Old Photographs 4 - Cecilia Brainard - 6-7 Years Old

 

 My childhood seemed to have stretched out longer than human time. Those childhood memories have a dreamlike quality.  I have memories of the time when I was perhaps three, perhaps younger. I even have an infant memory, although I am not sure if this is a true memory, of me laying on the bed and a big dog entering the room and everyone getting excited. I remember being with my Yaya Yvonne in the second floor of our house in Capitolio and looking down at a group of carolers singing outside our gate. My Yaya Yvonne was the one who taught me to eat green onions.  Yaya Yvonne got into trouble for stealing and I was told she ended up in jail - a point that my older sister used to rib me about -- "Your yaya ended up in jail."

 

Old Photographs 3 - Cecilia Brainard 5-6 years old

 

Here are more old photos. I was around 5 or 6 years old in these pictures. I just acquired the color photo from a nephew. I think this was taken near Manila de Bay. During our summer vacations, we used to visit Manila, stay in our place in Georgia Street, Malate, and from there, we kids used to walk to the Bay. We used to actually swim in the water; you can see people swimming in this photo. The water was pristine then. I learned how to float on my back for the first time in that Bay. I remember my brother holding me up as I lay on the water, and then he let go and I was surprised that I was still floating.

 

The second photo shows me playing the piano at a recital. Even though my mother was an accomplished pianist, she never taught us. It was a young man named Bokoy who gave us lessons. Papa used to drop us off at his home, in the Parian Old Cebu, if I recall right. I was not really good at it, nor was I interested, so I only remember one recital -- this one --- in which I played Skating on the Lake and Volga Boat Song. I can imagine my mother, who was playing piano from the time she was a child, listening to us and thinking, "Oh, dear, this is not for them."

 

The third photo shows me and my sister in our St. Theresa's College uniform. Our skirt was navy blue; our long-sleeved blouse was white. We had a blue ribbon and we should have had a badge (pin) in the middle of the bow. I don't know why we didn't have the badges on. We are posing in front of some of my mother's orchids. She had a collection that hung on a walkway arbor.

This is all for now. Stay tuned for more old photographs.

Read also

Old Photographs 1 - Baby Pictures of Cecilia Brainard

Old Photographs 2 - Cecilia Brainard "Happy Days by the Sea" 

Old Photographs 3 - Cecilia Brainard 5-6 years old

Old Photographs 4 - Cecilia Brainard 7 years old 

Tags: old photographs, old photos, vintage photos 

Yap-Sandiego Museum with Parian Brats!

Cecilia Brainard with Araceli Lorayes and descendants of early residents of the Parian in Old Cebu.

Cebu's 1730 Jesuit House - in October issue of Zee Quarterly.

CEBU’S 1730 JESUIT HOUSE
Cecilia Manguerra Brainard
First published in Zee Quarterly, October 2009 issue, copyright by Cecilia Brainard
The article has its own pictures and has been carefully edited; the pictures in this blog entry are mine; this blog entry may have some typos/mistakes.

I first learned about the eighteenth century Jesuit House in historic Cebu from Concepcion Briones’ book, Life in Old Parian. Intrigued by the history of the Jesuits, I also read The Jesuits in the Philippines 1581-1768 by H. de la Costa.
The Jesuits, also known as the Black Robes, came to the Manila in 1581. By 1595 they were in Cebu. The Jesuits went on to administer a free primary school teaching Spanish, Visayan, and Chinese students Christian doctrine, reading, writing, arthimetic, and deportment, grammar.

After 1605, the Jesuits appointed a Vice Provincial who acted as an overseer, a roving supervisor of missions, and who acted as a liaison among the mission stations and the provincial superior and civil government. The Vice Provincial had his own residence, and the 1730 Jesuit House, located between Zulueta and Binacayan, near Mabini, was such a house.

When the Jesuits were expelled from the Philippines in 1768, the 1730 Jesuit House ended up in the hands of others. In its 279 years of existence, the Jesuit House has been used for different purposes: it was the residence of the Vice Provincial of the Jesuits; it became the headquarters of the Japanese military during World War II; it was a private nightclub in the 1950s; it was used as a hospital by the Americans; and it was also the residence of the Alvarez family who sold the place to Nicanor Sy in the mid-1960s.

