I found this photo of a stunning native Filipina morena beauty in the page of Old Philippines on Facebook and became a fan immediately. The caption there is:
“From John Silva:
“People have been commenting on the profile photo of the woman with a fan. I first found this photo at the Musee De L’Homme in Paris in 1985. The picture is only identified as Sangley Filipina meaning Chinese Filipina. As a photo historian and… collector I have dated this photograph around 1870’s and the photographer is Francisco Van Kamp. He was a European that had a photo studio in Manila.
The photograph is unusual because the woman exhibits a subtle and alluring look in start contrast to photos of women, mostly modest looking of that period. Her hair glistens with coconut oil and her fan, half open means she is single.
I have shared that photograph since to others and there have been findings of the same photo in other repositories. But I am pleased to have found it myself since the photo was actually misplaced in the French museum. They had put this picture under Tahiti! I made sure it was back in the Philippine folder!”
Please visit this page at Facebook for more images of Filipinas in “the olden days.” Old Philippines on Facebook.
Manytimes, our historical ideals of the Filipina are limited to Maria Clara. But we can find many others to consider as ideals.
It’s been about 110 years ago since the Philippine revolution and Dr. Robert L. Yoder, FAPC wrote 10 years ago during the Centennial honoring: “Philippine Heroines of the Revolution: Maria Clara they were not.”
He tells us of the bravery of the revolutionary heroines Gabriela Silang, ancient Filipina priestesses(babaylan), Gregoria Bonifacio, Melchora Aquino aka Tandang Sora, Patrocinia Gamboa, Hilaria Aguinaldo, Trinidad Tecson, Valeriana Elises y Palma, Agueda Kahabagan, Teresa Magbanua and a few others.
Don’t miss this hidden away online writeup about Filipinas we can look up to.
