Ang “Halo-Halo” History ng Pilipinas (The “Mix-Mix” History of the Philippines)

Being a first generation American whose family has its roots in the Philippines, my

parents always made an effort to preserve their Filipino identity and pass that onto me. They

taught me about the culture and history of their home through the memories and stories they

shared with their own friends and family they have left behind. Traveling was a financial burden

for us, so the deepest connection I have with the Philippines is through food since it’s an

affordable, shareable, and memorable experience. From going to the Asian markets, restaurants,

and bakeries, to eating too much at a Filipino friend’s party, to helping my mom make meals for

dinner, these experiences taught me far more about a culture than I ever had in a classroom. One

of my favorite memories I have with my family is making halo-halo with them. We worked

together in an assembly line fashion to create and customize our ideal vision of what we want in

our dessert bowl. It was moments like these where I felt connected and proud of my identity.

Halo-halo is an icy dessert typically served during the hot and humid summers. In

Tagalog, “halo-halo” translates to “mix-mix” which refers to the mixing of ingredients necessary

to best enjoy this dish. Its origins can be traced to “kakigori”, a Japanese shaved ice dessert that

had been served for thousands of years. Other neighboring countries have their own version of an

icy dessert such as Singapore’s “ais kachang,” Malaysia’s “chendol,” and Vietnam’s “cha ba

mau”.1 What makes halo-halo unique from these other desserts are the ingredients and their

origins. Some of the common ingredients used are native to the islands while others were

introduced by foreign influences. Halo-halo has its own mixed history which is reflective of the

islands it comes from.

1
Ocampo, Ambeth R. “Japanese Origins of the Philippine ‘halo-halo’.” Inquirer.Net. Philippine Daily Inquirer, 30
August, 2012.
https://opinion.inquirer.net/35790/japanese-origins-of-the-philippine-halo-halo.
 The aim of this paper is to retell the mixed history of the Philippines through the

historically mixed dessert, halo-halo. Those who are unfamiliar with Filipino culture and don’t

go out of their way to learn about the islands are often stuck with the single narrative that

describes a country experiencing hardship several times over. Whenever the Philippines is

mentioned in the classroom, it’s usually followed with a discussion on Spanish conquest or

Japanese occupation. Modern media recognizes its devastating typhoons, earthquakes, and

corrupt leaders but leaves the conversation as that. The problem here is a failure to recognize and

undermine the accomplishments and achievements made despite their disadvantagement. Many

other third world countries easily fall victim to the single narrative which can be harmful to a

population, creating false stereotypes and generalizations. By reframing the Philippine’s history

in a way that demonstrates the uniqueness of the culture and their ability to overcome these

hardships, it creates a new kind of story that paints Filipinos as more than just a conquered

civilization. Halo-halo is a great case study to use as a point of comparison for the history of the

Philippines not only because of the mixing theme but the dessert itself is a colorful, aesthetic,

and unique creation that reflects what the country also possesses.

This paper will give a more in-depth overview of what halo-halo is and put the dessert in

a historical context. I will then go through each major historical period of the Philippines

beginning with the pre-Spanish era, Spanish conquest, United States colonization, Japanese

occupation in World War II, and conclude with the modern independence era. Each time period

will be associated with different halo-halo ingredients which will comment on how the

ingredient’s significance pertains to that era along with its influence in the overall culture and

history of the Philippines.