniards were dependent on them. At the Parian were bakers, butchers, confectioners, sugar vendors and makers of sweets, noodles, wine and more. There were cooks, too, hired by Spanish households. Chinese also planted kitchen gardens with vegetables colonials liked. Chinese added mouths the colony had to feed; the thousands of their own who were residents plus the traders waiting it out for a change in the winds to blow them back to southern China. Colonialism imbalanced whatever food equilibrium there may have been before 1565. The “China Poblana” inspired Mexican attire at Pueblo. The Asian is said to have arrived on a Manila galleon and was sold in Mexico. Legend says she was an Indian princess in a sari. New claims add she may have been an india of Filipinas. Chinese contributions to colonial cooking have yet to be definitive. Some Chinese overseas workers married Filipinas and moved to different parts of the islands where they engaged in agriculture and food related enterprise.
- Subjects:
- Chinese Business Spaniards
- Exhibition:
- Juan Medina 50
- Source:
- Poblanas (People from Pueblo) by Carl Nebel (1805-1855) In Vazquez Mantecón, Anales del Instituto Investigaciónes Esteticas. commons.m.wikimedia.com
- Type:
- Image;Still Image
- Format:
- image/jpeg
Source
- Preferred Citation:
- "50 Years of Feeding (Part B)", Philippine Food History, Felice P. Sta. Maria
- Reference Link:
- felicepstamaria.net/items/coll109.html
Rights
- Rights:
- public domain