Can food provide insights into the ways Filipino migrants in Hong Kong construct their identities? Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork, I analyze food voice narratives of Filipino migrants in Hong Kong to show how various aspects of their identity are expressed through food. The narratives show that Filipino migrants’ identities, particularly in terms of ethnicity and migrant status, can be understood through food. This article also examines two Filipino dishes that are strong symbols of Filipino identity: adobo and sinigang. These two dishes are often associated with Filipinos in Hong Kong, and yet they have also undergone some changes in their preparation, such that it can be argued that they have become different dishes. These dishes and the food voice narratives show that Filipino migrant identity is dynamic and complex, the elements of which all interact and influence each other. Food plays an important role in the Filipino migrant experience; in particular, the acts of preparing, consuming, and sharing food help establish and strengthen relationships that migrants have, both within Hong Kong and in the Philippines.
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