Marina Espina, Lillian Mae Burtanog Faxon, Joyce Burtanog Pascual, Rhonda Richoux Fox

BURTANOG FAMILY

Interview conducted by Ruby De Luna in New Orleans

#1 AMBI OF WOMEN IN DINING ROOM, LOOKING AT PHOTOS

1:09 RHONDA: THATíS GRANDMA ROSIE, RIGHT?
MARINA: THATíS HER GRANDMA, THE LITTLE GIRLÖ
RHONDA: MY MOTHERíS MOTHERÖ

1:46 RHONDA: MY UNCLE DESIGNS BEAUTIFUL COSTUMES FOR THESE BALLS AND HE AND HIS FRIENDS WOULD COME AND FIX OUR FACES AND OUR HAIR. AND EVERYBODY LOOKED SO BEAUTIFUL THE NIGHT OF THE BALLÖ

MARINA: MAE WAS QUEEN AND SHE WAS CLIMBING TO HER THRONE
MAE: (LAUGHS SOFTLY) ITíS FADED, BUT SEE THATíS ME DURING THE PARADE, UP ON ST. CHARLES STREET, BUT ITíS FADED NOW.

JOYCE: I WAS IN THE BALL WHEN I WAS THREE YRS OLD.
MAE: I HAVE A PICTURE OF THAT BUTÖ

MAE: THEREíS JOYCE, THEREíS AUDREYÖ

3:33
MARINA: THATíS SLIM DEL PRADO.
MAE: YESÖ. I LOST SO MANY PICTURES IN THE FLOOD.
RHONDA: YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT OF FLOODS DOWN HERE.
MAE: SO YOU SEE THE WHOLE FAMILY HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE MARDI GRAS BALL, THE FILIPINO MARDI GRAS BALL.

#2
IíM LILLIAN MAE FAXON AND WEíRE SITTING IN MY KITCHEN LOOKING AT OLD PICTURES AND DISCUSSING OTHER SUBJECTS ABOUT THE FAMILY. IíM 77 YRS OLD, AND I WAS BORN IN NEW ORLEANS BUT RIGHT NOW WEíRE IN CHALMETTE, LA WHICH IS A PART OF ST BERNARD PARISH.

:39 I HAVE ONE SISTER HERE, THATíS JOYCE PASCUAL, I HAVE AN AUNT BY MARRIAGE, HER NAME IS IEOLA MARTINEZ, SHE WAS MARRIED TO MY UNCLE WHO WAS THE BROTHER OF MY MOTHER AND I HAVE ONE DAUGHTER HERE, RHONDA FOX AND ALSO MARINA IS OUR GUEST TODAY.

1:09 WHAT WAS YOUR MAIDEN NAME? LILLIAN MAE BURTANOG FAXON. I SHOULD PUT RICHOUX IN THERE TOO BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER WAS RICHOUX; I WAS MARRIED TWICE.

1:39 Marina: Sis. Ann is here.

2:12 MAE: MY MAIDEN NAME IS BURTANOG.

2:27 LILLIAN MAE BURTANOG FAXON.

BURTANOG. IS THAT YOUR MAIDEN NAME? IT IS. MY MOTHERíS MAIDEN NAME WAS MARTINEZ.

EIOLA: LIKE ME.

WHERE DID THE NAME COME FROM? WELL, THAT WAS MY GRANDFATHERíS NAME. HE CAME FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND SETTLED IN ALABAMA, BUT MY DAD, BEING A SEAMAN CAME TO NEW ORLEANS AND MET MY MOTHER AND THEY GOT MARRIED AND THATíS HOW IíM A BURTANOG.

3:14 WHATíS THE ORIGIN OF THAT NAME? FROM THE PHILIPPINESÖITíS A FILIPINO NAME. MOST PEOPLE TELL ME IT DOESNíT SOUND LIKE A FILIPINO NAME. I DONíT KNOW WHY.

EIOLA: HER GRANDMOTHER WAS IRISH.

MAE: FIRST ONE THAT STARTED THE FAMILY, YES. SHE WAS IRISH, FOURTH GENERATION FROM THE IRISH START, FROM THE BEGINNING. IRISH AND FILIPINO WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE FAMILY.

HOW DID THE FAMILY COME TO BE? BRIDGET NUGENT WAS A PASSENGER IN A SHIP AND TRAVELLING WITH HER PARENTS, THE WAY IT WAS TOLD TO US AND SHE MET MY GREAT, GREAT GRANDFATHER AND HE WAS A SEAMAN IN THE SHIP AND THEY FELL IN LOVE AND WHEN THEY ARRIVED IN N.O. SHE TOLD HER PARENTS SHE WANTED TO MARRY HIM AND SHE DID, AND SHE NEVER DID SEE HER PARENTS AGAIN.

EIOLA: SHE CAME FROM IRELAND.

MAE: SHE WAS FROM IRELAND, HER NAME WAS BRIDGETTE NUGENT.

WHO WAS THE SEAMAN? FELIPE MADRIGAL, FROM THE PHILIPPINES.

#3
(TAKE 2) THE SEAMAN SHE MET WAS MADRIGAL, FROM THE PHILIPPINES. AND ONCE THEY WERE MARRIED HER FAMILY LEFT AND SHE NEVER DID SEE THEM AGAIN. THEY WERE THE FIRST TO START OUR FAMILY HERE. AS OF NOW WEíRE ON OUR NINTH GENERATION. WE HAVE A NINTH GENERATION. ONE OF MY COUSINS, SHE HAS A GREAT, GREAT GRANDCHILD WHOíS THE NINTH GENERATION. SO WEíVE BEEN HERE QUITE A WHILE.

:55 WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP IN DIVERSE FAMILY? WHAT WAS YOUR BACKGROUND? WELL, IRISH, FILIPINO, SOME SPANISH AND WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT ON THE BURTANOG SIDE, MY FATHERíS SIDE, HIS GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS GERMANÖ ENGLISH, GERMAN AND SOMETHING ELSE. I CANíT REMEMBER.

JOYCE: WHEREíS YOUR BOOK? YOU DIDNíT WRITE DOWN LIKE I DID MINE. (WOULD YOU TELL US?) THERE QUAKERS AND THEY CAME DOWN HERE TO ALABAMA, BUT SOME OF THEM STAYED IN, WHERE DID THEY COME FROMóMICHIGAN? IN A STAGECOACH. BUT GRANDMA BURTANOG DID HAVE ENGLISH, IRISH, AND A BIT OF GERMAN ANDÖ

MAE: SCOTCH!

JOYCE: SCOTCH IRISH, YES. THATíS WHAT THEY WERE. WE FOUND BY READING THEIR GENEALOGY THEY ALSO HAD GERMAN IN THERE.

2:36 SO WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP IN A FAMILY WITH THESE CULTURES? WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?

MAE: I REMEMBER IT WAS GREAT, WE HAD A GREAT FAMILY, A GREAT TIME DURING THE DEPRESSION THE ENTIRE FAMILY LIVED IN ONE BIG HOUSE. AND WE LIVED IN HARMONY. WE ALL HELPED EACH OTHER AND IT WAS REALLY A NICE GROWING UP. WE REALLY HAD A NICE FAMLY.
(WOMEN NOD YES)

3:07 WHAT ABOUT EVERYDAY LIVING? DID YOU FEEL YOU WERE AMERICAN? FILIPINO? SOUTHERNER?

JOYCE: WE WERE FILIPINOS, THATíS WHAT WE CALLED OURSELVES, FILIPINOS. NO AMERICANS. WE CALLED OURSELVES FILIPINOS. THATíS ALL; WE LIVED IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. AUNTS, UNCLES, IF WE LIKED SOMETHING, IF MAMA AND DADDY COOKED I WENT TO THEIR HOUSE AND I WENT TO THE AUNTíS HOUSE, I WENT TO THE OTHER AUNTíS HOUSE. AND THATíSÖ WE WERE VERY CLOSE. ALL 6 IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT THATíS THE WE LIVED, WE ALWAYS CONSIDERED OURSELVES FILIPINO.

4:07 WHAT MADE YOU FILIPINO?
JOYCE: BECAUSE OF THE WAY WERE RAISEDóOUR MOTHER TOLD US WE WERE FILIPINO. AND THATíS THE WAY WE TOOK IT. WE HAD THE OTHER BLOOD IN US, IRISH, ENGLISH, EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT YOU ARE FILIPINO AND THATíS THE WAY MY GRANDCHILDREN THINK AND MY GREAT GRANDCHILDREN THINK. THEYíRE FILIPINOS.

RHONDA: MY GRANDMOTHERíS GENERATION, THE WOMEN MARRIED FILIPINO MEN. (MM-HMM) THEY DIDNT MARRY AMERICANS, IT WAS MY MOTHER AND THEM, KIND OF BROKE OUT OF THAT MOLD.

JOYCE: I MARRIED A FILIPINO.

RHONDA: YEAH, YOU DID.

JOYCE: ONLY ONE WHO MARRIED A FILIPINO.

RHONDA: SO YES, WE IDENTIFIED WITH THE FILIPINOS AND ITíS PART OF OUR HERITAGE AND WHO WE ARE.

#4 HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THATóTHROUGH FOOD? RELIGION?

JOYCE: WELL, WE WERE ALL CATHOLIC, LETíS PUT IT THAT WAY. AND DADDY ALWAYS COOKED FILIPINO FOOD, WE ATE THAT.

MAE: AND HE WAS SUCH AN EXCELLENT COOK.

JOYCE: YEAH, DADDY WAS, HE WAS A COOK.

RHONDA: THERE WAS ALWAYS A FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE LIVED IN TOO. WE HAD FILIPINO CLUBS THAT WE WOULD GO TO, TO MEET PEOPLE STRAIGHT FROM THE ISLANDS. THERE WERE A LOT OF MERCHANT MARINES THAT CAME TO MY UNCLEíS HOUSE AND RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY UNCLE FRANKíS HOUSE WAS THE FILIPINO CLUB THAT WE WENT TO SO WE GOT A LOT OF FILIPINOS FROM THE ISLANDS AND THAT HELPED US TO IDENTIFY MORE STRONGLY WITH IT TOO I THINK.

EIOLA: CAN I SAY SOMETHING? WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE CLUB BY FRANK REYES? DO YOU KNOW MAE?

JOYCE: THATíS IT.

EIOLA: FRANK HAD A CLUB BY THE NAME OF WHATÖ IT WAS A GRP AND WE USED TO MEET THERE.

JOYCE: ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE JITTERBUG?

EIOLA: YOU KNOW WHERE HEíS BURIED? ITíS ON THAT SLAB.

MAE: THE MASALANG?

EIOLA: THATíS IT.

(The women talk over each other the Masalang)

#5
RHONDA: SOMEBODY THATíS FILIPINO I CAN USUALLY IDENTIFY A FILIPINO AND SAY, ARE YOU FILIPINO? IíVE GOT FILIPINO IN ME TOO. AND IMMEDIATELY THEREíS A CONNECTION. IT DOESNíT MATTER HOW FAR BACK THE FILIPINO GOES; THEREíS A CONNECTION AND A BOND BETWEEN US AND I USED TO TRAVEL AROUND THE STATE AND I FOUND THAT NO MATTER WHAT STATE I WAS IN IF I MET A FILIPINO IT WAS ALMOST LIKE MEETING FAMILY.

EIOLA: WE HAVE A PRIEST, FILIPINO. I THINK YOU MIGHT KNOW HIMóFATHER JAMIE? ONE TIME HE SEE ME AND I ASKED HIM IF HE SPEAKS TAGALOG, OH SURE! ITíS MY PRIEST IN OUR CHURCH AND THEY GOT THREE OF THEM BY US.

JOYCE: WE NEVER GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THAT, DADDY SPOKE IT THOUGH, LEARNED FROM THE SHIP.

EIOLA: YEAH YOUR DADDY SPOKE IT.

JOYCE: HIS MOTHER AND DADDY DIDNíT SPEAK IT, MY GRANDMA DIDNíT SPEAK ITÖ

EIOLA: BEN DIDNíT SPEAK IT BUT HE UNDERSTOOD IT. BECAUSE WHENEVER HE COOKED HE SAID KAIN, KAIN. COME EAT.

JOYCE: DADDY JUST WENT AHEAD AND PICKED IT UP FROM BEING ON THE SHIP BEC HIS MOTHER WAS ENGLISH, IRISH AND DIDNíT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THAT. BUT MY GRANDFATHER COULD SPEAK IT. NEVER SPOKE IT IN THE HOUSE. NOW MY HUSBAND DIDNíT SPEAK ENGLISH UNTIL HE WAS SEVEN YRS OLD. HEíS SPANISH AND FILIPINO. AND I DIDNíT SPANISH. HE STILL TALKS TO HIS SISTERS LIKE THAT BUT DIDNíT HAVE THE PATIENCE TO TEACH HIS CHILDREN TO DO IT.

1:38 DO YOU REGRET NOT LEARNING HOW TO SPEAK TAGALOG?

WOMEN: OH YEAH.

MAE: I DID. I DO REGRET THAT WE CANíT SPEAK THE LANGUAGE AND I REMEMBER MY GRANDPA GORIO HE TRIED TO TEACH IT TO US, HE TAUGHT US HOW TO COUNT, I REMEMBER.

JOYCE: ISA, DALAWA, THATíS THE ONLY THING I CAN REMEMBER. HOW DO YOU SAY GOOD MORNING?

MARINA? MAGANDANG UMAGA (JOYCE REPEATS)

JOYCE: THATíS WHAT I CAN REMEMBER GRANDPA GORIO TELLING US.

MAE: HE TRIED TO TEACH US BUT, NOT ENOUGH; WE DIDNíT STICK TO IT. AND MY DAD SPOKE IT FLUENTLY TO OTHER FILIPINOS. BUT HE DIDNíT SPEAK IT IN THE HOUSE AND FOR US TO PICK IT UP.

JOYCE: WHO WAS GOING TO SPEAK IT? MOTHER DIDNíT SPEAK IT.

MAE: I KNOW.

RHONDA: BACK IN THOSE DAYS, TOO. WELL, THEREíS STILL SOMETIMES A STIGMA ABOUT BEING DIFFERENT. AND MY DADDYíS SIDE OF THE FAMILY IS CAJUN AND MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD NOT SPEAK TO US, SHE WOULDNíT TEACH US CAJUN BECAUSE SHE SAID THAT PEOPLE WOULD RIDICULE US IF WE SPOKE IT. SO SHE DIDNíT WANT US TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE.

AND MY GRANDFATHER WOULD TRY TO TEACH US, SHEíD FUSS AT HIM. SO I THINK THAT WAS THE SAME WAY WITH THE TAGALOG, THEY JUST DIDNíT WANT US TO BE ANY MORE DIFFERENT THAN WE ALREADY WERE AND PREFERRED THAT WE JUST SPEAK ENGLISH.

3:10
WHAT FOODS DO YOU REMEMBER GROWING UP?

EIOLA: WHEN THEY COOKED FILIPINO DINNER THEY COOKED IT LIKE A SOUP. THEY CALL IT SINIGANG, DINUGUAN, ITíS PORK SAUSAGE AND THEY HAD ANOTHER ONE, I FORGOT.

JOYCE: I DIDNíT LIKE THE DINUGUAN, I ATE THE ADOBO, THE SINIGANG, AND DADDY USED TO MAKE SOMETHING WITH THE GREENS WITH THE TOMATOES AND LIKE A SOUP SINIGANG, BUT I PREFERED THE CHICKEN SINIGANG WITH THE RICE NOODLES AND CHINESE MACARONI.

WHATíS SINIGANG?

SINIGANG, ITíS A SOUP, ITíS MADE EITHER WITH CHICKEN OR FISH.

MAE: IS IT SOUP?

MARINA: IT IS A SOUPÖ

JOYCE: I TRIED TO GET A FISH TO MAKE A GOOD SINIGANG, BUT I COULDNíT FIND, BUT IíM NOT EATING NO DINUGUAN, I DONíT LIKE DINUGUAN.

DINUGUAN, MY DADDY AND THEM GOING DOWN PARISH ROAD WHERE WE LIVE NOW AND WEíD GO CATCH A WILD HOG AND DADDY WOULD TAKE THAT HOG HOME AND HANG IT UP IN THAT BACK SHED AND SLIT THE THROAT AND DRAIN ALL THAT BLOOD. I COULDNíT EAT THAT. TO THIS DAY I DONíT EAT IT. THEY WOULD COOK IT, NOW I WOULD EAT THE HOGHEAD CHEESE HE MADE, THE HOGíS HEAD CHEESE, MADE OUT OF THE HEAD OF THE HOG. HE WOULD MAKE THAT OUT OF THIS WORLD, I COULD SIT THERE AND EAT THAT. BUT NOT THE DINUGUAN MADE WITH THE BLOOD.

MAE: I LOOKED EVERYTHING MY DAD COOKED. EVERYTHING HE COOKED WE ATE.

#6
WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN HE COOKEDóWHAT DID IT SMELL LIKE?

JOYCE: YOU SMELL THE GINGER AND THE VINEGAR, ESP WHEN HE WAS COOKING ADOBO. IT SMELLED DELICIOUS. YOU CAN COME FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, WE LIVED IN A SHOTGUN HOUSE IN N.O. YOU WALK IN THE HOUSE AND YOU CAN SMELL IT CLEAN THROUGH THOSE 5 ROOMS AND ALL THE WAY UPSTAIRS, IT WAS GOOD.

EVEN TO MY KIDS, MY GRANDKIDS LOVE IT. THE GREAT GRANDKIDS LOVE IT.

RHONDA: THE THING ABOUT GRANDPA, HE WAS A SHIPíS COOK FOR SO MANY YRS THAT HE DIDNT JUST MAKE A DISH FOR 4 OR 5 PEOPLE, HE MADE A DISH FOR AN ARMY. HEíD CALL US ALL UP AND SAY WEíVE GOT LEFTOVERS, COME OVER AND EAT. SO HEíD ALWAYS MAKE LARGE, LARGE PORTIONS OF WHATEVER HE WAS COOKING.

