KKK

Let's talk about the KKK...

... no, not that KKK you one track-minded people; I'm referring to the KKK here in the Philippines.

During my first trip here back in 2001 I saw this huge monument proudly being displayed in Manila (I know it's hard to appreciate the scale of a monument in a photo but keep in mind that all the people are life-sized - well, ignoring the giant dude on top of course!):

Now imagine my confusion when I first saw it. Obviously being from Canada and hearing constantly about the close-minded racial morons in the US called the Klu Klux Klan I was immediately speechless with dumbfounded confusion. My perplexed brain started wondering if their was some sort of connection between the KKK in the USA and the KKK here in the Philippines. I immediately discounted that possibility because, well, I highly doubt the fun loving Filipinos would want anything to do with the close-minded racial morons in the silly white hoods.
A couple to days after my KKK monument encounter I came across this restaurant:
Fun loving Filipinos eating in a KKK-branded restaurant? Does every kid's meal come with a little white hood? No, no that's not possible. There's no connection. There can't be! I figured this must be another exciting episode of "Lost in Transition," also better known (in my head) as "Cultural Confusion." I decided to read up on what the Filipino KKK actually is. To summarize what I discovered:

The Katipunan was a Philippine revolutionary organization founded by Filipino rebels in Manila, in 1892, which aimed to gain independence from Spain.

The word "Katipunan" comes from the root word "tipon", an indigenous Tagalog word, meaning: "society" or "gather". Its official revolutionary meanings are translated as Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Supreme and Venerable Society of the Children of the Nation). The word were used by Filipino revolutionary rebel leaders. Katipunan is also known by its acronym, KKK.

So thankfully, there's no connection to the badly dressed cotton balls with pointed heads from the US.

What lesson did we learn here? Never assume what you think you know, or not know, or may know sometime in the near or far future is 100% correct the world over. An acronym of hate in one country could very well be an acronym for bravery and freedom in another!

That is my lesson students, you may, or may not be tested on this!