ISABEL WELCH
#1
MIC CHECK: SON FIXED HER BREAKFAST OF EGG, SAUSAGE AND BISCUITS.
#2
INTRO: HELLO, IíM RIGGIE. THATíS MY NAME THAT EVERYBODY HAS CALLED ME SINCE I CAN REMEMBER. MATTER OF FACT, I DIDNíT KNOW MY REAL NAME TILL I WAS 7 YEARS OLD. (LAUGHS) WHEN MY MOTHER DECIDED THAT SHE HAD TO SEND ME TO SCHOOL I HAD TO GET EDUCATED, LITTLE THINGS LIKE DONíT YOU WANT TO LEARN TO READ THE FUNNIES BY YOURSELF? NO! I DONíT WANT TO LEAVE. MY OLDEST SISTER STAYED WITH GRANDMOTHER BUT I WAS IN A BOAT WITH MY MOTHER AND FATHER, THAT WAS MY HOME. I DIDNíT WANT TO LEAVE WHEN I WAS 7.
1:15 MY FATHER TOLD HER DONíT FORGET TO TELL HER WHAT MY NAME IS. AND I LOOKED AT HIM AND I SAID, IS MY NAME RIGGIE AND MAMA SAID YOUR NAME IS ISABELLE. I SAID HOW DO YOU SPELL THAT? MY MAMA THOUGHT FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND I-S-A-B-E-L-LE. I SAID OKAY. I HAD THE TWO HOUR RIDE FROM THE BOAT TO THE CAR TO LEARN HOW TO SPELL MY NAME. AND GEDORIA WAS EVEN HARDER: G-E-D-E-O-R-I-A. (LAUGHS)
BUT IT DOESNíT STOP THERE. I WENT TO SCHOOL, AT THE TIME YOU HAD TO HAVE BIRTH CERTIFICATE, THEN COMMUNION. ON MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE, THE MIDWIFE WHEN I WAS BORN ASKED MY MOTHER YOUíRE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER GIRL. WELL, I NAMED MY FIRST DAUGHTER AFTER MY MOTHER, SO MAYBE IíLL NAME HER AFTER MY HUSBANDíS MOTHER. BUT YOU HAVE TO ASK HIM TO SPELL IT. SO SHE WENT TO HUSBAND, AND HE SAID IíLL NAME HER ISABEL AFTER MY MOTHER. SHE BEING FRENCH, WROTE ON BIRTH CERTIFICATE I-S-A-B-E-L-E. THEN MY UNCLE WHO IS FILIPINO TOOK ME TO GET CHRISTENED AND HE SPELLED MY NAME I-S-A-B-EL-L-A. HERE I AM IN SCHOOL AND I DONíT KNOW HOW TO SPELL MY NAME.
LUCKILY THERE WAS ANOTHER GIRL IN THE SAME ROOM WHOSE NAME WAS ISABEL, I-S-A-B-E-L. SO I COPIED HERÖ (LAUGHS) IT WOULDíVE BEEN EASY IF I WROTE RIGGIE.
#3
IíM ISABEL GEDORIA WELCH. MY HUSBAND AND I WILL BE MARRIED 57 YRS, AND WE HAVE TWO SONS, MARIO AND MARK. AND I HAVE 6 GRANDCHILDREN AND 6 GREAT GRANDCHILDREN. WEíRE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
NOW IíM JUST A HOUSEWIFE AND A GRANDPARENT. I WAS IN THE CLASSROOM FOR 40 YRS, I TAUGHT SCHOOL, IN CATHOLIC SCHOOL AND IN PUBLIC SCHOOL RIGHT HERE IN THE SAME LITTLE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD, IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL. I ENJOYED THOSE YRS IMMENSELY. I LOVE TEACHING. I WAS VERY HAPPY DOING THAT.
I STARTED LATE FOR SOMEONE WHO TAUGHT SO LONG BUT I ENJOYED EVERY BIT OF IT. I STARTED IN CATHOLIC SCHOOL AND ENDED UP IN PUBLIC SCHOOL.
1:29 WHERE ARE WE NOW? WEíRE IN NEW ORLEANS, THIS IS THE PART OF NEW ORLEANS CALLED ALGIERS BUT ITíS PART OF N.O., ON THE WEST BANK, FURTHER ON DOWN YOU GET THE LITTLE TOWNS.
WHAT GRADES DID YOU TEACH? I TAUGHT ALL THE GRADES, MOSTLY TAUGHT 3RD AND 6TH GRADE. BUT I TAUGHT ALL, FIRST THROUGH 6TH. DIFF SCHOOL SITUATIONS.
WHERE WERE YOUR PARENTS FROM? MY MOTHER WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN THIS CITY. BUT MY DADDY WAS BORN IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDSóIN MANILA. I DONíT KNOW TOO MANY OF HIS PEOPLE. MATTER FACT ONLY MET ONE OF HIS COUSINS AND WHEN HE TOOK OFF DIDNíT SEE HIM ANYMORE FOR A LONG TIME; JUST ASSUMED HE EXPIRED. HE NEVER MARRIED AND DIDNT HAVE FAMILY EITHER.
