S8E7 The Fractured Plateau: Bukidnon in World War II
About this episode
This episode explores the experiences of the Bukidnon people during World War II, highlighting their cultural resilience amidst conflict.
The word Bukidnon means “people of the mountains”, but historian Ronald K. Edgerton also gives another name for them: the people of the middle ground. As he writes in his book of the same name, “Many Bukidnons mastered the art of borrowing from the new without losing touch with the old. [...] And over time they developed a capacity to envision themselves [...] as negotiators between worlds, skilled at including both in a new, more accommodating world view.” This middle ground was pushed to the limit during World War II, when Japanese troops invaded the fastness of the mountains and Philippine soldiers splintered into guerrilla groups. Now, in the dark days of wartime, the Bukidnon found themselves caught in the middle of conquerors, resistance fighters, criminals, cults… and even cannibals! Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/thecolonialdept Follow us on IG: @thecolonialdept Follow us on TikTok: @thecolonialdept Email us: thecolonialdept@gmail.com References: Edgerton, Ronald K. (2008). People of the Middle Ground: A Century of Conflict and Accommodation in Central Mindanao, 1880s-1980s. Ateneo de Manila University Press. Esteban, Rolando (2016). “Cannibalism among Japanese…
More episodes of The Colonial Department
- S8E8 Pacific Sick Ships: Medicine Aboard the Galleons
- INTERVIEW: Making a Magellan Comedy Manga
- S8E6: After the Black Ships Departed
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Colonial Department podcast page.