20 questions to ask yourself about your cultural identity

As much as I don’t want to write about writing, I’ve noticed that the standard article is structured so that the flow of information is one-way: from author to reader. I’d like to challenge that - I don’t profess to having all the answers, and I’m eager to use writing as a way to explore rather than just explain.

With Philippine culture ever on my mind, I thought of compiling a list of 20 questions that one can use to examine their cultural identity. You can answer them in order, just the ones you like, alone or in a group, or not at all. It’s your choice - why should I dictate it! Without further ado, here they are:



  1. What is the meaning of your name?

  2. Do you have multiple first names?

  3. What is their origin?

  4. Are you named after a family member?

  5. Do you have a province?

  6. Do you have an ancestral home there?

  7. Do you or your family fit the provincial stereotype?

  8. What are some stories about your ancestors that were passed down?

  9. Which of these is the earliest chronologically?

  10. Are you descended from someone influential or famous?

  11. What role did they play in history?

  12. What historical events did your parents live through?

  13. Your grandparents?

  14. Your great-grandparents?

  15. How did this shape who they were?

  16. Does anyone in your household use Spanish words or expressions (ex. for money or telling time)?

  17. What do they mean?

  18. Is there any foreign blood in your ancestry?

  19. Where did it come from?

  20. Does it show?

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