Marina Espina

MARINA ESPINA

#1
I’M MARINA ESPINA, IíM FROM THE PHILIPPINES, I CAM ETO NEWORLEANS IN 1967 WHEN MU HUSBAND HAD AN ASSIGNMENT WITH THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE. HE WAS A CONSUL, SENT BY THE PHILIPPINE GOVT TO THE U.S. AND WEíVE BEEN HERE SINCE 67 AND THATíS 35 YRS AGO.

WHAT DO YOU DO? I WAS A PROF LIBRARIAN IN MANILA AT THE NATL INST OF SCI AND TECHNOLOGY. SO WHEN I CAME OVER I WAS SO SCARED NOT TO GET A GOOD JOB BEC I HEARS ONLY ODD JOBS FILIPINOS COULD GET AT THE BEGINNING, BUT WHEN I APPLIED FOR A LIBRARIANíS JOB AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS IN TWO DAYS THEY TOOK ME IN AS HEAD OF BIOLOGY DEPT IN THE LIBARARY. SO I BECAME A PROF LIBRARIAN SICNE THEN. JUNE 1, 1967 UNTIL I RETIRED. RETIRED 27 AND A HALF YRS AGO, 1996.

(move to other side of table because of clock)

#2 MY NAME IS MARINA E. ESPINA. IíM A RETIRED FACULTY MEMBER OF NEW ORLEANS.

IíM MARINA E. ESPINA. I WAS A FACULTY MEMBER OF UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS, A PROF LIBRARIAN FOR 27 AND A HALF YRS AT UNO. IíVE BEEN HERE FOR 35 YRS, MY HUSBAND WAS ASSIGNED BY THE PHIL. GOVT TO WORK AS A CONSUL AT THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE IN NEW ORLEANS IN APRIL 1967. SO WEíVE BEEN HERE SINCE THAT TIME.

YOUíRE AN AUTHOR? YES, IíVE WRITTEN SEVERAL ARTICLES ABOUT THE FILIPINOS IN LOUISIANA AND I HAVE WRITTEN TWO BOOKS, THE FIRST WAS PROFILE OF A SUCCESFUL FILIPINA IN THE U.S., AND THE OTHER IS ìFILIPINOS IN LOUSIANA.î

WHEN DID YOU FIRST HEAR ABOUT MANILA MEN?

THATíS THE FUN PART OF BEING CNNECTED WITH THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE BEC EVERYTIME THEREíS SOME SOCIAL GATHERING, WE HAVE OLD FILIPINOS WHO WOULD TELL STORIES ABOUT THEIR STAY IN N.O. OR LOUISIANA, AND THIS OLD FILIPINO LEADER OF THE COMMUNITY, JACINTO E. ESMELE, HE WAS HERE SINCE 1920 IN N.O. AND GRADUATED FROM LSU IN 1920 WITH BA IN AG, IN 1925 HE HAD MASTERS AT LSU, SO HE WAS THE MOST EDUCATED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY SO HE STARTED TELLING THE GRP EVERYTIME WE HAVE A GATHERING THERE WAS A MANILA VILLAGE.

I FOR ONE WHO IS A PROF LIBRARIAN AND HAS THE INTEREST OF OLD HISTORY OF THE FILIPINOS. SO I DECIDED TO LOOK AROUND, BUT I ALWAYS HIT A BRICK WALL BEC THERE WAS NOTHING WRITTEN.

3:38 I FIRST HEAR ABOUT MANILA VILLAGE FROM MR JACINTO E. ESMELE IN 1969. SO MY INTERST WAS PERKED. I WAS ABLE TO LOOK AROUND, BUT UNFORTUANTELY THERE WAS NO WRITTEN ARTICLES OR BOOKS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF FILIPINOS MIGRATING TO LOUISIANA. SO I STARTED DOING ORAL HX. THERE WAS NOBODY DOING THIS. I WAS A PIONEER. BEING A LIBRARIAN I HAD RESOURCES ON MY FINGERTIPS, I HAD THE LIBRARY LOAN WHERE YOU CAN BORROW FROM THE WHOLE U-S AND LOUISIANA AND BEING A FACULTY MEMBER I WAS ABLE TO DO RESEARCH, PAID BY THE UNIVERSITY, I HAD TWO SABBATICAL TO MEXICO, THEN I HAD A FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP TO DO GALLEON TRADE RESEARCH IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR 10 MONTHS. I HAD TRAVEL GRANT FROM FULBRIGHT TO CHINA. ITíS GIVEN ME ALL THESE POSSIBILITIES TO DO GOOD RESEARCH RATHER THAN HAVING TO DO IT ON LIMITED RESOURCES THAT IS AVAILABLE.

#3
HOW MUCH TIME DID YOU SPEND ON RESEARCH? I DID MY RESEARCH FROM 1970 TO 1990. IíVE STOPPED BECAUSE I THINK I HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES IN MY COLLECTION BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU NEVER STOP. ANY TIME YOU HEAR SOMETHING YOU WANT TO CHECK IT OUT. ONE GOOD THING IS THAT IN ALL MY TIME RESEARCHING I WENT TO THE BAYOUS, I TALKED TO ALL THE FILIPINOS. BEING IN THE CONSULATE THEREíS ALWAYS A BIG GATHERING OF FILIPINOS SO I WAS ABLE TO TALK TO THEM, TO THE OLD TIMERS.

1:19
I WAS THE LINK, COMING FROM THE PHILIPPINES IN 1967 SO I WAS THE LINK BET. THE OLD AND THE NEW FILIPINO COMMUNITIES. THE OLD WOULDNíT TALK TO THE NEW BEC THEY REALLY DONíT HAVE ANY COMMON CULTURE TO TALK ABOUT. BEING BORN HERE, BEING RAISED HERE, SO ITíS A DIFF CULTURE THAN COMING FROM THE PHILIPPINES. AND THEY DONíT KNOW HOW TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE. ALTHOUGH THEIR FOREGRANDPARENTS, THE GREAT GRANDPARENTS OF THIS PRESENT GENERATION, THEY COOK FILIPINO FOOD SO THAT IS THE ONLY LINK.

2:13
SO THEY WERE FISHERMEN, SO GO FISHING, THEY WOULD CATCH THIS BIG FISH, AND THEY WILL COOK SINIGANG, AND THEY RAISE PIGS UNDER THEIR HOUSES AND THEY WOULD COOK ADOBO, THEY KNEW HOW TO COOK UNTIL TODAY. EVEN THE PRESENT DAY MAE FAXON, LILLIAN MAE FAXON, SHE COOKS SINIGANG VERY, VERY WELL. AND SHEíS ABOUT 6TH OR 7TH GENERATION FILIPINO.

SINIGANG IS, THEYíRE FILIPINO DISHES, FISH, ITíS A SOUP DISH MADE UP OF FISH, WHILE ADOBO IS PORK OR CHICKEN AND THEY MARINATE IT WITH VINEGAR BECAUSE THAT WAS THE NATL DISH OF THE PHILIPPINES. BEFORE THEY HAD NO REFIGERATION SO ADOBO WITH VINEGAR WOULD PRESERVE THE MEAT FROM BEING SPOILED FROM THEIR LONG TRAVEL. SO THATíS WHY ITíS THE NATL DISH OF FILIPINOS.

