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kishmae · 10 months

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Evermore

Adrian Felipe "Pepe" Malic dela Cruz Alindogan - is my Headcanon name for HWSPhilippines (Can still be changed)

Arin Izzati Bolkiah - is my OC!Brunei

There are some short mentions of other ASEAN members and hints of Spain.

Inspired by Habang-Buhay by Zack Tabudlo, try listening to the song it is very cute and light-hearted. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkX3iiI317k

Also, I only used google translate for the Malay translation of the song, so I am sorry in advance for the incorrect/inaccurate translations.

† ⚭⚮⚭ ☪

Aking sinta

Ano bang meron sa iyo

Pag nakikita ka na

Bumabagal ang mundo

The Republic of the Philippines asks himself, what does Negara Brunei Darussalam have that makes the world suddenly stop?

No, what does Arin Izzati Bolkiah have that makes the world freeze?

Is it her gentle golden-brown eyes? Her calm and regal smile? What about her adorable button nose? Oh... Oh! Maybe it's her cheerful and lightheaded laughter? Or perhaps it's all of the above?

Yes, that must be it. Adrian Felipe "Pepe" Malic dela Cruz Alindogan, the personification of the Republic of the Philippines, nods in agreement.

Apabila kamu senyum

Ia seperti orang lain

Apabila melihat saya

Anda akan membuka mata anda

Saya tidak dapat lari dari kecantikanmu yang tenggelam

datang sini

"Malic," Arin calls the nodding nation, intending to get their attention.

Upon hearing his third name, Felipe broke off from his thoughts and then smiles at the Bruneian woman.

'Oh, Allah.' Arin could not help but think as she got caught in his smile. It was as if she was drowning in the depths of Felipe's beautiful purple eyes. The exact same set of eyes that shone like how it was centuries ago with vigor, pride, might, happiness, and everlasting love. That captured both her heart and mind. Arin has to break her stare to stop herself from falling even more and tries to regain her posture. "Come here."

Tignan mo lang ang aking mga mata

Wag kang titingin na sa iba

Akin ka na

Wala ng iba

Felipe wants to curse himself after he sees Brunei avoid his eyes. Did he make himself look stupid? Are there any creases on his uniform? Is his hair tangled? Or is there sand in his eyes? Yes, he had to admit that he had just woken up and rushed into the meeting. Though, he did bathe and did his facial before leaving the house. Maybe he just missed it along his run. He just can't himself, the mobile game he was playing was addicting, and good players only play in the evening.

For sure, Felipe is not an insecure person, especially regarding his looks. But he does get conscious whenever Arin is around.

It's his reflex to look dashing and handsome so that Arin's eyes would only focus on him and nothing more or no one else.

Saya akan berada di sini sehingga kita tua

Saya akan sayang awak selagi awak jatuh

saya pegang

Cuma jangan berputus asa

Selagi saya masih hidup, saya milik awak

Sensing that Felipe had stopped approaching. Arin confusingly looks at him and wonders but then jolts in surprise as she sees him suddenly wiping his entire face using his sleeves.

Arin then lets out a laugh as Felipe takes out his cell phone, seemingly using it as a mirror to check his face. And it seems that his attention to his visage and self-care did not change.

It has been years - No - Centuries that they have met. But even so. Arin could never get enough of Felipe's presence.

It does not matter that when time could finally catch up on them, their hair turning gray, their skin wrinkled, or their bones brittle. She would continue standing there beside him.

And despite their separation for nearly four centuries. Years of yearning, loneliness, and pain. She reminds herself that she had loved him longer than that. And will continue to do so.

How could she not?

He was her sun, her light, and even her breath. He was the air that would drive the sails of the ships bringing her to places she had never been but would always cherish.

He would sing songs for her, dedicating his passion and love for her that made her fall deeper than ever before. And she would not worry about falling because she already knows - he would catch her no matter what.

And she promises that as long as he accepts her, she will be his till eternity.

Wala ng ibang

Nakagawa sa akin ng ganto

Kundi ikaw

Nag-iisang diyosa ng buhay ko

Hearing her chuckle, Felipe turns off his cell phone and then puts his attention towards her. She still looks adorable when laughing. And he can't help lovingly smiling at her.

Felipe knows that if Spain finds out, he might force him to kneel on salt.

As he was never loyal to a single God. For he believes in two.