3:17 WHEN DID FATHER COME TO THE U-S? HE CAME TO THE STATE TO WORK IN THE FIELDS, THE FRUIT ORCHARDS IN CA. (Looks at notes) LETíS SEEÖ QUOTES HER NOTES FROM ALBUM. I WROTE THIS BEC IT WAS SOMETHING TOLD TO ME:
THIS BOY OF 14 WAS PUT IN A SEMINARY WHERE HE LEARNED TO READ AND WRITE. AT 16 HE RAN AWAY BY SWIMMING THE RIVER. HE STAYED IN HIDING UNTIL HE AND SOME FRIENDS JOINED A MIGRATORY WORKERS GRP HEADED IN CALIFORNIA IN 1910.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THE SPANISH AMERICAN GAVE THE U-S COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE CARRIBEAN SEA, GUAM AND THE FILIPINOS IN 1899. NO PASSPORTS, ETC WERE NEEDED TO COME TO THE UNITED STATES. INOCENCIO STAYED FOR ABOUT 3 YRS WORKING WITH SEASONAL CROPS. A GRP HEADED TO ALASKA TO FISH SALMON. IN 1915 DURING A STROM, HE AND TWO FRIENDS WERE CAUGHT IN A QUICK FALLING ICE, ONE FIREND DIED AND THE OTHER HAD HIS HAND AMPUTATED. HIS HANDS WERE FROZEN.
#4
THIS CAUSED MUCH PAIN AND INCAPACITATED FOR SOMETIME. HE TRAVELED AROUND WITH FRIENDS WORKING AS LABORER. ON DEC 2, 1920 HE AND BUDDIES JOINED THE U-S ARMY AND TO FORT DOUGLAS, UTAH. IN THE SPRING OF 1921 HE WAS TRANSFERRED AND RECRUITED AT EDUCATIONAL CENTER AT CAMP TRAVIS, TEXAS. IN JULY OF THAT YEAR, HONORARY DISCHARGE.
THE SAME YEAR HE CAME TO NEW ORLEANS AND HE WAS WORKING FOR A SHIPPING COMPANY.
:55 (LOOKS AT NOTES AGAIN) MY FATHER CAME FROM MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, IN ABOUT 1920 HE WORKED IN CA, AND WENT UP TO ALASKA, THEN CAME DOWN TO UTAH AND THEN TO TEXAS, STAYED IN TEXAS FOR A LITTLE WHILE. MATTER OF FACT, HE JUST MISSED WORLD WAR I AND HE WAS GETTING ON THE SHIP TO GO OVERSEAS WHEN THE WAR ENDED. SO HE WAS LUCKY.
2:50 WHAT BROUGHT HIM TO LA? WELL, THE WHOLE GRP OF THEM THAT WERE IN HIS COMPANY WANTED TO GO WHERE MOST OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE WERE. THEY WENT TO TX AND STAYED A LITTLE WHILE. AND THEY KNEW ST. MALO OVER HERE IN LA, THEY HA DSOME FILIPINOS SO THEY CAME HERE. AND FROM ST MALO THEY CAME TO NEW ORLEANS AREA.
I HAD A GREAT GRAND AUNT, MY MOTHERíS AUNT WAS MARRIED TO A FILIPINO AND SHE HAD A THREE-STORY HOUSE AND THEYíD ALWAYS GO THERE BEC THEY COULD FIND A ROOM OVER THERE WITH MY GRANDFATHER. THATíS WHERE MY GRANDFATHER WENT TO AND MY MOTHER WENT VISITING HER AUNT ONE TIME AND THATíS HOW SHE MET MY DADDY.
4:14 WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? I GREW UP RIGHT HERE IN NEW ORLEANS AND IN THE BAYOUS OF LA, AROUND MANILA VILLAGE, AND FOBIAS, AND CLOSE TO THEÖ
(Son Mario comes in)
#5
I GREW UP MOSTLY AROUND IN NEW ORLEANS AND ALGIERS AND ALL THE FISHING CAMPS AROUND THE GULF OF MEXICO THAT MY FATHERíS BOAT WAS MY HOME TILL I WAS ALMOST 7 YRS OLD.
DID YOU GROW UP IN MANILA VILLAGE? YES MOST OF THE TIME. (TAKE 2) MOSTLY I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN MANILA VILLAGE AND THE OTHER LITTLE SHRIMPING BAYOU THINGS BEC MY FATHER WAS A FISHERMAN AND THE BOAT THAT WE LIVED IN WAS MY HOME. WE LIVED IN A BOAT, WORKED IN A BOAT AND EVERYTHING.
WHEN I WAS 7 YRS OLD MY MOTHER DECIDED I HAD TO LEARN TO READ THAT SHE SENT ME TO THE CITY TO GO TO SCHOOL. (LAUGHS)
I SPENT THE FIRST SEVEN YRS OF MY LIFE ON A BOAT, YES INDEED. WE LIVED IN CAMPS SOMETIMES. WINTERTIME WERE REALLY BAD BEING ON THE BOAT BEC YOU SURROUNDED BY WATER BUT MY DAD USED TO TRAP IN THE WINTERTIME SO HE BUILT A LITTLE CABIN, A LITTLE ONE ROOM SHACK, RIGHT NEXT TO THE CANAL WHERE THE BOAT WOULD BE, BUT ONCE THE SEASON CHANGED, WE WERE BACK ON THE BOAT AND THATíS THE WAY WE LIVED. (LAUGHS)
2:16 WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT LIVING IN THE BOAT? THE THING I REMEMBER MOST, IíLL NEVER FORGET IS THE FACT THAT I COULD NOT SEE OFF THE BOAT. THE BOAT GOES LIKE THIS, AND WE LIVED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE BOAT; IT WAS COMFORTABLE AND EVERYTHING BUT I WAS SMALL AND THE EDGE OF THE BOAT WAS NO FURTHER THAN MY EYES (LAUGHS) AND THATíS WHAT I SAW. I SAW EVERYTHING FROM THIS END TO THAT END AND THAT WAS IT.
3:11 LOTS OF TIMES WE WOULD GO MY AUNTíS CAMP, MY MOM WOULD PICK ME UP AND PUT ME ON A TOP AND IíD GO AND WALK ON THE PLATFORM ON THE CAMP AND THAT WAS IT. THAT WAS GOOD. THE THING I REMEMBERED THE MOST AND HATED THE MOST WAS THE FACT THAT I WAS NO TALLER THAN THE EYES.