1:38
MAE: MY DAD, WHEN HE WAS HOME, HE WANTED TO RUN THE HOUSE LIKE A SHIP. FOR INSTANCE WEíD COME DOWN IN THE MORNING WITH OUR BATHROBE ON, GO WASH UP AND EVERYTHING FOR BREAKFAST. HEíD SAY YOU CANíT EAT BREAKFAST UNTIL YOU GET DRESSED. WE COULDNíT HAVE BREAKFAST AT THE TABLE UNTIL WE WERE DRESSED. THATíS THE WAY HE WAS.

AND NO FOOLING AROUND UNTIL THE TABLEíS CLEAN. COULDNíT SMOKE A CIGARETTE OR ANYTHING. DONíT SMOKING THE CIGARETTE UNTIL THE KITCHENíS CLEAN. SO IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU ATE YOU COULDNíT EVEN RELAX, YOU HAD TO START CLEANING.

RHONDA: YOU TRIED THAT WITH US, BUT THAT DIDNíT WORK.

2:34 LETíS TALK ABOUT RELIGION.

JOYCE: WE WERE BORN AND RAISED CATHOLIC. AND MADE OUR COMMUNION, GOT CONFIRMED. WENT TO COMMUNION ON A SUNDAY, MADE GOOD FRIDAY WITH GRANDMA WITH NINE CHURCHES. GRANDMA ROSIE WANTED YOU TO MAKE IT TO THOSE NINE CHURCHES. AND SHE WOULD DRAG ME ALL OVER.

RHONDA: THATíS A TRADITION FOR GOOD FRIDAY, YOU HAVE TO VISIT NINE CHURCHES ON GOOD FRIDAY.

MAE: IS THAT STILL A TRADITION, MAKING NINE?

EIOLA: OH YES, DEFINITELY.

MARINA: HOW ABOUT THAT AUDREY TELLING ME THAT IF YOUíRE A NON-CATHOLIC, LIKE A QUAKER, YOU HAVE TO CONVERT TO CATHOLICISM.

WOMEN: OH YEAH.

JOYCE: I CANT REMEMBER ALL OF THAT BUT THE ONES WHO CAME FROM DETROIT THEY WERE QUAKERS AND THEY HD TO CONVERT TO CATHOLICISM. AUDREY KNOWS ALL THAT, THE OTHER SISTER, BUT SHEíS DEAD NOW.

JOYCE: IT WAS ALWAYS A BIG PART OF OUR LIFE, COMMUNION AND CATHOLIC. BUT ONE THING I HAD GIRLFRIENDS NEXT DOOR AND THEY WERE BAPTIST. SO MOTHER USED TO TELL ME AND BENITA, MY YOUNGEST SISTER, ALRIGHT IF YOU WANT TO GO WITH THEM TO BAPTIST CHURCH, YOU STILL HAVE TO GO TO CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR 9 OíCLOCK MASS. BUT WE WOULD GO TO THE LITTLE BAPTIST CHURCH ON KELERIC STREET AND THEY HAD LITTLE BIBLE STUDY THERE AND EVERYTING LIKE THAT.

AT THE TIME WE WERE YOUNG AND WE WENT TO CHURCH. AND THAT WAS IT, IT WAS CHURCH. OUR FRIENDS WOULD SAY WEíLL GO WITH YOU TO CHURCH AND THEN WOULD YOU COME TO MINE? YEAH. ME AND BENITA, THATíS WHAT WE USED TO DO ALL THE TIME. BUT WE HAD TO GO TO CATHOLIC CHURCH.

#7
RHONDA: BAPTISM IS REALLY BIG IN OUR FAMILY. WE HAVE A BIG CELEBRATION WHEN OUR BABY IS BAPTIZED AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHILD AND THE GODPARENTS GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE GRAVE. WE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AND THEREíS A BOND BETWEEN THE GODPARENTS AND THE GODCHILD.

I LOST MY GODFATHER LAST YR AND IT STILL HURTS ME, THATíS HOW CLOSE YOU STAY WITH YOUR GODPARENTS AND FAMILY. SO THATíS ANOTHER PART OF THE RELIGIOUS TRADITION THAT STAYED STRONG THROUGH THE GENERATIONS.

:39 SO THESE INFLUENCES HAVE HELD YOUR FAMILY TOGETHER?

JOYCE: YES BECAUSE WE ALL PRACTICE THE SAME THING.

RHONDA: WE TRY TO STAY CLOSE. MY GRANDMOTHER MADE US PROMISE BEFORE WE DIED THAT WEíD ALWAYS STAY CLOSE AND WEíRE GOING TO HAVE A REUNION IN JUNE WHERE WEíLL ALL GET TOGETHER. WE CANíT WAIT FOR THAT BECAUSE EVERYBODYíS SO SPREAD OUT NOW. IíM LUCKY THAT WE GREW UP IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD AS MY COUSINS, AND MY AUNTS AND UNCLES AND MY GRANDPARENTS BEC YOU JUST FEEL SO SAFE KNOWING THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AFTER YOU. OF COURSE WHEN YOU WERE DOING SOMETHING WRONG YOU DIDNíT LIKE IT, BUT MOST OF THE TIME YOU REALLY FELT YOU PART OF SOMETHING, YOU WERE SAFE AND SECURE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

1:46 BUT NOW AS WE ALL MARRIED AND GONE IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS ITíS HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND REASONS TO GET TOGETHER. WEíRE TRYING TO STIR UP THAT TRADITION AGAIN, ONCE A YR WE GET TOGETHER AS A FAMILY AND ALLOW ALL THE GENERATIONS CELEBRATE OUR FAMILY LIFE TOGETHER.

2:07 HOW BIG A TRADITION IS MARDI GRAS IN YOUR FAMILY?

MAE: MARDI GRAS HAS BEEN A PART OF OUR LIVES AS FAR BACK AS I CAN REMEMBER BEC THERE WERE ALWAYS FILIPINO DANCES AND WE WENT WITH OUR PARENTS. THE GROWN UPS WERE THERE AND ALL OF THE CHILDREN WERE THERE ALSO.

EIOLA: WE USED TO GO TO THE DANCE AND TAKE THE LITTLE ONES WITH US AND SIT THEM ON A BENCH AND DANCEÖ

MAE: AND LIKE JOYCE SAID, SHE WAS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD WHEN SHE WAS ON THE FLOAT.

JOYCE: YUP. AND I WAS IN THE BALL,TOO.

MAE: SHE WAS IN THE BALL AND SHE STARTED IT. WELL, AGNES MY COUSIN, SHE WAS THE FIRST FILIPINO QUEEN AND EVERY YR AFTER THAT WE HAD A FILIPINO QUEEN AND IíVE BEEN QUEEN THREE TIMES.

WHAT YRS WERE THOSE?

3:19
MAE: I CANíT REMEMBER THEM BUT THE FIRST ONE WAS 46, AND I THINK 82 WAS THIS ONE (PHOTO), AND THEN ANOTHER TIME WAS TO ENTERTAIN THE, WE PUT ON A BALL FORÖ

MARINA: THE FILIPINO AMERICAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

MAE: WHERE WAS THAT?

MARINA: IT WAS IN THE CLARION HOTEL.

MAE: IN THE BALLROOM OF THE CLARION HOTEL WE PUT ON A BALL TO ENTERTAIN

MARINA: THE FILIPINO AMERICAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBERS.

RHONDA: THEY ALSO PUT ON A BALL FOR THE 1988 CONVENTION FOR THEÖ

MARINA: THATíS THE ONE.

RHONDA: WAS THAT THE ONE? SHE WAS THE EMCEE WITH ME, MY COUSIN WAS DANIELLE WAS THE QUEEN.

JOYCE: TARA WAS THERE, TOO. MY GRANDDAUGHTER.

EIOLA: WHAT YR WAS THAT WHERE YOU HAD, SUSAN WAS IN THAT, SHE WAS A HAWAIIAN GIRL? ANDÖ

JOYCE: THATíS WHEN MISTY WASÖ

EIOLA: IT WASNíT OURS. I THOUGHT IT WAS, IT MUSTíVE BEEN ANOTHER NAME?

RHONDA: THAT WAS THE FILIPINOÖ

EIOLA: THAT WAS FILIPINO SOMETHINGÖ

MAE: FILIPINO AMERICAN GOODWILL.

EIOLA: THERE WAS DANCING WITH THE THINGSÖ

JOYCE: WITH THE STICKS?

EIOLA: AND THE HANDKERCHIEF DANCE, THE MAN AND THE LADY, YOU KNOWÖ

#8
I WANT TO FOCUS ON 1946, WAS THAT THE FIRST YR YOU WERE CROWNED QUEEN?

MAE: YES, THE 1940S.

MARINA: THAT WAS THE LAST WINNINGÖ

WHEN WERE YOU FIRST CROWNED QUEEN OF MARDI GRAS?

MAE: THE YR WAS 1946 AND I WAS 18 YRS OLD. WELL, THEY HAD AT THE CABALLEROS DE DIMAS-ALANG, EVERY YR THEY HAD A CONTEST AND THE GIRL THAT BROUGHT THE MOST VOTES WAS QUEEN OF THE MARDI GRAS BALL. IT WAS ONLY A PENNY A VOTE. WELL, SEVERAL GIRLS ENTERED, YOU KNOW. AND AT A PENNY A VOTE YOUíD BE AMAZED HOW MUCH MONEY WE RAISED. SO ANYWAY, THATíS HOW I WAS CROWNED QUEEN, THAT WAS IN 1946, I WAS 18 YRS OLD AND IT WAS GREAT FUN, ESP RIDING THE FLOAT ON CANAL STREET, AND ST. CHARLES ST.

RHONDA: IT WAS MARDI GRAS DAYÖ

MAE: ON MARDI GRA DAY AND IT WAS GREAT FUNÖ OUR FLOAT WAS THE LAST WINNING FLOAT WHERE IT WON FIRST PRIZE AND WE WERE VERY PROUD. THESE FLOATS WEREÖ ALL THE FLOWERS WERE HANDMADE AND EVERYONE PITCHED IN AND MADE IT WAS REALLY PRETTY BECAUSE IT WAS MADE LIKE A BOAT AND THE MEN HAD OARS SO AS WE WERE ROLLING DOWN THE STREET, THEY WERE ROWING, YOU SEE.

SO IT REALLY DID MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION AND IT LOOKED BEAUTIFUL ON SCREEN. AT THE TIME I WAS WORKING FOR A MOTION PICTURE ADVERTISING COMPANY, AND MY BOSS CAME IN AND SAID, COME ON I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING. SO HE TOOK ME IN THE DARK ROOM AND THERE I WAS ON THE BIG MOVIE SCREEN, MY FLOAT THEY HAD TAKEN PICTURES OF IT AS IT WAS PASSING. AND IT REALLY DID LOOK BEAUTIFUL.

2:39 YOU SAY IT WAS THE LAST WINNING FLAOTóWHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

MAE: AFTER THAT, THIS WAS THE LAST FLOAT, THE LAST FILIPINO FLOAT THAT WAS ENTERED IN THE CONTEST. FOR ONE THING SOME OF THE MEN HAD PASSED AWAY, THEY EITHER LOST INTEREST AND SO THEY JUST STOPPED ENTERING FLOATS SO THAT WAS REALLY THE LAST FLOAT. AND IT WAS THE FIRST PARADE AFTER WORLD WAR II. SO BECA WWII HAD STOPPED MARDI GRAS FOR A FEW YRS, THE FIRST PARADE, FIRST MARDI GRAS AFTER WWII ENDED WE ENTERED OUR FLOAT AND WE WON, FIRST PRIZE. AGAIN.

3:42 HOW DID THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?

MAE: IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT TIME FOR ME AND FOR ALL THE RIDERS BEC ITíS SUCH FUN TO PARTICIPATE IN MARDI GRAS. AND ITíS FUN AND HISTORICAL TO OUR FAMILY BEC ALL THROUGH THE YRS SOMEONE IN OUR FAMILY WAS IN A MARDI GRAS BALL. AND WHEN I JOINED THE FILIPINO AMERICAN GOODWILL SOCIETY, I WAS THE ONE WHO STARTED, TOO, HAVING BALLS AGAIN. THEY USED TO HAVE DANCES. BUT I SUGGESTED WE HAVE COSTUMED BALLS INSTEAD OF JUST GOWNS.

SO I GOT INVOLVED MAKING COSTUMES. MY BROTHER WOULD DESIGN THE GOWNS FOR ME AND THEN I WOULD MAKE THEM FROM HIS PICTURES, FROM HIS DRAWINGS. SO IT WAS QUITE AN EXPERIENCE, A LOT OF FUN, A LOT OF HARD WORK. BUT IT WAS ALL WORTH IT.

#9
RHONDA: SHE MADE A COSTUME FOR ME THE FIRST BALL I WAS IN, I WAS THE CAPTAIN, IT WAS A HAWAIIAN DRESS, THE GRASS SKIRT WAS ALL HAND BEADED BUGLE BEADS. IT WAS HEAVY TO WEAR BUT IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL COSTUME. IN THE EARLY DAYS WE USED TO HAND-BEAD ALL OF THE COSTUMES UNTIL MY UNCLE DISCOVERED HOT GLUE AND THATíS WHEN WE STARTED GLUING EVERYTHING ON BEC WE NEVER USED THE COSTUMES AGAIN, IT MADE MORE SENSE TO DO IT FASTER. WE COULD DO IT FASTER BEC IT TOOK A LONG, LONG TIME. A LOT OF HOURS OF ME AND MY COUSINS SITTING DOWN, MY UNCLE AND MY MOM HAND-BEADING ALL THESE COSTUMES.

EIOLA: IT WAS HARD.

RHONDA: YEAH, IT WENT A LOT FASTER WITH THE GLUE, THOUGH. AND IT LOOKED JUST AS PRETTY UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT.

STANDING THERE, WHAT DID YOU SEE? WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE?

MAE: THIS WAS EXCITING. SEE THATíS ME. LOOK AT ALL THE SERVICEMEN THAT WERE IN THE CROWD. THIS WAS RIGHT AFTER WWII. AND IT WAS GREAT. AT THAT TIME IT WAS LIKE A CELEBRITY PASSING BEC THEY WERE THINGS OUT OF THE, HIGH BUILDINGSóCONFETTI AND EVERYTHING WAS FLYING AND IT WAS JUST QUITE AN EXPERIENCE.

1:36 WHAT WAS THE WEATHER LIKE? HOT?

MAE: ON THIS DAY, THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT, IT WASNíT TOO HOT, IT WASNíT TOO COLD. WE DIDNíT HAVE TO WEAR A JACKET SO OUR COSTUMES COULD BE SEEN AND IT WAS A PERFECT DAY AS FAR AS THE WEATHER.

MARINA: BUT YOU HAD TO HOLD IT, NOT GOING TO THE BATHROOM.

MAE: YES. THAT WAS HARD PART. THE HARD PART IS NOT HAVING A BATHROOM ON A FLOAT. (LAUGHS) THAT WAS THE HARD PART. BUT I CAN REMEMBER SOMEONE THROWING ME, FROM A HIGH BUILDING A BEAUTIFUL FAN AND A BRACELET ATTACHED TO IT. I CANT REMEMBER WHO IT WAS BUT HE WROTE ME A BEAUTIFUL NOTE TO THE BEAUTIFUL QUEEN. SO I DONíT KNOW WHO HE WAS TO THIS DAY.

2:40 AND THIS PICTURE, I DONíT EVEN KNOW WHO TOOK IT. BUT SOMEHOW HE FOUND OUT WHERE THE FLOAT, WHAT THE FLOAT REPRESENTED WHAT CLUB AND HE SENT THE PICTURE TO ME, HE FOUND MY NAME AND SENT ME THIS PICTURE AND IíM SO GLAD TO GET IT BEC NO ONE ELSE HAD TAKEN A PICTURE OF US ON ST. CHARLES AVENUE.

EIOLA: WHEN YOU WAS QUEEN I WAS PREGNANT FOR KEN AND GRANDMA ROSIE TOOK ME TO GO SEEÖ YOU KNOW WE USED TO HAVE A STATION ON CANAL ST? WE STAYED THERE AND WAITED FOR YOU TO COME, I WAS PREGNANT FOR KEN. YOU WAS THE GODMOTHER.

(To Joyce) WHEN DID YOU FIRST EXPERIENCE MARDI GRAS?

JOYCE: I WAS THREE YRS OLD AND THE BALL WAS HELD ON ESPLANADE ST IN NEW ORLEANS AND LOOKING AT THAT PICTURE NOW I CAN SEE ALL THE DECEASED AND I CAN PICTURE THEM IN MY MIND RIGHT NOW, ALL THE UNCLES, ALL THE MEN WE GREW UP KNOWING ALL OUR LIVES. AND WE LOOK AT THAT AND YOU START TO THINK, WOW.

NOW WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS ABOUT THREE YRS OLD SHE WAS ALSO IN THE FILIPINO BALL.

4:06 WHATíS MARDI GRAS LIKE TO A 3 YR OLD?

JOYCE: VERY EXCITING.

EIOLA: EXCITING.

JOYCE: VERY EXCITING. BUT I TELL YOU WHAT NOW. I DID NOT GO, BUT MY MOTHER WAS ONE, THAT LIKED TO GO TO CANAL ST FOR MARDI GRAS. WHEN WE DIDNíT FIND MOTHER AT HOME FOR MARDI GRAS DAY WE KNEW WHERE SHE WAS. SHE WOULD GO THERE UP BY HERSELF. AT THE TIME YOU COULD THAT, EVERYTHING WAS NICE IN THE CITY. BUT WHEN WE CALLED DADDY, IS MOTHER HOME? NO, SHEíS NOT HOME SO YOU KNOW WHERE SHEíS AT. SHEíS UP ON CANAL ST LOOKING AT THE PARADES. AND SURE ENOUGH THATíS WHERE SHE WOULD BE.

