The academic, poet and writer Adrian De Leon discusses his new book Balikbayan: A Revenant History of The Philippine Homeland (University of Washington Press, 2026), with Joseph Planta.
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Balikbayan: A Revenant History of The Philippine Homeland by Adrian De Leon (University of Washington Press, 2026).
Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Balikbayan |
Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.
One of the more fascinating books of the year, is the newest one from the academic Adrian De Leon, Balikbayan: A Revenant History of The Philippine Homeland. The title says a lot, but not all. The word ‘Balikbayan’ means to go back to one’s homeland. The word can also be used to describe the Filipino return migrant, and that’s taken different forms from the Illustrados, who were 19th century Filipinos who left to be educated in Spain or other parts of Europe, to the migrant worker who leaves the Philippines to work abroad, while sending remittances back. And the homeland they leave gets shaped and influenced by the various colonisers that arrive in the country, from the Spanish to the Americans, to the Japanese, and the Americans again. And today, while the Filipino living elsewhere looks at their roots as a place to visit, support, or stare at, the idea of homeland is reshaped again through those same eyes that left it willingly or unwillingly, like say those who were born elsewhere thanks to their parents migrating away. The book is highly readable even though it was largely written for an academic audience, because Adrian, who joins me now, thinks critically about the waves of migration away, as well as the political and economic development in the Philippines that are affected or even inspired by that migration. The life and work of Jose Rizal is also looked at critically, as De Leon revisits and reassess his place in the Philippine consciousness. Adrian De Leon is an award-winning writer, poet, critic, public historian, and an Assistant Professor of History, and co-chair of Sulo: The Philippine Studies Initiative at New York University. His previous books include Bundok: A Hinterland History of Filipino America (University of North Carolina Press, 2024), and barangay: an offshore poem (Buckrider Books, 2021). This new book is published by University of Washington Press. The website for more is at www.adriandeleon.ca. We spoke one week ago with Adrian joining me from New York City. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Adrian De Leon; Professor De Leon, good morning.
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