The Almighty God. And this Goddess in front of him.

She had made him do things he never thought he could.

He made her sonnets, songs, and poems that could make any creature who reads them blush. At first, he wrote on leaves, bamboo, and copper. But as those vanish due to time and colonization. He did not let it stop him.

Despite his memories slowly fading, forgetting her name but never her face. He continues writing - now, using paper, until those pilled up and turned into books. Books that did not mention her name but perfectly describe his devotion unto her.

He prays to God every single day and those prayers contain wishes of happiness and protection for her. And for him to meet her again.

Felipe then approaches Arin after she had stopped her laughing. Standing beside her, he asks. "Is my beauty that dazzling that it makes you laugh hard?"

Jangan takut

jangan takut

Saya ada di sini bila awak keseorangan

Saya tidak dapat lari dari kecantikanmu yang tenggelam

datang sini

Arin then stares at the man beside him and answers, "Yes."

Felipe did not expect that straightforwardness, so he mockingly put a hand above his heart, acting like he was having a heart attack. And before he could make a rebuttal, Arin beat him first. "You look absolutely breathtaking. That makes me think if you are some kind of supernatural being or what."

Now he is not acting. His heart is literally under attack. Dramatically Felipe sits into the nearest chair like the drama king he is. And Arin follows and sat next to him, still laughing at his state.

Arin was - is always on Filipe's side. Even if the world would go against him, she would stay. She would not allow the two of them to separate again. She does not want to again experience those bitter lonely centuries without him.

And this time, she would do anything for it to never happen. She would never let him experience the same loneliness she felt without him.

She was drowning in her tears at the news of his fall in the hands of those colonizers. She wanted to go sailing into his kingdom and demand his return. But her Sultan did not allow her to do so. And then the war happened, and she lost him.

And thankfully, he came back.

But it was painful to know that some of his memories had begun to fade. Gone were those times when they were sailing across the seas, trading with powerful kingdoms, and fighting together against one of the largest empires in the region... And even their marriage.

She bitterly curses that man for the damages he has done. But despite that, he still remembers her face. He still remembers her. And she could not help but cheer when he did.

She now knows that, despite the years of separation. She still has a place in his life. A place where she could still stand beside him and admire his overflowing beauty and brightness.

Tignan mo lang ang aking mga mata

Jangan pandang orang lain

Akin ka na

Tiada yang lain

"Now, stop playing with me." Felipe huffs as he fans himself. Staring at her beautiful eyes he continues. "You know how I hate liars."

"I'm not." Yes, she knows. She knows full well. His history was full of liars and traitors that broke him, making him not like the same nation as he was centuries ago. But he was still her bright and smiling Malic.

Boldly, Arin pulls her chair closer to him and stares him directly in the eyes. Those beautiful purple eyes of his. "You have always looked majestic and beautiful Malic."

The look they give one another can only be described as pure unimaginable love. A love that transcends time. An unconditional love that can never be replaced despite years of separation.

The level of love is never constant; it consistently changes. But it is without a doubt that these two will choose each other to spend their every day with one another. And for the two of them, no one is comparable to their lover. Arin will always be Felipe's. And Felipe will always be Arin's. They are for each other and no one else.

Andito ko hanggang sa ating pagtanda

Mamahalin kita basta't pag nahulog

Naka hawak ako

Wag ka lang bibitaw

Habang buhay na ako'y iyo

He would not let anyone take him away from Arin. Not this time, not ever.

He swore.

This time, Felipe intends to stay with her till they grow old.

He plans to continue writing poems, singing songs, and traveling with her as long as his body will let him.

He had loved her longer than the existence of most countries. And he will continue until his own time will run out. Loving Arin is something involuntary for him.

It was chance that they met, but he was fated to fall head-over-heels for her. And he will continue loving her, giving her everything he could provide. And seeing her happy is his goal in life.

"No, Arin. It is you that is the majestic one." Smiles Felipe. Bravely he grasps his hand into her, interlocking them. Oh, how her small hands perfectly fit well with his. It was as if it was perfectly made to hold each other.

Punggung pun dah bongkok

Malah kepala anda benar-benar kelabu

Anda akan menari sehingga mata kami tertutup

Hearing him say that made Arin's face turn into a vibrant shade of red. Her mind immediately went offline not knowing how to respond to him. She let out a few intangible words.