3:33 WHO ARE THE MANILA MEN?
AT THE BEGINNING, THEY WOULD SAY THEY WERE FISHERMEN BUT WHERE ARE THEY? SO THAT WAS MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO I DECIDED TO LOOK INTO OLD COMMUNITY AND TALK TO THEM AND FINALLY LITTLE BY LITTLE, IT EVOLVED THAT FILIPINOS WERE HERE SINCE 1765 IN ST MALO, THAT WAS THE FIRST SETTLEMENT THAT THEY BUILT AND ITíS IN THE ST. BERNARD PARISH. BTW, IN LA, INSTEAD FO COUNTY WE HAVE PARISHES BEC OF THE CATHOLIC INFLUENCE,

SO ST. BERNARD PARISH WAS FIRST FILIPINO SETTLEMENT. AND AS THE YRS GO BY AND THEY HAVE DEPLETED THE SEAFOOD RESOURCES OF THAT AREA, SO THEY TRICKLED OVER TO ANOTHER PARISH. THEY CALL IT JEFFERSON PARISH. AND THATíS WHERE MANILA VILLAGE WAS BUILT. THE FOUNDER WAS QUETIN DE LA CRUZ FROM ALBI, HE WAS A SEAMAN.

#4
THE STORY OF THE SEAMEN COMING TO LA, HAS A LONG HX. THEY WERE FROM THE GALLEON TRADE. THEY HAD TO JUMP SHIP IN ACAPULCO TO GET AWAY FROM THEIR CRUEL MASTERS. THEY DIDNíT WANT TO GO HOME BEC THEY WERE TREATED BADLY, HARSHLY AND THEY WERE NOT PAID AND SO THEY DECIDED TO JUMP SHIP AND JUST RUN AWAY FROM THEIR MASTER AS FAR AS THEY CAN. THEY DIDNíT EVEN KNOW THEY WERE IN LA.

THEY LIVED ALONG THE BAYOUS AND THE MARSHES OF LA, THEY DIDNíT KNOW THEY WERE IN NEW ORLEANS THEY DIDNíT KNOW WHERE THEY WERE. UNTIL ONE INSTANT WHERE AN ITALIAN ìLUGGERMANî ITíS CALLED A FISHERMAN, CAME ACROSS THIS SETTLEMENT BAYOU IN ST MALO IN ST BERNARD PARISH. AND THEY WERE ALL MAHOGANY COLORED MEN WITH CHINKY EYESÖ

(Marinaís sister on the phone)

#5
WHO WERE THE MAINLA MEN?
I WAS THE ONE WHO COINED MANILA MEN, I CALLED THEM MANILA MEN BEC THEY HAVE THE CHINA MEN SO I DECIDED TO SAY MANILA MEN.

THEY WERE SAILORS, SEAMEN FROM THE GALLEON WHO JUMPED SHIP FROM ACAPULCO WHO DRIFTED THEMSELVES TO THE GULF OF MEXICO AND TO THE BAYOUS OF THE UNITED STATES. AND I CHALLENGE SOME OF THE STATES WHO MAY HAVE SOME FLIPINO DRIFTERS FROM MEXICO LIKE TX, ALABAMA AND EVERY NOW AND THEN I WOULD KNOW THERE ARE SOME ALABAMA FILIPINOS IN THE EARLY TIMES. PROBABLY THOSE ARE ALSO SOME AREAS I COULD TAP INTO AND DO SOME RESEARCH.

1:11 SO YOU THINK THEY MAY HAVE DRIFTED TO THER STATES? THATíS MY CHALLENGE BEC ITíS RECORDED HERE IN LA SO NOBODY HAS DONE ANYTHING IN TX, ALABAMA.

GOING BACK TO THE MANILA MEN, SO THEY WERE LEFTOVERS FROM THE GALLEON TRADE. AND THEY CAME DRIFTING THEMSELVES TO LA, AND THEY SETTLED IN THE BAYOUS AND MARSHES OF LA. BEING FILIPINO SEAMEN WHO WERE ADEPT IN THEIR TRADE, AND THEY WERE GOOD FISHERMEN, TOO. SO THEY DECIDED TO BUILD THEIR ALA FILIPINO VILLAGES WITH THEIR HOUSES. AND JUST LIKE THEONES THAT YOU FIND IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE PHILIPPINES WITH STILT HOUSING WITH THE POST SO THAT THEY WILL NOT TOUCH WATER. THEY HAD THAT BUILT ALONG THE BAYOUS, THE MARSHES OF LA,

2:31 WHY DID THEY COME TO LA? AS I SAID THEY DIDNíT KNOW IT WAS LA. THEY JUST DRIFTED THEMSELVES, RUNNING AWAY FROM SPANISH MASTERS. THEY REACH ACAPULCO THEY JUST ESCAPE.

WERE THEY THE FIRST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS? OF COURSEÖ

(Pause again, Marinaís sister in kitchen with dishes)

3:26 ILLEGAL THING WOULD NOT BE A GOOD THING TO SAY. THE FIRST FILIPINO IMMIGRANTS TO THE NEW WORLD THATíS WHAT I WOULD SAY BECAUSE TO BEGIN THE HX OF FILIPINOS GOING TO NEW WORLD, MEXICO WAS CALLED THE NEW WORLD BEFORE SO ITíS THE OLD WORLD AND NEW WORLD. THEY CAME TO MEXICO IN 1565, THATíS HOW EARLY THE FILIPINOS WERE IN MEXICO BECAUSE THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE GALLEON TRADE. AND SO AS THEY COME TO THE NEW WORLD AND TREATED HARSHLY, IT TOOK A YR TO REACH MEXICO FROM THE PHILIPPINES SO THEY REALLY DIDNíT HAVE STAMINA TO GO BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES EXCEPT FOR A FEW. SO THEY TRIED TO GET AWAY AS FAR AS POSSIBLE FROM THEIR SPANISH MASTERS. THEY WERE TREATED HARSHLY, BRUTALLY.

4:46 HOW SO? A LOT OF THEM DIED IN VOYAGE. ITíS NOT CLEAR IN MY READINGS IF THEY WERE BEATEN, BUT THEY COULDNíT TAKE THE HARDSHIP OF THE VOYAGE.

#6
THEY DECIDED TO GET AWAY FROM THEIR SPANISH MASTERS.

WERE THEY WORKING IN THESE SHIPS VOLUNTARILY? IT WASNíT A VOLUNTARY SERVICE IN THE GALLEON. THEY WERE FORCED, IN FACT THEY WOULD GET THEM AS FAR AWAY AS THE VISAYAS OR THE LUZON PEOPLE BECAUSE IT WAS IN CAVITE THAT THEY WERE BUILDING SHIPS AND THEY WOULD SAIL FROM MANILA OR CAVITE TO COME TO THE NEW WORLD. SO THEY WERE FORCED INTO SERVICE. SO THATíS WHY FIRST OF ALL, IT WAS NOT HAPPY OCCASION TO LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY, TO LEAVE YOUR FAMILY, YOUR CHILDREN, AND TO TRAVEL FOR ONE YR IN THAT CRAMPED SHIP.

