is this creation story racist?
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32697)
Calgary, Alberta
March 9, 2013 4:47am CST
If you are Filipino, most likely this legend/Myth had been a part of your Filipino Literature text book. I found my old elementary text book and I see this sort story which i believe is part of the Ancient Filipino Mythology. Its part of many Filipino textbook I think so Filipinos will appreciated their Tan skin.
the story goes like this:
God decided to create humans to inhabit the world, so he decided to get a lump of Clay and make the first man and woman, he puts the first pair of molded humans in the oven. he is so excited baking the first humans so removed the "cookies" he is baking right a way, The humans he baked look too pale and undercooked, these humans became the Caucasians(maybe east asians as well)
Then he decided to bake humans again, but this time around they were over burnth and over cooked. He is not happy with the result, these batch of humans he baked became the black people.
Then he decided to bake molded clay for the last time. this time its well done, Its not too pale and not to dark and this is his favorite among his creations, these humans became the Filipinos, and other brown skinned people as well...
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I know that Mythological story is part of our ancient Mythology and its still taught in elementary classes.... For some reason I found this Mythological story racist. Why this thing is still in elementary Filipino text books.
3 people like this
7 responses
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32697)
• Calgary, Alberta
9 Mar 13
I didn't mind it when y teacher thought this story in school but now I am adult, i felt uncomfortable.
1 person likes this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32697)
• Calgary, Alberta
9 Mar 13
I am from the "brown race' but my skin is pale. The God in this story thinks I am undercooked. 
1 person likes this
@topffer (42156)
• France
9 Mar 13
I read this in French, but it was supposed to be a Chinese legend, so it was a Chinese instead of a Filipino. I would like to know the real origin. I would not have put this story in a school book, because I also think it is racist. A funny thing about school books : during the colonial Era, the same books were used in France and in its colonies, and one of the first lesson in history books for elementary classes was speaking of "our forerunners the Celts"
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.1 person likes this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32697)
• Calgary, Alberta
10 Mar 13
is tanning an obsession in France? I know that in the US its a huge thing.
1 person likes this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32697)
• Calgary, Alberta
10 Mar 13
I found out this story is also said to be a part of gypsie mythology, I dont know how this would be a Chinese Legend when East Asian people will be too undercooked in the story's God's taste.
This story doesnt seemed to have a impact to Filipinos though, as the Papaya soap (papaya soap can lighten skin) and glutathione(a skin lightening anti-oxidant) industry are thriving. Tan people are desiring to be undercooked in the story's God's preference.
This story doesnt seemed to have a impact to Filipinos though, as the Papaya soap (papaya soap can lighten skin) and glutathione(a skin lightening anti-oxidant) industry are thriving. Tan people are desiring to be undercooked in the story's God's preference.1 person likes this
@chiyosan (30184)
• Philippines
9 Mar 13
Hello there Albert, I do remember this story from before. I think it was some kind of a story before when i was younger. hehe and well yes looking at it and reading it again, i think that is indeed a racist story.
Imagine that the Caucasians in our story was not baked well, and we had the black race burnt. It is offending to an extent. because we are all created equal - in a christian perspective, of course.
1 person likes this
@chiyosan (30184)
• Philippines
9 Mar 13
Heheh, what to make of the Koreans too that are here mostly to study? :) are they under cooked as well, because they sure have good skin! :D hehe. I understand your concern, but these stories perhaps were told before and it was passed down... much like an urban legend... probably one mother had to make his child feel better and more special than the Spaniards in our country during the occupation and so she told the story now we have them in schools! heheh
Just curious though which level again do we have this in our curriculum?
1 person likes this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32697)
• Calgary, Alberta
9 Mar 13
The God in this story is literally unhappy with creating black and white people. I am not white but I have pale skin, so The God in this story most be unhappy with my existence because I am undercooked. I cant believe this is still being thought in schools. Can you imagine reading this story in a racially diverse American classroom?
I cant believe this is still being thought in schools. Can you imagine reading this story in a racially diverse American classroom?@CaptAlbertWhisker (32697)
• Calgary, Alberta
9 Mar 13
I think I am around Grade one the first time I heard about this story. I think this story is also used in the commercial of Pop Cola and its also shown in Batibot.
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32697)
• Calgary, Alberta
9 Mar 13
Basically in the story God is disappointed when he created the white people because they were "too raw" then when the black people is created he thinks theyw ere "over cooked" and he is happy when the tan skin people are created.
1 person likes this
@cecil04 (409)
• South Africa
9 Mar 13
I like your style CaptAlbertWhisker you are not afraid to speak out when you feel something is wrong. If you look at this story careful you will find that it states in not so many words that God is incompetent and makes a lot of mistakes. So the story is racist and total wrong on many levels.
1 person likes this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32697)
• Calgary, Alberta
10 Mar 13
No one seemed to complain so this story is still in Filipino subject textbooks. The God in this story literally thinks the undercooked and overcooked cookies are mistakes.
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
10 Mar 13
In my opinion, i think every race has mythology or fairy tale that seems to favor their kind, think that's natural and not racist. Ever seen a brown Malay man in Mount Olympus or Valhalla?
. Do you still remember phrases in kindergarten like " the fairest of them all" or "white as snow"?
. Do you still remember phrases in kindergarten like " the fairest of them all" or "white as snow"?1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
10 Mar 13
yep but it's always long blond hair with blue eyes or long hazel nut hair with round brown eyes, no mention of a fair skinned , long straight black hair with chinky eyes eyes like me , really my friend in all fairness to every race, " it's to each he's own"
, really my friend in all fairness to every race, " it's to each he's own"
@cmoneyspinner (9219)
• Austin, Texas
29 Nov 15
Not trying to be offensive. Just speaking frankly. These are my thoughts. If you feel offended, go ahead and delete the comments. I don't find this story racist. But I do find it man-made. Even if you don't believe that the Bible story of creation is written / inspired by The Creator who would know what He's talking about since He's the One who created male and female and just take it for its literary value ... the Genesis story sounds way better than this story. More beautiful and more believable.
