Human Variation: The Filipino Nose Essay

One of the most defining features of Filipinos which sets them apart from other races, if not currently the most defining, is the shape of their nose. Unlike the higher and narrower noses of Caucasians, full-blooded Filipinos bear what the locals would often colloquially refer to as the â€Å"flat nose†. There is a wide variety in the types of nose shapes a person may acquire. Being a polygenic trait, genetics play a very big role how an individual’s nose will turn out. One of the most defining features of Filipinos which sets them apart from other races, if not currently the most defining, is the shape of their nose. Unlike the higher and narrower noses of Caucasians, full-blooded Filipinos bear what the locals would often colloquially refer to as the â€Å"flat nose†. There is a wide variety in the types of nose shapes a person may acquire. Being a polygenic trait, genetics play a very big role how an individual’s nose will turn out. Thousands of years of living in Southeast Asia had kept our noses lower and wider to better adapt to the hot and humid climates of a tropical country. (Raymond, 2011) That being the case, it is inevitable that the Filipino’s nose will be shorter than those who had to live with the cold, unless they had a Caucasian parent or ancestor who passed them down a different set of genes than their peers. To inherit the Caucasian’s fine nose is normally seen as a â€Å"blessing† in the Filipino society as it is believed to greatly enhance one’s beauty. Pango, sarat, dapalong (dapa ilong). These are only few of the derogatory terms for a person who was deemed unfortunate to have a small nose, whereas those graced with a higher nose are called artistahin. Influences of Western colonizers may possibly be how Filipinos came to think tall or high noses are more attractive or, conversely, that flatter noses are inferior. The colonizers had more than enough time to ingrain the idea that they are the superior race. Aside from such conditioning, most people seek what it is they do not have, and this does apply to the Filipinos’ desire for taller noses. Because of the negative view on flat noses, many had gone to cosmetic surgeons to finally achieve their desired nose shapes. People who had less money to spare alleviate their nose’s â€Å"unsightliness† through the use of cosmetics, particularly by applying nose lines which can give the illusion of a narrower nose. There are even those who pinch their noses in hopes that it will grow higher. Ingenious and amusing as it is, this sort of behavior can be considered maladaptive. It is better to use one’s resources in working with what we consider as a flaw instead of working to change it. If one cannot learn to love one’s self for as simple thing as a flat nose, it would prove very difficult to love yourself when society’s impossible standards keep depreciating your true value. References Raymond, Joan. â€Å"The Shape of a Nose. † Scientific American 16 Aug. 2011: n. pag. 16 Aug. 2011. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. .