The Hybrid Tsinoys: Challenges of Hybridity and Homogeneity as Sociocultural Constructs Among the Chinese in the Philippines: 28 (American Society of Missiology Monograph)

The Hybrid Tsinoys is a study of hybridity and homogeneity as sociocultural constructs in the development of current ethnic identity/ies of Chinese Filipinos. This study employs a descriptive ethnographic research method to discover how they see or define themselves in terms of ethnicity (Chinese Filipino or both) and how their perspectives affect other aspects of their lives (language marriage and family). The research proposes that there are different kinds of Chinese Filipinos as evidenced in the six classifications in chapter 4. Further most of them have constructed a hybrid culture exclusively and uniquely their own. On the one hand they are still attached to their cultural roots; on the other hand they cannot evade the fact that they are influenced by their host country and the present global and migratory age we live in. Second- third- and fourth-generation Chinese Filipinos demonstrate their hybridity in language and mindset. This dissertation also lays out some challenges in relation to doing mission among them. LONG ENDORSEMENTS HERE What does it mean to be a Christian and also a person shaped by a particular culture? And what if that culture is in fact a hybrid one a dynamic mix of ancient but very different cultures? The first question relates to every Christian in the world--we are all culture Christians in some sense often without realizing it. In this carefully researched book Juliet Lee Uytanlet examines the second question cultural hybridity through a study of Filipino Christians of Chinese descent. She discovered that most of the Christians she interviewed see themselves as cultural hybrids rather than homogeneous purists. By careful analysis of her findings Dr. Uytanlet presents insights that have wide relevance to the question of Christian identity not only in the Philippines but worldwide. --Howard A. Snyder Visiting Director Manchester Wesley Research Centre England The original study of Dr. Juliet Uytanlet on hybrid Tsinoys (coined word from a Tagalog word meaning Chinese and Filipino) is one of the finest studies on the current Chinese Filipinos who reside in the Philippines and outside of the Philippines. The Tsinoys hold a Filipino passport but ethnically belong to the Chinese people. Using descriptive ethnographic research as a tool to discover how they view themselves Dr. Uytanlet was able to demonstrate their hybridity in language and mindset. The pendulum of swinging at times to Chinese mindset on the right to swinging to the Filipino mindset on the left is quite challenging for many second- third- and fourth-generation Chinese Filipinos. This study points out who are the Tsinoys today. It is really an important study on the identity of the Tsinoys and also the urgent issues facing them. Dr. Uytanlet illustrates her scholarly ability in analyzing and presenting difficult data so that the Tsinoys may understand themselves and further scholarly research can be done based on her work. Moreover her work also presents challenges and recommendations for Churches that are willing to understand and touch their lives. The work is the best study on understanding the Chinese who are residing in the Philippines. I highly recommend to publish this important work! --Joseph Shao President Biblical Seminary of the Philippines; General Secretary Asia Theological Association This monograph breaks new ground by its bold and creative application of hybridity theory to a significant subgroup within Philippine society and culture. The authors firsthand acquaintance with Tsinoy subculture and her trilingual competence uniquely qualify her to spot the many nuances commonly undetected by cultural outsiders. This book is especially useful to researchers in Philippine studies Chinese diasporal studies ethnic identity development and dynamics anthropology religion and missiology. --David Cheung President Emeritus Asian Theological Seminary Uytanle