Seeing his effect on her, Felipe smiled brightly. Then unexpectedly pulls her into a short embrace. Their embrace is cut short, but Felipe still holds her hands, and laughing twirls her around and dances.

Her foot was uncoordinated, expected from a woman being caught off guard. But after a few moments, she managed and followed Felipe's lead.

The two then start to dance across the room. No choreography nor digital music were accompanying them, except for Felipe's humming.

This moment, though not planned, reminded Arin of the days of the past.

It was just like this. The dancing alone, feet on the warm white sands, the moon being their only source of light, the calming sound of the waves, and the beautiful voice of Felipe ringing in her ears. It was peaceful, and relaxing.

And Arin couldn't help but immerse herself and close her eyes. Leaning into his chest. An action she always does when she is comfortable when she feels at home. Well, she is home.

Wala naman na kong hiling pa

Bastat kasama ka habang buhay na

Kuntento ako basta't ikaw lang kasama

Ikaw kasama ko

Noticing Arin's closed eyes and her body comfortably in his embrace once again. Felipe breathes a sigh of relief, before encircling his hands around her waist, protectively securing her unto him.

'This is the life, and I have nothing more to ask for.' He was content with this scenario. No. He will always be contented as long as Arin is with him, safe, sound, and happy.

His memories may have blurred a few moments with her. Taking out the past images of him holding her. But it did not take how it felt to be in this position.

Her body radiates the warmth he craves every night when he was alone without her. The soothing scent she emits pacifies him. The softness of her body molded into his. And importantly, her. Her being with him. Him being with her. He could not ask for anything more.

For Arin, Felipe was her Always. And for Felipe, Arin is his idea of everlasting beauty.

Cinta saya

Apa masalah awak?

Ketika saya melihat anda

Dunia semakin perlahan

Tignan mo lang ang aking mga mata

Wag kang titingin na sa iba

Akin ka na

Wala ng iba

Saya akan berada di sini sehingga kita tua

Saya akan sayang awak selagi awak jatuh

saya pegang

Cuma jangan berputus asa

Selagi saya masih hidup, saya milik awak

Tignan mo lang ang aking mga mata

Wag kang titingin na sa iba

Akin ka na

Wala ng iba

The two continue on slow dancing inside the room not knowing how long has time passed by nor do they really care. They only put their entire attention on themselves, on the small world they created and they cherish and love.

They did not notice how the other ASEAN nations enter the room looking for the two of them. Malaysia was about to loudly call them, but thankfully Singapore manages to reach up and cover his brother's mouth.

Indonesia covers Timor Leste's eyes in hopes that the little girl did not see anything. Whilst his face turned red in the intimacy of his fellow South East Asian neighbors.

Thailand only responds by smugly snapping a picture of the couple, cheering internally at their cuteness and silently congratulating them.

Vietnam simply hides in her nón lá in embarrassment as she thought that they were intruding on the couple and wants to leave them alone ASAP.

Cambodia reacts by hiding behind the taller Laos who snickered and in turn videos the dancing couple with no shame. Also planning to upload it into their group chat later.

Myanmar just shrugs and continues eating the Bein mont he bought earlier from a local street vendor.

The other South East Asian nations with their different reactions continue to silently stare at the two - well except Timor Leste.

The moment was only broken when someone loudly asks.

"Why are you covering my eyes Dirga? Are they Fucking?!"

"Timor!"

† ⚭⚮⚭ ☪

nón lá - Vietnamese Hat

Bein mont - A popular street food in Myanmar (I hope you guys are doing well)

And yes, Arin often finds herself calling Felipe, Malic. As it is her favorite name of his among others.

Hope you enjoyed the story. 3

#hetalia philippines #hws philippines #hwsphilippines #aph philippines #hetaliabrunei #hws brunei #hwsbrunei #aph brunei #hws asean #hetalia asean #bruphil #philbru #MaeLikes2Read

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kulay-ng-banaag · 4 months

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In the spirit of releasing all emotional debts on New Year's Eve, I’m going to open up about my frustrations regarding Desa aka dinosaurusgede aka the creator of Maaf.