Sy converted the premises into the Ho Tong warehouse and for some forty years the Jesuit House took on the guise of a bodega. Sometime after the Sy family acquired the property, they placed an iron gate to protect the antique wood gate and three medallions above the gate with the emblems of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph; and so thankfully, the eighteenth buildings, gate, and coral wall are still there.

Three years ago, I dared enter the Ho Tong Hardware bodega and asked a woman if I could visit the Jesuit House. She graciously asked some workers to lead me to the middle of the enclosed compound where two adjoining buildings stood. I had to be careful not to trip over metal cables and piles of stuff stockpiled all around the buildings as well as within the buildings. The first building I encountered was smaller; it had stairs that led to a dark rectangular space, like a huge hallway, cluttered with more hardware stuff, but I could see huge antique foundation posts — huge tree trunks painted red. From this first structure I crossed a covered bridge to get to a larger building — still dark and cluttered but this building had a sign above a doorway that said, “1730.” In the darkness and clutter, and I realized that this was the sign that made this building the oldest recorded building in the entire Philippines. I was led through a huge room, like a sala, to the other end of this bigger building with wide wooden stairs that led to the ground floor. Briones had written that the original stairs had been removed by the Alvarez family and brought to Bohol. These then were the replacement stairs. But it was dark and difficult to catch details of the stairs and of the buildings. I would have to wait three years before I would see the Jesuit House again, this time with more light and without the warehouse clutter, and in fact this time the Jesuit House would be a museum.

Jimmy Sy, son of Nicanor Sy now the head of the Sy family decided sometime in June 2009 to turn the Jesuit House into a museum. How a businessman like Jimmy, who for most of his life had lived with the Jesuit House buried underneath the Ho Tong bodega, got the inspiration to turn the place into a museum is a story in itself. Jimmy attended Sacred Heart School and the Ateneo de Manila University – schools run by Jesuits. While he was in the Ateneo library, he pulled out a 1936 pictorial book by Father Repetti, a seismologist whose hobby was taking pictures of old religious structures in the Philippines. When Jimmy flipped the pages, he saw an image that looked familiar – it was the Jesuit House in the Ho Tong Hardware bodega. Jimmy made a copy of the picture and showed it to his father. His father filed it away and for the moment the story ended there, but in fact Jimmy kept that information in his head, information that very well could have been the seed of his decision to develop the Ho Tong bodega into the Jesuit House Museum. Looking forward to this retirement, Jimmy welcomed the idea of becoming the steward of this oldest documented building in the entire Philippines. He felt the urge to share the place with others.

I revisited the Jesuit House Museum in August 2009, and since it was only a two-three month project, the warehouse clutter was still around. Jimmy explained that he is still building a bodega and it will take time to develop the Jesuit House Museum. However, the two building structures have been cleared and are being spruced up. Jimmy has decorated some areas with antique furniture and oil lamps so that visitors can have an idea of what the Jesuit House looked almost three hundred years ago. I could now see that the first structure was a large covered azotea. A covered bridge connected this to the main building, which had been the house of the Jesuit Vice Provincial in the sixteenth century. Both structures had two stories, and I only visited the upper floor. The main structure, that is the actual residence of the Vice Provincial, has a large central room, with rooms surrounding this space. These rooms have not been developed and are closed to the public.

Jimmy has also decorated this large space with furniture, an altar, lamps. He has likewise fixed up the original entrance to the building from Binacayan road. Plants, antique angel wood carvings, antique oil lamps, and wrought iron grills on windows give one a good idea of how the place looked like in the past.

According to Jimmy and his conservation architect Anthony Abelgas research must first be done. They are working with Jesuit Father Rene Javellana who is providing them with the historical aspect. In fact, Father Javellana has already written about the Jesuit House and Jimmy generously provided me with a copy of Javellana’s 1987 article, “The Jesuit House of 1730” published in Philippine Studies.

Jimmy Sy sounds like a religious convert, brimming with fervor and enthusiasm, when he talks about the Jesuit House. In the bigger building, he explains that the first original door had faced Binacayan Street, the tiny winding street close to Colon Street. Once upon a time there had been a gate and stairs on the Binacayan side. Jimmy excitedly pointed at the wood planks on the floor, pointing out where another kind of wood had patched up stud-holes. He showed me a square space to the right of the main stairs where a painting must have hung. He pointed out ancient carved wood beams through ceiling holes and showed off windows in the first floor area underneath the azotea, wondering why windows should be in a now-enclosed space. He pointed out a cemented area near the stairs that he says was a burial spot.