BUT I DIDNíT LIKE GOING, I WAS DIFFERENT. I DIDNíT LIKE CROWDS TOO MUCH. MY KIDS NEVER DID GO UP TO CANAL ST WITH ME. MOTHER USED TO TAKE US WHEN WE WERE YOUNG, WE WOULD GO TO THE MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM IN NEW ORLEANS WHERE THE FLOATS WOULD, WHERE PEOPLE WOULD GET OFF THE FLOATS AND GO INSIDE AND HAVE THEIR BALL.

#10
BUT AS FAR AS GOING TO CANAL ST MM-MM, IT WASNíT FOR ME.

WHERE YOU ON A FLOAT?

JOYCE: WHEN MAE, MY SISTER LILLIAN MAE WAS QUEEN I WAS ON THE FLOAT. MM-HMM. IíM IN THERE. IT WAS NICE, BUT I WASNíT ONE WHO, WHY DONíT YOU RUN FOR QUEEN AND I WOULD SAY NO, I DONíT WANT TO RUN FOR QUEEN. I GOT MARRIED WHEN I WAS 16. AND THAT WAS IT. AND, THATíS ME RIGHT THERE. AND THIS IS THE LADY THAT STOOD FOR ME WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I GOT MARRIED. THIS IS MYRTLE RIGHT THERE. HOWARD AND HER, THEY WERENT MARRIED THEN.

THIS IS MYRTLE AND WHERE IS AUDREY, THEREíS AUDREY THE SISTER THATíS DECEASED NOW. AND THE YR I WAS IN THE BALL ALL THESE MEN HERE, MR. SLIM, HIM, HIM, ALL OF THEMÖ THIS IS ALEXóTHATíS ALEX PERALTA, MY BORTHER IN LAW.

MAE: IS THAT MR. LA CHICA?

JOYCE: MR LA CHICA? HERE. ALL OF THESE MEN WAS SITTING IN THAT BALLROOM. THEY WERE SITTING LIKE YOU SEE, UNCLE FRANK, JR REYES, JR REYES MUSTíVE BEEN 8 YRS OLD AT THE TIME. ALL THESE SAME MEN WERE SITTING IN THE SAME BALLROOM WHEN I WAS THREE YRS OLD AND HERE I AM 15 YRS OLD.

1:40 TODAY WE TAKE FLOATS FOR GRANTED, BUT WHATíS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS FLOAT AND WIN FIRST PRIZE?

JOYCE: OKAY, YOU DONíT SEE A TRUCK UNDER HERE. THEREíS A TRUCK PULLING THIS. THEREíS A MAN, HEíS THE FIRST ONE, I BELIEVE THAT STARTED DOING THIS. MR. CHARLIE MERINO. HE WAS MARRIED TO A FILIPINO WOMAN. HER NAME WAS MISS MARTHA AND HE SAID WAIT, IíM GOING TO GET THIS THING ROLLING LIKE YíALL WANTED TO DO. AND THATíS WHAT HE DID. THEY BUILT THE FLOAT AROUND HIS TRUCK AND THATíS, SEE IN HERE? THATíS HOW IT WAS BUILT.

2:27 AND IT WAS MOTORIZED, IT WAS NOT PULLED BY MULES LIKE MOST OF THE FLOATS WERE AT THAT TIME. AND I THINK THATíS WHY PEOPLE WERE AMAZED. THE FLOATS WERE BEAUTIFUL THEMSELVES BUT THEY WERE AMAZED HOW IT WAS MOVING WITHOUT BEING DONE WITH MULES.

MAE: WITHOUT A TRACTOR OR MULES.

JOYCE: IT WAS MULES IN THOSE DAYS, THEY DIDNíT HAVE NOT TRACTOR. AND IT WAS ALL HANDMADE AND I CAN REMEMBER WHEN MAE WAS ON A FLOAT, AND THEY TRY TO PULL THE FLOWERS OFF AND WEíD HIT THEM WITH THE PADDLES SO THEY WOULDNíT PULL THE FLOWERS OR WE WOULDNíT HAVE NO MORE FLOWERS BY THE TIME WE GOT TO CANAL ST.

3:01 THAT WAS ELKS PARADE THAT WE USED TO ENTER. THAT WAS THE THING TOÖ THEY WOULD TRY TO TAKE THE FLOWERS AND OFTEN WEíD JUST PAT THEM LIKE THAT BY HAND IF IT WAS ON THE SIDE OR BY PADDLE BEC IT WAS LIKE A BIG BOAT. BUT THATíS WHAT PEOPLE WERE AMAZED AT BEC THE FLOAT WAS MOVING ON IT OWN.

MARINA: THE FLOAT WAS LIKE A BOATÖ

JOYCE: JUST LIKE I SAIDÖ

MARINA: WHICH WAS THEIR MAIN LIVELIHOOD, WHICH IS FISHING, THEY WERE FISHERMEN SO THEY ALSO FORM A BOAT.

JOYCE: IT WAS NICE, IT WAS ENJOYABLE. AFTER THAT I MET MY HUSBAND IN ONE OF THE FILIPINO BALLS. THERE YOU GO.

3:52 WAS THERE A SIGNIFICANCE TO THE FLOAT SHAPED LIKE A BOAT?

JOYCE: LIKE SHE SAID, IT WENT THROUGH OUR MEANING OF OUR NATIONALITY. WE WERE FISHERMEN, AND HAD THE PADDLES, AND WE WOULD HIT THEM WHEN THEY TRIED TO TAKE THE FLOWERS OFF THE BOAT. TO US IT WAS SIGNIFICANT, IT WAS SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.

4:22 WHAT ABOUT STORIES THAT PARENTS PASSED ON TO YOU?

MAE: I CAN REMEMBER ONE THING ABOUT MANILA VILLAGE THAT MY MOTHER TOLD ME. SHE SAID AT NIGHT THEY WOULD SEE FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE WATER. AND IT ACTUALLY FRIGHTENED THEM. WHAT IT WAS, WAS OIL IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. IT WAS BEFORE THEY STARTED DRILLING OIL. AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THEYíD SEE FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE WATER. AND THATíS WHAT IT WAS. OIL IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.

#11
SO THAT WAS ONE STORY, ANOTHER ONE WAS ABOUT THE SKULL ON THE FRONT OF CAMP DEWEY, A HUMAN SKULL. SHE CAN TELL YOU THE STORY. ALL I REMEMBER IS THE SKULL.

EIOLA: IT WAS A FILIPINO MAN WHEN THEY HAD THE HURRICANE. LOTS OF THEM GOT SAVED BUT THEY COULDNíT FIND HIM. SO BEN TOLD ME LONG AFTER THAT IN THEÖ THEY SAW THE SKULL AND THEY KNEW IT WAS HIM BEC THEY COULDNíT FIND HIS BODY BUT HIS HEAD. AND THEY USED TO PUT THAT BY HIS BED, THAT SKULL. AND I SAID MY GOD WERENT THEY AFRAID. AND HE SAYS NO, THEY JUS TPRAY FOR HIM THAT WAS ALL, THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO. MY BOY WAS LITTLE LIKE THAT WHEN I WAS OUT THERE, YOU SEE. AND MY HUSBAND WOULD ME WHAT WENT ON.

I REMEMBER HIM TELLING ME THAT WHEN THEY HAD THE HURRICANE TEHYC OULDNíT GET OUT THE CAMP. SO THEY WENT UP THE ATTIC. AND THEY STAYED UP IN THE ATTIC AND ALL THEY HAD WAS THE MILK AND GRANDA BENNY WOULD FEED THEM WHATEVER THEY CAN UNTIL THE WATER WENT DOWN AND THEY GOT IN THEIR BOATS AND COME OUT. MY HUSBAND TOLD ME THAT.

1:34 THEY WAS LITTLEóLILLIAN, HER MOTHER AND MY HUSBAND AND SISTER AND BROTHER AND ROSIEíS A BABY.

JOYCE: MM-HMM. THATíS THE HOUSE ON STILTS. THEY CALLED IT CAMP. HOUSES ON STILTS.

EIOLA: AND THE NAME OF THAT CAMP WAS CAMP DEWEY. AND OUT THERE WAS MANILA VILLAGE WHERE THEY USED TO BRING ALL THE SHRIMPS OUT THERE. WHEN WE HAVE SHRIMPS IN THE BACK OF OUR BOATS THEY WOULD DROP US OFF AND BRING THOSE. THEYíD BRING THE BOATS AND EMPTY THE SHRIMPS THERE AND NEXT MORNING, FOUR OíCLOCK THEYíD GO BACK OUT AGAIN.

THEN ONE SUMMER, WHEN I WENT OUT THERE, THEY HAD THE FISH, THE WERE MAKING HOLES IN THE NETS AND LOSING ALL THOSE SHRIMPS. SO CAL, HE GOT MATERIAL AND MAE AND I SEWED BAGS BY HAND AND PUT THE THING IN THERE AND WHEN IT WOULD GO IN THE WATER, THE BAG WOULD OPEN UP AND THOSE SHRIMPS COULDNíT BE, BEC THE FISH COULDNíT SEE THE SRHIMPS. ISNT THAT SOMETHING? THATíS A LONG TIME AGO.

I STAYED THERE ONE MONTH WITH HIM. THEN I GOT TIRED AND SICK AND SAID IíM GOING HOME. BUT STAYED OUT THERE STEERING THE BOATS WHILE THEY WERE IN THE BACK, MAE AND I AND THE BABY. AND THEN I WANT TO TAKE A RIDE SOMEWHERE IíD SAY TO MY HUSBAND IíM TIRED LOOKING AT THE BOATS WE GOT TO GO SOMEWHERE, HE SAID GET IN THE BOAT, AND HEíD GIVE ME A NICE RIDE AND WEíD COME HOME.

JOYCE: AND ALL YOU COULD SEE WAS WATER. WATER NO MATTER WHERE YOU WENT, IT WAS WATER.

EIOLA: IT WAS NICE. AND THEN LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING BEFORE I HANG UPÖ THE SHRIMPS THEN WAS A DOLLAR AND A QUARTER A BASKET.

WOMEN: OOH.

EIOLA: AND WHEN CAROL SAID BEN ALL THE SHRIMPS ARE A DOLLAR AND A HALF, HE SAID MAN, WEíRE NOT GOING TO MAKE OUR EXPENSES. SO HOW MUCH WAS A BARREL? FIVE DOLLARS A BARELL FOR SHRIMPS SO ALL WE MADE WAS JUST EXPENSE ON WHAT WE SPENT, COME BACK HOME WITH NOTHING. ITíS TERRIBLE. DURING DEPRESSION CAUSE I WAS MARRIED IN ë32. THATíS HOW I REMEMBERÖ

3:59 HOW MANY POUNDS TO A BASKET?

EIOLA: OH HONEY I DONíT KNOWÖ

JOYCE: MAYBE HUNDRED POUNDS, THATíS THE WAY IT WOULD BEóA BUSHEL, YEAH.

EIOLA: I COULDNíT TELL YOU BEC I DIDNíT KEEP UP WITH THAT. THEY DID ALL THATóMY HUSBAND AND FIRST COUSIN. THEY NAME OF THE BOAT WAS THE LADY GAY. I REMEMBER THAT, TOO. IT WAS A NICE BIG GRAY BOAT.

4:29
JOYCE: YOU KNOW ONCE OF THE TWINS LIVED DOWN IN R___(?) HE LIVES IN THE HOUSE WITH STILTS. HE KNOWS ABOUT THAT, IN FACT MISTY, LARRYíS DAUGHTER, SHE CAUGHT A FOUR POUND 15 OZ BASS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM BARRYíS HOUSE. ONE DAY WE GET PERCH RIGHT THERE THAT BIG ROM FIRED YESTERDAY. WENT OUT AND CAUGHT 50 PERCH. RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM BARRYíS HOUSE. MM-HMM. OH I LOVE IT AND WEíRE GOING TOMORROW AND IíM BRINGING MY RIDE AND REEL.

#12

BUT IíM THE ONLY ONEÖ SEE, LILLIAN MAE AND THEM DONíT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THAT, THEY DONíT GO IN FOR ALL OF THAT. I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO DID ALL OF THAT AND AFTER I MARRIED MY HUSBAND, THATíS ALL HE LIKED TO DO, HE AND ROMY AND WE ALWAYS HAD A FISHING BOAT.

RHONDA: IN FACT, WHEN WERE KIDS, AUNT JOYCE WAS THE ONE WHO TAUGHT ALL OF US HOW TO THROW A CAST NET.

EIOLA: I USED TO THROW A CAST NET, MY HUSBAND SHOWED HOW. HEíD SAY ALRIGHT OVER, YOU KNOW WHERE WE HAD THE BANNISTER, I SAID I CANíT THROW OVER THERE. AND HE SAID IíM GOING TO SHOW YOU. I USED TO THROW CAST NETS TO CATCH SHRIMPS.

JOYCE: CATCH SHRIMP TO GO FISH. CATCH SHRIMP AND THEN YOU GO FISHING AFTER THAT. I ENJOYED ALL OF THAT.

RHONDA: WHEN I MOVED DOWN IN REGGIO UP UNTIL A COUPLE OF YRS AGO DURING SHRIMPING SEASON WE WOULD WALK ACROSS THE STREET TO BAYOU TERRE BAUGH (?) WITH OUR CAST NETS AND THROW THEM OUT AND WEíD SHRIMP ALL NIGHT UNTIL WE GOT ALL THE SHRIMP THAT WE WANTED. WEíD DEHEAD IT AND BAG IT AND PUT IT IN THE FREEZER TILL WE WANTED TO USE THEM.

JOYCE: MY SON LOVES IT DOWN THEREÖ

EIOLA: ANOTHER THING I WANT TO TELL YOU, THE OYSTERS. PUT THE SHOES ON, THE RUBBER SHOES ON, WE WOULD GO TO T___ AND THOSE PLACESÖ AND WE USED TO GO THERE, AND MY HUSBAND WOULD PULL THE BOATS CLOSE AND GET IN THAT WATER AND MY HUSAND WOULD SIT RIGHT DOWN AND OPEN UP WITH THE HOT STUFF AND HEíD BE EATING THEM WHILE THEYíREÖ

I SAID HOW CAN YOU EAT THAT? HE SAID OH YOU GO TO LEARN HOW TO EAT THEM.

JOYCE: WHEN I WANT TO EAT OYSTERS, I WANT TO EAT OYSTERS. I DONíT WANT ANYTHING ON MY OYSTER. I SIT AND EAT THREE DOZEN OF OYSTERS, JUST OYSTERS, NO CRACKERS, NOTHING ON IT. BUT WHEN I USED TO GO OUT ON A BOAT WITH BIG ROME AND THE KIDS WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG WEíD STOP FISHING FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BIG ROME GOES, LETíS COME UP ON AN OYSTER REEF AND THE KIDS WOULD DIVE DOWN FOR OYSTERS, BRING THEM UP ON THE BOAT, STI RIGHT THERE AND EAT IT. BUT LIKE I SAID WE ALWAYS HAD A BOAT, THOUGH.

EIOLA: WE USED TO FILL UP SACKS OF OYSTERSÖ

JOYCE: BUT I LOVE THEM RAWÖ

EIOLA: OH!

JOYCE: IíD RATHER EAT THEM RAW ANYWAY (LAUGHS)

2:34
RETAKE INTROS

EIOLA: MY NAME IS EIOLA MARTINEZ.

3:00 I AM EIOLA MARTINEZ, MY NAME IS EIOLA MARTINEZ, I LIVE AT 7919 TARPIN ST. NEW ORLEANS, LA.

AND IíM THE AUNT OF LILLIAN MAE BURTANOG AND JOYCE PASCUAL AND ALL THE FAMILY.

I WAS MARRIED TO BENEDICT MARTINEZ SR IN 1932. AND I HAD MY FIRST CHILD IN í34, BENEDICT MARTINEZ JR.

MY HUSBAND WAS THE BROTHER OF LILLIAN AND IRVIN MARTINEZ AND ROSALIE MARTINEZ SEDELLA.

4:42 MY HUSBAND WAS A BROTHER OF LIIAN BURTANOG, IRVINÖ
MY HUSBAND WAS BROTHER OF LILLIAN BURTANOG, IRVIN MARTINEZ, AND ROSALIE MARTINEZ SEDELLA.

#13
MY HUSBAND WAS THE BROTHER OF LILLIAN BURTANOG, IRVIN MARTINEZ AND ROSALIE.

(WOMEN COACH HER)

LILLIAN BURTANOG WAS THE MOTHER OF LILLIAN MAE AND JOYCE PASCUAL.

LILLIAN WAS THE SISTER OF BENEDICT MARTINEZ, IRVIN MARTINEZ AND ROSALIE SEDELLO. LILLIAN BURTNOG HAD A DAUGHTER NAMED LILLIAN MAE FAXON, JOYCE PASCUAL AND THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF RHONDA FOX.

1:51 DID YOU SPEND SOME TIME IN MANILA VILLAGE?

JOYCE: SHE WANTS TO KNOW IF YOU SPENT TIME IN MANILA VILLAGE? DID YOU AND UNCLE BENNY GO TRAWLINGÖ

2:08 IíM GOING TO TELL YOU MY WAY. WE WENT THERE DUING HURRICANE. WE DIDNíT HAVE MUCH BUT WE GO OUT THERE TO TRAWL, WHATEVER WE CAN DO AND WEíD BRING HOME WHATEVER. AND WHEN HE DIDNíT GO OUT TO MANILA VILLAGE, HIS FATHER WAS WORKING OUT THERE, OLD MAN BENITO WORKED OUT THERE. HE WAS A FISHERMAN. HE HAD A BIG SEINE CREW OUT THERE. YOU KNOW WHAT A SEINE CREW IS? ITíS ONE BIG, BIG MESH TO CATCH THE FISH OR THE SHRIMP. AND IT ALL PULLS. AND WHEN IT CLOSED, IT CATHED THE SHRIMPS.

