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Foundations of Philippine Popular Culture

Popular Culture

  • Definition: Everyday ideas, practices, and products embraced by the public. It reflects current trends and social values, evolving with the interests and experiences of ordinary people.

Characteristics of Popular Culture

  1. Accessibility – Easy to understand and available across ages and classes.

  2. Popularity – Becomes mainstream because many people relate or participate.

  3. Commercialism – Driven by profit through merchandise, events, and digital content.

High Culture

  • Definition: Artistic and intellectual expressions associated with educated and elite sectors, valued for historical, aesthetic, and intellectual depth.

Characteristics of High Culture

  1. Validation – Supported by formal institutions (museums, universities, orchestras).

  2. Sophistication – Focuses on creativity, intellectual depth, refined techniques.

  3. Exclusivity – Limited by cost, location, or social status.

Folk Culture

  • Definition: Customs and practices within communities passed through personal and communal experience, not created for mass profit.

Characteristics of Folk Culture

  1. Tradition – Practices passed through generations.

  2. Locality – Shaped by specific regions and environments.

  3. Symbolism – Rituals and objects that express deeper beliefs and values.

Cultural Institutions in the Philippines

  • NCCA (National Commission for Culture and the Arts, RA. 7356): Government body for policymaking, coordination, and promotion of culture. Supports GAMABA (Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan) and Order of National Artists.

  • CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines): Established in 1966, focuses on high culture and also promotes folk and contemporary arts.

Indigenous Peoples and Communities

  • Indigenous Peoples (IPs): Legal term recognizing native ethnic groups with collective rights.

  • Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs): Local communities with distinct languages, traditions, and ways of life (e.g., Igorot, Aeta, Lumad, Moro).

  • IPRA (Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997 / RA 8371): Upholds rights to land, self-governance, and cultural integrity.

Cultural Sensitivity

  • Definition: Engaging with cultures respectfully to avoid stereotypes and misuse.

  • Steps: Engage (learn and listen), Consult (ask permission before using symbols), Support (credit Indigenous creators).

Cultural Studies Theory

  • Definition: Interdisciplinary field studying how culture connects with power, identity, and society.

  • Core Principles:

    1. Power – Culture reflects and challenges authority.

    2. Representation – Media portrayals shape social understanding.

    3. Interpretation – Audiences actively create meaning.

Key Theorists

  • Stuart Hall – Encoding/decoding model; focused on race, identity, and power.

  • Raymond Williams – “Culture is ordinary”; introduced “structures of feeling.”

  • Antonio Gramsci – Cultural hegemony; dominant groups maintain power by shaping norms.

Applications of Cultural Studies

  • Media & Communication – Influence of media on meaning-making.

  • Subcultures & Youth Culture – Resistance identities (punk, hip-hop).

  • Postcolonial Studies – Effects of colonialism on identity and culture.

  • Gender & Queer Studies – Representation and perceptions of gender roles and sexuality.