SO WHAT DID YOU SEE? WELL, I SAW ALL THE BOATS, ALL THE PEOPLE, MY COUSINS AND ALL WHEN THEY WOULD COME AND I WANT TO PLAY OR SWIM AND MY MOTHER WOULD LET ME AND THEY WOULD TAKE ME TO THE END OF THE WHARF AND WEíD JUMP OFF THE WHARF AND SWIM AND I DIDNíT EVEN KNOW HOW TO SWIM. I WAS 14 YRS OLD BEFORE I LEARNED HOW TO SWIM. (LAUGHS) BUT THAT WAS ONE THING I WAS NEVER AFRAID OF THE WATER. I HAD GOOD WONDERFUL COUSINS WHO TOOK CARE OF MEóBOYS AND THEY TREATED ME LIKE ONE OF THE BOYS.
4:35 WHAT DID YOUR FATHER DO WITH THE BOAT? HE WAS A COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN. HE USED TO EITHER TRAWL FOR SHRIMPÖ
MY FATHER WAS A COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN AND MOST OF THE TIME HE TRAWLED, HE, MAMA AND I ON THE BOAT AND SHE DID ALL THE THING THE SAILOR WOULD DO ON THE BOAT, PLUS SHE WOULD DO WHATEVER THING A WOMAN WOULD DO ON THE BOATóTHE COOKING, THE WASHING AND EVERYTHING. (LAUGHS)
#6
BUT LIKE CLEANING THE SHRIMP, THAT WAS A BIG JOB, CLEANING SHRIMP. I LEARNED I GOT STUCK SO MANY TIMES BY CATFISH, GRABBED BY CRABS SO MANY TIMES AND ALL. TO ME IT WAS LIKE FUN.
DID YOU HAVE TO WORK ON THE BOAT? OH YES. I ALWAYS WORKED ON THE BOAT. I REMEMBER THE TIME, I COULD CLOSE MY EYES AND SEE MY FATHER HAD A ROUND BOTTOM BOAT AND IT WOULD SAIL LIKE THE WAVE LIKE THAT. AND THEN IT WOULD COME AROUND AGAIN. MOST BOATS WOULD GO LIKE THIS AND FLOP DOWN AND GO LIKE THAT AND FLOP DOWN. BUT NOT MY DADDYíS BOAT. MY DADDYíS BOAT WAS ROUND BOTTOM SO IT WENT WITH THE WAVE. AT ONE POINT IF YOU LOOKED ALL AROUND YOU YOUíD SEE NOTHING BUT A MOUNTAIN OF WATER, YOUíRE IN BETWEEN TWO MOUNTAINS OF WATER.
WHENEVER WE GET INTO A SITUATION LIKE THAT MY DADDY WOULD GRAB ME AND HEíD PUT ME IN A, THEY HAD A BUNK BED IN THE CABIN ABOVE THE ENGINE OF THE BOAT. THEYíD PUT ME ON TOP OF THE BUNKBED. IíD BE SAFE. I COULD STILL SEE EVERYTHING BUT I WOULD BE SAFE. AND WHEN WE GET INTO CLEAR WATER OR STILLWATER, HEíD LET ME DOWN AND IíD GO ABOUT MY BUSINESS ON THE BOAT, PICKING UP CRAB AND STUFF.
2:21 SO THE BOAT WAS MECHANIZED? YES. IT WAS GASOLINE EGINE. LATER IT WAS DIESEL ENGINE. IT WAS GOOD.
2:46 TAKE US TO THE BOAT WHEN YOU HELPED DURING SHRIMPING SEASON> WE WOULD USUALLY GET UP BEFORE 4 IN THE MORNING. AND WEíD HEAD OUT TO WHEREVER DADDY THOUGHT WOULD BE SOME SHRIMP. AND WHEN WE GET THERE, WEíD LET DOWN THE TAIL OF THE TRAWL AND THAT WOULD BE ONE OF MY JOBS. THE TAIL OF THE TRAWL HAD A LONG ROPE AND HAD A HUGE CALK THAT HELD THE TAIL UP A LITTLE BIT.
THEREíS A LED LINE ON THE BOTTOM THAT GOES ACROSS THE TRAWLER LIKE THIS AND A CALK LINE THAT GOES ON TOP. AND THE TWO BIARDS HOLD IT OPEN ENOUGH THAT THE BOAT DRAGS THE TRAWL ALONG, YOU SEE. YOU CATCH ANYTHING THAT WOULD GO BETWEEN THAT LED LINE AND CALK LINE. SOMETIME HE WOULD DRAG TWO, THREE, MAYBE FOUR HOURS AND THEN WOULD HAUL IT IN. BEFORE HE HAD DEVICES TO HELP IT IN, HE WOULD PULL IN THE ROPE BY HAND. THE BOARD WAS FIVE FEET TALL AND FOUR FEET LONG.
I ALWAYS USED TO PULL IN THE BOARD AND HOOK IT AROUND THE POST THAT DAD HAD THERE MOVE THE OTHER SIDE, HEíD PICK UP HIS BOARD, AND COME AND PICK UP MY BOARD. AND THEN WEíD PULL THE LED LINE IN FIRST AND OVER AND THEN THE CALK LINE IN AND THEN HE WOULD CATCH THE CALK THAT HELD TAIL OF THE TRAWL AROUND TO THE SIDE OF THE BOAT AND IF THERE WERE TOO MUCH FOR MY DADDY TO PICK UP BY HAND HE USED THE DIP NET AND WOULD USE SOME PLANKS ACROSS AND WOULD HOOK THE TRAWL ONTO THAT AND HEíD DIP THE THING ON TO THE DECK.