THATíS THE KIND OF WORK THAT OLD MAN BENITO DID, BENETO MARTINEZ. SO WHEN HE TOOK A STROKE OUT THERE THEY HAD TO BRING THEM IN TOWN. DIDNíT HAVE NO PLACE TO GO, SO THEY BROUGHT HIM TO AUNT LILLYíS WHICH IS LILLIAN BURTANOGíS AUNT AND MY HUSBANDíS AUNT. WE BROUGHT THEM THERE TILL THE DOCTORS CAME, HE AHD A STROKE. SO MY HUSBAND AND LILLIAN BURTANOG TOOK CARE OF HIM WHEN THE DOCTOR USED TO COME TO THE HOUSE.

3:17 SO AFTER THAT OLD MAN COULDNíT GO BACK TO WORK SO HE TOLD HIS SON, HE SAID SON, IíM TOO OLD, I CANT WORK YOU HAVE TO GO IN MY PLACE. HE SAID, PAPA, WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO? HE SAID, SUMMERTIME SUGAR GRINDING, YOU HAVE TO GO THERE. HE SAID YOUR GODFATHER IS THE FOREMAN. GO IN MY PLACE. SO HE SAID ALRIGHT PAPA, IíLL GO DO THAT.

SO THATíS WHAT HE DID AND WEíD LEAVE ABOUT OCTOBER 30TH AND COME BACK A WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS. STAYED OUT THERE ALL THE TIME. MAKE A HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH, WHICH WAS BIG MONEY FOR US. SO AFTER THAT, I WANTED TO MAKE ONE TRIP OUT THERE AND BENNY, HE WAS ABOUT A YR AND A HALF, TWO YR OLD, I WANTED TO MAKE A TRIP BY TRAIN.

SO HE SAID WEíLL CATCH A TRAIN, GET SOMEBODY TO BRING YOU TO THE TRAIN AND IíLL MEET YOU. IíLL HAVE SOMEBODY MEET YOU. AND HE WORKED HARD. THOSE DAYS WERE NOT LIKE TODAY. THEY GOT MACHINES CUTTING THAT SUGAR. THEY PADDLED THAT HANDS WAS FULL OF KNOTS AND HE PADDLED IT. AND HE WAS A SMALL GUY, HE WASNíT THAT BIG. HE WAS ABOUT 135 POUNDS, THATíS ALL ABOUT HE WAS. LITTLE. FIVE FEET FOUR, FIVE FEET TWO. SO SURE ENOUGH I WENT OUT THERE AND HE CUT THAT SUGAR CANE AND ALL OF THAT.

CHRISTMAS CAME, THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS HE BROUGHT THAT MONEY HOME AND HE DID SHARE IT WITH HIS FAMILY. LILLIAN BURTANOG GOT SOMETHING, HIS MOTHER GOT SOMETHING, THATíS HOW WE SHARED. AND OLD MAN BENITEZ SAID HELP YOUR SISTER, WHICH IS HER MOTHER. AND IRVIN, ROSALIE, WE ALL SHARED OUR MONEY AND THATíS HOW WE HAD OUR CHRISTMAS.

JOYCE: WE ALL BELIEVED IN SHARINGÖ WHOEVER HAS, DURING WORLD WAR II EVEN IF SOMEBODY HAD THE BEANS, SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE FAMILY WOULD BRING THE MEATÖ

EIOLA: YEAH

JOYCE: SOMEBODY ELSE BRING THE RICE.

#13
EIOLA: SHE WAS BORN IN WWII, SHE WAS BORN IN í40, MY DAUGHTER.

JOYCE: BUT EVERYBODY ATE; NOBODY WENT HUNGRY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. WHOEVER HAD SOMETHING TO EAT THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAME.

EIOLA: ANN IS VERY SHYÖ (Eiola gets ready to go, asks for Ann) SHE WAS A MAID IN THE BALL. I HAVE A PICTURE, SHE WAS IN A YELLOW, AND SHE WAS A MAIDE WITH DIDI, THAT WAS HER COUSIN. SHE WAS THE QUEEN AND SHE WAS THE MAID. I USED TO PUT MY CHILDREN IN ALL KINDS OF FILIPINO THINGS, ALWAYS. MY HUSBAND WAS A GOOD MAN, I LOVE MY HUSBANDíS RACE. IíM ITALIAN, FATHER MOTHERE CAME FROM SICILY WITH 3 CHILDREN, AND AFTER THOSE 3, TWO CHILDREN.

SHE WENT TO NY, STAYED THERE A YR AND MY MOTHER AND FATHER WAS A TAILOR. WENT BACK TO ITALY BEC HE COULDNíT TAKE THE SNOW. SO WHEN SHE CAME BACK SHE CAME TO NEW ORLEANS WHICH MY FATHERíS BROTHER LIVED THERE, MY UNCLE JOHN. HE SAYS, COME MATTEO, COME HERE. WE GOT A PLACE FOR YOU.

#14
1:45 AND AFTER THAT MAMA HAD THE REST OF US. ALTOGETHER SHE HAD NINE CHILDREN. TAILORS, WEíRE TOLD, MAKING GOOD MONEY. THATíS IT.

MARINA: ONE THING WITH THE FILIPINO HERITAGE, THEY WERE VERY PROUD OF, NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT THE FILIPINOS BEC OF THE GOODNESS OF THE HEART, OF THEIR FOREBEARS.

2:25 I JUST LOST A SON TWO DAYS BEFORE THANKSGIVING, MY OLDEST BOY. HE LOVED THE FILIPINO FAMILIES. HE NEVER SAID HE WAS HALF ITALIAN, HE SAYS IíM FILIPINO; IíM PROUD OF MY FATHERíS PEOPLE. AND HE ALWAYS TOLD YOU ALL THAT.

MARINA: BUT WHY ARE THEY IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES AS FILIPINOS?

EIOLA: BECAUSE HE WAS RAISED WITH THE FILIPINOSÖ

MARINA: YES, BUT YOUR GREAT GRANDFATHERS WERE GOOD MEN WHO TOOK CARE OF YOU, INSPITE OF THE FACT THEY WERE AWAYÖ

JOYCE: WE WERE ALWAYS PROVIDED FO BUT THE OLD ONES, WE WERE NEVER LEFT OUT OF ANYTHING. WHATEVER THERE WAS TO EAT, EVERYBODY SHAREDÖ

MARINA: ITíS THAT FILIPINO TRAIT, THATÖ

JOYCE: ITíS A CLOSE-KNIT FAMILY.

EIOLA: YEAH, VERY CLOSE THATíS WHY IíM TELLING YOU ABOUT MY SON. WHEN THEY TOLD, I DIDNíT EXPECT HIM TO DIE. I KNEW HE HAD TO GET AN OPERATION. HE HAD A KIDNEY REMOVED. HE SAID, MOTHER IF DIDI COULD LIVE YRS WITH ONE, I GUESS I COULD LIVE WITH ONE, TOO. I PRAYED, ASKED THE LORD TO HELP HIM. SO HE WAS IN THERE, FOR A WEEK, DOING FINE, AND THE DAY BEFORE HE DIED I WENT TO SEEM HIM I SAID BEN I CANíT SEE HIM BEC I HAVE A COLD, SO I KISSED HIS HAND AND I SAID TO HIM KEEP PRAYING AND HE HAD HIS CRUCIFIX IN HAND, HE SAID I ALWAYS PRAY TO THE LORD TO HELP ME.

HE ALWAYS SANG FROM A LITTLE BOY. THE SAME WHEN HE PLAYED THE PIANO. HE TURNED AROUND AND SAID DONíT WORRY MOTHER. IT WONT BE LONG IíLL BE GOING FISHING. HE HAD TWO BOATS, ONE HE GAVE TO THE BOY, AND HE HAD A BUSINESS, TAXI BUSINESS, SO THE NIGHT, THATíS WHAT HURTS ME, THE NIGHT BEFORE HE DIES, HE SAYS TO HIS WIFE, MOTHER, COME BABY, COME SING HERE WITH ME. WEíRE GOING TO SING THIS CHRISTMAS SONGS FOR THESE NURSES.

MARILYN TOLD ME THIS, MY DAUGHTER IN LAW. THEY WERE SINGING AND THE NURSE STANDING OUT THERE WAS CRYING. MAYBE HE WAS SO SICK AND DIDNíT TELL HIM, BUT HE NEVER HAD NO PAIN. OF COURSE HE HAD DIABETES, HE HAD EVERY LITTLE THING. SO HE SANG. I SAID I DIDNíT KNOW IT.

SO NEXT MORNING MY PHONE WAS RINGING I KNEW HE CALLED SOMETIME EARLY IN THE MORNING. I SAID IT MUST BE BEN. IT WASNíT BEN. SO I THOUGHT LET ME CALL MARILYN. I CALL MARILYN. SHE WAS ON HER WAY TO THE HOSPITAL BUT SHE DIDNíT TELL ME NOTHING. I SAID MARILYN WAS BEN ON THE PHONE? SHE SAYS NON MOM. SHE SAYS IíLL CALL YOU WHEN I GET BACK FROM THE HOSPITAL.

#15 SO I WAITED, THINKING MAYBE HEíS GETTING BETTER, BUT A COUPLE FO HOURS LATER, MY YOUNGEST BOY AND DAUGHTER IN LAW, THEY CAMEÖ I SAID LET ME CALL KEN. I COULDNíT GET KEN BEC HE WAS ON THE WAY TO MY HOUSE.

WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR I SAW THE THREE OF THEM, THEY SAID, MAMA WE LOST HIM. THAT WAS LIKE A KNIFE. I WAS SCREAMING AND CRYING. THATíS WHY I FEEL SO BAD THINKING ABOUT HIM AND HE LOVED LIFE.

JOYCE: HE LOVED THAT UKELELEÖ

EIOLA: BUT THATíS MY LIFE WITH HIM.

EIOLA: HE WAS THE ONE WHO DID A LOT OF TALKING.

JOYCE: YOU REMEMBER THAT CRUISE, WHEN SOMEBODY TOLD AUDREY HSE WAS VERY LEARNED. YEAH, BEC SHE ALWAYS DID READ BOOKS.

EIOLA: SHE WAS SMART, SHE WAS CRIPPLED BUT SMART.

JOYCE: SHE COULDNíT SKATE LIKE WE DID, COULDNíT RIDE A BIKE, BUT SHE WOULD SIT AND READ. SHE KNEW A LOT.

EIOLA: YOU KNOW WHO READ A LOT? OLD MAN BENITO. WHEN EHíS LAYING IN THAT COT, IíD SAY PAP, WHATCHA GOT? HEíD SAYIíM READING A GOOD BOOKÖ I GOT TO GOÖ

MARINA: ITíS NICE TO SEE YOU.

EIOLA: I USED TO SEE YOU, ST. RAYFIELD. I USE DTO GO WITH JO, MY FRIEND, YOU KNOW WHERE SHEíS AT, SHEíS IN A HOME. CAUSE SHE CANT TAKE CARE OF HERSELF. SHEíS HARD OF HEARING AND I MADE TWO TRIPS, CHRISTMAS LAST AND WHEN SHE SAW MEÖ ITÖ HER SON SAYS COME, YOU AND PAT COME AND SEE JOSIE FOR CHRISTMAS AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME I SAW HER, AND I USED TO SEE HER AT THE CHURCHÖ

(Eiola leaves table, women send her off)

#16
JOYCE: (TALKING ABOUT GRANDCHILDREN) HE DOESNíT LOOK FILIPINO. MISTY HAS TWO BOYS, SHE HAS A GIRL 14, AND SHE HAS TWO BOYS. THE OLDEST BOY HAS BLONDISH COLOR HAIR LIKE THE LITTLE ONES HERE. THE SECOND LITTLE BOY LOOKS LIKE ALL PASCUAL. HEíS GOT DARK HAIR AND LOOKS LIKE THE BOYS. BUT THE FIRST BOY LOOKS LIKE MISTY EXCEPT HEíS GOT LIGHT HAIR, HEíS GOT THE ROUND EYES, LOOKS LIKE MISTY BUT HEíS FAIRER.

MARINA: AND MIRANDA?

JOYCE: MIRANDA HAS TWO.

RHONDA: AND AUNT SEDELLAíS GRANDSON WILLIAM, HEíS FAIR AS CAN BE BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT FACE, HEíS GOT ALíS FACE.

MAE: (REFERRING TO PHOTO) WHEN HE WENT TO JAPAN HE HAD IT DRAWN.

MARINA: THEIR MOM AND DAD.

MAE: ITíS MOM AND DADÖ

MARINA: THE BURTANOGSóLILLIAN ANDÖ

MAE: AND MY DAD DIDNíT LOOK FILIPINO DIDNíT HE?

MARINA: HEíS SECOND GENERATION FILIPINO FROM ALABAMAÖ

MAE: MM-HMM

MARINA: THATíS WHY I SAY TO YOU, CHALLENGE ALABAMA. YEAH, THEY FOUND INFORMATION ABOUT FILIPINOS IN THE MOBILE BAY. BUT YOUR MOM IS LIKE YOU, LOOKS LIKE YOUÖ

JOYCE: WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I DIDNíT LOOK LIKE THEMÖ I HAD BLOND HAIR B;UE EYES TILL I WAS THREE. I TOOK AFTER GRANDMA BURTANOG, MY DADDYíS MAMA.

MARINA: YEAH, HE WAS BLOND.

JOYCE: HE HAD DARK HAIR. HIS MOTHER HAD BLOND HAIR BLUE EYES. SHE WAS SHORT LIKE ME BUT I HAD THAT TILL I WAS THREE YRS OLD.

RHONDA: I WAS BORN WITH DARK HAIR AND IT FELL OUT AND IT GOT LIGHT AND IT GOT DARKER AGAINÖ

JOYCE: I WAS ON THAT DUBLOOM, THATíS THE DUBLOON.

MARINA; SLIM GAVE ME THE DUBLOONS BEC THEY SENT IT TO HIM, BUT THE ELKS CREWE ORLEANEAN ALSO SENT ME THEÖ

RHONDA: THATíS NICEÖ

MARINA: ITíS VERY, VERY,

JOYCE: THE PICTURE, THE ONE WHERE I WAS ON THE FLOAT THAT WAS IN THE MINT, AT THE OLD MINTÖ

MAE: OH YEAHÖ ITíS ON THE WALL HANGING IN THE OLD MINTÖ

MARINA: THATíS AGNES. AGNES WAS THE QUEEN OF THIS, 1935.

JOYCE: THATíS WHEN I WAS 3 YRS OLD. I WAS BORN IN í32Ö

#17
I AM JOYCE BURTANOG PASCUAL. I LIVE IN CHALMETTE, LA. MY MOTHER AND FATHER WAS LILLIAN MARTINEZ BURTANOG, MY FATHER WAS WALTER NICHOLAS BURTANOG SR.

TAKE TWO: IíM JOYCE BURTANOG PASCUAL. IíM THE SISTER OF LILLIAN MAE BURTANOG FAXON. I LIVE IN CHALMETTE, LA WHICH IS IN THE PARISH OF ST BERNARD.

1:12 WHY IS THERE SUCH A PRIDE IN THAT PART OF YOUR HERITAGE?

JOYCE: I DONíT KNOW, IíVE ALWAYS ADMIRED WHAT THE FILIPINOS DID. IíVE NEVER BEEN ASHAMED OF MY NATIONALITY. I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN SAYING THAT I AM FILIPINO. MY KIDS, MY GRANDCHILDREN, AND MY GREAT GRANDCHILDREN DONíT SAY THEYíRE ANYTHING ELSE. IN FACT I HAVE ONE GREAT GRANDCHILD THATíS MEXICAN AND IRISH. THE OTHER GREAT GRANDCHILDREN HAVE ENGLISH, ITALIAN AND INDIAN, BUT THEY ALSO SAY THEYíRE FILIPINAS.

I WAS TELLING THEM YOU HAVE MORE FILIPINO BLOOD THAN YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE. YOU MUST BE PROUD OF WHAT YOU ARE. NO MATER WHAT YOU ARE. YOU DO HAVE A LOT OF FILIPINO IN YOU. AND ALL OF MY GRANDCHILDREN LOOK FILIPINO. (CHUCKLES) AND THE GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.

2:23 LILLIAN MAE, YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF FILIPINO?

MAE: OH YES. ANYONE WHO LOOKS AT ME CAN SEE THATíS WHAT I AM. (LAUGHS) ALTHOUGH I CAN REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A CHILD I CAN REMEMBER SHOPPING WITH MY MOTHER AND ONE OF THE SALES GIRLS TALKED TO ANOTHER AND SHE SAYS, I WONDER NATIONALITY THEY ARE. AND THE OTHER ONE SAID IT MUST BE CHINESE. SHE SAYS NO, SHE DOESNíT LOOK CHINESE. IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING ELSE. I SAID WEíRE FILIPINOS. (LAUGHS)

2:54
BEFORE WWII THERE WERENT MANY FILIPINOS IN N.O.

MARINA: THEY WERENT KNOWN AS FILIPINOS BEFORE. ITíS ALMOST LIKE, WELL, MOSTLY CHINESEÖ

JOYCE: MM-HMM.

MAE: BUT THE FEW FILIPINOS THAT WERE IN N.O. WE ALL KNEW BEC FROM THE FILIPINO DANCES. YOU KNOW, EVERYONE GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND WEíRE FRIENDS, THEY WERE OUR FRIENDS BUT DURING THE WAR A LOT OF FILIPINOS CAME, ESP THE SERVICE MEN, OR THE MERCHANT SEAMAN WERE FILIPINOS. WE WERE ALWAYS GLAD BEC THEY WERE GREAT DANCERS. (LAUGHS) THEY REALLY KNEW HOW TO DANCE.