And the best part was when this business man started talking about the spirits in the place. Apparently Jimmy had invited a Jesuit classmate who is psychic to the place. The man said he felt the presence of so many spirits in the place. A ritual was done to ask permission from the spirits to do work on the place. There are still bits and pieces of red offerings on top of the burial spot near the stairs.
Jimmy also talked about a local oral legend about a sacristan who murdered seven Jesuits. Feeling remorseful, he carved a Cross on the coral stone wall outside. Jimmy searched for the Cross and found it, on the Binacayan side, near an area of the wall that looked like it had been enclosed. There had once been a gateway there, but it had been sealed. A new gateway was transferred to where the current opening is.

News that the Jesuit House is now finally a museum is a source of great delight to historians, heritage-lovers, tourists, and media. The new Jesuit House Museum already has a steady stream of visitors: guests from Manila, America, Europe, Australia, Korea, Cebuanos themselves (some of whom had never even heard of the Jesuit House), and many more. The 1730 Jesuit House always had visitors, even when it was buried underneath the Ho Tong Hardware, but now, the public is clearly anxious to see the sixteenth century Jesuit House properly restored and offered for public view. It is after all one of the treasures of the Philippines.
###


Side Bar: The Jesuits in Cebu

It was the Jesuit superior, Antonio Sedeño himself who founded a house in Cebu on what is today M. J. Cuenco Avenue. Sedeño was a veteran missionary who like St. Ignatius had been in the military when he was young. He had gone to England as a page of the Duke of Feria when Mary Tudor was queen. On March 13, 1568, he sailed for Florida with a group of Jesuits headed by Juan Bautista de Segura. In 1572, Sedeño was the first Jesuit sent to Mexico, and it was while he was acting Rector of the college there that he was informed he was chosen as superior of the first Philippine Mission. Traveling with three companions, he sailed from Acapulco on the galleon San Martin on March 29 and arrived Manila in July. There Sedeño and his company learned Tagalog. After much hemming and hawing as to whether the Manila Jesuits would head the entire Far East or the Philippines, and as to what type of work they would actually do there, the King of Spain sent an order for the Jesuits to establish a Jesuit College where they would teach not only Spanish boys but also mestizos and sons of the ruling class.