#7
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU TRAWLED FOR SHRIMP? WELL, IF WE CAUGHT A LOT OF SHRIMP WE PUT IT ON THE DECK AND THE SHRIMP, FISH CRAB, EVERYTHING HAD TO GO IN THERE. AND THEN HE WOULD TOSS THE TAIL OUT AND SEND IT OUT AGAIN, THE TAIL OF THE TRAWL. WHILE WEíRE DRAGGING THE SECOND TIME WEíD BE SEPARATING THE SHRIMP FROM EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WAS ON THE DECK. AND THEN BY THE TIME WE FINISHED DOING THAT, BEC IT JUST ME, MAMA AND DADDY WEíD PICK UP THE OTHER DRAG. WE MADE 2-3 DRAGS A DAY AND THEN WEíD HEAD INTO MANILA VILLAGE CAUSE WE HAD A CAMP IN MANILA VILLAGE AND WE STAYED THERE.
2:00 WHAT DID YOU DO AT MANILA VILLAGE? THERE WAS ALWAYS MEN THAT WORKED ON THE PLATFORM THAT HELPED DADDY WASH AND PUT THE SHRIMP IN HUGE BASKETS AND THEY HAD A LITTLE CART GOING TO THE BOILING ROOM. AND THEYíD BPOIL THE SHRIMP AND SPREAD IT OUT ON THE PLATFORM AND THE SUN WOULD DRY IT. THATíS THE PLACE WHERE THEY DID THAT.
2:44 (REFERS TO PICTURE) THATíS THE OPPOSITE OF WHERE IT REALLY WAS. IT WAS A COVER OF A MAGAZINE BUT ITíS THE OPPOSITE. THAT PORT THERE SHOULD BE BACK THERE.
3:17 SO THEY DRIED IT> YES, AND IF IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO RAIN A KIND OF THING MADE OF WOOD, COVERED WITH TARPAULINE AND THEY WOULD PROTECT IT UNTIL THE RAIN WOULD STOP AND THEY WOULD OPEN UP AGAIN. THEN THEYíD BRING IT TO THE EDGE OF THE PLATFORM AND THEY WOULD DANCE THE SHRIMP.
(Pause)
#8
WHEN THE SHRIMP WOULD GET REAL DRIED, THEYíD SPREAD THE SHRIMP OUT ON TO THE PLATFORM AND IT LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE DANCING ON IT. THEYíD PUT BIG BROGANSóBIG, BIG HEAVY SHOES AND THEYíD GET ON, SOMETIMES IT WOULD BE BETWEEN 4-6 MEN. AND THEN THEYíD STAMP ON THE SHRIMP LIKE THAT. THATíS WHERE THE THING CAME FROM ON DANCING THE SHRIMP. (LAUGHS)
:48 AND IT WAS MEN WHO DID THAT, NOT WOMEN. YOU SAW THIS? OH YEAH. WE DID, THE CHILDREN ALWAYS TRIED TO GET IN THERE AND DO THAT WITH THEM BUT OF COURSE WE DIDNíT HAVE THE BIG SHOES.
WAS THERE MUSIC? NO. SOMETIMES, HARMONICA. OVER HERE (TO THE PICTURE), A MAN WITH A GUITAR. LOOKS LIKE HEíS GOT A LITTLE GUITAR AND THATíS WHAT HEíS DOING THERE. AND THEN THEYíD BRING IT TO THIS LITTLE HOUSE OVER HERE ON THE EDGE OF THE PLATFORM. THEY HAD A BIG MACHINE, BUT THIS ONE WAS MOSTLY BY HAND. AND IT WOULD MOVE THE SHRIMP BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH UNTIL THE SHELLS AND THE ONLY THING LEFT WOULD BE THE DRIED SHRIMP. AND THEYíD PACK THAT IN BIG BARRELS. AND SHIP IT TO CHINA, RUSSIA, PUERTO RICO. CAN YOU IMAGINE? I DIDNíT REALIZE THAT UNTIL I LOOKED INTO IT.
2:42 WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? THIS IS MANILA VILLAGE THE WAY THIS GIRL SAW IT. THIS IS THAT PLACE WHERE IN ONE OF THE LITTLE SHRIMPING INDUSTRY, WHAT WOULD YOU CALL IT, BUT IT HAD A HUGE PLATFORM WHERE THEYíD BOIL THE SHRIMP AND BRING IT OUT ON THE PLATFORM ON THE BACK AND THE PLATFORM WAS MADE LIKE THIS. AND THEYíD LAY THE SHRIMP ON THE TOP WAVE AND IF IT LOOKED LIKE RAIN WAS COMING THEYíD PULL TARPAULINE OVER THAT AND SOON AS THE RAIN WAS GONE THEYíD TAKE THE TARPAULINE OFF AND THE SHRIMP WOULD BE EXPOSED TO THE SUN. AFTER IT WAS COOKED AND EXPOSED TO THE SUN IT BECAME DRIED SHRIMP. AND SENT TO SO MANY PLACES.
4:01 (TAKE 3) ITíS A PICTURE OF MANILA VILLAGE, THAT WAS THE TOP AND THE LAST ONE OF THE FISHING VILLAGES THAT WAS LEFT IN SOUTH LA.
HEREíS A PICTURE OF MANILA VILLAGE, NOT EXACTLY THE GRANDFATHER OF THIS GIRL HAD EXPLAINED IT TO HER BUT NOT EXACTLY HOW IT WAS. SINCE IT WAS ON A COVER OF A MAGAZINE, THIS WOULD BE THE COVER LIKE THIS AND THIS WOULD REALLY BE ON THE BACK OF THIS SIDE.