AND AT THAT TIME, THATíS WHERE MOST FILIPINOS GOT TO BE KNOWN AS FILIPINOS, WAS DURING WWII BEC BEFORE THAT THERE WERENT VERY MANY IN N.O. SO IT WASNíT DURING AND AFTER WWII DID THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY BUILD BEC A LOT OF THEM STAYED WHEN THEY WERE FROM THE SERVICE. A LOT OF THEM LIKED N.O. AND STAYED AND RAISED THEIR FAMILIES HERE.

WHY ARE YOU PROUD TO BE FILIPINO? WELL, BEC I AM. THEREíS NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF. AND WE HAD A WONDERFUL LIFE IN THE CITY OF N.O. WITH OUR FAMILY. WE DIDNíT MISS A THING. OUR MOTHER TOOK US EVERYWHERE. EVERYTHING THERE WAS TO SEE OR EVERYTHING THERE WAS TO DO SHE TOOK US TO BE A PART OF IT. SO WE DIDNíT MISS OUT ON ANYTHING.

YET WHEN WE LOOK AT EARLY HX OF FILIPINO IN LA THEY HAD SUCH HUMBLE BEGINNINGS. THEY WERE HIDING.

#18 CONSIDERING THAT, DOES THAT INFLUENCE YOUR PRIDE? YOUR SENSE OF IDENTITY?

MAE: I DIDNíT EXPERIENCE THAT. WE DIDNíT. I DONíT REMEMBER BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, EVEN AS A CHILD. I REMEMBER OUR TEACHERS JUST LOVED US. AND GROWING UP WE WERE NEVER DISCIMRINATED AGAINST. AND WHEN I WENT JOB HUNTING EVERY JOB I APPLIED I GOT IT. SO NEVER CAN I SAY WERE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST. WE DIDNíT EXPERIENCE WHAT THE FIRST FILIPINOS DID, THE EARLIER ONES. WE WERE NEVER DISCRMINATED AGAINST, EVER.

JOYCE: SAME THING. I WORKED OUT. AND I WAS NEVER DISCRIMINATED AGAINST. I WORKED WITH MARINA OUT OF UNIV OF N.O. AND I WAS NEVER, IN FACT I HAD A GOOD TIME THERE. I LIKED EVERYBODY. ITíS THE ONE THING I DID MISS WAS THE PEOPLE. BUT I WAS NEVER DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.

1:24
RHONDA: EVERYBODY THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF EXOTIC BEING FILIPINOÖ

JOYCE: MM-HMM.

RHONDA: IT WASNíT SOMETHING THEY KNEW TOO MUCH ABOUT AND THEY WERE CURIOUS, THEY ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND IT WASNíT A NEGATIVE THING. IT NEVER WAS.

JOYCE: NOW IF YOU SEE MY DAUGHTER THEY KNOW FILIPINOS. MY DAUGHTER LOOKS ALL FILIPINO. SHE DOES. BUT SHE DIDNíT KNOW FILIPINOS EXCEPT THE FAMILIES AND ALL THAT WE KNEW. SHE MARRIED A GERMAN. HIS NAME WAS HOFFMEISTER. THAT WAS HER HUSBAND. BUT MY CHILDREN DIDNíT KNOW ANY FILIPINOS GOING TO SCHOOL, EXCEPT MY CHILDREN DID EXPERIENCE IT. MY OLDEST ONES. THEY WERE CALLED BLACKÖ

RHONDA: HERE IN ST BERNARD PARISHÖ

JOYCE: HERE IN ST BERNARDÖ

RHONDA: IN N.O. WE DIDNíT SEE THAT. HERE IN ST BERNARD THEY DID. THEY MOVED DOWN HERE BEFORE WE DIDÖ

JOYCE: YES I WAS HERE BEFORE YOUÖBUT MY KIDS EXPERIENCED IT AND I COULDNíT STAND FOR IT. I WENT TO THE SCHOOL BD AND I SPOKE WITH THE PRINCIPAL. AND MY HUSBAND SAYS I DONíT KNOW REMEMBER, CALLED THE LADY BY NAME. HE SAID YOU REMEMBER SOMEBODY HITTING A CHILD WITH A SKATE ON A STAGE DOWN IN PT LAHASH (?) SHE SAYS YES I DO. HE SAYS THAT WAS ME AND THIS IS MY SON. AND IF ANYTHING LIKE THAT COMES UP AGAIN I WILL HAVE YOU FIRED FROM THE SCHOOL BD. AND THATíS THE PROBLEM WE HAD, BUT AFTER THAT, THAT WAS IT.

3:10 DO YOU PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE FILIPINOS? DO KIDS KNOW ABOUT THIS IN SCHOOL?

RHONDA: NO.

JOYCE: MM-MM.

RHONDA: MARINA DID SO MUCH TO BRING OUT THE HX OF FILIPINOS IN LA TO THE UNIVERSITIES AND TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC BY INTRODUCING THE OLD FAMILIES TO DOCUMENTARIANS ANDÖ

DISC 2

#1 Recap previous conversation. Discussion about Filipinos in LA history non-existentÖ

MARINA: THAT STARTED ONLY WHEN THE BOOK CAME OUTÖ

JOYCE: THATíS WHEN WE WERE RECOGNIZED THAT THEY KNEW HOW MANY FILIPINOS THAT THEY DID HAVE HERE AND HOW LONG THEY WERE HERE. BUT BEFORE THAT THEY DIDNíT KNOW WHAT FILIPINO WAS.

:49
RHONDA: MARINA ESPINAíS BOOK CAME OUT AND IT MADE PEOPLE MORE AWARE OF THE HISTORY OF THE FILIPINOS IN LA. SHE ALSO WAS GOOD ABOUT BRINGING OUT OUR FAMILY AND INTRODUCING US TO EDUCATORS, DOCUMENTARIANS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY. THROUGH THE DOCUMENTARIES AND THE TALKS ABOUT OUR FAMILY AND THE OTHER FAMILIES IN LA, ITíS MADE THE COMMUNITY MORE AWARE OF OUR HX AND OUR HERITAGE AND OUR INFLUENCES IN LA, WHICH IS GREAT.

1:36 WHEN WE THINK OF THE FIRST SETTLERS IN AMERICA WE THINK ABOUT THE CHINESEÖ

RHONDA: UNTIL MARINA TALKED TO US, ASKING QUESTIONS AND I STARTED HEARING SOME OF THE ANSWERS, I DIDNíT KNOW HOW FAR BACK THE FILIPINOS WENT. I DIDNT REALIZE HOW LONG WEíD BEEN HERE. I KNOW OUR FAMILY BUT I DIDNT KNOW HOW STRONG A COMMUNITY IT WAS UNTIL WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT, THE FAMILY GOT TOGETHER AND STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT.

2:30
ITíS SOMETHING WEíRE ALL PROUD OF, WEíRE PROUD OF OUR HERITAGE AND ONE THING WE ALWAYS HAD, MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER LOVED TO TELL STORIES AND WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN WE LOVED TO SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO HER TELL STORIES AND ORAL HX IS KIND OF LOST THESE DAYS, ESP AS FAMILIES ARE SO SEPARATED AND THEY DONíT TAKE THE TIME TO HAVE A CONVERSATIONS THAT THEY HAD. AND SO YOU NEED BOOKS LIKE MARINAíS BOOK AND YOU NEED DOCUMENTARIES TO SHARE THE EXPERIENCES OF THE DIFF HERITAGES, THE DIFF HX OF THE ETHNIC GRPS IN THE COUNTRY.

3:09 MY FATHERíS SIDE OF THE FAMILY, THE CAJUNS, THEY NEVER TALKED ABOUT THE PAST, NEVER. SO I DONíT HAVE THAT. I DONíT KNOW AS MUCH ABOUT MY FATHERíS SIDE OF THE FAMILY. BUT MY MOTHERíS SIDE OF THE FAMILY WE WOULD ALWAYS TALK ABOUT OUR GRANDPARENTS, OUR GREAT GRANDPARENTS THAT THERE WERE ALWAYS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT REMEMBER WHEN THIS HAPPENED, REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE LITTLE, AND UNCLE THIS AND AUNT THAT AND THATíS HOW WE LEARNED ABOUT IT. JUST FROM HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

THE FAMILYíS SO SPREAD OUT NOW THAT SADLY WE DONíT HAVE THOSE SAME CONVERSATIONS AS MUCH ANYMORE AND IíM AFRAID THAT A FEW GENERATIONS DOWN THE LINE ITíS GOING TO BE LOST. I THINK ITíS REALLY GOOD THAT DOCUMENTARIES ARE MADE THAT CAN HELP US SHARE IT WITH THE COMING GENERATIONS.

3:58
JOYCE: TATUM LOOKS AT THE PICTURES. TATUM, THATíS ROMYíS GRANDCHILD. LET ME TELL YOU WHAT SHE DID TO ME ONE DAY. SHE CALLED MAH-SY. I SAID YEAH. SHE SAYS I WAS TELLING TO GRANDMA LILLIAN. THIS CHILD, SHE WAS THREE YRS OLD AT THIS TIME. SHE DID NOT KNOW MY MOTHER. I SAID OH YEAH? WHAT DID SHE SAY, SHE SAY I BETTER BE GOOD. I SAID WHEREíS GRANDMA LILLIAN? I DONíT KNOW, SHE SAID. I SAID COME SHOW ME WHERE GRANDMA LILLIAN IS. I DONíT KNOW WHERE SHEíS AT. MY MOTHERíS DEAD. SHE NEVER SEE THIS BABY. THIS BABYíS JUST MADE FOUR. SHEíLL BE FIVE IN AUGUST BUT SHE WAS THREE YRS OLD AT THE TIME SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS TALKING TO MY MOTHER.

RHONDA: CHILDREN IN OUR FAMILY HAVE DONE THAT SEVERAL TIMESÖ

JOYCES: SEVERAL TIMES! BUT SHE KNOWS WHO GRANDMA LILLIAN IS, I GOT A PICTURE OF GRANDMA ROSIE, I GOT A PICTURE OF BRIDGETTE, I HAVE PICTURES OF THE GREATSóSHE KNOWS WHO THAT IS. AND THATíS WHAT GRANDMA DID US. THERE WAS NO TELEVISION AT THE TIME. SO SHE WOULD SIT DOWN AND TELL A STORY. WHEN SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL, TELL US EVERYTHING ABOUT WHAT WENT ON AND EVERYTHING. JUST LIKE I DO THIS ONE. I DO THAT TO MY GRANDCHILDREN.

#2
RHONDA: GRANDMA ROSIE TOLD THE BEST GHOST STORIESÖ

JOYCE: OH YEAHÖ

RHONDA: SHE SWEARS THEY WERE TRUEÖ AND THATíS WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, THE CHILDREN IN OUR FAMILY THEYíVE ALL TALKED TO PEOPLE THATíVE PASSED ON, FAMILY MEMBERS. SOME OF THEM THAT THEY WERE TOO LITTLE TO REMEMBER THESE PEOPLE BUT THEYíVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND TOLD US THAT THE PERSON WOULD TELL THE CHILD THEY WERE LOOKING OUT FOR THEM.

THEYJUST COME OUT OF THE BLUE AND SAYÖ MY SISTER ONE DAY, HEARD HER LITTLE BOY TALKING IN HIS ROOM. AND SHE OPENED THE DOOR AND SAID CLAYTON, WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO? UNCLE DJ. (LAUGHS) AND MY BROTHER HAD PASSED ALREADY. SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE AND SHE SAID WHAT DO YOU MEAN UNCLE DJ? YOU KNOW HEíS NOT WITH US ANYMORE. YEAH, BUT HE WAS IN HERE IN THE ROOM TALKING TO ME.

SO I THINK THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH BROOKE, SHE SAID SHE WAS TALKING TO HER UNCLE DJ AND HER GRAMMY WHO HAD PASSED THE YR BEFORE. SO THATíS SOMETHING THATíS HAPPENED A LOT IN OUR FAMILY.

JOYCE: THAT SHOOK ME UP WHEN TATUM TOLD ME SAW GRANDMA LILLIAN, I WAS TALKING TO GRANDMA LILLIAN. DIDNíT KNOW WHO GRANDMA LILLIAN WAS, DIDNíT KNOW THAT PICTURE WASNíT, WAS ON THE WALL. I SAID WHEREíS GRANDMA LILLIAN? I DONíT KNOW

RHONDA: IíM SURE THATíS NOT WHAT YOU WANTED TO HEARÖ

JOYCE: l BUT AT LEAST THE KNOW BY SHOWING THEM PICTURES HOW THE GENERATIONS DID GO BY AND I DO TELL HER SHEíS AN EIGHTH GENERATION CHILD. THEY KNOW. THEY WILL KNOW.

MARINA: MEETING THE BURTANOGS FOR THE FIRST TIME WAS REALLYÖ

JOYCE: (CHUCKLES) SOMETHING TO HEAR, HUH?

MARINA: IT BLEW MY MINDÖ

(switch places with Joyce)

#3
HI, IíM RHONDA RICHOUX FOX, AND LILLIAN MAE BURTANOG FAXON IS MY MOM. I WAS BORN IN NEW ORLEANS, LA, INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT CONTAINED MOST OF MY FAMILY. MY FATHERíS SIDE OF THE FAMILY WAS CAJUN, HE WAS THE CAJUN BOY FROM LA ROSE, LA, AND MY MOMíS FAMILY IS FILIPINO. WELL, FILIPINO WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF MIXED IN BUT WE ALWAYS IDENTIFIED OURSELVES AS FILIPINOS.

SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT I AM, WITH MY ETHNICITY, I TELL THEM IíM AN ASIAN CAJUN. BECAUSE THATíS THE TWO ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS THAT I IDENTIFY MOST WITH. AND WHEN I WAS GROWING UP WE WERE REALLY CLOSE BEC EVERYBODY LIVED SO CLOSE TOGETHER, I WAS FORTUNATE IN THAT BEC WE GOT TO KNOW MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS AS WELL AS MY GRANDPARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS INFLUENCE YOU IN A WAY THAT NO ONE ELSE CAN SO IíM GLAD I GOT TO KNOW THEM.

1:10 WEíRE A VERY CLOSE FAMILY. WE DID A LOT OF THINGS TOGETHER, THERE WERE A LOT OF PARTIES AND PICNICS, AND SOMETIMES YOU DIDNíT EVEN NEED AN EXCUSE TO GET TOGETHER, WE JUST, MY MOM WOULD SAY LETíS GO VISIT AUNT BENITA AND WEíD GO OVER THERE, OR LETíS GO VISIT GRANDMA. EVERYBODY LOVED TO GO TO GRANDMAíS HOUSE. GRANDMA ALWAYS HAD A BIG HOUSE. SHE SAID SHE NEEDED A BIG HOUSE IN CASE ANYBODY NEEDED TO COME STAY WITH HER. EVEN WHEN IT WAS JUST SHE AND MY GRANDFATHER SHE WOULD ALWAYS GET A BIG HOUSE SO SHE WOULD HAVE ROOM FOR ANYBODY THAT WOULD NEED TO STAY WITH HERÖ

ONE TIME OR ANOTHER ALMOST EVERYBODY NEEDED TO STAY WITH GRANDMA, BUT WE USED TO LIKE TO GO OVER JUST TO SEE OUR COUSINS AND TO BE AROUND EVERYBODY. I LOVED GROWING UP IN A CLOSE FAMILY BECAUSE YOU FELT THE KIND OF SECURITY THAT I THINK THE KIDS TODAY DONíT REALLY FEEL. I THINK THEY FEEL MORE ISOLATED JUST BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF FAMILIES NOW, USUALLY BOTH PARENTS ARE WORKING. MY MOTHER DIDNíT HAVE TO WORK SHE WAS A STAY AT HOME MOM. WHICH WAS REALLY GOOD WHEN YOU WERE A KID WHEN YOU HAD PROBLEMS BUT WHEN YOU WERE HAVING PROBLEMS IT WASNíT ALWAYS SO GOOD.

BUT IT WAS NICE HAVING THE EXTENDED FAMILY CLOSE BY. IF YOU WERENT HAVING A GOOD DAY WITH YOUR MOM YOU COULD GO AROUND THE CORNER TO GRANDMAíS HOUSE AND HAVE A GOOD DAY. THATíS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ENJOYED ABOUT IT. AND PLUS YOU ALWAYS HAD BEST FRIENDS. MY COUSINS WERE MY VERY BEST FRIENDS WHEN I WAS GROWING UP. IT DIDNíT MATTER WHO ELSE I WAS ARGUING WITH IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I KNEW THAT I ALWAYS HAD MY COUSINS AS MY FRIENDS. SO THATíS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS MOST IMPORTANT TO ME, WAS FAMILY.

2:59 WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR SENSE OF HERITAGE? ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT FAMILY GATHERING IS THAT WE COULD SIT AROUND, THE KIDS COULD SIT AROUND AND LISTEN TO THE GROWN UPS TALK ABOUT WAY BACK WHEN AND MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER ROSIE, SHE TOLD THE BEST STORIES. SHEíD HAVE US SITTING AROUND THE ROCKING CHAIR, SHE LOVED TO SIT ON THE ROCKING CHAIR AND JUST START TELLING US STORIES AND IT WOULD START US ASKING QUESTIONS AND WHO IS THAT AND HOW ARE THEY RELATED TO US AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE WAYS WE FOUND OUTÖ

AND JUST OVERHEARING THE ADULTS TALK ABOUT THE GOOD OLD TIMES AND WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THEM THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH HOW WE FOUND, LEARNED THE FAMILY HX.

