The Binondo-Sta. Cruz Eateries of Yesteryears: Documenting Generational Narratives of Restaurant Owners in Constructing the Local History of Post-War Manila (1946-1975)

Abstract

Food forms part and parcel of Filipino culture, identity, and sociality. Through nostalgia, food may represent memories and symbolize identities. In an effort to construct a history from below, this study explores the Chinese-influenced localities of Binondo and Sta. Cruz and examines old eateries and restaurants in the area as unconventional sources in constructing Manila’s post-war history. Using life history as research design, this study principally aims to document the contemporary history of old dining venues and the experience of families as owners and proprietors of these establishments. In exploring the use of eateries and restaurants as sources of local history, this study also aims to situate Chinese communities in the midst of historical transformations during the post-war period while determining various socio-cultural, economic, and political changes in Manila at the time. The generational narratives of the families and discussions with important cultural workers point out that notable developments during the post-war period in the area involved the influx of Chinese migrants and the eventual decline of Chinatown’s prominence as a place for food escapades. Despite the tumultuous times ahead, these establishments were able to survive through community support and generational motivation to sustain business operations. Analyzing these crucial narratives through the lens of the social history of experiences framework, the results of the study present changing functions of these establishments throughout the contemporary period. As a case in point, the indigenization of Chinese food as transformed into so-called “Tsinoy” delicacies illustrates how the Chinese community has been fully integrated into the Filipino society. A new perspective on old eateries and restaurants as sources of information allows for another reconstruction of the local history of Manila’s Chinatowns and fresh insights on Philippine Chinese acculturation.