#9
SHE DIDNíT MAKE CHANGES. SHE JUST PUT DOWN HOW HER GRANDFATHER WAS TELLING HER. THIS IS THE WAY I UNDERSTAND. ITíS PRETTY GOOD, BUT AFTER IT WAS FOLDED IT WOULD BE ALMOST RIGHT. I HAVE OTHER PICTURES OF MANILA VILLAGE BETTER THAN THIS BUT I HAVE GIVEN THE LAST PICTURE TO A FELLOW WHOíS MAKING A COLLECTION OF THINGS, BUT IíM GOING TO GO BACK AND ASK TO BORROW AND MAKE COPIES.
IíM AMAZED AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO KNOW ABOUT THIS AND WANT TO KNOW MORE.
1:03 WHAT DID IT SMELL LIKE? THATíS A SMELL YOU NEVER FORGET. FOR A WHILE THERE IT SMELLED JUST LIKE BOILED SHRIMP, YOU KNOW. AND IF YOU LIKE SHRIMP, AND MOST PEOPLE DID, IT WAS OKAY. BUT THEN LATER ON AS TIME WENT ON, IT BEGAN WHERE YOU HAD TO GET RID OF THE SHRIMP SHELL AND STUFF, AND EVERYTHING AND THE SHRIMP WERE BARRELED AND TAKEN AWAY, AT CERTAIN TIMES AND THE WIND WAS RIGHT, IT WOULD BE VERY BAD. I THINK THATíS THE REASON WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVED IN THE BOATS BEC THEY COULD DRIVE THE BOAT AWAY OUT OF THE SMELL OF THE VILLAGE. AND GET A GOOD NIGHTíS SLEEP, YOU SEE. AND SOMETIMES WE USED TO EVEN, AFTER WE DELIVERED WEíD GO BACK TO THE PLACE WHERE WE WOULD START TRAWLING AGAIN THE NEXT MORNING AND SLEEP OVER THERE. IT WAS A FULL DAYíS WORK, A FULL DAYíS TIME.
2:50 WHAT WAS LIKE LIVING IN MANILA VILLAGE? WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER MOST? I DEARLY LOVED IT. MY FATHER HAD A SON AND HE WAS ONLY ONE OF THE BROTHERS OF MY MOTHERíS FAMILY THAT NEVER HAD A SON. BUT I WAS THE NEAREST THING HE EVER HAD TO A SON. UNTIL I WAS 7 YRS OLD AND HAD TO GO LEARN TO READ, THAT WAS A PART OF MY LIFE I MOST ENJOYED BEC THATíS THE PART OF MY LIFE MOST CHILDREN ENJOY. IMAGINE, GOING TO SLEEP ON A BOAT AND WAKING AND PLAYING ON A BOAT, YOU COULD JUMP INTO THE ATER ANYTIME YOU WANTED TO AND SWIM AND EVERYTHING AND DO THINGS THAT BOYS DID, SEEMED LIKE THEY HAD THE FUN. THE GIRLS HAD TO STAY HOME AND SEW AND KNIT AND LEARN HOW TO COOK AND STUFF LIKE THAT. WASH DISHES, THAT WAS THE THING I HATED THE MOST, WASHING DISHES. (LAUGH)
4:27 WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER DO? WOULD HELP CATCH SHRIMP INSTEAD (LAUGHS) ANYTIME, ANYTIME. I DIDNíT LIKE GIRLS I LIKED TO DO BOYS WORK ALL THE TIME. THE FIRST PART OF MY LIFE I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT MY LIFE AS BEING IN PARTS, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST PART OF MY LIFE, YOU SEE. AND THE SECOND PART WAS GOING TO SCHOOL, AND LEARNING HOW TO BE A GIRL, I GUESS. I LEARNED TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, WENT TO HIGH SCH, PLAYED IN ORCHESTRA, THEN ANOTHER RPART OF MY LIFE STARTED WHEN THE PROF IN MY ORCHESTRA RECOMMENDED ME TO SOMEBODY WHO WAS LOOKING FOR A GIRL WHO PLAYED THE CORONET OR TRUMPET. THEY GAVE A FULL MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP, IF I PLAYED IN THE ORCHESTRA. (SHE PLAYED THE TRUMPET)
#10
ONCE I GOT THERE LEARNING HOW TO BE, IT WAS AN ALL-GIRL COLLEGE. THAT WAS ANOTHER PART OF MY LIFE I HAD TO LEARN ALL OVER AGAIN. THIS WAS HOW TO BE A GIRL. (LAUGHS) IT WAS WONDERFUL. I ENJOYED SCHOOL.
1:36 WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT IT? IT SOUNDED LIKE A CAREFREE LIFE? OH YES. THE BOYS GOT DO EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW. THEY GOT TO WORK WITH THE TRAWL, WORK ON THE BOAT AND DO THINGS THAT BOYS DO. GIRLS ALWAYS HAD TO STAY INSIDE AND WASH DISHES AND COOK MEALS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. I LIKE THAT PART OF THE LIFE, I LIKE BEING A BOY. BUT ONCE I GOT THE SCHOLARSHIP TO GO TO COLLEGE I LEARNED HOW TO BE A GIRL.
2:15 SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY THATíS A TOUGH LIFE A FOR A YOUNG GIRL? I USED TO HAVE FUN, I USED TO BE WITH MY FATHER ALL THE TIME AND WHEN THERE WAS SOMETHING TO DO ON THE BOAT, HEíD SAY, BABY COME HERE, HOLD THIS, AND I DONíT CARE, DONíT ASK WHAT WHERE OR WHY, IF ITíS SOMETHING HEAVY, LIGHT OR WHAT I HOLD IT.