3:56 WHAT WAS THE MOST MEMORABLE STORY?
THE MOST MEMORABLE STORY THAT I HEARD WAS A GHOST STORY FROM MY GRANDMA, MY GRANDMA ROSIE. SHE TOLD US ABOUT OUR GRANDFATHER SEEING THE FACE OF A DEAD RELATIVE AND I CANT REMEMBER DETAILS OF IT, BUT THATíS THE ONE THAT STOOD OUT TO ME. WEíD MAKE HER TELL US THAT STORY OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND SHE SWORE IT WAS TRUE. AND I BELIEVE IT WAS TRUE BEC SHE TOLD IT SO CONVINCINGLY.

BUT WHE WOULD ALSO TELL US DIFFERENT THINGS WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER AND HER CHILDREN WERE LITTLE. SHE WOULD TELL US STORIES ABOUT THAT I LIKED TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE OF COURSE MY GRANDMA WAS ONE OF HER CHILDREN AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW WHAT GRANDMA WAS LIKE WHEN SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL.

MY GRANDMA ALSO TOLD ME ABOUT STORIES WHEN SHE WAS LITTLE AND HOW THEY USED TO HAVE TO GO ACROSS THE RIVER DURING THE HARVEST SEASON TO HARVEST, I THINK, THE SUGARCANE. AND SHE WOULD TELL ME STORIES ABOUT THAT. SHE TOLD ME ONE DAY SHEíD LIKE TO SIT DOWN AND RECORD ALL OF THOSE STORIES BUT UNFORTUNATELY SHE PASSED AWAY BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT. THATíS ONE THING THAT I REALLY REGRET THAT I DONíT HAVE IT IN HER VOICE, TELLING THE STORIES SO WE COULD PASS THAT ON TO THE NEWER GENERATIONS.

#4
GROWING UP IN FILIPINO CLUBóWAS THAT A BIG PART OF YOUR LIFE? IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THERE WAS A FILIPINO CLUB CALLED THE FILIPINO-AMERICAN GOODWILL SOCIETY. THERE WERE OTHER CLUBS WHEN I WAS MUCH YOUNGER. IíVE FORGOTTEN THE NAMES NOW, WE WERE INVOLVED IN THE FILIPINO BALLS; I WAS IN A BALL WHEN I WAS 4-5 YRS OLD. AND MY MOTHER MADE MY COSTUME AND IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COSTUME, I THINK, IN THE WHOLE BALL. I CAN REMEMBER IT, IT WAS KIND OF A BURNT ORANGE COLOR THAT DOESNíT SOUND VERY PRETTY BUT IT LOOKED REALLY PRETTY, THE WAY SHE HAD IT. IT WAS ALL LACY AND IT WAS HAND-BEADED. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DRESS. THAT WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH THE FILIPINO BALLS.

1:18
AND THEN WHEN I GOT A LITTLE OLDER THATíS WHEN THE FILIPINO AMERICAN GOODWILL SOCIETY STARTED AND WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THERE, ESP WHEN WE WERE TEENAGERS BEC THEYíD HAVE A BAND THERE ON WEEKENDS AND WEíD ALL GO THERE, OUR PARENTS AND US, AND THAT SOUNDS KIND OF NOT TOO MUCH FUN BUT IT REALLY WAS. THATíS ONE THING ABOUT OUR FAMILY IS THAT THE GENERATIONS MIXED WELL. WE ALL HAD A GOOD TIME TOGETHER. IT DIDNíT MATTER THAT OUR PARENTS WERE THERE AT THE DANCE. THEY WERE OVER AT THE TABLE WITH THE GROWN-UPS AND WE WERE WITH THE TEENAGERS AND WE WERE HAVING OUR OWN CONVERSATIONS. BUT IT DIDNíT SEEM INTRUSIVE TO US, IT WAS PART OF LIFE.

THERE WERE TIMES WHEN GRANDMA EVEN CAME ALONG AND SHEíD DRINK ROOTBEER BEC SHE DIDNíT ALCOHOL WITH THE OTHER GROWNUPS BUT SHE WOULD DRINK ROOTBEER. BUT SHE WOULD DRINK ROOTBEER. BUT SHE WOULD ENJOY HERSELF, TOO.

JOYCE: GRANDMA USED TO COME ALONG WITH US AND WEíD GO IN A BOAT AND EIOLA TOO.

RHONDA: REALLY?

JOYCE: WEíD BE ON DATES AND THEYíD BE WITH US. THEY WERE LIKE OUR CHAPERONES.

RHONDA: EVEN NOW THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS, THEYíRE STILL CURIOUS, THEYíRE WILLING TO SIT DOWN AND THEYíLL ASK US QUESTIONS. THEY LOVE STORIES, TOO. AND I LOVE TO TELL STORIES. AS I WAS SAYING ITíS UNFORTUNATE THAT WE DONíT GET TOGETHER ENOUGH SO THE CHILDREN CAN HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I HEARD WHEN I WAS GROWING UP. BUT THEYíRE STILL CURIOUS ABOUT THEIR HISTORY, THEIR FAMILY HISTORY SO THEREíS ALWAYS THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

2:54 WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THE FILIPINO CLUB? THE TIMES WE SPENT AT THE FILIPINOI CLUB, IT WAS A MIXTURE OF FILIPINO AMERICANS AND FILIPINOS FROM THE ISLANDS. THAT EXPOSED ME MORE TO THE CULTURE AND THE PERSONALITIES OF THE PEOPLE FROM THE ISLANDS AND I THINK THAT KIND OF REINFORCED MY IDENTIFICATION WITH BEING A FILIPINO.

ALSO, WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER EVERY NOW AND THEN MY MOM WOULD SAY UNCLE FRANK SAYS THEREíS A YOUNG SEAMAN THAT IS IN TOWN FOR A FEW DAYS, COULD YOU GO OUT ON A DATE WITH HIM, JUST TO SHOW HIM THE TOWN. AND I WOULD BUT I WAS DETERMINED I WAS NEVER EVER GOING TO MARRY A MERCHANT MARINE BEC ALL THE MEN IN MY FAMILY WERE AT SEA MORE THAN THEY WERE AT HOME. SO I WOULD BE POLITE TO THEM AND THEY WERE ALWAYS SO POLITE AND SO KIND AND REALLY WONDERFUL YOUNG MEN, BUT I WAS DETERMINED I WOULD NEVER MARRY A MERCHANT MARINE SO IT WOULD END UP BEING A DATE AND THAT WAS ALL.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID AS A TEENAGER. AND THE EXPOSURE TO THE DIFFERENT GENERATIONS OF FILIPINO AMERICANS AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE FROM THE ISLANDS I THINK, REINFORCED MY IDEITIFICATION WITH BEING A FILIPINO.

4:24 DID YOU LEARN ABOUT FILIPINO CULTURE OR HX IN SCHOOL? IN SCH, WE WERENT TOLD ABOUT FILIPINO CULTURE OR HX. I DONíT THINK WE WERE TAUGHT MUCH ABOUT ANY TYPE OF ASIAN HX EXCEPT FOR A BRIEF MENTION OF THE CHINESE MAYBE IN CALIFORNIA AND THATíS ABOUT IT. THAT WAS THE EXTENT OF IT WHEN I WAS GROWING UP. SO I THINK THATíS WHY PEOPLE WERE SO CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT MY ETHNICITY WAS BEC THEY WERENT FAMILIAR WITH ASIAN CULTURES OR WITH THE FACT THAT ASIAN HAVE BEEN IN AMERICA FOR SO LONG A TIME SO I THINK THATíS WHY THEY WERE CONFUSED WHEN THEY WOULD SEE US AND THEY WOULD ALWAYS APPROACH US AND ASK US WHAT WE WERE.

#5
AND I WOULD ALWAYS TELL THEM IíM FILIPINO AND IíD USUALLY THROW IN, OH YEAH, AND IíM CAJUN FRENCH, TOO, BEC THATíS MY FATHERíS SIDE OF THE FAMILY. BUT WHAT THEY WERE MOST CURIOUS ABOUT WAS THAT I LOOKED DIFFERENT, THEY KNEW IT WASNíT CHINESE, BUT THEY WERENT SURE WHAT IT WAS BEC THEY DIDNT KNOW WHAT A FILIPINO WAS. I THINK UNTIL WWII NOBODY KNEW WHAT A FILIPINO WAS.

JOYCE: THATíS TRUE.

:31 HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF? WHEN I WAS YOUNG I HAD BROWN SKIN AND LONG HAIR. THE REASON I HAD LONG HAIR WAS BEC MY GRANDFATHER SAID THAT FILIPINO GIRLS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE LONG HAIR. AND SO EVEN THOUGH MY MOTHER WOULDíVE LIKED TO HAVE CUT IT, I DECIDED THAT WANTED TO KEEP IT LONG, AS DID MY COUSINS; WE ALL KEPT OUR HAIR LONG. IN FACT, I DIDNíT CUT IT REAL SHORT UNTIL THIS PAST NOVEMBER. ITíS JUST THAT LONG HAIR WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS PART OF OUR FILIPINO IDENTITY THAT WE WANTED TO KEEP.

I HAVE THE FILIPINO NOSE, EXCEPT ITíS LONG LIKE MY DADDYíS FRENCH NOSE. DEFINITELY THE FILIPINO PART IS STILL THERE AND I HAVE BROWN EYES AND EVERYBODY ENVY THE TAN THAT I GOT EVERY SUMMER. SO THAT WAS A GOOD THING. BUT THEY JUST KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT ME AND THEY DIDNíT KNOW QUITE WHAT IT WAS. AND SO IíD HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT MY BACKGROUND WAS AND WHAT A FILIPINO WAS.

SOME OF THEM DIDNíT EVEN KNOW WHERE THE FILIPINO ISLANDS WERE; THEY DIDNíT EVEN KNOW THEY EXISTED. WHICH REALLY SURPISED ME. I THOUGHT EVERYBODY KNEW WHERE THE PHILIPPINES WERE BUT AFTER A WHILE I REALIZED THE ONLY REASON I KNEW WAS BEC I WAS TOLD THAT AND THESE OTHER PEOPLE WERENíT TOLD.

2:04 DO YOU FEEL YOU LEARNED MORE ABOUT YOUR HERITAGE THROUGH YOUR FAMILY? EVERYTHING THAT I LEARNED ABOUT FILIPINO HX CAME FROM MY FAMILY. ITíS NOT INFORMATION THAT WAS AVAILABLE IN SCHOOL. AND REALLY, IíM AN AIDE IN A HIGH SCHOOL HERE IN LA, AND THEREíS NOTHING IN THERE ABOUT ASIANS. THEREíS EVEN LITTLE ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS; ITíS ALL ABOUT THE EUROPEAN HX OF AMERICA AND I THINK THATíS SAD BEC WEíRE SUCH A DIVERSE COUNTRY AND AN AMERICAN IS SO MANY THINGS THAT I THINK ALL OF THOSE THINGS SHOULD BE REPRESENTED IN HX BOOKS, I THINK THEY NEED TO BE REWRITTEN SO THAT THE KIDS GROWING UP TODAY CAN GET A TRUE PICTURE OF WHO MADE AMERICA.

3:02 WAS THE FILIPINO CLUB FEATURED IN THE MOVIE HONK IF YOU LOVE BUDDHA? I THINK IT WAS

JOYCE: MM-HMM.

(I explain to Rhonda about using clips from the film, maybe she could talk about it.)

3:55 DOES THE FILIPINO CLUB STILL EXIST? UNFORTUNATELY THE FILIPINO CLUB THAT WE LOVED NO LONGER EXISTS. SOME OF THE MEMBERS PASSED AWAY. SOME OF THE OLDER MEMBERS JUST DIDNíT WANT TO BE BOTHERED ANY MORE. AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN MY GENERATION AND THE GENERATION AFTER ME JUST WERENT INTERESTED IN KEEPING THATCOMMUNITY. AND THATíS REALLY A SAD THING BEC THE GENERATIONS AFTER ME DONíT HAVE THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT I HAD. WE HAD A GOOD TIME AT THAT CLUB. ALL OF THE GENERATIONS WERE REPRESENTED. WHENEVER WEíD HAVE A PARTY, EVERYBODY WOULD COME AND THERE WOULD BE OLD PEOPLE AND YOUNG PEOPLE UP ON THE FLOOR DANCING. LITTLE CHILDREN AND PEOPLE THAT COULD BARELY WALK ARE DANCING.

#6
IN THE DOCUMENTARY MOVIE, MY AMERICA OR HONK IF YOU LOVE BUDDHA, THERE WAS A SEGMENT FILMED IN THE FILIPINO CLUB. YOU COULD SEE THE KIND OF FUN THAT WE HAD AND THE DANCING THAT WENT ON. THATíS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY MISS, SOMETHING THAT YOUNGER GENERATION ISNT GOING TO GET A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE. I THINK YOU LEARN SO MUCH FROM THE DIFF GENERATIONS AND WHEN YOUíRE ONLY EXPOSED TO YOUR SMALL NUCLEAR FAMILY AND NOBODY ELSE, YOU MISS SO MUCH. IT WAS SUCH A BIG PART OF MY LIFE; ITíS PART OF WHAT MADE ME WHO I AM, I THINK. ITíS BEING ABLE TO RELATE TO THESE DIFF GENERATIONS AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR GENERATIONS AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE THAT WERE NEW IMMIGRANTS.

ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS I FOUND WAS HOW ALIKE WE WERE, NOT HOW DIFFERENT WE WERE. I REALIZE THAT THEY, TOO, HELD A FAMILY IN HIGH REGARD, THAT THEY TOO HELD THEIR RELIGION AS VERY IMPT IN THEIR LIVES, THEY, TOO LOVE TO PARTY AND EAT A GOOD MEAL AND THATíS SOMETHING THAT HASNíT CHANGED THROUGH THE GENERATIONS AND THATíS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS GOING TO CONTINUE IN OUR FAMILY BECAUSE WE LOVE TO GATHER AROUND A MEAL AND WE LOVE TO HAVE A GOOD TIME TOGETHER.

1:38 WITH THE CLUB GOINE DOES THAT AFFECT YOUR SENSE OF IDENTITY? THE FACT THAT THERE ARENT AS MANY FILIPINO GRPS AS THERE USED TO BE WHEN I WAS GROWING UP AND THE FACT THAT MANILA VILLAGE IS GONE IT DOES KIND OF AFFECT OUR SENSE OF IDENTITY SIMPLY BEC, AS I SAID, THE GENERATIONS THAT COME DONíT HAVE THE EXPERIENCES THAT WEíVE HAD AND THAT MY GRANDPARENTS HAD. THATíS SOMETHING THATíS GONE FOREVER. UNLESS THE GENERATIONS COMING UP DECIDE THAT THATíS IMPT TO THEM I THINK THATíS SOMETHING THATíS GOING TO BE LOST.

2:25 DO YOU SHARE ANY OF THESE STORIES WITH YOUR NIECES? MY BROTHERíS DAUGHTER BROOKE, WHOíS IN THE BACK ROOM RIGHT NOW, SHEíS ONE OF THEM. SHE AND MY NEPHEW CLAYTON, THEYíRE VERY CURIOUS ABOUT THE FAMILY HX. AND SHE WITH THE BLUE EYES WILL TELL ANYBODY IN A HEARTBEAT THAT SHEíS FILIPINO. SH REALLY LIKES IT SHE THINKS ITíS REALLY COOL THAT SHEíS FILIPINO.

AND YEAH, WE DO SHARE STORIES WITH THEM. WHEN WEíRE LOOKING AT PICTURES, FOR INSTANCE, THEYíLL ASK WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE AND WEíLL EXPLAIN WHO THEY ARE AND HOW THEYíRE RELATED TO THEM. AND THATíS IMPORTANT. WEíRE GOING TO PASS THESE PHOTOGRAPHS ON TO THEM WHEN WE GET OLDER AND THEY NEED TO KNOW THE HX THAT GOES WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHS.

THATíS MY BROTHER RIGHT THEREÖ

3:23 YOU WROTE THAT WHEN I MEET A FILIPINO I TELL HIM IíM FILIPINO AND IíM GURANTEED A SMILE AND A GOOD CONVERSATION? WHEN I WAS YOUNGER ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MY MOTHER DOESNíT THINK, DIDNíT LIKE WAS HITCH HIKE AROUND THE COUNTRY. I WANTED TO SEE AMERICA AND I COULDNíT AFFORD A PLANE TICKET. SO, THIS WAS BACK IN THE ë70S, IT WASNíT SO BAD BACK THEN.

SO THATíS WHAT I DID, I TRAVELED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. AND WHEREVER I WENT IF IíD MEET A FILIPINO, AND I COULD IDENTIFY THEM IMMEDIATELY BEC I GREW UP AROUND FILIPINOS, IíD GO UP AND TELL THEM OF MY OWN HERITAGE AND I DONíT CARE WHETHER IT WAS CALIFORNIA OR OREGON, COLORADO, NO MATTER WHERE I WAS, ONCE I TOLD THEM I WAS FILIPINO THEYíD SMILE AT ME AND THEYíD WELCOME ME; WEíD HAVE A LONG CONVERSATION. THEYíD INVITE ME TO THEIR HOMES, THEYíD COOK A MEAL FOR ME. IT WAS THOUGH I WAS FAMILY.

4:23 AND THATíS THE KIND OF ATMOSPHERE I GREW UP IN. FILIPINOS HAVE SUCH A CLOSE SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND IT DIDNíT MATTER THAT I WAS PART FILIPINO, I WAS FILIPINO TO THEM. AND THEY WELCOMED ME. THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST EXPERIENCES OF TRAVELING, WAS WHEN I WOULD MEET FILIPINOS.

#7 ADDENDUM?

JOYCE: IíM ALL TALKED OUT. LIKE I SAID, I DIDNíT EXPERIENCE THE THINGS MAE AND THEM DID BEC I GOT MARRIED YOUNG. AND I WAS A HOMEBODY, THAT WAS IT.

RHONDA: DID YOU SEE THAT SASSY PICTURE OF HER?

JOYCE: HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT, HUH?

