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Mabuhay Pilipino! (Long Life!): Filipino Culture in Southeast Louisiana By Laura Westbrook Brief Historical Overview / Filipino Heritage and Language Conclusion
Hermie Urcia describes dancing as an activity that can be shared among the generations, and between established Filipinos and recent arrivals:
All Filipinos in Louisiana speak English and are familiar with American popular culture, but there are several factors that help Filipinos to remain connected to the islands and to their culture. Many Filipinos remain in close contact with friends and family members who live in the Philippines, and visit regularly. Children, even those who do not become fluent in Tagalog, at least learn some traditional songs and expressions, and pick up some of the language if their families visit the islands. The current popularity of traditional-pop fusion and traditional dance has young people interested in learning from their elders. The large number of Filipino organizations in Louisiana, which support Filipino enterprises in the United States and the Philippines, gives residents a variety of ways in which to be involved with other Filipinos and with causes of importance to the larger community. Like all of the Filipinos interviewed for this essay, Hermie Urcia expressed thankfulness to all of those individuals (more than could be named in this essay) who spend their available time organizing Filipino events and sharing the culture:
In interviews, Filipinos stress that theirs is not a closed community, and that Filipinos in Louisiana welcome and value their friendships with non-Filipinos. Gatherings such as Independence Day celebrations, the annual Filipiana gala, and even Filipino religious observations all welcome respectful non-Filipino guests. Sometimes the interest of an outsider, such as an interviewer or festivalgoer, can offer a welcome opportunity to proudly explain Filipino culture and history. The most valued traditional gatherings, though, are those that include active Filipino community members and new arrivals from the Philippines. These occasions allow Louisiana Filipinos to welcome new arrivals, grow their community, and keep in closer touch with their homeland. Hermie Urcia reflects on his community in Louisiana:
Filipinos in Louisiana have managed, to a high degree, to assimilate into American life while retaining important aspects of Philippine tradition and also maintaining a strong sense of unity. This positive cultural identity and dynamic community life allow Louisiana's Filipino community to remain vital as it absorbs the new while retaining the traditional, and as it extends to new generations and new arrivals from the homeland. Laura Westbrook is the Regional Folklorist at the University of New Orleans. This article was prepared as part of the New Populations Project. The website of the Louisiana Regional Folklife Program at UNO includes edited transcripts of interviews with some of those who provided information for this essay, and information about Filipino cultural groups, businesses, and activities, in addition to traditional culture in the parishes of Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, and St. Tammany. Notes 1. The correspondence of names with provinces was not as consistent as it may have been intended to be. More information about Filipino names can be found in the introduction to the Catálogo alfabético de apellidos ("Alphabetical Catalog of Surnames"), published in the Philippines in the mid-19th century in response to a Spanish colonial decree instituting a systematic distribution of Spanish surnames among Filipinos. 2. "Pasion" is also sometimes spelled "Pasyon." Bibliography Bautista, Veltisezar. The Filipino Americans (1763-Present): Their History, Culture, and Traditions, 2nd Edition. Warren, MI: Bookhaus Publishers. 2002. Dolan, Ronald E. Philippines: A Country Study. Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. 1991. Hearn, Lafcadio. "Saint Malo, A Lacustrine Village in Louisiana." Harper's Weekly. March 31, 1883. Pido, Antonio. "Macro/Micro Dimensions of Pilipino Immigration to the United States," in Maria P.P. Root, ed. Filipino Americans: Transformation and Identity. 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