For context, she made a Twitter account around the time that Himaruya properly introduced the newly canonized cast of SEA nations (Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia). Like many other fans, she rode the nostalgia wave in creating content of them. By this point in time, Maaf was more or less a “finished” story to her — whatever Hetalia/SEAtalia content she published from that point onward was not as a continuation of, nor even as a reboot, of Maaf (although she did mention entertaining that idea). For the most part, the newer works she uploaded on Twitter were independent stories and were not necessarily linked to one other either.

Regrettably, I cannot present the problematic page/s for a more thorough and guided scrutiny because she deleted her Twitter account. Unless someone out there saved them, and frankly I wouldn't know who did nor would care to find out, everything was lost to the void. I’m literally working on what was imprinted in my memory by spite, so I apologize if I misremember details.

This will include discussion of anti-indigenous racism and other issues pertaining to colonialism.

She had an IndoPhil story titled Trust Me? and it was inspired by a fanmade BruPhil AMV wherein Indonesia was manipulating Philippines into believing that he was married to Indonesia and not Brunei. Trust Me? kept that concept of a manipulative Indonesia; the key difference being that Indonesia’s motivation for it (in Desa’s story) was the mix of hurt over Philippines “losing his precolonial memories” — based on popularized misconceptions of early Philippine history — of and how that was “aggravated” by his Westernization™, made worse under the United States (350+ years in the convent getting ratio'd by 50 years in Hollywood is hilarious ngl).

That was a lot to unpack, but before we even get there:

Indonesia and Philippines were having a tender moment when HWS America (as in the Hetalia personification that is Alfred F. Jones) walks in calling out "MY LITTLE BROWN BROTHER!"

Indonesia entered his Joker arc because he recalled how HWS America dumped the Philippines in a human zoo at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. There was an explicit panel of Philippines in Igorot* dress and a painfully forlorn bearing.

What "triggered" Indonesia was when, after the flashback, Piri goes up to Indonesia and asks him if he's a Bolshevist 🥺 (the idea was PH being brainwashed by Red Scare propaganda). Cue kabedon moment from Indonesia, and basically a yandere walk down "memory lane."

I did not have it in me to finish reading that comic...

*Igorot is an outdated umbrella term for the upland indigenous peoples of Northern Luzon

Aside from the clearly intended shock value of that depiction, I was taken aback by the painful lack of objectivity on her part when it came to the reading of history. To be fair on Desa, she never specialized in history studies, so it was only courteous that we could not expect her to have as developed of a critical reading as trained academics of history. Unfortunately, that was precisely why I disagreed with the popular notion of Desa as both a great researcher and a great storyteller of her research — all the more when Maaf was just the mangafication of certain Wikipedia articles.

To be fair as well on Wikipedia, it was, at best, a satisfactory jumpstart into more in-depth reading, and we could give it the benefit of the doubt that revisions had since been made to at least some of the articles that Desa relied on while making Maaf (more than 10 years is more than enough time for change). Nevertheless, the articles themselves did not teach users how to scrutinize the sources — most especially the biases of the sources’ author/s — utilized in building up the information.

That mattered because much of the retrospect narratives about the St. Louis Fair had a tendency of raising awareness through the newspaper articles that covered the exhibition at the time. These chronicled the impressions of the visiting authors, who likely (and I say likely because we would have to more exhaustively discern their personal politics one by one) were biased in favor of the “benevolent assimilation” of the Philippines — and the sights that they beheld only validated it further. They did not, however, explain why these Philippine indigenous peoples were brought in in the first place — information that could have further cemented Desa's reputation had she truly spent the efforts, even while understandably juggling other commitments as we all do. Instead, she only perpetuated the habit of sacrificing the veracity of equally important, finer details to the bigger picture in order to sensationalize righteous fury against colonialism.

The 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair was also formally known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, giving away its purpose as a commemoration. More appropriately, it was the centennial anniversary (technically delayed by a year though) of the acquisition of French Louisiana, expanding the territorial bounds of the United States. Additionally, the point of a world’s fair was to showcase the achievements of a nation, and one could also think of it as the sale of a fever dream — what more for a fast-growing, fledgling power the likes of the United States, itself a former colony? On another note, the St. Louis World’s Fair was not the only one of its kind so no, the US is not that original lmao.