Cebu, the site of the first Spanish settlement was not forgotten, and by June 30, 1595 Sedeño himself headed a small group composed of Alonso de Humanes, Mateo Sanchez, and a lay brother to sail to Cebu for the purpose of founding a Jesuit house there. The people received them warmly and donated 500 pesos, which the Jesuits used to buy a house near the beach. The city corporation donated adjacent land for a yard and garden. The trip to Cebu had been on an uncovered sailboat, exposing the Jesuit passengers to the stormy weather for three weeks. Sedeño became ill and passed away in Cebu on September 2, 1595. They buried him in the domestic chapel on the ground floor of their first house, but three years later, Father Pedro Chirino transferred Sedeño’s remains to the new Jesuit church.
 ~~~

Read also
Life in Parian Now
Cebu's 1730 Jesuit House 
The Secret Hall of Angels 
A Story of Hope
Finding Jose Rizal in Cebu
Lola Remedios and her Sayas
Lunch with F. Sionil Jose
~~
tags: Cebu, Philippines, history, Jesuits, 1730 Jesuit House, Sugbo, Spanish Colonial, religious

PICTURES - 1730 JESUIT HOUSE IN HISTORIC CEBU

Here are some pictures of Cebu's 1730 Jesuit House. Owners Jimmy and Margarita Sy have now turned this historic place into a museum. The 1730 Jesuit House is located in the Parian, Cebu City, on Zulueta Street near Mabini. The Jesuit House may be the oldest documented house in the Philippines and is an important historic site.

CLEAN UP RIVERS, CREEKS, CANALS IN OLD CEBU!

The recent January Sinulog festival in Cebu City drew approximately a million people. That's a lot of people. There were quite a lot of foreigners - Europeans, Americans, balikbayans. The city was packed with people.

Anyway, one day during the Sinulog week, I walked down Logarta Street in Historic Cebu, and I saw a foreigner, a young man, gawking at the creek or canal under the historic bridge there. I forget the historic designation of this particular bridge, but there is a plaque beside it that Mayor Tommy Osmena put up a number of years ago.

To my great embarrassment, this foreign young man looked with horror at the filth in the canal; and indeed it was dirty. It had every bit of imaginable filth in there - plastic, paper, dead things, no doubt excrement from the slum houses that jut out over the canals. Really, I was filled with such shame. I have been very enthusiastic about the gentrifying of historic Old Cebu, and have lauded the efforts of the Aboitizes with their work in Casa Gorordo Museum and RAFI, and the tireless enthusiasm and creativity of Val Sandiego; and the Cathedral Museum people are also doing their share. In fact the Cathedral is sprucing up the church, sidewalks, and lot in front of the church. There is so much improvement going on, and I've been so proud of it, but my stomach churned when I saw the expression of disgust on this foreigner's face, and frankly the canal was repulsive. You could have caught every disease on earth if you fell in it. Such filth near human beings is not sanitary. Even animals know to defecate and urinate far away from where they sleep. I've heard of cases of dengue in Cebu - haven't people considered that dirty places such as these rivers and canals just may be responsible?

I mentioned Cebu's dirty rivers, creeks, and canals to some people. The answer I got was that the dirt is coming from higher areas, not just from the downtown Cebu. I'm not sure about this, because I can see that the rickety houses with makeshift rooms hanging over the creeks are probably using these creeks as their toilets. They do not think twice about throwing garbage into these creeks, or on the streets for that matter.

Cebu officials ought to do something about this problem. It's one thing to be poor, another to be dirty. One can be poor and clean. It is inexcusable, unpardonable to be dirty. In fact it is unsanitary to the point of risking the lives of children when such filth is right under people's noses. Germs live there; germs cause diseases.

For starters, is it not possible for someone to rake the floating debris off the water? Even that effort could make the creeks look 80% better. If Cebu has street sweepers, how about canal cleaners?

And if the debris is coming from higher areas, can't the people who live there, as well as those who live downtown, be educated about cleaning our rivers and creeks?

In 2000, Manila decided to clean up the equally filthy Pasig River. I remember that the Pasig River used to be so dirty, no fish lived in it. It was covered with plant life, which meant the river itself was dead. Well, Manila got a financial assistance package of $176 million, approved by the Asian Development Bank. I can say that the program definitely worked. I have taken the ferry down the Pasig and have seen fish in the Pasig. The river is for the most part sparkling clean. There are slogans painted on walls, constant reminders that the river is our life. Click here to read about the clean-up program of Pasig.

I say that if the Pasig River could be cleaned up, the rivers and creeks of Cebu can also be cleaned up. But we need government involvement, and we need public participation. We need education, a heightened consciousness that there is a problem, and that each one can do something to solve the problem.

I understand there is now a cleanup program for the Guadalupe River (click here to read article City Uses Korean model for river rescue plan); why don't we extend that cleanup program to include the downtown creeks? If Korea cleaned up their river in three years and turned it into a major attraction for locals and tourists, so can Cebu.

Water is vital to life. I hope that the people of Cebu, whether they be in the government or private sector pay attention to this problem. Maybe City officials who are now starting to see the tourist potential of Historic Cebu can do something to clean up our rivers, creeks, and canals. It's not just about tourism; it's basic hygiene. These rivers, creeks, canals are serious health hazards. Imagine where the water from these rivers, creeks canals go - straight to the sea; imagine fish and other living things in that sea bombarded by all that filth; imagine our fishermen catching fish from that sea; imagine that same fish on your dining table. It's just all a cycle.

I'm posting some clean canals in other places: Bangkok, Amsterdam,Venice, Norway, and yes the Pasig. They are clean, they are tourist spots. If they can have clean rivers and creeks, so can Cebu.










For more information, read below:
MMDA Plans to Clean-up and Rehabilitate Metro Manila's Rivers
President Orders Pasig River Rehab
How to Organize a River Cleanup

The Freeman published this article in their Opinion Section - here

Zee Quarterly & my article on Parian

This was also a google alert. It mistakenly says I come from San Francisco instead of Santa Monica.

Zee Lifestyle on luxury living
Updated November 23, 2008 12:00 AM

Zee Lifestyle Cebu, the only glossy magazine outside Metro Manila, dedicates its November issue to luxury. What better way to send off 2008 than with an issue that celebrates all the best that life has to offer?

This year, Zee Lifestyle’s luxury issue has an all-white theme. There are stories on white truffles, vintage champagne, white catamarans, and white jewelry. Also in the November pages are features on the old world luxury of the Parian, Cebu’s premier address of yore, by San Francisco-based writer and part-time resident of the area Cecilia Brainard; the minimally decadent appointments in the newly-opened rooms of Abaca Boutique Resort; and the relative luxury offered by the call center industry photographed at architect Alex Medalle’s supremely modern Blue Blade Call Center. This issue’s home feature is also indicative of luxury. See how an ‘80s-era house was revamped to cater to a family’s dynamic, contemporary lifestyle, channeling the owner’s European roots mixed with island style. Cebu power couple Joanna and Michael Lhuillier grace the cover, epitomizing luxury that is elegantly laidback.

Grab your copy of Zee Lifestyle’s November Luxury Issue at National Bookstore, Powerbooks and Fully Booked branches.

More on Old Cebu - from Louie Nacorda

MORE OLD CEBU DEVELOPMENTS:

I just got this email from Louie Nacorda:

Yes, a lot of cultural movements are happening in Old Cebu, one of which is
the gradual revival of the grand feast of the Immaculate Conception in the
Metropolitan Cathedral, of which I am the Official Chamberlain to Our Lady
(read: Grand Financier for yearly new vestments; fresh flowers for 9 days;
flowers and lighting for all 4 carrozas; band and drum and bugle
arrangement and provisions; order of the procession; banderitas in the
patio; fireworks before during and after the procession; various school
invitations and press releases), officially appointed by the Cardinal since
2001. I am neither complaining nor bragging for I truly enjoy being in Her
Majesty's service. I am just too happy and honored to serve in the
Cathedral and share with Our Lady's devotees the abundance of blessings I
receive yearly from Her Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Ave Maria!
~~~
I believe Louie is also one of those honored to dress and care for the beloved Santo Nino Child Jesus statue of Cebu.

