America is in the Heart

At the age of five, Allos is in the field at his family farm in the town of Binalonan, located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Having just returned from the war, his brother Leon walks toward him. Until this point, Allos has only seen Leon in pictures. Looking back from an adult’s perspective, Allos discusses the tenuous revolutionary spirit pervading the Philippines.

Leon settles back into family life and soon marries in what is a joyous event for the family and town. However, when the newlyweds reach the last stage of the wedding—a virginity ceremony—things go horribly wrong. Leon carries his wife to their small home, which is where he will test her virginity. If she is a virgin, black smoke will rise from the chimney. When this does not happen, the townspeople, who were friendly moments before, drag them out, tie them both to trees, and savagely whip and beat them. Allos cuts them down and remembers Leon carrying his bleeding wife into their home again. Shortly thereafter, the couple leaves for another part of Luzon.