1:15 THEY WERE PACKED, AND WITH THE BALES OF SILK, ALL KINDS OF GOODS THAT THEY WOULD SELL TO MEXICO, AND THE SPANISH GOVT WOULD EARN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF ALL THESE GOODS AND THE FILIPINOS DIDNíT HAVE NOTHING. THEY WERE NOT PAID. IT WAS NOT A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR THEM. SO THEY DECIDED TO LEAVE AND THEY DIDNíT KNOW THEY WERE DRIFTED TO ALL KINDS OF PLACES THEY DIDNíT KNOW.

BUT THIS EXP OF THE FILIPINOS, I CALL THEM MY HEROES BECAUSE INSPITE OF THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO STILL DO SOME, THEY EST. A LIFE HERE IN LA INSPITE OF ALL THE HARDHSIP THEY WENT THROUGH.

2:30 HOW EARLY DID THEY COME TO LA? I PUT THE DATE OF 1765, ALTHOUGH IT COULD BE EARLIER. MY WAY OF PUTTING THEIR FIRST ARRIVAL I LA IS 1765, ALTHOUGH IT COULD BE EARLIER BEC THEY WERE IN MEXICO SINCE 1565 AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GALLEON TRADE. SO IN FACT THERE WERE FILIPINOS IN PERU IN 1565. SO I WOULD SAY AS EARLY AS CENTURIES BEFORE.

3:33 THEY DIDNíT WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMMUNITY. THEY KNOW THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE HERE, BUT THEY WERE RETICIENT, THEY DIDNíT WANT TO IDENTIFIED BECAUSE THEY WERE SPANISH REFUGEES. SO THEY DIDNíT WANT HAVE SOMEBODY TELL SPANISH MASTERS HERE ARE THE FILIPINOS HIDING IN THE BAYOUS, SO FOR A LONG, LONG TIME THEY DIDNíT ASSOCIATE WITH THEM IN THE COMMUNITY.

IN FACT THEREíS A STORY IN ST. BERNARD THAT THERE WAS A SETTLEMENT OF 100 MEN, 100 FILIPINOS AND THERE WAS NO WOMAN IN THE SETTLEMENT. SO ONE DAY THEY WERE FIGHTING FOR ONE WOMAN AND THEY DECIDED, THEY DIDNíT WANT ANYBODY TO HAVE RELATIONS WITH A WOMAN, SO THEY DECIDED TO CUT HER INTO PIECES, HEWN HER IN THE ALIGATORS. THATíS WHAT ONE OF THE STORIES.

#7
IS THAT THE ARTICLE BY HEARN? THATíS THE STORY THAT CAME OUT THAT THEY HEWN HER PARTS TO THE ALIGATORS.

:21 SO ONE DAY, I WAS SAYING ABOUT THE ITALIAN FISHERMEN WHO CAME ACROSS THIS SETTLEMENT IN ST. BERNARD PARISH. THEY DIDNíT KNOW WHO THEY WERE. THEY WERE DARK AS MAHOGANY. THEY HAD CHINKY EYES AND WHEN THEY CALLED, THEY ASKED WHO THEY WERE, THEY WARE TALKING IN TAGALOGÖ SLANTED EYES, LIKE FILIPINOS SO THEY CALLED FOR THEM. AND THE FILIPINOS TALKED TO THEM IN TAGALOG OR SOME OTHER FILIPINO DIALECT LIKE CEBUANO, ILONGO.

SO FINALLY, LAFCADIO HEARN WHO WAS THE REPORTER OF THE TIMES-STATE IN LA, AND SO HE DECIDED WITH AN ARTIST, HE DECIDED TO VISIT THE VILLAGE. HE WAS INTRIGUED. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? THEY ARE NOT SAME AS US. THEYíRE DIFFERENT. HE CAME TO TALK TO THEM. THATíS WHY WE HAVE THE SKETCHES OF THE ARTIST, IN HARPERS WEEKLY IN 1883. HIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN HARPERS WEEKLY IN 1883.

2:28 THAT ARTICLE, YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO KNOW ABOUT THE ARTICLE UNLESS YOU WENT PAGE BY PAGE, THROUGH OUT HARPERS WEEKLY PUBLICATION. SHE FLIPPED THROUGH THE PAGES UNTIL HSE CAME ACROSS ARTICLE. IT WAS BY ACCIDENT THAT I FOUND IT.

3:07 SO THESE MEN LIVED IN ISOLATION, OBSCURITY UNTIL THIS ARTICLE? YES. THEY ALREADY SETTLED. THEY COULD BE HERE EARLIER THAN 1765. WHEN ST MALO DID NOT GIVE THEM ENOUGH RESOURCES TO THRIVE ON SO THEY DECIDED TO SEE OTHER PLACES FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD.

3:50 WHAT KIND OF LIFE DID THEY LIVE? THEY LIVED IN HARMONY. THEY WOULD GO OUT IN THEIR FISHING BOATS. IN FACT, THEY BUILT THEIR BOATS TOO. THEY BUILT HOUSES. THEY WERE ALREADY PROF FISHERMEN WHEN THEY CAME TO NEW WORLD SO THEY WOULD GO OUT FISHING EVERYDAY AND AT NIGHT IN THEIR LEISURE TIME THEY WOULD PLAY CRAPS. YOU SEE, FILIPINOS ARE KNOWN TO BE GAMBLERS, NOT IN A BAD WAY, BUT THATíS THEIR RECREATION. THEY PLAY CARDS, THEY CALL IT, THEY WOULD PLAY THE OLD GAME PANGIGI, THATíS THE VISAYAN WORD FOR CRAP. SO THEY DECIDED TO DO IT NIGHT AND DAY IF THEYíRE NOT FISHING THEY WOULD PLAY PANGIGI.

#8
I THINK I TMADE THEIR LIFE IN THE NEW WORLD AND LA, MORE MANAGEABLE BEC OF THE EXP THEY HAD IN THE PHILIPPINES. SO WHEN THEY DRIFTED TO ANOTHER PARISH, JEFFERSON PARISH, THATíS WHEN THE FOUNDER OF MANILA VILLAGE HAD THIS BIG IDEA OF DRYING SHRIMP. HE DECIDED TO BUILD LIKE FOOTBALL SQ OF AREA TO DRY SHRIMP BEC THAT PLACE WAS REALLY FULL OF SEAFOOD. THE PRODUCT IS TREMENDOUS: SHRIMP, FISH, OYSTERS. THEY ALSO CAUGHT MUSKRAT BEC OF THE MINK, SO IT WAS A RICH VILLAGE TO START WITH, BUT BEC THEY WERE ILITERATE THEY WERENT ABLE TO HANG ON TO THEIR PROPERTY BEC SOME PEOPLE HAD DIFF IDEAS, THEY WERE SHREWD.

2:06 RE: IDEA OF LIVING WITHOUT WOMEN> THEY WERE CELIBATE THEY ALWAYS BANK ON ELDERS. IN THE PHILIPPINES THEY ALWAYS GET ADVICE FROM THE ELDERS AND SO THE ELDERS SAID WOMEN ALWAYS DISRUPT THE SETTLEMENT, THE PEACEFULNESS OF THE SETTLEMENT. THERE WERE FIGHTS BECAUSE OF JEALOUSY AND THEY WERE ABLE TO LIVE HARMONIOUSLY AS MEN. SO IT WAS ONLY LATER THEY WERE ABLE TO GET SOME, ABLE TO EST THEIR FAMILIES.