I NEVER KNEW THIS UNTIL ONE TIME MY MOTHER HEARD MY DADDY CALL ME AND SHE CAME OUT TO LOOK AND IT WAS SOMETHING TO HOLD, AND SHE WENT, DORIO, AND IT WAS TOO LATE BEC HE HAD ALREADY DID WHAT HE WANTED TO DO. AND SHE CAME OUT AND SAID, YOU KEEP FORGETTING SHEíS A GIRL. SHE CANíT HOLD ANYTHING HEAVY AS THAT. AND I SAID, BUT I DID. (LAUGHS)
IT WAS A PIPE. HE WANTED TO BEND A PIPE A CERTAIN WAY TO GET INTO THE BOAT A CERTAIN WAY AND HE SAID, HERE HOLD THIS AND I HELD IT. AND HE CAME WITH A BIG ANVIL AND DROPPED IT ON TOP OF THAT PIPE. AND HE BENT IT, BLUNK! I WAS STILL HOLDING IT. AND HE SAID YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. BUT WE BENT IT THE RIGHT WAY. (LAUGHS) I THINK MY DADDY THOUGHT PLENTY OF ME AS A BOY. THE BOY THAT WORKED WITH HIM.
4:32 DID YOU EVER TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT THE EARLY FILIPINOS? AN OCCASION NEVER SHOWED UP EXCEPT ONCE OR TWICE WHEN ONE OF MY SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS ASKED ME. HE WAS A VERY NICE BOY, CURIOUS. HE SAID, MISS WELCH, YOUíRE NOT GOING TO GET MAD IF I ASK YOU. I SAID I DONíT KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK ME? HE SAYS ARE YOU CHINESE OR JAPANESE? (LAUGHS) AND THAT WAS NOT A QUESTION THAT WAS ODD TO ME BEC CHILDREN HAD BEEN ASKING ME, PEOPLE HAD BEEN ASKING ME FOR YRS. AND I WOULD SAY, SOMETIMES IF I HAD TIME I WOULD SAY IíM NEITHER, IíM FILIPINO AND NEXT TIME YOU ASK ME IíLL TELL YOU WHAT IT IS.
#11
A LOT OF TIMES THEY WOULD SAY CHINESE OR JAPANESE BEC OF OUR WAR WITH JAPAN THAT THEY WANTED TO KNOW IF I WAS CHINESE OR JAPANESE. THEY DIDNíT KNOW FILIPINOS. SO ONE TIME I WAS TEACHING A SIXTH GRADE CLASS AND ONE BOY, MISS WELCH YOUíRE NOT GOING TO GET MAD IF I ASK YOU—I SAID I KNOW WHAT YOUíRE GOING TO ASK ME, IF IíM CHINESE OR FILIPINO. YEAH! I SAID, YOUíRE NOT THE FIRST AND IíM SURE YOUíRE NOT GOING TO BE THE LAST TO ASK ME WHAT I AM. I SAID IíM NEITHER ONE ANYWAY.
1:21 I SAID IíM A FILIPINO AND HE WENT, WHATíS THAT? (LAUGHS) AND SO I SAID, I TELL YOU WHAT IíM GOING TO MAKE A REAL LESSON OF IT. AND IíM GOING TO TREAT IT LIKE A LESSON THAT I WOULD TEACH YOU AND WEíRE GOING TO DO WITH MAPS AND YOUíRE GOING TO BE TESTED ON IT. AND HE SAID, THATíS OKAY, THATíS OKAY WITH US.
ANYWAY, I WENT TO THE LIBRARY AND FOUND BIG MAPS OF THE PHILIPPPINE ISLANDS ANDÖ THE SEA AND I STARTED OFF WITH THE VOYAGE WITH MAGELLAN, THATíS HOW WE DID IT. THOSE KIDS ATE IT UP, IT WAS REALLY AMAZING, THEY ATE IT UP BEC THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE LEARNING SOMETHING THAT NOBODY ELSE KNEW. (LAUGHS)
2:44 I REALLY ENJOYED TEACHING SIXTH GRADE AND HAVING THAT PART OF THE WORLD TO TEACH THEM.
WAS THAT COMMON KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE FILIPINOS IN LA? NO THEY NEVER KNEW. WHEN I WENT THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE THEY ASK ME WHAT I WAS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY ALWAYS ASKED CHINESE OR JAPANESE. BUT WHEN WE HAD THE WAR WITH JAPAN THEY GOT TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND THEY GOT TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND A LITTLE MORE AND APPRECIATE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER. YEAH, I BECAME FAMOUS. (LAUGHS) I BECAME TEACHER OF THE YEAR AND ALL THAT STUFF.
3:50 AND ITíS BECAUSE THEY SUDDENLY REALIZED THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD THEY DIDNíT KNOW AND THEYíRE GLAD TO LEARN IT AND AFTER THE WAR IT WAS EVEN BETTER.
4:09 SO WHATíS YOUR BACKGROUND? MY FATHER IS FROM MANILA, I JUST DONíT KNOW HOW MUCH FILIPINO BLOOD HE HAD IN HIM BUT IíM SURE ITíS PURE.
AND YOUR MOTHER? MY MOTHERíS FATHER WAS PURE FILIPINO BUT MY MOTHERíS MOTHER, IS ALL THE EUROPEAN NATION (LAUGHS) AND THEN MAMA, I GOT A LOT OF IT FROM MY MOTHER. BUT I GUESS IF I HAD MARRIED A FILIPINO IT WOULD CONTINUE.
#12 BILL CAME ALONG AND HE, OUR FAMILY IS LIKE HALF FILIPINO AND HALF ALL OTHER STUFF.
