The first common thing between the Czech Republic and the Philippines is a doll of the Infant Jesus. The Czech one can be seen at the Church of Our Lady Victorious [Kostel Panny Marie Vitĕzné], Prague, Karmelitská 9. It was given to the descalded Carmelite Fathers [Black Friars] of Prague at the turn of the 17th century by Lady Polyxena, the widow of the High Chancellor of Bohemia, Zdenĕk VOJTĔK VON LOBKOWITZ. Polyxena was the daughter of Do[n tilde]a Maximiliana MANRIQUE DE LARA. To the same family belonged Don Sabiniano MANRIQUE DE LARA who was Governor of the Philippines from 1653 to1663. The other doll of the Infant Jesus is in Cebu, Visayas, Philippines. It was a gift from Ferdinand MAGELLAN to the local royal couple when he landed there in 1521. When the Spaniards came back to the Philippines in 1565 to conquer it, they plundered the town of Cebu, and a soldier discovered the doll in a basket. This event was regarded as a miracle, and the Spanish City of Cebu was dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. The two dolls are replicas of an earlier one that is now lost at that may have been created in Flanders.
Hi! Having been to both The Czech Republic, and the Republic of the Philippines, I can also say that there is one other similarity - roast suckling pig. It is called "lechon" in the P.I., and I had something remarkably similar in Prague in a restaurant next door to the Castle. Even the sauce served with it was surprisingly similar, although more piquant than the Philippine version. Dobrou chut'!
LOL! I didn't know about this similarity but I recall someone telling me that in the 60s a delegation from Vietnam embarrassed the Czech communist government by presenting them with a sumptously embroidered dress for the Infant Jesus of Prague. I'd love to know where they got the idea!
The second common thing between the Czech Republic and the Philippines is Prof. Ferdinand BLUMENTRITT. Prof. BLUMENTRITT (Prague 1853 - Litomĕřice / Leitmeritz 1913) taught geography at the grammar school of Litomĕřice / Leitmeritz, Bohemia. Of course one must remember that a grammar school teacher of that time is rather the equivalent of a college or even university professor nowadays. Without leaving his country, the Austrian Empire, Prof. BLUMENTRITT collected all sorts of documents (texts, maps, artifacts etc.) from and /or about the Philippines. He thus became the first non-Spanish specialist of the Philippines, and a corresponding member of the Spanish academy. He was awarded the Knighthood of the Order of Queen Isabella the Catholic by the Spanish government. Dr. José (Mercado) RIZAL (Calamba, Laguna, Philippines 1861 – Manila 1896 [death penalty for sedition]), the national hero of the Philippines, was an ophthalmologist by training and a political reformist demanding the compulsory teaching of Spanish to Filipinos (called “Indios” then) and their representation in the Spanish parliament. During a visit to Europe, while staying in Barcelona, Dr. RIZAL learned of the existence of Prof. BLUMENTRITT. He wrote him, and Prof. BLUMENTRITT invited him to visit him in Litomĕřice / Leitmeritz. This was the beginning of a long friendship and an abundant correspondence. Prof. BLUMENTRITT supported Dr. RIZAL’s political demands. A Manila street bears the name of Prof. BLUMENTRITT to honour his memory.
Eva2 Each of these dolls has a rich wardrobe the colours of which vary according to the liturgical calendar. In Prague it is an order of nuns attached to the church of Our Lady Victorious who is in charge of the wardrobe. Normally delegations visiting the church, present the Infant Jesus with a robe. Most of them are magnificent. I am a non-practicing Catholic, but I find this tradition absolutely charming, and I hope it will continue.
Zaner Unless I'm mistaken, the roasted _lechon de leche_ "milk piglet" with a sauce made with its liver is a Spanish recipe that may have been brought to Bohemia by Lady MANRIQUE DE LARA or other Spaniards settling in Bohemia during the Habsburg period.
Yes, my wife, who is a filipina, tells me that lechon is indeed a Spanish tradition. It also might interest you to know that in Calamba, Laguna, Philippines, (the birthplace of the martyred Dr. Rizal, and my dear wife) there is a museum at the home of the good Doctor. The house had to be restored after being burned by the Japanese during WWII, but it is a very interesting replica of the original, and filled with much information about Dr. Rizal, including his travels in Europe. There is mention of Bohemia, where in Leitmeritz, Dr. Rizal met Prof. Blummentritt. In fact, if memory serves, the museum is in possession of a Czech halberd which Dr. Rizal brought back from Europe.
