Once tasted forever wanted! One of my wonders about Filipino food is that, why do Filipinos love to eat carbohydrates especially rice? It seems like a meal is incomplete when there is no presence of rice on the table.
Filipino foods are one-of-a-kind. No matter where you go in the Philippines, foods can be seen anywhere. Inside the restaurants, houses, and even in the streets, Filipinos are undeniably eaters and food lovers. As I roamed around in the streets of the country, I became interested not just in the foods themselves but also in the stories behind every tasty dish Filipinos prepare.
So, my wonders had pushed me to continue roaming around the streets of the Philippines until curiosity took me to the idea of questioning some people that I will meet.
WHY DO FILIPINOS LOVE TO EAT RICE?
Fortunately, I have accumulated these answers.
Geographically speaking, the climate of the Philippines is suitable for planting rice and the like. The country’s land areas are full of rice fields and crops. The agricultural sector becomes the backbone of the growing economy because of its wide plantation of crops and rice. On the other hand, Filipinos are considered the 2nd largest importer of rice in the world. Yes, Filipinos consume rice so terribly and it becomes a part of their daily diet. Thus, because of its growth rate of rice consumption, rice is called by most Filipinos “prestige food” because they would always search for rice every single meal they will have.
Rice is significant not just on Filipino dining tables, it also significant culturally and historically. According to some people, rice became significant in the life of every Filipino even before the colonial period. The consumption of rice was part of the daily living of early Philippine civilization. In fact, the Banaue Rice Terraces (Hagdang-hagdang palayan) is a mountain of rice fields made by the Ifugaos (one of the ethnic Filipino people) hundred years ago. This creation shows not just the obsession of Filipinos to eating rice but also to one of the Filipino characters, ‘kasipagan’ (hardwork). Hence, the beautiful creation of the Ifugaos became a tourist destination which later on took a place in Eight Wonders of the World.
Planting is not easy
Culturally, it has been said that rice plantation is very significant to every Filipinos’ lives. The country songs such as ‘Magtanim ay di Biro’ (Planting is not easy) and some of the Philippine dances tackled the processes of planting and harvesting rice. Various folklore and legends were made to tell stories about how rice originated in the Philippines.
Therefore, Filipinos became rice eaters because it has been part of their culture and history. It became a norm to early Filipinos and has been passed down from generation to generation. It is called ‘staple food’ by most Filipinos because it is being paired with different viands even noodles and pasta.
The Philippines is undeniably culturally rich. This is a place good for wandering and roaming. Every corner in the country, I think, has its own story to tell and every story would actually leave you awe and amusing.
How about you? What are your wonders about Filipino foods?