One could thus see how the inclusion of a dedicated exhibit to the newly acquired colony that was the Philippines neatly fit into the themes of a world's fair centralized on the US. It was all the more a paramount topic of debate, with prominent Americans the likes of Mark Twain (here are selected excerpts, but I highly recommend reading the entirety of his To the Person Sitting in the Darkness) publishing anti-US imperialism opinions, even after the endgame of the Philippine-American War essentially favored the pro-imperialists. While dissent from the American side at the time remains poorly studied AND THAT'S ON OVERRULE BY BIAS, we at least have a glimpse, if mostly obscure still, of its existence.

If we can assume that it must have indeed been a prominent discourse in America, loud enough to get the White House furrowing its brows, then it's plausible to understand how it was of utmost importance that the the Philippine exhibit was to be carefully — because, in a way, America had to sell itself as the "lesser evil" vs notable "rivals" — curated while still ultimately corroborating assimilation of the Philippines. Thus, enter Truman Hunt, the man who oversaw "the Igorot Village" of the St. Louis Fair, having won the hearts of the native Igorots for a powerful reason:

Section from Claire Prentice, The Lost Tribe of Coney Island: Headhunters, Luna Park, and the Man Who Pulled Off the Spectacle of the Century, New York, NY: Amazon Publishing, 2014.

While the cholera epidemic that occurred at the onset of the American Colonial Period was arguably the worst in the history of cholera epidemic management in the Philippines, I want to make it very, very clear that it was not the first and only wave that hit the archipelago. There had been a handful in the prior century alone — all of such magnitudes that it embedded a deep collective trauma; farmers refused to harvest their crops for fear of infection, tragically enabling famines and contributing starvation & nutrition deficiencies on top of a viral & swift killer (the experience of severe, rapid dehydration is such that one can fall dead within hours of infection).

Given such an imaginably harrowing experience (and it was an awfully painful topic to study as someone who got infected with and survived COVID-19 and has family working as frontliners), how could the natives turn away a stranger with such miraculous powers? Who knows how they comprehended it (e.g. a benevolent sign from heaven they must accept) because, unfortunately, we have yet to discuss preserved accounts on that matter, if any at all.

What is known, however, is that there were Igorots who were not just enamored by the "opportunity of a lifetime," but the selected lucky candidates clearly expressed their consent to participate:

More sections from Prentice, The Lost Tribe of Coney Island.

I will quickly add that, unfortunately, a few members of the Igorot delegation died from illness in making the trip, and Hunt aged like milk over the years (fell into the trap of capitalism in pushing for more subsequent exhibit trips, to the point that less care was extended to the Igorots and he was ultimately arrested for embezzlement). Given that our scope remains to be the 1904 St. Louis Fair, any signs of abuse inflicted upon the Igorots during their stay based on preserved photographs is simply not clear. To assume that they were in a pitiable state would be to enforce a presentist reading that might betray not just their memories & experiences but also their right to self-determination.

EDIT (01/02/24): A good example to demonstrate what I mean in analyzing photographs, here's an article on the author's personal, genealogical research into the Igorots — specifically, the Suyoc — who were at the St. Louis Fair.

It truly is ironic that a Filipino is making these points as if to defend the United States as a whole (no I am not, and if you think I do, lumayas ka). I agree that white people gawking over the peoples of the Philippines with such fascination that borders fetishism warrants all the eye-rolls. At the same time — and it is even more ironic that I am pointing this out as a lowland, Christianized Tagalog based in the metro (not just any urbanized part of the country) — there is a character of patronizing these indigenous communities in the unspoken assumption that their participation is the fault of their ignorance. Pay attention, once more, to the demographics that constituted the Philippine exhibit in the 1904 St. Louis Fair — what kind of "Filipinos" were included and who were left out? There were also Negritos*, Visayans, and Muslims from Mindanao (historically referred to as Moros) in the same event, yet we hardly hear about their experiences. Perhaps it might have to do with how they were considered "more civilized" than these upland groups.

*OUTDATED term (and please blame the Spanish for it); these are the Aeta.

I understand Desa's reservations against US imperialism and sympathies for communities marginalized by Western colonization. I just hope that I was able to clarify as best as I could why I was so taken aback in how she depicted the Hetalia personification of my country the way she did. I agree that, as far as I ever got to interact with her, she is generally very polite and kind. That's why I gave her the benefit of the doubt when she approached me in DM to apologize for how her narrative choice was offensive. As someone who despised red tape in academia, I tried to talk to her about how there were valid reasons as to why the American Colonial Period was considered a mixed blessing, even by PH historians.