SO WHEN THEY PASSED AWAY THEY DIDNíT HAVE CHILDREN?> THEY DIDNíT HAVE CHILDREN EXCEPT FOR THOSE WHO ALREADY EST THEIR SETTLEMENT IN OTHER PLACES.

3:34 HOW DID THE SETTLEMENT GROW? WHEN DID THEY START MINGLING, INTERMARRYING? THIS IS WHAT I COULD SAY. BECAUSE OF THE ISOLATION AND THEY DIDNíT MINGLE WITH COMMUNITY, THEY LOST ABOUT 2-3 GENERATIONS OF FILIPINOS THAT WAY. GENERATIONS IíLL PUT AT 25 YEARS FOR EACH GENERATION. SO WE LOST THAT TIME EXCEPT FOR A FEW WHO HAD THE IDEA OF GOING TO ANOTHER PARISH, THE JEFFERSON PARISH, ITíS FULL OF SEA LIFE, SEAFOOD, SO THEY DECIDED TO EST A GOOD SETTLEMENT WHICH BECAME POPULAR, CALLED MANILA VILLAGE.

IF YOU READ SOME OF THE BOOKS, IT WOULD SAY THAT MANILA VILLAGE WAS FOUNDED BY A CHINESE. THIS IS MY CONTENTION. IíLL REBUT THEM, IF ITíS FOUNDED BY CHINESE WHY NOT CALL IT CANTON VILLAGE, PEKING VILLAGE, NOT MANILA VILLAGE, CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES?

I MET CHILDREN OF QUENTIN DE LA CRUZ AND EST PART ABOUT MANILA VILLAGE WHERE QDC FOUNDED IT AND BUILT AROUND THE DRYING SHRIMP AREA THEIR VILLAGE.

#9 WHAT YEAR WAS THIS? AROUND 1850-1860. ITíS LATE 1900 WHEN MANILA VILLAGE WAS EST, WAS BUILT.

BY THEN WOMEN ALLOWED? THEY STARTED TO MEET SOME OF THE BAYOU WOMEN. AND THEY WERE A VARIETY OF ETHNIC GRPS, THE FRENCH, ITALIAN, GERMAN, ENGLISH, AMERICAN INDIANS AND THEY STARTED TO HAVE FAMILIES AFTER THAT. SO DOLORES ASERCION WAS BORN IN MV, AND HER MOTHER WAS BIANCHINI, AN ITALIAN, BORN IN MV, IN 1900. SADLY TO SAY, QDC FAMILY DIDNíT LIVE IN MV BEC THE MOTHER BELONGED TO A WEALTHY FAMILY AND THEY DIDNíT HAVE THE TIME TO SPEND IN THE VILLAGE SO QDC WHO STAYED THERE.

QDC MARRIED NON-FILIPINO? ALL OF THEM MARRIED NON-FILIPINOS. THATíS THE PROB WITH THE SESTTLEMENT. THERE WAS NO FILIPINO BEC IN THE MANILA GALLEON THEY COULDNíT BRING THEIR WIVES OR FAMILY. ALTHOUGH THE CAPT. HAD PARAMOURS, THEY WOULD BRING THEIR PARAMOURS IN THE GALLEON BUT WHO KNOWS WHERE THEY WERE. BUT NO FILIPINO WOMEN EXITED AT THE TIME. SO THERE WERE NO FILIPINO MARRIAGES, IT WAS INTERMARRIAGE WITH THE ETHNIC GRPS IN THE BAYOUS.

3:37 IN MY RESEARCH, I BELIEVE IN 1906 DURING THE HAWAIIAN IMMIGRATION TO THE PLANTATION WHERE THEY CAN BRING THEIR WOMEN BUT DURING THEÖ

(Pause)

4:00 WHEN DID WE SEE FILIPINO WOMEN COME TO LA? I WOULD SAY IN 1906 WHEN FILIPINOS CAME TO HAWAII AS PLANTATION WORKERS, THEY COULD BRING THEIR FAMILIES. ALTHOUGH EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU CAN SEE SNIPPETS OF HISTORICAL STATEMENT THAT FILIPINOS DURING THE TIME THERE WERE SOME MUSICAL GRPS THAT WOULD COME AND ENTERTAIN THE FILIPINOS.

(TAKE 2) MY WAY OF PUTTING THIS, WE FIRST SAW FILIPINO COME TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1906 WHEN FILIPINOS WERE RECRUITED AS SUGAR PLANTERS IN HAWAII, ALTHOUGH FILIPINOS WERE IN THE CONTINENTAL U-S IN 1903 AS PENSIONADOS. PENSIONADOS MEANING THEY WERE SCHOLARS, FUNDED BY PHILIPPINE GOVT TO STUDY AND GO BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES AND BECAME GOVT OFFICIALS.

#11 DID ANY OF THE WOMEN COME TO LA? NO UNTIL WE HAD, 1965 WITH THE PROFESSIONALS, THE BRAIN DRAIN ERA WHERE NURSES, DOCTORS WHO COME TO LA, BUT AT THE TIME THERE WERE GENERATIONS AND GENERATIONS OF FILIPINO AMERICANS. SO THEY WOULD CALL THEMSELVES FILIPINOS EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE MIXTURES FOR GENERATIONS. BUT THEY RECOGNIZE THEMSELVES AS FILIPINOS. SO WHEN THEREíS A CENSUS, THEY WOULD WRITE THEMSELVES AS FILIPINOS RATHER THAN OTHER GRPS. THATíS THE BEAUTY OF LA BEC THEY MAINTAIN THEIR IDENTITY UNTIL TODAY. OF COURSE THERE WERE THOSE WHO DIDNíT WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH FILIPINOS.

2:09 HOW DID THIS CHANGE FILIPINO COMMUNITY? NONE AT ALL. NO ANTI MISCEGENATION LAWS WHERE NO FILIPINOS CAN MARRY ANY OTHER GRP LIKE WHITES. REMEMBER NO FILIPINOS OR DOGS ARE ALLOWED IN DIFFERENT PLACES? NOT HERE IN LA, THE FILIPINOS WERE TREATED LIKE WHITE. BEC THE ANTI MISCEGENATION WAS BETWEEN WHITE AND BLACK. SO FILIPINOS WERE WHITE. IN THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATES, THEY WERE CONSIDERED WHITE. SO THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THEY CAN OWN THEIR OWN PROPERTY LIKE QDC. THERE WAS LEON ROXAS WHO AQUIRED 50 ACRES OF LAND IN THE 1950S. ITíS A DIFFERENT STORY ALTOGETHER FROM WEST COAST TO LA.

3:35 (Option 2) ALTHOUGH LAWS IN CA OR THE WEST COAST PROHIBITED THE MARRYING OF FILIPINOS AND OTHER GRPS WITH THE AMERICANS, HERE, IN LA, THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, THEY CAN INTERMARRY NO MATTER WHO THEY WANT. SO ITíS A JOY AS A RESEARCHER THEY HAD BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL, THEY OWN PROPERTY, THEY CAN INTERMARRY, THEY CAN PRESERVE THEIR RELIGION. IN FACT THEY PRESERVE THE CATHOLIC RELIGION OVER ANYBODY ELSE.

