Clash of spirits : the history of power and sugar planter hegemony on a Visayan Island

Includes bibliographical references and index.

In this enlightening and highly original work, Aguilar examines the social relations, cultural meaningsm and political struggles surrounding the rise of sugar haciendas on Negros during the late Spanish colonial period and their subsequent transformation under the aegis of the American colonial state. Drawing on oral history interviews and a wide array of sources culled from the archives in Spain, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines, the author reconstructs the emergence of a sugar-planter class and its strategic maneuvers to attain hegemony. Informed by anthropological insights, Clash of Spirits portrays local actors taking an active role in shaping the external forces that impinge on their lives. The author examines hacienda life from the indigenous perspectvie of magic and spirit beliefs, reinterpreting several critical phases of Philippine history in the process. By analyzing mythic tales as bearers of historical consciousness, he explores the complex interactions between local culture, global imperialist interventions, and capitalist market forces. Throughout its engaging narrative, Clash of Spirits throws light on the inner workings of colonial capitalism, integrates cultural analysis with political economy, and offers a fresh understanding of Philippine society and history. [www.ateneopress.org]