You probably must have heard of the "Bumbay" who took away children who didn't behave, or the "Kano" to refer to just about any Caucasian guy we see on the street. But there's nothing more popular than the "Intsik" who must have been your neighbor, the store-owner, or the big boss in the corner office.
In the more recent generations though, Filipinos are being more sensitive with the use of certain words to refer to the Chinese or Filipino-Chinese in general. An elder might have told you or you might have just heard that the use of the word "Intsik" or "Tsekwa" has a derogatory connotation. Indeed, this has something to do with the continuous evolution of the roles the Chinese play in the Philippine society, especially in how they slowly took the upper right hand in the business sector over the centuries. And with the esteem that they rightfully gained, perhaps scholars found it proper to address them properly.
My dad always told us not to use any of those two terms, regardless if they're 50 miles or just a feet away. I understood him pretty well, because besides tracing back my patriarchal lineage to the "Uy" kin in the Mainland, I myself would not exactly feel comfortable with someone calling me something which I know has political color. Some claim that "Instik" came from "in chyek" in Fukienese which means "uncle," while others say it came from a Malay word "encik," meaning "an esteemed person." "Tsekwa" on the other hand came from a native Bisayan limerick that goes "intsik gwakang kaon kalibang!" (translated, "Chinese laborer eats and sh*ts). Funny though that I have a lot of Chinese friends who actually call themselves "G.I." (Genuine Intsik). I haven't really verified either of those; but whether it is correct or not, we all know that the "Intsik" most Filipinos used indeed has a derogatory connotation back then --- so part of this attempt to dig into its true etymology might simply be hand-washing.
Where the hell am I coming from? Simple. I have been trying to involve myself in the issue of the latest Scarborough shoal dispute on the headlines, been trying to read a couple of credible articles online. But the comments section? It saddens me to find how miseducated some can get, using the words "Intsik," "Tsekwa," or even "Tokwa" in the most derogatory manner possible! And then we got angry with Teri Hatcher's line about doctors/nurses in the Philippines. We seriously need some growing up.
This would be a 50-page article if you want us to delve into the history of Filipino-Chinese relations, and how the culture of our society has evolved with them. And no, this is not an attempt to bolster their claim on the shoal or defend an ancestry. All I'm saying is, taking an educated side on the territorial claim would not just be about knowing history and the law. Why not we try being a "Filipino" then let's see the difference? #
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