Ò Family GatheringÓ(1)
Island-to-Island: The Emergence
of Communities Built Around Immigrants,
by
Sarina Corpuz
The
historical and cultural views of immigration have had a subjective view
of the migration of people
through countries of various origins. The insider's perspective can be the most
informative. Because of the experiences that shape the ideals of a society the
first person narrative can be the most exceptional. Through the study of
history one can uncover the experience of people, which have helped build a
nation through their communities defining what it takes to maintain an identity
and incorporate Filipino beliefs and traditions into the community. Although
the colonialism of American influence in the Philippines sparked the
immigration of my grandfather and thousands of Filipinos, the identity born was
new for America and discusses what it means to be a Filipino American. As
Carlos Bulosan's book states, ÒAmerica is in the Heart,Ó and the exploration
of
the self. To have a strong identity means to have a sense of who you are and
where you came from. The voices of immigrants in history contain the basis for
strengthening the fabric of American culture that we weave. The Corpuz family
has strong stories of pursuing the American dream but what is integrated into
the identity of the generations of Filipino Americans is the identity of
overcoming adversities, maintaining the family, and building a strong
community.
The
communities created out of the exclusionary practices of legislation, spark
the events that were a part
of my grandfather' experience. The obstacles and triumphs of my grandfathers
past illustrate the atmosphere during the 1920's and the 1930's. My
grandfather's perspective is shadowed by the influences of his community. He
identified himself with the ties he had to his work, children, and passion for
cooking. He left the Philippines for California and became a cook in a Filipino
restaurant. When he came to Washington the Filipino community was as strong as
chicken adobo, the dish of many fine restaurants in the International District
of Seattle. Tasting the ginger and basil flavor of Adobo brings out the
Filipino in everyone. The recipe says add ¼ table soy sauce bringing out
the history of the island, 1 bay leaf to add flavor of the culture, and 1 slice
of pork liver to portray the honesty of the Filipino people and their taste for
goodness inside of all of us. Simmer until tender and serve with hot steamed
rice, the staple of all Filipino
ÒGrandpa Pete Roasting a GoatÓ (2)
Pete Corpuz, my grandfather,
established a home in the community of Bainbridge Island. Luzon, the island
from which he came from was recreated in his home and provided a sense of
community in a new land. The hope I have is to bring his story into the hearts
and minds of others who search for their own sense of identity. His story can
be related from across the Pacific Ocean to the Puget Sound. Immigration unites
us all and can inspire people to form their own views on history and a form of
history in themselves. From the Province of La Union He and 200 other Filipinos
had crossed the Pacific Ocean to set roots in Bainbridge Island. There are only
two living members of that group, Ross Berganio and Tony Olligari.
ÒPhotograph in 1930Ó (3)
The
work; of Carlos Bolusan and Peter Bacho, have significant roles in portraying
the Filipino experience. As immigrants to America, Filipinos created
a persona of hard work and dedication. The book, ÒAmerica is in The Heart,Ó
portrays the Filipino American experience as Carlos Buloson eloquently asked,
ÒWould it be possible for an immigrant like me to be a part of the American
dream?Ó(1) Making the dream a reality was uncovered in the books by Peter
Bacho. His stories of his father in the 1930Õs provides a Northwest
perspective. Peter Bacho is teacher from Tacoma, Washington he wrote about the
experiences of the Filipinos in America and their struggles of finding work,
keeping a family, and maintaining their sense of pride. The Pinoy, a name for
Filipinos in America, have developed their history by defying the circumstances
created while living in America.
It
is evident in the observation of American society that the communities
that are resilient to the
characteristics of colonialism, maintain their communities. The PhilippineÕs
culture, the traditions of community gathering, farming and harvesting, as well
as language are lost in America for many Filipinos, but through immigration
Filipinos have developed a sense of America that is expressed as a Filipino
American experience. The communities formed on Bainbridge Island reflect the
need to integrate the differences between people who adapt to American life and
those who maintain their cultural roots. In America assimilation is thought to
be the only way to adapt, but the essence of American history is in preserving
the identities of its citizens and the people though maintain their identities
despite the American influences.
Carlos
Bulosan wrote, "The laws created and the American image is created out of a need for
exclusion." (2) Immigration was different for people subjected to racism
because of the policies created in the 1920Õs and 1930Õs to regulate the system
and assimilate people from all different backgrounds to the American (European)
way. The 1924 Immigration act cut the flow of immigration from Asian countries.
When my Grandfather arrived in 1927 he was considered a "National" in
the United States because of America's colonial control over the Philippines.
This was different than the status of a citizen, which would have excluded
Filipinos because of the Legislation at the time. Citizenship was not offered
to people with Mongolian or Asian descent as a result of the 1924 Immigration
Act. The racist legislation of the time provided many difficulties for people
do different ethnic backgrounds that were not European. The Philippines was a
colony of the United States from the 1898 Treaty of Paris, and through this
colonial tie Filipinos took advantage of their status as Nationals and came to
the United States. The US had taken control over the Philippines, Guam, Puerto
Rico, and other countries after the Spanish- American Civil War that ended in
1898. From 1898 to 1948 the Philippines was a colony of the United States. This
was an advantage and disadvantage for the colonization of the Philippines and
the people who had no choice but to be subjected to the lifestyle of Americans.