IF YOUíRE A QUAKER OR PROTESTANT MARRIE DTO A FILIPINO HERE YOU BECOME CATHOLIC. SO THATíS WHY THE BURTANOGS RETAIN THEIR RELIGION.

#12 SO RELIGION KEPT THE COMMUNITY COHESION? IT REALLY MADE THEM DOMINANT IN THEIR COMMUNITY BEC THEY WERE TOGETHER, THEY DIDNíT HAVE SPLINTERED WAYS THAT ONE FAMILY WOULD BE HERE AND ANOTHER WOULD BE THERE. BUT THEY WERE TOGETHER. THERE WAS A SOCIAL GATHERING. ALL OF THEM COME. WHICH IS GOOD AND I DONíT SEE IT IN THE PRESENT DAY FILIPINO COMMUNITY WHICH IS WHY YOU HAVE ALL THESE FRAGMENTED SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE, INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE BIG ORGANIZATION, I UNDERSTAND IN L.A. THEY HAVE A THOUSAND FILIPINO ORG AND THAT DID NOT HAPPEN BEFORE.

1:25 WHAT WAS THE TYPICAL CHILDHOOD FOR THE CHILDREN? THE CHILD WOULD GROW UP IN THE FILIPINON WAY IN THE FAMILY. ALTHOUGH THEY LOST THE LANGUAGE BEC THE FATHER BEING A FISHERMAN THEY WOULD GO OUT AND GO FISHING AND WHOíS LEFT AT HOME IS THE MOTHER. SO THEY SPEAK THE MOTHERíS TONGUE. SO IF YOUíRE FRENCH YOU CAN SPEAK FRENCH, ETC. SO THEY LOST THE LANGUAGE IMMEDIATELY.

2:26 BUT THEIR STYLE OF LIVING IS GOVERNED BY THE FILIPINO FATHERóTHEIR RELIGION AND THEIR FOOD, AND THEIR WAY OF ACTING IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY HAD SOCIAL GATHERING THAT ALMOST CEMENTED THEIR COHESIVENESS AND THEY GATHER IN THAT, THERE WILL BE AN ORG, THEY GROUP TOGETHER, THEY HAVE THEIR DANCING, MARDI GRAS BALLS, IT CONTINUED UNTIL THE 90S WHEN WE HAD DISBANDED OUT MARDI GRAS BALLS. BUT THEY WOULD BE THERE.

IíM HAPPY FOR THEM INSPITE OF THE FACT THEY WERE LOST, FILIPINO TRIBES IN THE NEW WORLD THEY WERE STILL DOING TO MAINTAIN THEIR FILIPINO IDENTITY. THAT IS SO AMAZING.

3:49 SO IN MANILA VILLAGE WE SO EARLY GENERATION OF MIXED ASIAN? YES. THE EST OF MANILA VILLAGE WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT FILIPINO FAMILIES EVOLVED FROM THIS COMMUNITYBEC THEY WERE ABLE TO INTERMINGLE WITH THE BAYOU WOMEN, DIFF ETHNIC GRPS. OF COURSE THERE WERE NO FILIPINO WOMEN MIGRATING TO LA AT THAT TIME SO THEY INTERMARRIED ALL KINDS OF WOMEN OF DIFF ETHNIC GRPS.

AND THATíS WHEN THE CHILDREN STARTED, THE FAMILY STARTED TO EVOLVE AND THEY HAVE SEVERAL GENERATIONS OF FILIPINO AND FRENCH, FILIPINO-GERMAN, FILIPINO-ITALIAN, FILIPINO-AMERICAN INDIAN AND FILIPINO BLACKS. THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE EST OF FAMILY, MIXED FAMILIES BEC OF THE INTERMARRIAGE WITHIN THE BAYOU WOMEN.

1:21
(TAKE 2) THE MANILA VILLAGE WAS LIKE A MELTING POT OF SEVERAL ETHNIC GRPS. SO ONE OF THE WOMEN INTERVIEWED, ISABEL WELCH WHO HAD EXPERIENCE LIVING IN MAILA VILLAGE, SHE SAID WHEN SHE WAS GROWING UP, SHE COULD CURSE IN FIVE LANGUAGES. THAT WAS AMAZING BEC SHE COULD HEAR AL THIS DIFFERENT LANG IN THE VILLAGE.

2:15 REFLECT ON EARLY ASIANS TO AMERICA> I HAD ARTICLES IN THE EARLY 70S AND I NEGATED THAT THERE WERE FILIPINOS AND ITíS BEEN ACCEPTED BY MOST PEOPLE. WHEN THE CHINESE CAMEÖIN THE HX BOOKS THEY WOULD ALWAYS SAY THE FIRST ASIAN IMMIGRANTS WERE THE CHINESE AND THEN THE JAPANESE AND THE FILIPINOS BEC IT WAS CAUSED BY THE PENSIONADOS IN 1903, HAWAIIAN PLANTERS IN 1906.

BUT THE FILIPINOS WERE THE FIRST ASIAN IMMIGRANTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND THATíSÖ WHO CAME FIRST? THE FILIPINOS WERE HERE SINCE 1763 IN LA, HOWEVER THEY COULD BE AS EARLY AS A CENTURY EARLIER BEC THEY WERE IN MEXICO IN 1565.

DOES THIS CHANGE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ASIANS IN AMERICAN HX? IN THE BIGGER PICTURE I THINK WEíRE TOUCHING A VERY SMALL PORTINO OF THE HX. IT NEEDS TO BE EXPNADED BUT THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT IS EXPOSE THIS MORE AND MORE, LIKE WHAT YOUíRE DOING WITH RADIO, TO REACH A LOT OF PEOPLE.

4:41 HOW DID THE COMMUNITY ENTER MAINSTREAM SOCIETY? THE YOUNGER GENERATION, UNLESS THE PARENTS OR FAMILY ARE REALLY INTO UPHOLDING THEIR HERITAGE AS FILIPINOS,

#14
UNLESS THE FAMILY WOULD CONTINUE THAT, THE YOUNG GENERATIONS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO IT. AND IíM SEEING BEC THE ORG WE HAVE HERE, THE OLDER GENERATIONS WHO WOULD GO TO THE FILIPINO GOODWILL SOCIETY WHICH IS THE OLDEST ORG WE HAVE, ITíS DISBANDED. THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS THEREíS NO OUTLET.

UNLESS THE FAMILY CONTINUED LIKE THE BURTANOGS OR THE FAXONS THESE CHILDREN WOULD GET LOST, THEY WOULD BECOME THE GENERAL SOCIETY AND WE WILL LOSE A LOT OF THEM.

1:04 YOU SAY THERE WERE TWO THINGS THAT BROUGHT OUT THE FILIPINOS. THE DRIED SHRIMPÖ ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE FILIPINOS IN MANILA VILLAGE WAS THE DRYING OF THE SHRIMP WHICH WAS AN INDUSTRY. AND THEY WENT AS FAR WIDE AS CHINA AND LL OVER AMERICA GETTING THEIR DRIED SHRIMP PRODUCT. AND THEY ALWAYS SAY PEOPLE IN MANILA VILLAGE PUT MANILA VILLAGE IN THE MAP. SO WITH THE FILIPINOS IT BECAME AN IDENTIFYING TRAIT OF THE FILIPINOS BEC IT BECAME THEIR ACUMEN FOR FISHING AND THE DRYING OF THE SHRIMP AND SO IT BECAME AN INDUSTRY THAT THROUGH US KNOWN THE WORLD ALL OVER UNTIL THEY LOST THEIR BUSINESS.