Zaner: The more I think of if, the stanger it sounds to me because, generally, the Japanese didn't bomb anything in the Philippines. The only WWII bombings I have heard of were done by Americans. This is comparable to their bombing of Normandy cities in France etc., Dresden etc. in Germany, other places (Prague ?) etc. There was the undeniable will to destroy, and kill civilians. On the contrary, the Japanese supported the nationalist movement to free Filipinos from American colonialism and, as such, supported the historical symbols of independence such as Rizal, their native languages etc. They even issued stamps and banknotes showing Rizal. Why should they have bombed his family home? This doesn't mean that Filipinos were pleased to be occupied by the Japanese. The fact remains that the Japanese did everything to support Filipino nationalism.
Hi again, Qcumber. Well, my off-hand remark about the Rizal house being rebuilt has opened a can of worms! I did not say bombed, I said burned. I showed your message to my wife (a Filipina) and she was amused, but says you have it all wrong. I really don't know whether the Japanese bombed the P.I. or not, but I do know a lot of Filipinos who remember the war, or who were born at the close of the war and still pass along stories told to them by witnesses, and they do not speak of any benevolence at all with regard to Japanese treatment of the Filipinos. Mostly stories of executions, rape, the destruction of property, torture, and the gratuitous killing of children. I can give you detailed examples. It is fairly common knowledge that when the Japanese learned of the impending U.S. invasion to retake the P.I., they burned everything in their path on the way out, including a good portion of Manila. In that city, there is a dungeon in an ancient Spanish fortress where Filipino and American prisoners were starved to death by their Japanese captors. I can't imagine thinking of them as being interested in "freeing" the Filipino people, or "preserving their national identity". It just did not happen that way. On the other hand, Americans have always been held in fairly high regards by Filipinos, because of our mutual defeat of the Japanese, the prior education of the Filipinos (as opposed to the illiteracy and subjugation imposed by Spain), and the relinquishing of U.S. territorial claim to the P.I. in 1946. Granted, as time goes on, fewer people remember these things, and the popularity of the U.S. in the Philippines is waning, as it is world wide. I can't and won't defend today's U.S. imperialism. However, the statements that the Americans had "an undeniable will to destroy, and kill civilians", and that "the Japanese did everything to support Filipino nationalism" are utterly false.
You are right Zaner. You didn't say "bombed" but "burned". Still I just don't see why the Japanese should have burned Rizal's family home owing to all they have done to promote Philippine independence, and their support of Rizal as a national hero (instituted as such by American freemasons). As regards the destruction of part of the old walled inner city of Manila (Intramuros), I can tell you that it was shelled by Americans. I am neither an American nor a Filipino. I don't have to go by the propaganda that has been spoonfed to the gullible. What I say is based on historical evidence. I don't mean that Filipinos saw the defeat of Japan with tears in their eyes. Not at all. The great majority hated them, and the Americans were welcome liberators. Prejudice against Spain have been carefully cultivated by US propaganda. It is reflected in what you say about education. It is true that the United States of America compelled all Filipinos to learn English. May I remind you, however, that until the 19th Century, Filipino children were taught in their own languages (Spanish priests had to learn the languages of their congregations; the local administrations were in the hands of Filipinos), and that in the course of the 19th century, it was decreed they should be taught Spanish at the demand of the Filipino elite (even before the time of Rizal who urged the Spanish government to open public schools in Spanish, and appoint lay teachers.) Sorry for being so frank, but it is in my nature. I can't help it.
I wonder nobody mentioned flags. They are very similar. http://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souborhi ... ag_300.png I hope nobody needs link for czech flag.
Yes, I noticed that a long time ago. The number of countries with this flag pattern (triangle on the staff side) is fairly large: Cuba, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Jordan, Mozambique, Philippines, Sao Tome and Principe, South-Africa, Sudan, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe. It is true the closest to each other are the Czech Republic's and the Philippines'.
Do you know how the CR's flag was chosen? I heard they put the "draft" flags on masts on ships and watched them from a bank and chose that one which was the most distinguishable
On ships? None of them would have been very far from the bank as they would have necessarily been on a river. Obviously this is a joke made up by some foreigner.
yes ... vis a vis Rizal n Blumentritt ... http://www.univie.ac.at/Voelkerkunde/ap ... blumen.htm Blumentritt is a household word in the Philippines ... the filipino intellectuals are very aware on the significance of the friendship that existed between both rennaissance men ... while the common tao (common mass) ... is familiar of the word ... Blumentritt, whether in reference to the person who was the friend of our national hero, Rizal, or the existence of places in his name ... a plaza, an avenida, etc.. funny .. i stumbled into this forum ... i just broke up with someone who is half Czech origin ... was trying to understand the culture, ... and i see this thread ... Czech and the Philippines ... :cry:
Sure, the same way the US supported Philippine and Cuban independence when those islands belonged to Spain... From askoxford.com: Renaissance man • noun a person with a wide range of talents or interests.
