Malate is a part of the capital Manila. Its name is said to come from the word “maalat” which is Tagalog and means salty: due to its location by the bay, water used to come flood parts of the area and even make the drinking water salty.
The district has a fascinating history and is known as one of the old districts of Manila. It used to be a small fishing village during the Spanish colonial period, the center of progress during the rule of the United States of America, the home of the wealthy in beautiful villas until the 1970s and a commercial area since then.
No matter how many tourists pass by and no matter what used to happen some years ago: the kids of Malate are the most fascinating to me. They play in the streets next to busy markets and loud streets, sometimes in little groups, often by themselves. They seem to be in their own world and their big dark eyes looked at me curiously and patiently – and still we will never know, how they see their own Malate, their own home.
More photos from “Faces of Malate”