THIS LITTLE SHRIMP. THEY CALL IT HIBI IN THE PHILIPPINES WHERE WE MIX IT LIKE, YOU CAN EAT IT RAW LIKE A COCKTAIL, OR YOU CAN MIX IT IN ALL DIFF DISHES LIKE THE PNACIT, THE BIHON, SO ITíS BEEN A VERY LUCRATIVE BUSINESS BY THE FILIPINOS.

3:04 AND THEY WERE KNOWN FOR DANCING THE SHRIMP? YES. ITíS A RITUAL, THATíS THE PROCESS TO GET TO THE PRODUCT THEY HAD TO DANCE THE SHRIMP.

3:15 THE DANCING OF THE SHRIMP THAT WAS THE PROCESS, AND IT BECAME A RITUAL. AFTER DRYING THE SHRIMP, ALTHOUGH SOME INCLMENT WEATHER WOULD INTERRUPT THE PROCESS. BUT IN LA WE HAVE MORE HOT WEATHER SO IT WAS VERY, VERY LUCRATIVE TO GET THIS BUSINESSS GOING.

WHEN THE SHRIMP WAS DRY, FIRST THEY HAVE TO COOK IT IN A BIG CAULDRON, IN SEAWATER AND THEN DRY IT IN TWO OR THREE DAYS, AND WHEN THEYíRE READY TO HARVEST THE PRODUCT, TO GET THOSE DRY SHRIMP, YOU HAVE TO DANCE THE SHRIMP. MEANING ALL THSE MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN THEY WOULD DANCE ON THE SHRIMP LIKE THE GRAPES AND SOME PEOPLE WOULD WINNOW. ALL THE SHELLS WOULD FLY OUT OF THE WINOOWING BASKET AND ALL THE MEAT WILL STAY AND THATíS WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR DRIED SHRIMP.

4:55 I HEAR IT WAS ENTERTAINING? YES, IT WAS A RITUAL, IT WAS LIKE THEY WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO DANCE THE SHRIMPÖ

#15
ÖBECAUSE HERE SOME PEOPLE WOULD BE STRUMMING THE GUITARS, SINGING AND THEN THEY WOULD BE DANCING, SO IT BECAME A RITUAL IN THE PROCESS. THATíS WHY THE WORD DANCING THE SHRIMP, THAT IS LIKE A BOOK TITLE BEC OF DANCING OF THE SHRIMP, THE HX PART IT GET THERE, HOW THE PEOPLE DEVELOPED THIS PROCESS AND THEN TO DANCE THE SHRIMP.

DIDI PEOPLE COME TO WATCH? OH NO THATíS ONLY IN THE BAYOUS. IT WAS HARD TO GO THERE BEC MANILA VILLAGE, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A BOAT, IT TAKES 45 MIN TO RIDE BOAT. ITíS ON STILTS. SO THATíS HOW THEY THRIVE OVER THERE IN THE BAYOUS.

1:23 DOES MV EXIST? EXCEPT FOR SOME PILINGS IT NEVER EXISTED AFTER 1965 WHEN WE HAVE THE HURRICANE BETSY. IT SUNK. IT WAS ISABEL WELCH WHO SAID IF SHE HAD THE MONEY SHE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME DIVERS TO GO DOWN AND GET PLATES OR ANYTHING ABOUT MANILA VILLAGE TO REMEMBER BY.

2:02 IF YOU DELVE INTO THE NEW ORLEANS LIFE THEY HAD THE MARDI GRAS, THE FILIPINOS WERE VERY, VERY ACTIVE. IN THE PHILIPPINES THEY HAD THE ATI-ATIHAN, MARIONES, THEY WOULD BE DANCING DURING THE FIESTA OR PATRON SAINT CELEBRATION SO MARDI GRAS WAS A NATURAL FOR THE FILIPINOS. SO THEY DEVISED, THEY HAD NO MONEY TO SPEND.

2:50 WHAT THEY DO IS GATHER BANANA STEMS OR GET TWIGS FROM THE TREES. ONE TIME THEY HAD AN IDEA OF HIRING, RENTING A TRUCK. THE WAY THEY DECORATED IT THEY HAD SOME HANDMADE FLOWERS SO THEY DECORATED THE TRUCK WITH THE SYMBOL LIKE FISHERMEN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WHILE THEY WERE PARADING ON THE STREETS THEY WOULD STRUM THEIR GUITARS, THEY HAD THEIR FILIPINO COSTUMES, AND PEOPLE WERE ATTRACTED AND THEY WON FIRST PRIZE. THEY WON OVER THE WHOLE HUMANITY OF TRUCKS. THEY WON IN 1935, 1936, 1937. THEN WAR BROKE OUT AND THEN IN 1941 THEY WON AGAIN. FOR FOUR YRS THEY WON FIRST PLACE.

AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THEIR IDENTITY IN NO. THEY WERE KNOWN AS FILIPINOS, THEY WERE NOT ANYMORE ASIAN, NOT CHINKS, NOT ANY DEROGATORY NAMES, BUT THEY WERE KNOWN AS FILIPINOS. THE MARDI GRAS WAS AN IMPORTANT EVENT FOR THEM TO BE KNOWN AS FILIPINOS, NOT ANY OTHER EHTNIC GRPS. THEIR IDENTITY WAS EXPOSED.

4:51 WHAT WAS SO SIGNIFICANT ABOUT IT? IT WAS HOMEMADE, THEY PUT THEIR BRAINS TOGETHER.

#16 MASTERMIND WAS SLIM DEL PRADO. HE WAS THE ONE WHO MASTERMINDED THE WHOLE THING. COMING FROM A CITY THAT HAD ALL THESE FIESTAS AND CELEBRATIONS. HE WAS THE MASTERMINDED THIS. THERE WAS A UNITED FRONT FROM THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. THEY WOULD BE MAKING THEIR FLOWERS DAY AND NIGHT. INSTEAD OF DUBLOONS THEY WOULD BEADS THEY WOULD THROW TO THE PEOPLE, THEY WOULD THROW FLOWERS. AND THE LOVED IT AND SO THEY BECAME FIRST GRAND WINNERS.

SO IN 1975 THEY WERE COMMEMORATED IN DUBLOONS FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS.

1:25 DID THOSE FLOATS LOOK DIFFERENT? I THINK ITíS UNIQUE FOR THE REASON PEOPLE IN THE FLOATS WERE UNIFORMLY DRESSED, LIKE WOMEN WITH THE SAYA AND THE MEN WORE THE BARONG TAGALOG AND THEY WOULD STRUM GUITAR INSTEAD OF BLARING RADIO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IN 1935 THERE WAS NOTHING YET. WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS PARADE AND THAT WAS IT.

THESE PEOPLE ARE SO INGENIOUS SO THEY ALWAYS WIN EVERY YR UNTIL 1941, THEY LOST OUT BEC THEY DIDNT HAVE THE MONEY TO, IT BECAME EXPENSIVE TO HAVE A TRUCK. A MEMBER OF THE PARADE, THEY RAISED THEIR FEES SO FILIPINOS DECIDED TO DISBAND IT.

