Canadian drag queen Kyne last week dropped a video where she offered a brief history of Intramuros, the Walled City in Manila.
In the video on February 12, the former cast member of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in Canada was wearing a white, long-sleeved Filipiniana outfit in full drag makeup as she talked to her viewers.
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Kyne was also walking around Intramuros under the Manila heat throughout the video.
“I’m in Intramuros! Did you know this was the center of the Spanish empire in Asia up until 1898?” her tweet reads.
Im in Intramuros! Did you know this was the center of the Spanish empire in Asia up until 1898? pic.twitter.com/tVNNZ49M1J
— Kyne (@onlinekyne) February 11, 2023
In the video, Kyne shared a trivia that during the Spanish regime, Intramuros was only exclusive to the Spanish elite.
She said that the people who once lived in the land where the district was built got exiled.
“Up until the 1900s, this used to be the center of the Spanish empire in Asia. And you can see the Spanish all over from the architecture to this Catholic church,” Kyne said as she pointed to the San Agustin Church.
She also recalled that her parents got married at that historical church.
Kyne then went on to tell that the country was named after King Philip II of Spain, who was the ruler at the start of Spanish colonization in 1542.
Spanish explorer Ruy Lopez de Villalobos was the one who first bestowed that name on the archipelago.
Filipino natives back then were also called “Indios.” Spanish people who are born and raised here, meanwhile, are referred to as “Insulares.”
Kyne said that it was only after the Philippine revolution that all the people in the archipelago were called “Filipinos.”
“It wasn’t until the Philippine Declaration of Independence in 1898 that the name Filipino could be used for everyone in the islands regardless of ancestry,” she said.
Following this, Kyne earned praises for her educational video.
Some Twitter users further commended Kyne’s dedication to her act under the humid weather.
“I’m the one sweating looking at Kyne with that wig, full glam and dress under the Philippine weather,” a Pinoy tweeted.
“Miss Kyne, ang init po diyan sa Intra kudos sa dedication mo for doing it in drag,” another Filipino Twitter user said.
Some Filipinos speculated on the reason why the Canadian drag performer is in the Philippines.
“Why is she here? OMG. The guest judge for S2 or a CONTESTANT?” a Filipino asked on Twitter.
So far, there are two recently concluded local drag reality competitions, namely, the “Drag Race Philippines” and the “Drag Den Philippines.”
Kyne in late January held a show with Filipino drag queens and “DRPH” alumni Minty Fresh, Lady Morgana, Prince Marell and Eva Le Queen.
Thank you thank you thank you to the fabulous queens of Drag in the South 8! Love you all @itsladymorgana @eva_lequeen @onlinekyne @princemarell @minortiz!!! 🤍🫶🏻💋 pic.twitter.com/TzP4KtZ460
— Nico Nicdao (@theniconicdao) January 28, 2023
Meanwhile, Intramuros, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, was once under the leadership of Vice Royalty of New Spain in Mexico City.
It later became the capital of the New Spanish Island dominion during the 17th and 18th centuries.
The district is now being developed and supervised by the Intramuros Administration (IA), a government agency attached to the Department of Tourism.
