Cultural identity continues to be important within and among nations. However, many Filipinos question the "authenticity" of their identity. They are uneasy about the heavy Spanish influence that came in with colonialism. They wonder if their culture is but a mixture of conflicting traditions. Moreover, they fear that the Hispanic presence seems an oddity in a Southeast Asia that defines itself as non-Western.

This collection of essays offers another way to look at the encounter between the Western and the indigenous. It suggest that through a dialectical process, this encounter has generated a broader sense of community that has transcended the kin. Local genius transformed by the latter, resulting in a new culture. Finally, "Southeast Asia" is a recent construct that should be redefined to reflect the diversity of cultures present in it.

Fernando Nakpil Zialcita has an M.A. in Philosophy from the Ateneo De Manila University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Hawaii. Dr. Zialcita teaches at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the Loyola Schools, Ateneo De Manila University, and heads the Cultural Heritage Studies Program at the same.

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