The
legislation did not define the culture of the Filipino Americans because
they were not considered
citizens, but their status became that of aliens while in the United States in
1934. Discriminatory systems and laws created the 1934 Tydings McDuffie Act.
This was an exclusionary law that cut off immigration from the Philippines
because of the independence of the Philippines. However, it was not until 1946
that the Philippines became an independent nation. The inclusion of the
Philippines as a colony did not grant them acceptance in the US. In fact the
opposite was true many exclusionist wanted to, Òsend them home to the JungleÓ (3)
The discrimination was based on xenophobia and affected the US push to granting
independence to the Philippines. America used thes policies as a way
to exclude people base on race and ethnicity. It was not until 1986 when the
Amendment for Immigration policies opened immigration to 200,000 instead of
100.
The
culture shock and newness
was described by Carlos Bulosan, "How can one re articulate the colonial
convergence and contestation to bear upon the battles on the Asian American and
cultural front?" (4) In the book American Tropics, Allan Punzalan
Isaac asks, "When colonized subjects enter the terrestrial space of the US
nation state, how do the same tropes and fantasies inform their negotiation
with Americaness?" (5) . Imposing the restrictions of Asian
immigration was equitable to the process of Americanization that we perform in
other countries. As a young boy in the Philippines my grandfather was required
to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in school because of the mandatory US
influence. Those who experienced American ways noticed the visible nature of
the United States the American ways became valued. The imperialism in the
Philippines was far reaching in terms of American influence. Thus the laws that
classify people and restrict immigration are in place to impose a balance
between Americanism and otherness.
Experiencing
immigration first hand is a story of historical perspective of the restrictions
and
limitations imposed by American society. As in my Grandfather's immigration to
America, many immigrants formed their own communities to maintain a sense of
family and familiarity. My Grandfather would use his saxophone, flute, violin,
guitar and other instruments to reach communities in the Philippines. Pete A.
Corpuz Jr. recalled his father's stories of, "traveling form township to
township playing music" (5) When asked what he expected in coming to
America he responded, "I don't know if he thought that he would be doing
that
in America, but he was full of hope." (6) My Grandpa Pete did not fit into
one idea of what an immigrant should be. He was a man of many talents. His
greatest pride was his U.S citizenship but he never changed his identity and
instead created a culture in the Bainbridge Island community that enhanced the
history and created deep roots in the society. Accepting the inner strength of
a community is an important value that can be discovered today if the world is
able to see the recreated diversity in their communities.
ÒMusicians
on Bainbridge IslandÓ
What
many immigrants did was form their own communities in which they could
maintain their own values and be
protected from the racism and discrimination. A community member of Bainbridge
Island, Felix Narte, left the Philippines in 1924 believing in the prosperity
of American jobs. His response to his friends who returned from the US was, "When
they come home it looks like a million dollars so we thought we could go there
too and make the same like that, the way they look when they
come home. (7) This is true for other countries that have suffered the wrath
of
US imperialism.
In 1925 the Toyota vs. United
States case before the Supreme Court ruled that Filipinos could not become US
citizens unless they had been members of the Navy for three years.4 My
Grandfather joined the navy in 1940 and served for four years. After WWII he
returned to Bainbridge Island where he established himself on the Bainbridge
Island as a US citizen. He bought land and raised strawberries as well as a
family on Bainbridge Island. Along with other Filipinos, many from the same
region of Luzon, he often went to the canneries every season to earn money for
the family.
In
the discussion of race in America is important to address the colonialism
and the cause and effect that
play out as a result of its far-reaching influence. "Because of racism and
colonialism Filipinos were among the most disenfranchised of these workers,
although essential to the growth of the western agricultural economy during
this period." (8) It was not until 1941 when the Washington State Supreme
court found the Alien Land Law to be unconstitutional and initiated the right
for Filipinos to own land. The president of the Filipino community, Pio de Cano
cited the Treaty of Paris, which declared, Òall territories once held by Spain
shall be deemed and held to be citizens of the Philippine Islands and such
entitled to the protections of the United States.Ó (9)
Community
was fostered by the Labor Unions, which banned together to create fair
employment in the Canneries, fields and services of Filipino
workers. "Creating a Labor Association was a big step. The new immigrants
has to overcome not only the animosity of organized labor towards non-whites
but also had to learn the basic functions and membership responsibilities of
a
labor union." (10) Filipino workers were at the forefront of efforts to
organize the cannery union that is known today as Region 37 of the ILWU. Today, "South East Asian and
Filipino immigrant workers continue to organize for better wages and working
conditions in the health care and hotel industries. Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders know firsthand the fallacy of the model minority myth because they
continue to suffer higher levels of poverty than any other race or ethic
group." (11) Frank Cordoba reflected on the minority status in his poem,
ÒWe
celebrate; we sacrifice; we progress we regress, we cope to live, and live to
die. Dammit to hell who are we? What are we? We are everyone to whom this world
has to give, for whom Americas has in store. We are minority racially,
ethically, culturally, politically, socially, economically, educationally, and
not necessarily in that order. We are Malay; we are Asian; we are people of
color, of the third world; we are disadvantaged we are disenfranchised,
dispossessed disowned, disemboweled of our roots, of our history of our
languages, of our dialects, of our identification, of legacy of our equalities,
of our share of ourselves; we are that minority about whom we has said to you
some time ago; make up a minority within a minority within a minorityÓ (10)
In the 1920s and '30s,
Filipino American immigrants played a major role in the Seattle labor movement.