2:30 LAST TIME ENTERED FLAT WAS 1946. EVEN THOUGH THEREíS NO MORE PARTICIPATION IN THE PARADE, THEY CONTINUE TO DO THEIR MARDI GRA BALLS. THATíS WHY LILLIAN MAE HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD COSTUME MAKER FOR THE BALLS. ITíS TREMENDOUS.

3:15 (TAKE 2) THE LAST YEAR THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE PARADE, ITíS A TRUCK PARADE, THEY HAD PARTICIPATED IN 1946óTHAT WAS THE LAST TIME THEY PARTICIPATED AND THEY WON THE GRAND PRIZE ALSO. SO FOUR YRS, THATíS THE HIGHEST HONOR THEY CAN GET, TO BE GRAND PRIZE WINNERS OF THE FLOAT. THE ELKS KREWE ORLEANEAN, THAT WAS THE NAME OF THE GRP, THEY PARTICIPATED IS THE LARGEST WORLD TRUCK PARADE, AS MANY AS SEVERAL HUNDREDS. CAN YOU IMAGINE HAVING TO WIN THE GRAND PRIZE OUT OF THOSE HUNDREDS OF TRUCKS? THAT IS AMZAZING, THATíS THE HIGHEST HONOR YOU CAN GET.

EVERYBODY WAS JUST ADMIRING THE FILIPINOS. SO EVERY YR YOU GET THIS GRAND PRIZE WINNER SO WHO WOULD FORGET ABOUT THE FILIPINOS?

#17 THEY STOPPED PARTICIPATING BEC IT BECAME SO EXPENSIVE, IT WAS PROHIBITIVE FOR THESE POOR FILIPINO SEAMEN OR THE COMMUNITY, THEY DIDT HAVE FINANCIAL BACKING TO CONTINUE. PLUS THE WAR, THE WAR WAS OVER, AND THEY DECIDED NOT TO DO IT ANYMORE.

:50 SIZE OF COMMUNITY? THERE ARE A LOT OF NEWCOMERS WHO CAME TO LA. AFTER 1965 THE NEW IMMIGRATION LAW, THERE WERE A LOT OF PROFESSIONALS WHO CAME LIKE THE DOCTORS. N.O. IS A MECCA FOR LOTS OF MEDICAL CENTERS, SO WE HAVE DOCTORS, NURSES, ALL DIFF MEDICAL GRPS WHO CAME. THEN WE HAVE MILITARY INSTALLATIONS, THERE ARE WOMEN WHO GOT MARRIED TO AMERICANS. SO SHE ESTIMATES BETWEEN 25-30,000 IN LA. IN N.O. IT WOULD BE LIKE 15,000.BUT ALL SCATTERED ALL OVER THE PARISHES–METRO PARISHES.

2:42 FILIPINOS CONTINUE TO IMMIGRATEóWHY? NOT TOO MUCH OPPORTUNITIES. STATE IS NOT THE MOST LUCRATIVE, ITíS NOT THE MOST HIGH-PAYING. AT THE SAME TIME, THE CLIMATE WHICH IS LIKE THE PHILIPPINES, AND THEN THE ABUNDANCE FO SEAFOOD, THEY LIKE THAT. ITíS TEHE FRIENDLINESS OF THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THE FILIPINOS BUT OTHER GRPS. THEY CALL YOU BABY, DARLING, DEAR, EVERYTIME. ITíS VERY FRIENDLY.

3:54 SO WHAT DREW THE MANILAMEN TO LA? WELL, MANILAMEN, THEY DIDNíT KNOW WHERE THEY WERE. ITíS THE SEAFOOD, ITíS THE CLIMATE, THE SEAFOOD. I THINK THAT PEOPLE DIDNíT DISCRIMINATE FROM THEM, UNLIKE OTHER PLACES SO THEY FELT AT HOME.

4:31 THEY DIDNíT KNOW THEY WERE IN LA BUT IT REMINDED THEM OF HOME? YES. THE WEATHER ALONE, AND IN THE BAYOUS, THEY HAVE THE ABUNDANCE OF SEAFOOD, THE FRIENDLINESS OF THE BAYOU PEOPLE, THEY WERE ACCEPTED. THEY WERE NOT DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BEC THEY WERE CONSIDERED WHITES INSTEAD OF OTHER GRP SO THEY CAN INTERMARRY THE COULD OWN PROPERTY.

#18 HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE ENVIRONMENT? ITíS VERY CONDUCIVE TO LIVING LIKE HOME LIKE IN THE PHILIPPINES. THE ENVIRONMENT WAS THERE TO EST A GOOD LIFE. ALTHOUGH THEY DIDNíT HAVE WEALTH OR MONEY, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO SURVIVE BEC OF THEIR TRADE LIKE FISHING.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT THESE MEN THEY MUSTíVE FELT HOMESICK>THEY DID, BUT THE ENVIRONMENT MADE IT LESS HOMESICK? I THINK THEY HAD MADE UP THEIR MINDS ALREADY, WHEN THEY ESCAPED FROM THEIR BRUTAL SPANISH MASTERS THEY DIDNíT WANT TO GO HOME. I THINK THEY MADE UP THEIR MIND THEY HAD TO EXIST NO MATTER WHAT. I THINK BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENT WAS CONDUCIVE FOR THEIR GOOD LIVING, IT HAS ENHANCED THEIR LIFE. THEY DIDNíT FEEL SO HOMESICK AS SOMEBODY WHO WOULD BE FORCED TO LIVE THERE. I THINK THAT MADE THE SETTLEMENT STRONGER.

THERE WAS COMARADERIE AMONG THE MEN, BEC THERE WERE A FEW OF THEM. ONE HUNDRED MEN IS A LOT, ALTHOUGH THERE MIGHT BE SOME FIGHTS THEY WERE ABLE TO SURVIVE.

2:12 WHATíS YOUR ESTIMATE OF FILIPINOS IN LA? I WOULD SAY LA IS BETWEEN 25-30,000. ALTHOUGH IN ORLEANS PARISH, THE BIGGEST PARISH IN LA, PROBABLY ABOUT 15, IN METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS.

2:44 HAS FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN GRWN SINCE? SINCE IT HAS GROWN, BUT NOT AS FAST AS IT SHOULD BE BEC OF BEING IN THE SOUTH. NOT MANY PEOPLE EVEN HEARD OF LA. WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS ASSIGNED TO COME TO N.O., WE DID NOT WANT IT. WE WANTED TO GO TO CA, CHICAGO, NY. WHATíS LA? BUT WEíRE GLAD WE CAME BEC OF THE SEAFOOD, SO WE CAME AND BOUGHT SHRIMP AND CRABS, A DOLLAR A DOZEN, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, YOU CANíT GET THIS IN THE PHILIPPINES. AND THE CLIMATE. SO WEíRE JUST LUCKY, I WAS ABLE TO WORK AS PROF LIBRARIAN RIGHT AWAY. THAT HELPED US STAY HERE FOR GOOD. WE HAVENíT LIVED ANYWHERE ELSE BUT HERE.