:28 WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF? AMERICAN. I DESCRIBE MYSELF AS AN AMERICAN, THATíS IT. IF YOU ASK WHAT GENERATION IíD SAY IíM ASIAN AND THE REST OF THE NATIONS BECAUSE I DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING IN ME.
CAN YOU SEE THIS PICTURE HERE? THATíS A PICTURE OF MY SISTER AND A PICTURE OF ME. MY SISTER WAS 18 AND IíM 16 IN THAT PICTURE. SHE WAS GETTING TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCH AND I HAD A TWO YRS MORE TO GO. BUT YOU SEE, IíVE GOT MORE THE FILIPINO LOOK THAN SHE DOES. YOU SEE THAT? SHEíS GOT MORE OF A LENGTHY FACE WHEREí MINE IS MORE OF A ROUND FACE? THE FILIPINO LOOK THAN HER. SHEíS GOT TWO OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRLS YOU COULD EVER LAY EYES ON, HUH BILL?
1:48 SHE DIDNíT MARRY FILIPINO MAN, SHE MARRIED GERMAN AND SOMETHING ELSE. BUT THEY HAVE A FILIPINO LOOK BUT THEY DONíT HAVE THE LOOK OF THE FILIPINOS.
2:17 WHENEVER ANYBODY ASK ME I SAY IíM AN AMERICAN. THATíS EASY TO SAY THAN TO TRY TO SAY WELL I GOT OF THIS BLOOD, SOME OF THAT BLOOD, OH IíM AN AMERICAN.
2:32 DO PEOPLE LIVE IN MANILA VILLAGE? OH YES. OH NO, ITíS GONE NOW. THE 1949 STORM TOOK IT AWAY COMPLETELY. THEY GOT THIS BIG PIPEóWHAT DO THEY CALL IT DADDY WHERE THEY BOIL THE SHRIMP?
BILL: THEY CALL IT BIG VATS
ISABEL: THEY BOIL THE SHRIMP. THAT WAS THIS BIG PIPE MADE OF SOME IMPORTANT, GOOD MATERIAL. SOMEBODY STOLE THAT. SO THEREíS NOTHING THERE.
3:52 DOES MANILA VILLAGE EXIST? NO, VERY SOTTY TO SAY MANILA VILLAGE DOES NOT EXIST ANYMORE. THERE MIGHT BE SOME PILINGS AND POLES MIGHTíVE BEEN LEFT THERE. BUT THE. BETSYÖ I THINK IT WAS 1949Ö
4:47 IN 1949 HURRICANE BETSY CAMEÖ NO HE SAYSÖ
#13 (TAKE 2) NO, UNFORTUNATELY, THE WHOLE VILLAGE WAS BEGINNING TO DETERIORATE. PEOPLE ARENíT STAYING THERE ANYMORE. FISHERMEN USED TO CAMP THERE. AND THEIR WIVES USED TO STAY THERE WHILE THEY WENT TO FISH BUT ONE STORM CAME BY, EVERYBODY MOVED AWAY AND CAME CLOSER TO TOWN WHERE IT WOULD BE SAFE.
THEN IN 1965 HURRICANE BETSY CAME AND JUST WIPED IT ALL AWAY. THE ONLY THING LEFT WAS SOME POSTS AND EVERYTHING. MUCH LATER PEOPLE STARTED SCAVEGING, TAKING EVERYTHING. SOME OF THOSE POSTS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR SO MANY YRS, ALMOST MADE OF IRON OR SOMETHING. BUT NOW IT IS ALL GONE. I DONíT THINK THERE ARE ANY KIND OF MARKERS AROUND THAT WOULD BEÖ
1:31
BILL: THERE WAS AN OIL COMPANY THAT BUILT THROUGH MANILA VILLAGE.
ISABEL: THATíS TRUE. SO THEREíS NO MORE. SO MANILA VILLAGE IS ONLY IN OUR THOUGHTS AND IN OUR PICTURES.
1:52 WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION AFTER BETSY WIPED OUT VILLAGE? LETíS SEE, IN 1965, WHERE WERE WE BILL?
BILL: WE WERE HERE, BUT WE GOT YOUR MOMMY AND DADDYÖ
ISABEL: WE COULD ALWAYS TELL HOW THE WEATHER, AND THE PEOPLE IN THIS AREA ALWAYS AFRAID OF HURRICANES SO THEY TRY TO PREPARE FOR IT. AND THEN I REMEMBER OUR FAMILY STARTED COMING IN. WE KEPT LOOKING FOR MY MOMMY AND DADDY AND WE GOT A CALL AND GO PICK UP YOUR MOMMY AND DADDY. THEY HAD THEIR BOAT PARKED ALMOST TO THE ROAD WHERE THE CARS WOULD PASS. SO WE WERE, EVERYBODY WAS COMING IN, AND WE WERE THE ONLY ONES GOING OUT. WE HAD NO TROUBLE GETTING DOWN THERE.
THEN WE PUT THEM IN A CAR AND WE CAME ON HOME. ONCE WE GOT HOME WE BOARDED UP OUR HOUSE BEC HURRICANEíS NOTHING TO BE LAUGHED AT. THANK GOODNESS THEY SPENT THE WHOLE TIME HERE. THEN THE NEXT DAY WHEN IT WAS OVER, MOMMY AND DADDY THEY WERE INTERESTED IN GOING DOWN THERE BUT SOME OF THE FAMILY WENT DOWN THERE AND THE POLICE STOPPED THEM. SO THEY CAME TO THIS SIDE AND THAT WASNíT GOING TO STOP ANY OF MY COUSINS. SO THEY GOT TOGETHER AND WENT AROUND LAFITTE AND FOUND MY DADDYíS BOAT INTACT, HONEY.