#8 ROOM AMBI

#9 GENERAL AMBI, Lillian washing shrimp, other ladies are talking in the background

WEíRE GOING TO MAKE A LITTLE SHRIMP DISH FOR YOUÖITíS CALLED PANCIT, USUALLY MADE WITH PORK AND SHRIMP, BUT SINCE THIS IS HOLY SATURDAY WEíRE NOT GOING TO INCLUDE PORK. ITíS MADE WITH NOODLES. WE USUALLY MAKE IT WITH PORK, AND SHRIMP AND MIX IT WITH NOODLES, BUT WEíRE GOING TO ELIMINATE THE PORK TODAY AND JUST HAVE SHRIMP. AND IT DOESNíT TAKE LONG TO COOK.

:56 WHAT KIND OF DISH IS PANCIT? THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT ITíS A FILIPINO DISH. AS A MATTER OF FACT AT THE FILIPINO CLUB, THE FILIPINO MEN USED TO FIX IT A LOT FOR US. THEY WERE ALL THE COOKS THEY ALWAYS COMPLAINED THAT THE WOMEN DIDNíT COOK BUT THEY WERE BETTER COOKS THAN US. (LAUGHS)

1:18 MY DAD USED TO FIX THAT ALSO. MY DAD WAS AN EXCELLENT COOK THAT WAS HIS PROFESSION, AS A COOK. DURING THE WAR HE WAS THE STEWART ON THE NAVY SHIPS DURING WWII AND HE HAD TO WEAR A NAVY OFFICERíS UNIFORM. AND HEíD ALWAYS LAUGH WHEN WEíD GO UPTOWN AND HEíS IN HIS UNIFORM AND ALL THE SERVICEMEN WOULD SALUTE HIM. THEY DIDNíT HAVE TO, YOU KNOW. HEíD GET A KICK OUT OF THAT, THE SERVICEMENT SALUTING HIM. HE WAS ALWAYS A COOK.

THE THING WAS, HE LEFT US ALL HIS COOKBOOKS FOR US, BUT ITíS TO COOK FOR HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE. NOTHING THAT COULD BE CUT DOWN, YOU KNOW. COOKING FOR A SHIPíS CREW IS A LOT DIFFERENT FROM COOKING AT HOME SO HIS COOKBOOKS DIDNíT DO US MUCH GOOD.

NOW ONE THING HE USED TO COOK EVERY CHRISTMAS AND START THAT AHEAD OF TIME, HEíD MAKE DELICIOUS FRUITCAKES AND PUT THEM IN CAKEPANS AND SOMETHING I WISH I KNEW HOW HE MADE WAS HIS STEAMED PUDDING. WE ALWAYS HAD STEAMED PUDDING WITH DELICIOUS SAUCES OVER IT. BUT HE DIDNíT LEAVE US THOSE RECIPES SO WE DONíT HAVE THAT. THATíS ONE THING WE MISS FOR CHRISTMAS, MY DADíS STEAMED PUDDING.

3:10 SOUND OF WATER RUNNING. HOT OIL, SHRIMP DUMPED INTO PAN.

3:34 IíM GOING TO QUICKLY FRY THE SHRIMPÖ ADD A LITTLE ONIONS. MIXING IN THE PAN. JOYCE! WOULD YOU SOAK SOME NOODLES? THEREíS A POTÖ CAN YOU REACH ANY OF THOSE POTS?

4:34 IíM GOING TO TAKE THIS TO CAMP WITH ME, ITíS SUCH A GOOD PAN.

JOYCE: IíM TAKING THE OTHER ONE, TOO. I HAVEÖ I HAVE THE OTHER WOKS. BIG ROME HAS ONE OUTSIDE. I HAVE AN ELECTRIC WOKÖ

#10 SOUND OF SHRIMP COOKING IN OIL

JOYCE: MY HUSBAND DOES A LOT OF THE COOKING. HE HAS FRIENDS AND HE HAS EVERYTHING IN THE GARAGE AND HE BUILT THE GARAGE JUST FOR HIM. NO CARS OR NOTHING GOES IN THERE. I HAVE MY FREEZER AND HE HAS HIS FREEZER. HE COOKS OUTSIDEÖ HE DOES A LOT OF THE COOKING OUTSIDE.

LILLIAN: I WISH I HAD A HUSBAND THAT COOKS.

JOYCE: HE LIKES A LOT OF WILD FOOD. WE HAVE DEER IN THE FREEZER, WE HAVE RABBIT, AND HE LIKES TO COOK ALL THAT. HE CALLS HIS SON TO COME EAT AND SEND HIM WITH FISH. HE HAS A VEGETABLE GARDENÖ (ABOUT THE NOODLES) THIS IS TAKING TOO LONG.

2:28
LILLIAN: CHOPPING ONIONS (SOUND OF CHOPPING, SCRAPING AND BANGING AROUND THE KITCHEN)

4:08 THIS IS GARLIC, GARLIC PUREED.

HOW DID YOU LEARN HOW TO MAKE PANCIT? JUST SEEING MY FATHER COOK IT AND FILIPINO MEN AT THE CLUB. (TAKE 2) I LEARNED HOW TO MAKE PANCIT BY WATCHING MY FATHER COOK IT AND ALSO FROM THE FILIPINO CLUB WHEN ALL THE GUYS, FILIPINOS USED TO COOK IT A LOT. SO THATíS HOW I LEARNED. AND I LIKE IT. I WANTED TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT, ITíS A VERY SIMPLE DISH. (MORE WATER SOUND AND BANGING)
SOME SALT AND PEPPER.

#11
JOYCE: DO YOU WANT ALL OF IT? IíM GOING TO CUT IT NOWÖ LITTLE! I DONíT LIKE IT LITTLEÖ

LILLIAN: WELL, NOW TOO LITTLEÖ

JOYCE: I CUT ONE END AND THE OTHERÖ

:56 WHATíS THE SECRET TO A GOOD PANCIT?

LILLIAN: ITíS SUCH A SIMPLE DISH. YOU STIR FRY THE SHRIMP, ADD A LITTLE GARLIC AND ONION, SALT AND PEPPER AND YOU MIX IT ALL UP WITH YOUR RICE NOODLES.

JOYCE: YOU KNOW THIS PLACE HERE THAT SELLS PANCIT NOODLES, MAEÖ

LILLIAN: I KNOW. IíM USING RICE NOODLES INSTEAD OF PANCIT NOODLESÖ

JOYCE: PANCIT NOODLES ARE FILIPINOÖ

LILLIAN: SMELLS GOODÖ

JOYCE: WE SEE BELLA EVERY MONTHÖ

MARINA: BELLA, THE ONE THATÖ

JOYCE: SHE ONLY HAD THAT ONE DAUGHTERÖ

(WOMEN TALK ABOUT BELLAÖ)

MARINA: BELLAíS STILL ALIVE?

JOYCE: YES. STILL DRIVINGÖ

MARINA: I FORGOT THE GRANDDAUGHTERíS NAMEÖYOU REMEMBER THE ONE DAUGHTER WAS SO BAD?

LILLIAN: YEAH, SHE GOT INTO DRUGS IN A BAD WAYÖ

JOYCE: SHE LOST ONE OF HER HOUSESÖ

LILLIAN: WENT INTO REHAB, THE MINUTE SHE GOT OUT, WENT RIGHT BACK TO ITÖ

JOYCE: LOOK MARINA.

MARINA: THE SHRIMP?

JOYCE: I TOLD THEM BIG ROME HAS HIS OWN WORKSHOP IN THE BACK. HE DOES HIS COOKING IN THE BACK.

LILLIAN: I DIDNíT HAVE PANCIT NOODLESÖ

MARINA: THATíS SOTANGHONÖ

LILIAN: YEAH, IíM GOING TO MIX THAT WITH THE SHRIMP.

JOYCE: ITíS ALL CUT ALREADYÖ

LILLIAN: WE USUALLY PUT PORK WITH IT, BUTÖ

JOYCE: ITíS EASTER SATURDAY SO WE DONíT EAT MEATÖ

KITCHEN SOUND

#12
PANCIT SIMMERING IN THE PAN

:58 SLICING SOUND, CHOPPING

LILLIAN: SHE WAS A REAL SWET LADY, TRAHAN, WASNíT SHE? (CHOPPING)

Rhonda walks over tells her mom she has to go.

RHONDA: I DONíT LIKE THESE KIND OF NOODLES ANYMORE.

LILLIAN: YOU NEVER DID.

RHONDA: BEC SOMEBODY TOLD ME, I THINK DJ TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE WORMS ONE TIME AND EVER SINCE THENÖ

MORE CHOPPING SOUNDS (in the background, Rhonda says good-bye)

LILLIAN: JOYCE I THINK YOU PUT TOO MUCHÖ

JOYCE: TOO MUCH WHAT?

LILLIAN: TOO MUCH NOODLES. BY THE TIME THEY SWELL ITíS GONNAÖ

JOYCE: WELL, DONíT USE THEM ALLÖ

LILLIAN: DID YOU CUT THEM?

JOYCE: I DID CUT THEM INTO FOR PIECESÖ

RHONDA: THEY DO LOOK LIKE COOKED WORMSÖ

JOYCE: NOW ANGELA LIKES THEM, SHE LIKES IT IN SOUP. THATíS HOW ANGELA LIKES IT, MY GRANDDAUGHTER.

MARINA: THE SOUP LIKE SOTANGHON.

JOYCE: SHES LIKES THE CHICKEN AND MAKE IT WATERY SOUP AND PUT TOMATOES IN THEM, THATíS HOW ANGELA LIKES IT.

MARINA: DO YOU HAVE AN ASIAN STORE THEREÖ

JOYCE: ASIAN STORE? OH WE GO OUT TO THE EAST, VIETNAMESE STORE. DONíT I LOVE THEIR BREADÖ

MARINA: IS THAT SIX FOR A DOLLAR?

JOYCE: YEAH!

LILLIAN: DELICIOUS!

(Women continue to chat. Mic closer to simmering pan)

LILLIAN: I LOVE THIS PAN.

JOYCE: I WAS GOING TO GET ME ONE, BUTÖ

RHONDA: IíM GOING TO SEND INVITATIONS TO THE REUNION WITH MAP TO THE CAMPS.

MARINA: HOW FAR ARE YOU FROM HERE?

JOYCE: ABOUT EIGHT BLOCKSÖ

#13
(Sound of phone ringing, Lillian draining noodles.)

LILLIAN: SHES KEEPS SAYING SHEíS LEAVINGÖ RHONDA HAS MET THE NICEST MAN.

JOYCE: HEíS SO NICE.

MARINA: WHENíS THE WEDDING DAY?

JOYCE: I THINK THEYíRE AFRAID TO GET MARRIEDÖ

LILLIAN: HE IS SO NICEÖ

(Sound of Lillian stirring contents in the pan, some scraping)

LILLIAN: MARINA, DO YOU PUTÖ I USUALLY PUT EGGS IN MINE, DO YOU?

MARINA: UHM, ACTUALLY YEAH, YOU CAN DO THAT. MY SISTER WOULD MIX THE CANTON YELLOW AND THAT TOGETHER.

LILLIAN: YEAH?

MARINA: ITíS CALLEDÖ

LILLIAN: I DIDNíT KNOW THAT. I WOULD SCRAMBLE AN EGG FLAT AND THEN CUT IT UP IN LITTLE PIECES AND MIX IT IN THERE AND SPRINKLE IT WITHÖ

MARINA: YOU CAN ALSO PUT PAPRIKA TO MAKE IT A LITTLEÖ

LILLIAN: YEAHÖ IT GIVES IT A NICE COLORÖ

JOYCE: BIG ROMEíS TOMOTAESÖ

LILLIAN: OH, DOES HE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN!

JOYCE: WHAT I DO AT THE END OF THE SEASON WHAT THEY HAVE LEFT I PUT THEM INTO HOT WATER, TAKE THE SKIN OFF, AND FREEZE THEM. I HAVE A FREEZER THIS BIG. (Clanging sound in the background) HEíS GOT ONE THAT BIG, HE KEEPS ALL THE WILD FOOD INÖ

MARINA: THE FISH AND ALL THAT?

JOYCE: THE FISH, THE DEER MEAT, THE RABBITS, EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. HE COOKS OUTSIDEÖ

MARINA: FROGS?

JOYCE: FROG LEGSÖ OH WAIT. HE MADE FROG LEGS FOR OUR GRANDDAUGHTER AND SHE ATE SIX OF THEM.

LILLIAN: OH MY GOODNESS!

JOYCE: SHE LOVED DEER, SHE LOVES EVERYTHINGÖ

(Simmering sound. Marina asks question)

JOYCE: I HAVE NINE GRANDCHILDRENÖ

LILLIAN: GOD, WEíVE NEVER REALLY COUNTEDÖ

JOYCE: I HAVE NINE GRANDCHILDREN AND SEVEN GREAT GRANDCHILDREN. SO THATíS 7 OUT OF 16 JUST BY MEÖ (CHUCKLES) HOW MANY YOU GOT?

LILLIAN: JUST ONE.

JOYCE: THATíS RIGHT. JUST TRISTANÖ

LILLIAN: OF COURSE, I HAVE WAYNEíS. I CALL THEM MY GRANDKINDS.

JOYCE: AND THEN BENITAíS GOT TWOÖ NO, THREE.

(Sound of Lillian beating eggs)

LILLIAN: THATíS TRUE.

MARINA: HOW ABOUT KERRY?

JOYCE: KERRY DONíT HAVE NO GRANDCHILDREN YET. HER CHILDRENÖ

LILLIAN: HER DAUGHTERíS 18Ö

MARINA: 18!? OH MY GODÖ

JOYCE: SHE GOT SOME BEAUTIFUL CHILDRENÖ

LILLIAN: I WISH YOU COULDíVE SEEN HER IN THE PARADE, SHE WAS SO BEAUTIFULÖ

JOYCE: SHE WAS THE QUEEN OF THE ATLAS PARADEÖ

MARINA: REALLY?

JOYCE: YEAH. OH, THEYíRE GORGEOUS CHILDREN.

LILLIAN: BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN.

JOYCE: OH, SO PRETTY.

MARINA: BENITAíS CHILDREN ARE FAIR.

LILIAN: YES.

JOYCE: THEIR DADDY WAS FAIR. MY CHILDREN WERE THE ONLY ONES WHO LOOKED FILIPINOÖ

MARINA: IS SHE STILL WITH LLOYD?

#14
(Sound of Lillian lighting up gas stove)

JOYCE: LLOYD, THATíS HER HUSBAND. LYNNIE IS HER OLDEST DAUGHTERÖ KERRYíS HUSBAND IS DANEÖ

MARINA: YEAH.

LILLIAN: REALLY NICE GUYÖ

MARINA: BUT BENITAíS HUSBAND IS WITH HER, TOO? IN HUSTON?

JOYCE: BENITAíS HUSBAND DIEDÖ

MARINA: DIED?

JOYCE: IRVINíS BEEN DEADÖ

MARINA: OH, IRVIN. YEAH.

LILIAN: LONG AFTER THEY MOVED HEREÖ

(Lillianís husband walks in)

MARINA: WE INVADED YOUR TERRITORYÖ

(More kitchen sound)

JOYCE: THATíS FROM ROMEíS GARDEN. HE GROWS EVERYTHINGÖ ONLY THING IS I GOTTA PUT IT ALL OUTÖ

MARINA: HE WAS A HUSKY, STRONG MANÖ

LILLIAN: HE HAS TWO, THREE BACK OPERATIONS.

MARINA: OHÖ

LILLIAN: THAT CHANGED HIS HWOLE LIFEÖ

MARINA: BUT YOU KNOW, HE CHANGED HIS APPEARANCEÖ

JOYCE: IT DOESÖ

MARINA: I WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE HIMÖ

JOYCE: YEAH, I KNOWÖ

LILLIAN: EVERYBODY SAYS THATÖ

MARINA: IíM GLAD FOR RHONDAÖ

LILLIAN: ME, TOO.

MARINA: REMEMER HE WAS A TROUBLE?

LILLIAN: YES.

JOYCE: ONLY THING HE WAS GOOD FOR WAS BUILDIG THESE THINGS (KITCHEN CABINETS) THAT WAS IT.

LILLIAN: YEAH. EXCELLENT CARPENTER.

MARINA: WHO, HIM?

LILLIAN: NO, RHONDAíS EX-HUSBANDÖ

MARINA: REALLY? CARPENTER?

LILLIAN: YEAH, HE BUILT THOSE CABINETS FOR MEÖ AND THAT TV STAND WITH THE BOOKCASESÖ

JOYCE: WANT ME TO PUT SALT AND PEPPER?

LILLIAN: YEAHÖ. PUT THAT BACK IN THE FRIDGEÖ IT WAS TOO MUCH, I THOUGHTÖ AND I HAVE TWO OF THEM, AS A MATTER OF FACTÖ

JOYCE: I DONíT HAVE ANY MORE SHRIMP, ANY MORE CRABS IN MY FREEZERÖ I MADE GUMBO FOR HER 4OTHÖ

MARINA: SO YOU FREEZE GUMBO, TOO?

JOYCE: OH YEAH. I FREEZE EVERYTHINGÖI EVEN FREEZE CABBAGE AFTER ST PATRICKíS DAY, GO TALL KIND OF CARROTS, PUT THEM IN THE FREEZER. IF I NEED CARROTS, JUST PULL THEM OUT OF THE FREEZERÖ

LILIAN: IíVE BEEN RIDING IN THE PARADES HEREÖ

MARINA: OH REALLY?

LILLIAN: I LOVE ITÖ I HAD TO DO SOMETHING SINCE WE DIDNíT HAVE OUR CLUB ANYMORE. I REALLY MISS THAT CLUBÖ I SAID I OUGHT TO JOIN ANOTHER CLUB SO I JOINED THATÖ

MARINA: SO YOU DID?

LILLIAN: I JOINED APHRODITEÖ

MARINA: HOW MUCH TO JOIN WITH THE MARDI GRAS FLOAT?