4:12 THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY HAS GROWN BEC OF SOME OPPORTUNITIES, ALTHOUGH IN THE SOUTH ITíS REALLY HARD UNLESS YOUíRE A RICH CITY OR STATE, ITíS HARD TO GET PEOPLE TO COME OVER HERE. IT HAS GROWN BEC IT HAS A CLIMATE THATíS CONDUCIVE LIKE THE PHILIPPINES, AND A LOT OF SEAFOOD AND THE FRIENDLINESS OF THE PEOPLE, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF HX SITES HERE IN N.O. IN FACT I HEARD THAT N.O. IS THE NUMBER ONE FAMILY DESTINATION OF AMERICANS. ITíS REALLY A FRIENDLY STATE.

#20
DO THE NEW IMMIGRANTS MINGLE WITH OLDER GENERATION? FIRST OF ALL THERE WAS NO INTERMINGLING. THE OLD GENERATION OF FILIPINOS HAS NO WAY OF MINGLING WITH THE NEWCOMERS. I BELIEVE BEC THE LANGUAGE, THEY DONíT HAVE COMMON LANGUAGE, THE OLD GENERATION SPEAKS ENGLISH, WHILE THE NEW GENERATION WOULD HAVE TAGALOG WHICH IS THE COMMON LANGUAGE OF EVERYBODY IN THE NEW COMMUNITY, PLUS THE FACT THAT ITíS SO SCATTERED, THEREíS NO ONE SITE WHERE THEY CAN BE TOGETHER. SO THE OLD AND THE NEW THEREíS NO BRIDGE, BETWEEN OLD AND THE NEW.

1:30 IT IS SAD AND IT HAS, DOES NOT MAKE THE FILIPINO GRP PALATABLE TO THE POLITICIANS. IN POLITICS THERE IS ALWAYS POWER IN NUMBER, THE VIETNAMESE IS BETTER OFF THAN THE FILIPINOS EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE HERE GENERATIONS AND GENERATIONS AGO. THATíS SAD.

BEC THERE IS NO ONE VOICE. AND THE ATTITUDE OF NEWCOMERS, THEY THINK THEY ARE BETTER OFF THAN THE OLD COMERS, BEC THEY HAVE MORE EDUCATION, THEY COME FROM BETTER OFF FAMILIES. TO ME THATíS SAD. AND THE OLD GENERATION, THEY DIDNíT CARE, THEY CONTINUE WITH THEIR LIVES. THEY WISH THEY COULD BE TOGETHER, THE NEW GENERATION, BUT THEY FELT THEY WERE SNOBBED BY SOME OF THESE GROUPS.

I THINK WE HAVE 10-12 FILIPINO ORGANIZATIONS, BUT THEYíRE VERY SMALL. ONE PERSON CAN BE A MEMBER OF 5, YOU KNOW. SO THE INBREEDING OF THE GRP, BUT THEN, THEYíRE JUST BY THEMSELVES, VERY SMALL.

(Pause to check questions)

4:35 WHAT WOULD YOU HOPE THAT LISTENERS WOULD GET FROM HEARING THESE STORIES? MANILAMEN, EVEN THOUGH ITíS OUT IN THE OPEN THAT THEY WERE HERE SINCE 1765 AND THE FIRST ASIAN IMMIRGRANTS TO COME TO THE U-S, EVEN THOUGH ITíS BEEN EXPOSED TO THE PUBLIC I THINK WE NEED TO DO MORE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE. EVEN THOUGH SOME KNOW, NOT ALL KNOW ABOUT IT. NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT. IíM GLAD YOUíRE DOING THE JOB.

A YR A GO, THE BBC CALLED ME AND ASKED HER TO TALK ABOUT JEAN LAFITTE AND THE WAR OF 1912. IT WAS EXCITING FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT IT, IT WAS A WAR BETWEEN THE AMERICANS AND THE BRITISH. JEAN LAFITTE WAS A PIRATE AND SIDED WITH THE AMERICANS.

1:34 THE MANILAMEN WERE INVOLVED, THEY WERE CALLED BARATARIANS. THEY WERE FISHERMEN, JEAN LAFITTE RECRUITED THEM AND THEY WERE PIRATES, ROBBING GALLEONS THAT WERE PASSING THROUGH THE GULF AND STEALING TREASURES. JEAN LAFITTE WAS NOTORIOUS. AMERICAN GOVT WANTED TO CAPTURE AND PUT HIM IN JAIL. BUT HE HAD BARATARIANS, MANY FILIPINOS FROM AMNILA VILLAGE, THEY WERE ABLE TO, JEAN LAFITTE WAS COURTED BY AMERICANS TO FIGHT WITH THEM. SO HAVE A CONTRIBUTION THERE IN THE WAR OF 1812.

3:15 WHAT ARE THE CONTRIBUTIONS? FIRST, WE HAVE THE DRYING OF THE SHRIMP. WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THE MANILA VILLAGE ON THE MAP FOR THAT REASON, THEY WERE EXPORTING DRIED SHRIMP TO CHINA, THE WHOLE CONTINENTAL U-S AND OTHER PLACES. WE HAVE THE MARDI GRAS PARADES WHERE WERE ABLE TO GARNER THE GRAND PRIZE SINCE 1935, 1936, 1937, AND 1946. WE HAVE A LOT OF PROFESSIONALS WHO CAME TO TRAIN THEMSELVES IN EDUC CTRSóDOCTORS, NURSES, AND IN FACT MANY OF THEM WHO WERE PENSIONADOS THEY WERE AT LSU TO STUDY AGRICULTURE. WE HAVE A GRADUATE, MR. JACINTO ESMELE WHO GRADUATED IN 1920. HE WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST GRADUATES. THERE WERE MANY PENSIONADOS WHO CAME BUT SHE DOESNíT KNOW HOW MANY GRADUATED, MOST OF THEM WENT BACK. ESMELE STAYED. QUENTINE DE LA CRUZíS DAUGHTER GRADUATED IN 1913.

:54 AND THE SEAFOOD. THEY KNEW HOW TO DEAL WITH THE PRODUCTS OF THE SEA. I WOULD SAY WE CONTRIBUTED THE STILT HOUSING ARCHITECTURE IN LA. ALTHOUGH YOU CAN SEE THEM IN THE BAYOUS AND IN THE MARSHES, BUT THEN THE FILIPINOS STARTED IT IN ST. BERNARD PARISH AND THEY HAD KEEP THEIR RELIGION, CATHOLIC RELIGION NO MATTER WHAT IN THE EARLY DAYS. ALSO THE FILIPINO COOKING. THEY KEEP THE SINIGANG AND ADOBO DISHES IN THEIR COOKING.

2:29 REDO INTRO: IíM MARINA ESPINA WHO WROTE THE BOOK ìFILIPINOS IN LOUSIANA AND I WAS A FACULTY MEMBER OF UNO AND WHILE BEING A FACULTY FOR 27 AND A HALF YRS, I WAS ABLE TO DO RESEARCH ON THE FILIPINOS IN LA SINCE I HAD THE RESOURCES IN MY FINGERTIPS. I WAS ABLE TO TRAVEL THROUGH MY SABBATICAL AND FULBRIGHT GRANTS AND THAT REALLY ENHANCED RESEARCH AND MADE IT EVEN FULLÖ
#23 AMBI