Filipino, and immigrant history has generated diversity in the Pacific
Northwest. To retrace the history of the Immigration Policies and the
immigrants themselves is to create a community which an move forward in
accepting differences among us The immigration standards today reflect the
status of immigrants to serve a specific need in the community. When we can
stop discrimination in immigration policies we can have an American community
for all.
The
Filipino American community is tied to many aspects of historical events
that have created a
movement of Filipino culture to bloom in even the most prejudiced areas of the
Northwest. The quotas and citizenship laws determined the waves of immigration
but for the Filipinos riding the waves of immigration the adverse conditions
became a triumph as they succeeded in forming families and communities,
extending the Filipino experience from one Island in the Pacific to an Island
in the Puget Sound, the traditions and family customs remain the same, but the
culture created has changed the lives of people; affecting the generations
after them and providing the recipe for a unique flavor of people in a land of
immigrants. The policies reflect the FilipinoÕs hardships but also their
strength in overcoming adversity and creating a new perspective of an American
experience. The integration of history needs all perspectives in order to
provide an accurate portrayal of lived experiences. In the family history of
the Corpuz family, telling the story of Peter Corpuz is a perspective that is
treasured by the community. As I retrace my grandfatherÕs history there is a
revival of his story through the eyes of an observer, a desendent of a legacy
from a far and distant time. Although these experiences my not relate to third
generation Filipinos, it has histrical significance in the communities which
continue to recognize the greatness of our past. As Takaki spoke about Ò The
narrator himself, and by implication Bulosan, becomes figurativley translated
so that he, in return, can function as a translator, a cultural mediator and a
spokesperson for those rendered speechless by historyÓ (13) The insight gained
from the biographical history of political and personal interactions with
America grant the reader with the weight of their citizenship and how it is
taken for granted. The exclusionar past sets us up for an exclusionary future
unless we can redress the past with historical significance that is seen in the
communities in which we live. The value of history can be felt through the
culture and reclaming the past.
1)Bulosan, Carlos. America is in the
Heart. Seattle, University of WashingtonPress:1946.
2) Fujita-Roni, Dorothy. You Got to
Move Like Hell. UMI. Seattle: 1996.
3)Bulosan, Carlos. America is in the Heart. Seattle,
University of WashingtonPress:1946.
4)Corpuz, Peter. Interview by Sarina Corpuz, 1 February
2007.
5) Punzalan, Isaac. Allan. American Tropics: Articulating
Filipino America. University of
Minnesota Press. Minneapolis:2006.Corpuz, Peter. Interview by Sarina
6)Corpuz, 1 February 2007.
7)Narte, Felix. Interview by Bob Antolin, 11 May 1996.
8) Fujita-Roni, Dorothy. You Got to Move Like Hell.
UMI. Seattle: 1996.
9) Corsilles, DV. Rizal Park: Symbol of Filipino Identity.
Magiting Corp. Seattle:1983.
10) Fujita-Roni, Dorothy. You Got to Move Like Hell.
UMI. Seattle: 1996.
11)Karnow, Stanley. In Our Image: America's Empire In The
Philippines. Random House.
New York: 1989 pp. 75-195.
12)Cordova, Fred. Filipinos: Forgotten Asian Americans.
Demonstration Project for Asian
Americans. Kendal Hunt Publishing. Seattle:1983. Pg. 230.
13) Takaki, Ronald. In the Heart of Filipino America:
Immigrants from the Pacific Isles.
Chelsey
House Publishers. New York: 1995.
Images:
1)"Family
Gathering." Bainbridge Island, WA. Personal photograph taken by
Worley,
Siri. 5 March 1990.
2)ÒGrandpa
Pete Roasting a GoatÓ Bainbridge Island, WA. Personal Photograph by
Worley, Siri. 10 May 1982.
3)ÒPhotograph
in 1930Ó They Cast A Long ShadowÓ Minority History Committee of
Bainbridge Island School District no.
303:1975 Pages: 118 .
4)ÒMuscians
on Bainbridge IslandÓ They Cast a Long Shadow Minority History
Committee of Bainbridge Island School
District no. 303:1975 Pages: 118 .