The statement of young actress Ella Cruz that “history is like chismiz” went viral and was criticized by many including the columnist-historian Ambeth Ocampo saying that history is based on truth and facts and not lies and opinion. His criticism however was objected to by some netizens saying that he did not understand the statement of Ms. Cruz. I agree. “History is like chismiz” is definitely different from “history is chismiz”. The word “like” explains the difference.
Indeed, history written by victors in times of war or after any conflict could be one-sided, depending on the evidence(s) available at the moment or appreciation and understanding of the writer. Let’s get real. All writers including broadcasters have their own biases and favoritisms as we can clearly observe in the mainstream and social media. I guess that is part of being human. Humans think and react depending on the various stimuli surrounding them.
So, what is History? My teacher in high school defined it simply as “the written record of the past” – no further explanation which gave rise to my question, what about the unwritten events that also affected the lives of people in a particular time and community? Are they not part of history? Of course, they are and their stories as we all know were told and retold to the generation following them giving birth to the so-called “Kwentong-bayan”.
According to one author, “History is a story or tale of what has happened or may have happened in the past”. Take note of the phrase “may have happened” because it implies that the author or writer is not sure if the story he is writing really happened. Another author said that history is a “study of change overtime and it covers all aspects of human society”, meaning political, social, technological, medical, cultural, religious, and military developments are part of history.”
There are other definitions one can find in the books and other related materials and sources but it all boils down to one thing, “it is the study of life in society in the past, in all its aspects, in relation to present developments and future hopes; the story of man in time, an inquiry into the past based on evidence.”
Herodotus, an ancient Greek historian and geographer, was the first writer to perform systematic investigation of historical events. Before him, no writer had ever made such systematic, thorough study of the past and tried to explain the cause and effect of its events. After him, historical analysis became an indispensable part of intellectual and political life, giving birth to local historians to write not only about the events as it happens, where it happens, but inserting their own personal assessments that sometimes ran counter to the observations of others.
So, is Ella Cruz right when she said ‘history is like chismiz?’ I guess she is right because historians may add or subtract facts about a particular event to suit their own biases like the writers about Martial Law stories that discuss only one side and willfully omitting the other side.
Melinda Bagsic Evangelista
I was born to write and I believe that’s my calling. I love writing because it brings me to the realm exclusively of mine. It is also my opinion that “immortality” can be achieved not by searching for the Holy Grail and drinking from it but by living your life worth-writing or writing something worth-reading. Since I cannot promise you a life worth-writing, I keep myself busy writing something worth-reading. I am thankful to God for giving me the talent and skill to see life in different perspectives not seen by many and the courage to share it to my readers. This first ever Tutubi Digital News Magazine is a perfect avenue to bring you the many facets of life that you can ponder upon in this time of the pandemic. Enjoy reading all the articles.