A MAN, HE WASÖ HE TOOK REFUGE IN MY FATHERíS BOAT. HE BROKE A LOCK AND GOT INTO MY FATHERíS BOAT AND SAVED HIS LIFE AND SAVED MY DADDYíS BOAT BEC MY DADDY HAD THE LINES. AND WHEN THE WATER STARTED RAISING, THE LINES WOULDíVE HELD THE BOATS DOWN.
#14
THAT WAS SOMETHING. HE LEFT A LITTLE NOTE. HE SAW, HE ATE THE FOOD THAT MY MAMA LEFT. MY DADDY SAID I ALWAYS WANTED TO MEET THAT MAN BEC MAYBE HE SAVED HIS LIFE, BUT HE SAVEDHIS BOAT.
#15
THIS IS CABANASH. MANILA VILLAGE WAS LIKE IN A BAY LIKE THIS. AND ACROSS THE BAY WAS ANOTHER VILLAGE LIKE THIS THAT THEY CALLED CABANASH. MANILA VILLAGE AND CABANASH. IT WAS PULLING DISTANCE, PADDLING DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER. BUT OVER HERE THERE WAS NO STORES, BUT CAMPS THAT PEOPLE LIVED THERE.
:51 THIS IS SKETCH OF CABANASH AND THIS IS THE HOUSE WE LIVED IN AND THIS IS THE FIRST HOUSE I REMEMBER, THIS IS THE CISTERINE, AND THIS WAS A LITTLE TWO-ROOM CABIN. PEOPLE USED TO GO THERE, BUILD A CABIN, THIS WAS THE ROUND HOUSE AND THIS IS THIS CABIN HERE. AND THEN LATER THERE WERE TWO MORE CABINS, AND THEN THERE WAS MY GRANDMOTHERíS CABIN. EVERYBODY USED TO GO THERE AND STAYÖ
1:44 I SHOULD EXPLAIN WHAT A SEINE CREW IS. A SEINE CREW IS A CREW OF MEN THAT DO THE SEINING. IN MY MOTHERíS TIME, MY UNCLE USED TO BE A SEINE CAPTAIN, I THINK HE HAD 18 MEN. I DONíT KNOW IF THEY BUILT THE BOAT THEMSELVES. THE MEN THAT WERE THERE, THE CAPTAIN PROVIDED EVERYTHING FOR THEM, A PLACE TO SLEEP, EAT, WASH THEIR CLOTHES, WASH THEMSELVES. THAT WAS THE SEINE CREW. I DONíT REMEMBER MANY SEINE CREWS BECAUSE THAT WAS EARLIER TIME. THAT WAS AN EXPERIENCE.
HOW MANY USUALLY IN A SEINE CREW? FROM 8-16,17,18. IT REALLY DEPENDS. FIRST YOU HAVE TO BUILD THE SEINE. THAT WAS THE WOMANíS JOB. DID THEY KNIT. SOMETIMES YOU CAN SEE THE KNITTING NEEDLE GOING. THEY USED TO DO THAT.
3:39 DID YOU KNIT? I USED TO DO IT, BUT I WAS NOT VERY GOOD AT IT. I WASNíT FAST. THEYíD GIVE ME SOME LITTLE THINGS TO KNIT SOMETHING THEYíD CALL A CRESCEDO(?), SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO HAVE HERE. THAT LET ME KNIT, BUT THE WOMEN DID THAT. SOMETIMES THE BOYS THOUGHT THAT WAS BENEATH THEM TO DO THAT.
4:18 (TAKE 3, PICTURES) THESE ARE SKETCHES FROM CABANASH, IT LAID ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE BAY WHERE MANILA VILLAGE WAS AND MATTER OF FACT, THAT WAS THE ADDRESS, WE HAD AN ADDRESS: CABANASH POST OFFICE, MANILA VILLAGE, LOUISIANA.
IíVE GOT IT SOME PLACE. WHEN I WENT TO COLLEGE MY DADDY WROTE ME A LETTER AND I KEPT IT SPECIFICALLY BEC IT HAD A RETURN ADDRESS OF CABANASH POST OFFICE, MANILA VILLAGE LA. I STILL HAVE THAT SOME PLACE. I KEPT ALL OF THAT.
#16 (TAKE 4) IíM LOOKING AT SKETCHES I MADE OF CABANASH, A LITTLE VILLAGE ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE BAY FROM MANILA VILLAGE. ALL THOSE CAMPS WERE BUILT BY THE MEN THAT WOULD COME THERE AND BUILD A PLACE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. SOMETIMES THEY WOULD STAY ALL YR, SOMETIMES THEY WOULDNíT. ALL DEPEND ON THE SEASON OF SHRIMP. BUT IT WAS ALWAYS THERE.
THAT WAS THE POST OFFICE, IT EVEN HAD A POST OFFICE. IT WAS CALLED CABANASH POST OFFICE, MANILA VILLAGE, LA. (LAUGHS)
1:29 WHY DID YOU SKETCH THESE? JUST TO HAVE THEM IN MIND. I DIDNíT, THE LAST TIME I WENT OUT THERE IT WAS GONE, ALL YOU SAW WAS POSTS, SO I SAT DOWN AND TRY TO REMEMBER HOW IT LOOKED BEC I LIVED IN NEARLY EVERY ONE OF THOSE CAMPS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, EITHER WITH MY MOTHER, WHO STAYED WITH HER SISTER WHO HAD CHILDREN OR LIVED ALONE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT I JUST DIDNíT WANT TO LEAVE IT OUT OF MY MIND. BEFORE I COULD FORGET ABOUT IT AT ALL, I JUST MADE SKETCHES OF IT.
#17 AMBI