Bundok: A Hinterland History of Filipino America

Adrian De Leon's book explores the history of Northern Luzon and its Indigenous people, showing how they were affected by imperial and capitalist extraction. He argues that the Filipino race emerged from the labor, subjugation, archiving, and resistance of native people and offers a new perspective on the US Pacific empire.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 05 December 2023
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

From the late eighteenth century, the hinterlands of Northern Luzon and its Indigenous people found themselves at the center of imperial and capitalist extraction. In his captivating book, Adrian De Leon delves into the lives of the people of Northern Luzon, spanning across space and time, to present a fresh perspective on the United States' Pacific empire. This innovative narrative begins with the natives and migrants who were the driving force behind colonialism and its everyday unraveling.

Through a meticulous combination of global history and intimate biography, De Leon guides us through the diverse landscapes of Northern Luzon, from the emergence of the tobacco industry in the late eighteenth century to the documentation of workers by the Hawaii Sugar Planters Association. He also explores the movement of people and ideas across the Suez Canal, shedding light on the experiences of Filipino farmworkers in the American West.

At the heart of De Leon's narrative lies the construction of the Filipino as a racial category. He traces the origins of this category to the labor, subjugation, archiving, and resistance of native people. By meticulously reconstructing a rich archive, De Leon offers a sweeping history that promises to reshape our understanding of race-making in the Pacific world.

Through his meticulous research and imaginative storytelling, De Leon invites us to reimagine the Pacific empire and its complex history. His book serves as a valuable contribution to the field of history, offering a fresh perspective on the lives and experiences of marginalized communities.

Weight: 480g
Dimension: 155 x 234 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781469676487