Life Under the Spaniards: Donya Victorina

LIFE UNDER THE SPANIARDS

DONYA VICTORINA

1565 ISSUE 1 COLONIAL MENTALITY

DOES THE “DONYA WHAT IS IS IT STILL
VICTORINA COLONIAL VIVID TOAY?
MENTALITY?
SYNDROME” EXIST?

NOLI ME TANGERE 1565

CHARACTERISTICS

Thinks highly of herself over the other
Filipinos.
Can vividly see that colonial mentality is
instilled within her personality.
A socialite.
Makes fun of the natural skin color of the
Filipinos.
Thinks that her having a whiter complexion
and all the make up and jewelries she has
gives her the permission to look down ti
our fellow countrymen.
Pressures her husband to lie about their
profession to gain social status.
Has a distorted view of identity.

Doubts the capacity of the Filipinos to
succeed.
Possesses crab mentality and the need to
be like the Spaniards.
Simply put, arrogant and spiteful.

Most unforgettable line

“Tingnan niyo ang kolorete sa aking
mukha at ang aking mga magagara at
mahabang kasuotan na tila para lamang

sa isang mestisa. Kaya kayong mga
Indiong sing-itim ng Aeta, dapat igalang

ninyo ako!”

- Donya Victorina

A GENTLe
REMINDER

“Mahalin ang sariling atin.”

HER, IN THE CURRENT 2022

the want nike shoes
for a lighter
complexion In the current, I do believe that most of
us, if not all, still possess the colonial
mentality which was instilled the same
way as the Spaniards affected Donya
Victorina. As you can see on the
pictures, one would agree that I, myself
is still under this mentality. I see
superiority in using shoes, bags,
mobile phones and the like if the
brand are from overseas. I see beauty
in whiter complexion, I see aesthetics
in colored, blonde hair and I believe
this is not just me. One way or another,
we allow this complex mindset to take
over us especially in doing and getting
the simple things in life such as eating,
going out, buying things and the like.

hair color branded
phone from

the US

However, to me, the most important ”designer” bag
character development I associate
myself with today is the breaking of
these standards. That loving our
natural brown color is as perfect as
having a white one. That a black
colored hair is beautiful and aesthetic.
That our brands, made entirely from
the Philippines, are as sturdy and
functional as the others. It is now the
time to take initiative and end the
mentality our conquerers have given
us way back in the 1500s.

QUOTE

ANDRES BONIFACIO

What love can be purer and greater than love of country? What love? No
other love, none.

LIFE UNDER THE SPANIARDS

DONYA VICTORINA

© DENISE PAULINE M. MASCAREÑAS
SUBMITTED TO: DR. MARLON DELUPIO