Instead, she pulled a complete 180.

She said that — to a Filipino who condemned imperialism (no matter who started it), who also happened to study history as a profession, and was also a Hetalia fan who wants to explore Hetalia narratives differently from what was popularized. Half of the reason was because some fandom takes left a bad taste, like eating a dish with ingredients that even Gordon Ramsay would tell you shouldn’t go together; the other half was because I saw things differently and wanted to express it because why not?

I want to say it's not necessary to bring up something from a private conversation, but I will anyway to reiterate that my issue is not that she isn't nice. Bluntly, however, the way she said those words so formally did creep me out, but ultimately, my issue lies in how her biases have led her into making off-putting takes from time to time. I will not say more, but Trust Me? was not the only Twitter comic by Desa that got bombastic side-eyes.

And if only because Sukarno got dragged in, I felt compelled to briefly debunk that as well: even he initially viewed the United States in a very positive light: “The United States occupies a very distinguished part, a very distinguished place, in the hearts of the Indonesian people.” That was uttered in 1961, and it took a very specific historical context to instigate a complete shift by 1964:

Sections from Vincent Bevins, The Jakarta Method: Washington’s Anticommunist Crusade & the Mass Murder Program that Shaped Our World, New York: PublicAffairs, 2021, 121-123.

EDIT (01/02/24): Note that Desa was citing Sukarno's later sentiments in the late 1960s as her reason for characterizing Indonesia as such in her comic. However, the setting of the story was the late 1920s (Indonesia's visit was based on Tan Malaka's abscondence to the Philippines). I'd dare say the anachronism was not due to oversight but a deliberate choice in using a certain fictional character — namely HWS Indonesia — as propaganda for Desa's anti-Americanism.

It's definitely depressing to think about all the "lost" history & culture that thrived before the arrival of white colonizers. It's why I'm surprised that, for a fiction work, she didn't project all that anger onto Spain instead — it had to specifically be the United States. Was it because they basically cockblocked Philippine independence, even though Spain practically sold the Philippines to the US? The implication that Spain should be permitted to wash its hands clean of all accountability was an awkward message to convey.

I understand that nothing could be 100% accurate (I'm actually quoting Desa defending herself on that matter) in fiction, but the level of projection coming from a certain non-Filipino reading Philippine history was so silly. And again, how did it all justify the explicit depiction of HWS Philippines as an indigenous man in a human zoo? (END OF EDIT)

As my professors will also never tire of saying: you can disagree with a historian’s interpretations but you can never disagree with the evidence in themselves. You don’t have to morally agree either, and I can guarantee you that many Filipinos do not. I, myself, resented the endgame of the particular war that brought that period about in the first place. How dare, then, she said it was “not her place” to defend US imperialism, while granting herself the freedom to express her country’s feelings on the matter?

Oh, it’s all just fiction? I do not condone the subsequent treatment she received, but why then couldn’t she stop trying to “educate” NLID shippers? I do not know how both sides talked to one another, only that what caught me eye was: Why does everyone else have to respect her fiction while she gets to disrespect others’ fictions for not aligning with hers?

EDIT (01/20/24): Just to clarify further on that point — over a decade ago, she went ham in the comment section of someone's (APH) America x (fem!OC) Indonesia. That ship is not in my lore either simply because I follow a totally different route. To cut to the chase, she took that fanart very personally and infodumped on US war crimes that involved Indonesia.

I know Tan Malaka started the whole North Indonesia agenda, but come on, neither was it Desa's place to just treat HWS Philippines the way she did. An Indonesian schooling other Indonesians on ID history is not surprising, but an Indonesian schooling a Filipino on PH history? I'd be humbled if they had the credentials. She didn't and, unless she enrolled herself in a graduate program, she still doesn't.

By all technicalities, she can’t ship IDPH because the Philippine government was (unfortunately and grossly) complicit in the chain of events that led to the 1965-66 genocides in Indonesia. Yet, she does despite of that fact. We thus circle back to Trust Me? and how that was a manifestation of her stubborn refusal to acknowledge any nuances by projecting HWS Indonesia as a self-proclaimed savior of HWS Philippines from the beguile of US neocolonialism.

I empathize with her anger. I'm sorry that the US government by extent enabled what her family went through. I agree that it's not her place to defend them; in fact, she shouldn't. But when even the so-called "highest of Malay nations*" is worth her neutrality, how can she expect me to forgive her?

