Growing up, I was often criticized for my Lánnang-uè, which I then simply considered "Chinese." My elders would scold me, urging me to substitute the Tagalog- and English-sourced words in my Lánnang-uè with Hokkien to avoid sounding "huan-ná-gòng" (loosely, like a "native fool") — ironically while using the same linguistic mixture they discouraged. This hypocrisy made me wonder: were they also huan-ná-gòng? Why did they insist on identifying as Lannang yet feared enhancing our language with local elements, especially since we are Filipinos? Many of us are born and raised in the Philippines, and know no other home. Why then, should it be unimaginable to conceive of a language that is uniquely Filipino and uniquely Lannang? Why should I have to "purify" a language that feels like home, one that serves as my identity marker with both Hokkien speakers and speakers of Philippine languages, but also a marker of a unique identity that is neither Filipino nor Hokkien/Chinese?

If the Peranakans, Macanese, and the Kristang communities can embrace their Chineseness while celebrating their distinctiveness through Baba Malay, Patuá, and Kristang, why can't we, the Lannangs, proudly acknowledge our uniqueness through the various expressions of Lánnang-uè?

These questions, rooted in those early experiences, continued to inspire my personal and academic exploration. I felt alone in this journey until 2020 when I encountered others who shared my sentiments, leading to the establishment of The Lannang Archives and eventually, the Lannang Symposium.

Witnessing the Lannang Symposium unfold was profoundly moving. Observing everyone interact freely, without linguistic prejudice or gatekeeping, marked the beginning of healing from the trauma inflicted by my own community. Initially, I doubted the success of the Symposium, but its positive reception and the sense of community it fostered reassured me that I was not alone in my pursuit of renegotiating and discovering Lannang identity. Although we are just at the start of a long journey, the friendships and robust support network I've formed give me hope. I'm deeply grateful that both Lannang Symposium and the growing community at The Lannang Archives Community have sparked necessary conversations, connections, and innovations (e.g., Lannang Stories) that are crucial for preserving Lannang culture and the Lánnang-uè language.

I also wish that this event, along with future ones, will establish a foundation for one day lobbying and securing national and international recognition of "Lannang" as a Philippine ethnolinguistic group and "Lánnang-uè" as an official Philippine/Filipino minority language, given that these constructs emerged in the Philippine contexts and are by, definition, Filipino.

It is my hope that this event will create a ripple effect, encouraging more community-led initiatives like this and attracting more volunteers in the future. While the road ahead is not easy, I am very optimistic that one day, we will eventually engage, embrace, empower - and ultimately rediscover - Lannang and Lánnang-uè.

Wilkinson (Wil) Daniel Wong Gonzales
4th generation Lannang and Filipino, born and raised in Iloilo City, Philippines to Hokkien-heritage and Taishanese/Cantonese-heritage Lannang parents born and raised in Manila.
Founder of The Lannang Archives and Convener of The Lannang Symposium
Assistant Professor at the Department of English @ The Chinese University of Hong Kong

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I have to thank The Chinese University of Hong Kong 香港中文大學 - CUHK CUHK Faculty of Arts 香港中文大學文學院 CUHK English Department for the financial support, and the push to make this Symposium possible. I hope we continue to work together to generate self-sustaining impact.
Many thanks to my co-convener Kristina Gallego and the whole team at UP Department of Linguistics for agreeing to hold this historical event University of the Philippines UP Diliman.
A very special thank you to Chloe Yu, M.I. Orpiada, Joshe Calvin Tiu, and Misha Hwang for helping out in creatives and marketing.
A shoutout to the minor sponsors: The Rotaract Club of Chinatown - Manila, anonymous donor via Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran, and the UP Department of Linguistics, as well as our media partners Chinatown TV 菲中电视台 and CHiNOY TV 菲華電視台.
And finally, I would really like to thank our event partner UP Chinese Student Association, for making parts of my vision a reality.

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