LILLIAN: TO RIDE A FLOAT, WHICH INCLUDES YOUR COSTUME AND EVERYTHING IS GOING TO COST YOU TWO-FIFTY.

MARINA: FIFTY?

LILLIAN: TWO-FIFTY. AND THIS YEAR IíM TAKING DARLA ON WITH MEÖSHEíS, OH I WANNA RIDEÖ I ALREADY TREATED BROOKS TO RIDE AND THEN LITTLE CLAYTON WANTED TO RIDE SO I TREATED HIM TO RIDEÖAND NOW DARLA SAYS ITíS MY TURN. SO DARLA WANTS TO RIDE (LAUGHS). SO SHEíS GOING TO RIDE NEXT MARDI GRAS. BUT ITíS SO MUCH FUN I LOVE ITÖ

MARINA: SO WHERE DO YOU PARADE?

LILLIAN: OUT HERE.

JOYCE: UP AND DOWN JUDGE PEREZÖ

LILLIAN: ALWAYS THE FRIDAY BEFORE MARDI GRASÖ SO ITíS MARDI GRA WEEKEND.

MARINA: I HEAR THAT ONE, I ALWAYS HEARÖ

LILLIAN: ITíS SO MUCH FUN. I LOVE IT. AND ONE YEAR THE LADY THAT MAKES ALL OF OUR COSTUMES BEGGED ME TO COME WORK WITH US SO I DID FOR ONE YEAR.

MARINA: REALLY?

LILLIAN: BUT ITíS LIKEÖ

MARINA: TOO MUCH, HUH?

LILLIAN: I DONíT WANT TO WORK. WHAT DO I WANT TO WORK FOR? BUT I DID HELP FOR ONE YEAR AND EVERY SHE KEEPS BEGGING ME TO COME BACK. BUT OF COURSE I DONíT. BUT, SEE THIS IS HOW I DO IT, I JUST CUT INTO LITTLE PIECESÖ

MARINA: YEAH, THATíS GOODÖ

#15
LILLIAN: OKAY, MIX IT ALL IN THEREÖ

MARINA: MM-HMMÖ

JOYCE: SEE, RATHER THAN DO ALL THAT IíD RATHER SIT HOME WATCH BABIES. OOH, THAT WOULD BE GOOD IN THE GARDENÖ

LILLIAN: JOYCE LIKES TO BABYSIT BABIES. SHE SHOULDíVE OPENED A NURSERY.

JOYCE: I WAS GOING TOÖ MY DAUGHTER DECIDED SHE WANTED THE HOUSE. I WAS GOING TO BUY THE HOUSE ACROSS THE STREETÖ

MARINA: WHO? JULIE?

JOYCE: YEAH. SHE SAID, OH NO MA, LET ME BUY THAT HOUSE WHICH SHE STAYED TWO YEARSÖ

MARINA: BUT SHEíS THE ONLY DAUGHTER, RIGHT?

JOYCE: YEAH. ONLY DAUGHTER WITH THREE BOYS.

LILLIAN: PUT SOME LIQUID?

MARINA: A LITTLE BIT LIQUIDÖ

(Sound of faucet)

LILIAN: DID HE GO OUTSIDE OR GO TO BED? IF ITíS DARK HEíS GOING TO BED.

MARINA: GETTING THEREÖ

(water sound)

LILIAN: SOMETIMES HE GOES TO BED AT SIX OíCLOCK.

MARINA: MY HUSBAND WAS SAYING THEREíS A STORMÖ

JOYCE: THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A STORM TODAY, WHAT HAPPENED?

LILLIAN: A STORM IS COMING NOW? OH WE HAVENíT BEEN LISTENING TO THE NEWS.

MARINA: I SAID I DIDNíT HEAR ANY RAINDROPS HERE.

JOYCE: BEFORE YOU CAME SOUNDED LIKE HAIL WAS HITTINGÖ

LILLIAN: LASTED ABOUT 5 MINUTESÖ

JOYCE: LIKE THE OTHER DAY I WENT TO WALMART TO PICK UP HIS MEDICINE. BY MY HOUSE IT WASNíT RAINING BUT WHEN WE GET TO WALGREEN AT PARISH ROAD TO TURN TO GO TO WALMART, IT HAD STORMED. EVERYTHING WAS WET.

LILIAN: SPRINKLE A LITTLE PARSLY IN IT.

JOYCE: PUT SOME SOY SAUCE. YOUíRE MISSING SOME SOY SAUCE.

LILLIAN: I GOT IT.

MARINA: AS LONG AS THEREíS A LOT OF SHRIMP IT TASTES GOOD.

JOYCE: WEíRE BOILING CRAWFISH TOMORROW, PUT YOUR GARLIC, PUT IT IN HERE.

LILLIAN: THATíS HOW WE DO ITÖ

(sound of Lillian turning on faucet)

LILLIAN: THATíS WHAT WEíRE DOING INSTEAD OF COOKINGÖ

JOYCE: WE HAVE TO BRING OUR OWN BBQ PITS TO CAMP?

MARINA: HOW ABOUT YOU JOYCE?

JOYCE: WEíRE GOING DOWN BY BARRYíS, IíM GOING FISHING. I GOT MY RIDE AND REEL ALREADYÖ BUT IíM BUYING ME A NEW ONEÖI LIKE TO FISH. LILLIAN MAE AND THEM DIDNT LIKE ITÖ

MARINA: I WENT TO THE BOOKSTORE ONE DAY, TO BUY CLINTONíS BOOK.

LILLIAN: I HAVE IT.

MARINA: I SAID IíM RETIRED FACULTY AND THEY GAVE ME 10 PERCENT DISCOUNT.

JOYCE: WHY ONLY 10 PERCENT?

MARINA: I DONíT KNOW. I WAS THE ONE WHO SAID 10 PERCENT.

JOYCE: NO! I GET 40 PERCENT ON BOOKS.

MARINA? REALLY? BUT THEYÖ

JOYCE: I WAS AN EMPLOYEE THERE ONE TIMEÖ BUT STILL YOUíRE AN ALUMNI.

MARINA: YEAH, I AM

JOYCE: YOU SHOULD GET MORE THAN 10 PERCENTÖ

MARINA: I WAS THE ONE WHO SAID 10 PERCENTÖ

JOYCE: WELL, OPEN YOUR MOUTH TOO SOONÖ

MARINA: THE MANAGER WAS SO EASY TO SAY YESÖ SO IT COULDíVE BEEN 40, HUH?

JOYCE: HE AND IÖ HIS MANAGEMENT WAS TERRIBLE. WHEN HE CAME ALONG, HE WAS VERY COLD. LIKE, IF HE TOLD YOU SOMETHING AT A MEETING, MARINA, HEíD COME BACK LATER ON AND SAY WELL, DO YOU HAVE THAT IN WRITING THAT I SAID THAT. TO ME THATíS NOT A MANAGER. HE WOULD SAY SOMETHING AND WEíD HAVE A MEETING AND IF WE COME BACK AND MENTION IT TO HIM, WELL, DO YOU HAVE THAT IN WRITING THAT I SAID THAT? THATíS NOT A MANAGER, NOT TO MEÖ

#16
MARINA: I GOT MY FLU SHOT OVER THERE AT UNO.

JOYCE: YOU HAD THEM OVER THERE? I DIDNíT KNOW THAT.

LILLIAN: FOR A WHILE WE DIDNíT THINK WERE GOING TO GET ONE.

JOYCE: WE WENT TO THE HEALTH CENTER; ITíS THE ONLY PLACE MY SISTER AND I COULD FIND. THEN WE HAD TO WAIT AND WAITÖ THEN WHEN I FOUND OUT WE COULD GET IT THERE, I CALLED MAE AND MICKYÖ ON TRADE BOOKS, I GET 40 PERCENTÖ. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

LILLIAN: I WAS LOOKING FOR CHICKEN STOCKÖ

MARINA: BUT I THINK ITíS ALRIGHT, HUH MAE? TASTEÖ

LILLIAN: YEAHÖ

MARINA: TASTES GOODÖ

JOYCE: IíM TELLING RUBY, IíLL WAIT AND IíLL DIVULGEÖ

LILLIAN: OKAY, LETíS TURN THE FIRE OFFÖ

MARINA: YEAHÖ

LILLIAN: IíM BRINGING THIS POT WITH ME TO CAMPÖ THATíS OUR DESSERTÖ

JOYCE: YES, WITH COFFEEÖ

MARINA: SHE BROUGHT ALL OF THAT OUTÖ

JOYCE: YOU KNOW, YOU DID THE SAME THING I DID. YOU SAID WHEN THE KIDS ARE ALL GONE YOU DONíT NEED A BIG REFRIGERATOR BUT THEN BOOM, YOU DO NEED A BIG REFRIGERATOR.

LILLIAN: I KNOWÖ

JOYCE: THANK GOD I GOT ONE IN THE GARAGE, ëCAUSE IF I DIDNíT HAVE ONE IN THE GARAGEÖ

LILLIAN: SOMETIMES I WISH I HAD TWO REFRIGERATORSÖ

JOYCE: THATíS WHAT I HAD, AND ITíS ONLY ME AND MY HUSBAND. THE OTHER DAY, DO YOU KNOW WHAT ARTICHOKES ARE? I STUFFED 15. (Sound of dishes) I STUFFED 5 PLAIN, 5 WITH LOBSTER, AND 5 WITH CRABMEAT. I DIDNíT HAVE A PLACE TO PUT IT IN MY REFRIGERATOR SO I HAD TO GO PUT IT IN HIS OUTSIDE.

ARE YOU HAVING COMPANY?

JOYCE: NO I DO BIG THINGS LIKE THAT, THE GRANDKIDS ARE OVER AND I WANT SOME, DO ME SOME. AND THEM MY OLD SON PASSED BY THAT DAY. I ASKED HIS WIFE DID SHE WANT ME TO HIS, SHE SAID IíLL DO MY OWN. OKAY. SO LITTLE ROME PASSED THE OTHER DAY AND SAID I SMELL ARTICHOKES. I SAID YEAH, I STUFFED 15 AND HE SAID GIVE ME ONE AND IíLL EAT IT RIGHT HERE. SO HE ATE ONE WITH THE CRAB MEAT. HE ALWAYS STOPS AT THE HOUSE AND EATS. HIS WIFE DONíT GET HOME UNTIL AFTER HIM. SO HE EATS SOMETHING BY MY HOUSE AND THEN GO HOME AND EAT.

BUT HE DOES A LOT OF THE COOKING, TOO. ALL MY BOYS COOK. THEY ALL LIKE TO COOK. ONE OF TWINS, HIS WIFE WORKS AND HEíS ON SSI, HE HAD CANCER ON THE NECK, BEFORE THAT HE FELL AND BROKE SOME BONES ON ONE SIDE OF HIS BODY. HIS CANCER IS FVE YRS IN REMISSION, BUT HE COOKS. WHEN DEBBIE COMES HOME ALL SHE HAS TO DO IS SIT DOWN AND EAT.

#17
LILLIAN: SURGERY AND HEíS DOING GOOD AND RUNNINGÖ

:21 SOUND OF SILVERWARE

MARINA: ACTUALLY THIS IS A DINNER FOR US, WE DIDNíT HAVE LUNCH.

LILLIAN: OH MY GOODNESS!

MARINA: WE WERE JUST RUNNING OUT OF TIMEÖ SHE HAD TO GO ACROSS THE RIVERÖSHE WENTÖ

LILLIAN: FIRST THEY SAID 1:30 THEN 2. I SAID MAYBE THEYíRE GOING TO EAT LUNCH FIRSTÖ

1:14 (sound of Joyce scooping out ice from the freezer)

JOYCE: IíM GOING TO BAKE MY HAMÖ

MARINA: YOU WILL HAVE A FEAST TOMORROWÖ

(More ice scooping sound)

LILLIAN: ITíS SPRINKLING SOMEÖ

JOYCE: DO YOU MISS WORK, MARINA?

MARINA: NOT REALLYÖ

LILLIAN: WHO WOULD MISS WORK?

JOYCE: I DONíT MISS WORK. I MISS THE PEOPLE, THE NICE PEOPLE I WORKED WITHÖ

MARINA: THE LIBRARY IS STRANGE, VERY STRANGE. I ONLY HAVE A FE PEOPLE LEFT. ONE OR TWO OR THREEÖ

2:55 MY FRIENDíS DAUGHTER IN LAW IS THERE, JUEN FAIRCHILDÖ

MARINA: THE NURSE THAT GAVE US THE SHOTÖ

JOYCE: DENISE?

MARINA: DENISE.

JOYCE: SHE STILL THERE?

MARINA: MM-HMM. SHE HAS GROWN BIGGER LIKE USÖ

JOYCE: LIKE US? BUT SHEíS STILL WORKING SHEÖ

LILLIAN: HOW ARE YOU DOING AT THE CASINOS?

MARINA: WE REALLY DONíT GO THAT MUCH.

LILLIAN: WE STOPPED, TOO. WE WERE GOING FOR A WHILEÖ

MARINA: WE DONíT HAVE ANY MORE RECREATION ANYMORE. BUT WE GO WALK.

JOYCE: THATíS GOOD.

MARINA: WE DONíT TAKE THE ESCALATOR, WE TAKE THE STEPS. BUT YOU DONíT NEED TO EXERCISE.

LILLIAN: I HAVE ONE ANYWAY.

JOYCE: SHE DONíT NEED TO EXERCISEÖ

LILLIAN: BUT I DO ITÖ

MARINA: SHE ALWAYS MAINTAINSÖ

JOYCE: SHE DRINKS COFFEE AND SMOKES CIGARETTES ALL DAYÖ

LILLIAN: I EAT,TOO.

JOYCE: WHEN?

LILLIAN: I BOUGHT ONE OF THOSE MACHINES FOR WALKING JUST TO KEEP MY LEGSÖ

MARINA: I HAD AN ATTACK OF ARTHRITIS, DECEMBER í03 FOR A WHOLE MONTH. I COULDNíT WALK, I COULDNíT STRETCH OUT. I WAS CRAWLING. I SAID OH MY GOD, IS THIS IT? BUT I NEVER HAD ARTHRITIS, I DONíT HAVE ARTHRITIS RIGHT NOW BUT I DONíT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

JOYCE: YOUR MUSCLES JUST TIGHTENED UP?

MARINA: I COULDNíT EVENÖ ITíS JUST TOO MUCH PAIN.

JOYCE: IT WAS IN YOUR LEGS?

MARINA: IN MY KNEEÖ

JOYCE: YOU DIDNíT GO TO THE DOCTOR?

MARINA: I WENT TO THE DOCTOR, HE DIDNíT GIVE ME ANYTHING. I THOUGHT HE WOULD GIVE ME A BOOSTER SHOT AND I SPENT TOO MUCH MONEY BEC I HAVE DEDUCTIBLE, OKAY.

#18

JOYCE: NOTHING?

MARINA: NOTHING. AND HERE COMES THE BILL.

LILIAN: MY DOCTOR SAYS WE HAVE A NEW PILL FOR YOU STOP TAKING THE TOMAXAFEN, AFTER CANCER SURGERY.

MARINA: AFTER SURGERY, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

LILLIAN: I HAD MY BREAST REMOVED SIX YEARS AGOÖ

JOYCE: SIX YEARS AGO, RIGHT BEFORE BARRY HAD HISÖ WAS THAT BEFORE BARRY GOT HIS OPERATION? OR AFTER?

LILLIAN: AFTER I THINK. I THINK BARRY WENT FIRST.

JOYCE: I KNOW BARRYíS PAST 5 YRSÖ

LILLIAN: SO ANYWAY YOU TAKE 5 YOU TAKE TAMOXAFEN AFTER YOUR SURGERY. THEN AFTER 5 YRS ITíS NOT BENEFICIAL TO YOUR BODY. SO THEN THERE WAS A NEW PILL HE STARTED ME ON ITíS CALLED FEMERA. LITTLE TINY YELLOW PILL. HE SAID BELIEVE ME ITíS GOOD BEC ITíS BEEN TESTED ON THOUSANDS OF WOMEN. HE SAYS THATíS THE GOOD NEWS. THE BAD NEWS IS ITíS SO EXPENSIVE. I SAID WHAT DO YOU MEAN EXPENSIVE? HE SAID ITíS GOING TO COST YOU $200 FOR A MONTHíS SUPPLY.

I SIAD AT MY INSURANCE COMPANY, WE HAVE TO ORDER MEDICINE ABOUT THREE MONTHSí SUPPLY. I SAID THAT WOULD BE $600. BUT LUCKILY MY INSURANCE ONLY CHARGES $30 FOR 3 MONTHSí SUPPLY, $10 EVERY MONTH. THATíS MY INSURANCE.

JOYCE: SO WHEN MICKY RETIRED, I MESSED UP HIS INSURANCE.

MARINA: WHAT KIND OF INSURANCE? MY HUSBAND IS NOW WITH HUMANAÖHE PAYS $10Ö

JOYCE: I SAID IíLL STAY WHERE I AMÖ

MARINA: EXPENSIVEÖ

LILLIAN; WELL, WE CAN EAT WHILE ITíS HOTÖ

MARINA: AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

JOYCE: NOTHING. WHEN BIG ROME HADÖ I TOOK OUT CANCER AND INTENSIVE CAREÖAARP GIVES YOU SO MUCH PERCENTAGE OFFÖ

MARINA: BUT NOW OURSÖ.

JOYCE: NO. THEREíS A MEETINGÖ WHOíS GOINGÖ ABOUT THE BENEFITS. ITíS GOING TO BE AT THE MURO SCHOOL. ITíS ONLY TWO BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE.

LILLIAN: COME ON, SERVE YOURSELF. WOULD YOU ALL LIKE COKE? HOW ABOUT A GLASS OF WINE OR WHAT?

MARINA: I JUST NEED, HOW ABOUT A DIET COKE?