Filipino American

Filipino Americans (Fil-Am for short), the second-largest Asian American community http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/c2kbr01-16.pdf, are Americans who trace their ancestry back to the Philippines, an archipelagic nation found in Southeast Asia south of Taiwan and east of the South China Sea, and have attained United States residency and/or citizenship. There are over 2 million Americans who identified their ancestry as Filipino. Most Filipino Americans reside in California and Hawai'i. In addition to California, Filipinos form the largest group of Asians in Alaska, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. And in addition to Hawai'i, they are the second largest group of Asians in Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Maine, New Mexico, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia.

Holidays and celebrations

Extremely hospitable in nature, Filipino Americans are fond of celebrating with familes, extended families and friends. It is not unusual for a family to host as many as a dozen occasions each year (i.e., baptisms, birthdays, funerals, holidays, showers, weddings). Celebrations are highlighted by large buffets of traditional Filipino food including but not limited to adobo (savory soy sauce and vinegar stewed beef, pork or chicken), lumpia (egg rolls), pancit (fried noodles) and fresh grilled fish. Ilocano food tends to be bitter in flavor including pinapaitan (beef stewed in bile broth) and bittermelon casseroles and omelets. Often such affairs can grow to become major neighborhood block parties as families haul out folding chairs and bales of paper plates.

Related Topics:
Adobo - Vinegar - Lumpia - Bittermelon

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Filipino American fondness for celebrating has most recently led to the establishment of larger community wide festivals celebrating the Filipino culture. Most festivals occur in May during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Flores de Mayo, a Roman Catholic harvest feast in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Related Topics:
Flores de Mayo - Roman Catholic - Blessed Virgin Mary

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