What’s a thing you wish schools actually taught?

I had hoped to study Spanish in school. Decades ago, Spanish was a mandatory college class, since abolished. The country was under Spanish rule for 333 years. Many Filipino words are loaned from the motherland. The school system should’ve embraced our past.

Espanol 101

Spanish 101 must be mandatory for high school students. It will add a bit of spice to the teener’s life. Spanish is easy to learn given our background. Some olden Pinoy writers penned their books in Spanish. Jose Rizal and Claro M. Recto, to name a couple. English is my second language just as Spanish was Rizal’s. He wrote two novels in Castillan. I’ve published three books in three literary forms in English. Plus about 500 blog posts. He did pen hundreds of letters.

By the way

My latest book, a poetry collection, has some Spanish. Among the titles are ‘Mi Primer Adios’ (My first farewell). ‘The Metaphysician por favor’ (The Metaphysician please). ‘Macho Pobre’ (Poor Macho). Adios begins with ‘para los todos exiliados en ‘Dapitan’ (for all those exiled in ‘Dapitan’). ‘Todos Los Santos’ (All Saints’ Day).

Aside from Spanish, the collection also features Filo subheadings. ‘Makamasa’ (for the masses). ‘Siraniko’ (Broken Mechanic). ‘Ang Huling El Gringo’ (The Last El Gringo)

Lingua Franca

Spanish was the nineteenth century’s dominant tongue. Used in all of South America bar Brazil. In Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Central America from Mexico to Costa Rica. By the early 1800s these territories became independent. Cuba and the Philippines were the outliers. Speaking of Cuba, Rizal was all set to depart for the island until the Spanish rulers nixed the plan. He was exiled to Dapitan for three years.

Aside from the language, Pinoys have adopted other traditions like fiestas and siestas. The former celebrates feast days of Saints. Lechon (roast pork), stir fried noodles, spring rolls, fried chicken, fruit salads, pork chops, and other items are prepared for everyone to enjoy. Meanwhile, Filipinos have embraced siestas or afternoon naps. This is quite common, just like in the motherland.

Legacy

Two centuries later, the Spanish legacy lives on. The Incas speak it. So does Matt Damon, who married a Mexican. He showed off his Spanish in Bourne Ultimatum while evading baddies in Madrid. He also had Spanish lines in Elysium. Actress Ana de Armas is Hollywood’s in girl. Starring in the latest Bond film, she was born in Cuba. Singer Shakira is Colombian. Spanish is her first language. Another acclaimed singer, Gloria Estefan, is from Cuba. Floridians speak it, as do many Californians.

Speaking of music, the Cuban folk song, ‘Guantanamera’, is widely covered across the world. I first heard it in a Sydney RSL club. ‘Corazon Espinado’ likewise struck a chord with me.

In the literary world, Ernest Hemingway lived in Spain during the civil war. He made Cuba his home. His novel, For Whom the Bells Toll, was set in Spain. Colombian Gael Garcia Marquez was a Nobel Laureate. He was a standout at magical realism.

Filmmakers

Spanish language directors have had a renaissance. Alfonso Cuaron produced Gravity. I saw that many moons ago with a friend at the cinema. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney gave memorable performances. He also helmed Netflix’s Roma. This semi-autobiographical project was favoured to win Best Picture. It was the people’s pick. Guillermo del Toro won Oscars for The Shape of Water. Ajelandro Inarritu directed the gritty adaptation of The Revenant. He won Best Picture for Birdman. Among these films, only Roma has Spanish dialogue. They are all Mexicans.

I watched Pedro Almodovar in the past. Penelope Cruz was a recurring collaborator, as was Javier Bardem. My favourite was Hable con Ella (Talk to her). I also viewed Carne Tremula.

Accented

While commuting for uni, this Spanish-speaking chick told her friend in English that people have different Spanish accents. In her opinion, the Madrid intonation was best.

Filipinos have different accents. Visayans have a strong inflection that’s difficult to offload even with years in Manila. For instance, this ex-basketball high flier studied uni in Manila and has lived there for two decades. Regardless, he still retains traces of his Visayan patois though his Tagalog is very fluent.

Sporting world

In sports, Rafa Nadal is from Spain. He holds the record of 14 grand slam wins at Roland Garros, the most in any single slam. He honed his skills in the Mallorcan clay courts. Probably the toughest tennis player. He battled through persistent injuries and the grind. One of the best returners ever, alongside Andre Agassi and Novak Djokovic. He never gave away cheap points.

Madrid and Barcelona host ATP tour events. They’re part of the year’s clay court season. They also have two marquee La Liga clubs: Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Madrid has featured icons as David Beckham and Ronaldo. Meanwhile, Barcelona employed Maradona, Messi, Neimar, and Ronadinho.

More recently, Carlos Alcaraz has flied the Spanish flag on the tennis tour. He’s the youngest player to complete the career grand slam. Consistently world number one, he has beaten the best, including Djokovic. Like Nadal, a great competitor. Auto racer Fernando Alonso was F1 champion. He also hails from Spain. In the NBA, Pau Gasol is regarded as the finest Spanish export. He won two chips with the LA Lakers. Ricky Rubio was a top point guard before injuries derailed his promising career.

The islands need a Spanish revival. We should reimagine our identity and flaunt our rich and vibrant history. Why not begin at grassroots level?