*That is literally what the Philippines is to her; I know this because she explicitly said so to me in DM. DO NOT ASK FOR RECEIPTS, I am not comfortable revealing that particular conversation.

I cannot — in fact, NO ONE SHOULD — afford to be neutral about Duterte or Marcos, etc., and for her to be so flippant about her privilege (by way of ethnicity/citizenship/cultural upbringing) to be neutral** about Philippine politics, while simultaneously NAGGING ON EVERYBODY TO RESPECT INDONESIAN POLITICS, is annoying at best and plain selfish at worst.

**Also explicitly said to me in DM. Again, DO NOT ASK FOR RECEIPTS.

(END OF EDIT)

I’m not Indonesian but I do not have it in me to politely accuse a native Indonesian of allowing their personal biases to misread their own history. As a Filipino, however, while I'm not surprised by the reductionist chronicling of the histories & cultures of the Philippines, I am at a loss for words over the continuing idolization for Desa & Maaf, when she was not the best and most reliable narrator, especially given her negligence in representing indigenous peoples through her comics.

I mean, guys, I'm not saying this as if the Trust Me? comic was the first and only instance when this was literally Maaf canon that sat comfortably in the internet for over a decade, and continues to be appraised as THE BIBLE OF HISTORICAL HETALIA.

EDIT (01/20/24 — originally added via a reblog): I cannot believe this needs to be said because this is the consequence of when Hetalia fans take their fiction too literally because creators have made careless takes.

There were SEAtalians joking about how the Yolngu are a dead people.

I repeat.

THERE WERE SEATALIANS JOKING ABOUT HOW THE YOLNGU ARE A DEAD PEOPLE.

(END OF EDIT)

So as 2023 comes to a close we enter 2024, I'd like to conclude this post with the following points:

At best, Wikipedia is a satisfactory jumping point, but please believe me when I say no historian will respect you for (over-)relying on Wikipedia. And given that anyone with a decent device & internet signal can access Wikipedia, Desa is just not a GOAT in historical research.

At worst, idolizing Maaf patronizes the work of historians. It doesn't help that PH historians have been targets of harassment because of dis-/misinformation campaigns. I bring this up because it's already bad enough to have to confront that reality outside of fandom spaces on a regular basis in standing our ground for more just historical truths. I hope that folks understand why that's a particularly sensitive struggle for me, and why receiving such comments like the one I shared above deeply hurt. She was not apologetic about that — and every time she would post about apologizing for the moments she has offended others, or when others compliment her for being so open-minded, I cannot help but feel bitter.

Other BIPOC — yes, not just other SEAsians and that's on literally drawing nations other than SEA — have spoken up on the matter. If you can talk about how you learned so much from Desa, you can also learn as much from other perspectives. I hope that in raising all of this, more SEAtalians understand that we risk othering non-SEA BIPOC.

The idolization of Maaf (and the creator in question) is personally far more off-putting than the problematic points of Maaf or any comic she has ever made, because I think she caved to peer pressure instead of learning to wield her fiction more sensitively without being too reliant of the opinions of those she has pleased. Not even Hidekaz Himaruya writes his nationverse characters like that — the one time I’ll admit that canon trumps fanon.

I’m not stopping people from liking Maaf or Desa anyway. I just cannot help but take issue with how the SEAtalia fandom feels less of a safe & inclusive community than it is a cult centered on one person — almost as if her fiction is unquestionable canon and anyone who disagrees gets the boot. Once again, I do not condone the subsequent treatment she received in retaliation, but frankly that's just not what I'm addressing here.

I'm also not saying it's wrong to give words of reassurance and validation to people you admire, only that some of you need to understand you're forcing a parasocial relationship with your idols. It may feel good to you, but please be mindful of the unwarranted pressure it imposes.

I apologize for dumping all of this at literally the end of the year. I want to let it all go in a manner that is clear, concise, and not overwhelming to digest. I do hope that my candid thoughts will push the fandom one step forward in critically consuming media without having to resort to crab-mentality tendencies — because it's been especially hard seeing the demeaning takes made about the Philippines in this fandom.

#hetalia #historical hetalia #hetalia critical #racism cw #hws philippines #aph philippines #hws indonesia #aph indonesia #hws america #aph america #mentions of death cw #sibuyas

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