(Photo was taken at last year's Parian fiesta honoring St. John the Baptist. L-R: Guest, Cecilia, Louie, Pepit Revilles, Chinggay Utzurrum)

OCTOBER EVENT IN PARIAN, OLD CEBU, PHILIPPINES

While I was in Ireland, I received this from my sister-in-law, Terry Escano Manguerra. She is talking about more development in Old Cebu - the Parian. Exciting news. The gentrification of this area has been faster than we anticipated.

"Last night was a wonderful experience with Val Sandiego's (dance) group called Taytayan. We started with a painting exhibit in the Cathedral Museum. The paintings were all churches painted by Tony Alcoseba and they were all in water color which is very hard to do. Then we went on to Val's house and had dinner and the show right on the street in front of the house. Its a good thing that the weather cooperated. Cardinal Vidal and Ace Durano, the tourism secretary were present the whole time. Although the program had a few kinks, as Val said they were not able to rehearse all together, still it was quite spectacular. I'm sure it will be better next time... I did not see L___ there although he said he would, but there were so many people so he must have been part of the crowd.

"I think we will be getting our wish of having a walking area in Parian, sooner than we think with the presence of government officials yesterday.

"Also I have some good news for you. Do you remember Odette Jereza the lady who brought us around the Rizal Museum? She has been tasked by the City to (do) research on the Cebu Beauty Queens and maybe to revive the tradition. I told her to go to your website to seem Mama's picture and she is very inspired. She loved her clothes and even her throne and I think will use your pictures as a way of inspiring our officials to revive the carnival and the Cebu Queens. She is hoping to do something on Jan. 17 and hopes we will be present for whatever plans they will be having. I said yes and that you will be around. Also there are now moves to do something about the Old Carreta cementery as suddenly some people are coming in to study the place. Jobers Bersales, who is the curator of the Old Provincial Jail Museum visited the place and he hopes that something can be done. I will be encouraging him to try his best to encourage Gwen and maybe our church officials to make some moves as soon as possible. That will be like making Parian and the port area the center of old Cebu."

Dinner in Zulueta, Historic Old Cebu, Philippines

There is a small group of die-hard lovers of Old Cebu whom I socialize with when I am Cebu. We will sometimes have dinner in my Zulueta place. It is really quite a fun group that usually ends up talking about Cebuano history, culture. What I love most of all is their passion about wanting to revitalize historic Old Cebu. July 13, we had such a potluck dinner, Cebuano food, was the theme.
Our guests that evening were Dr. and Mrs. Michael Cullinane, assistant director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, who is currently in Cebu on a Fulbright Senior Research Fellowship. Honorable Arsenio Pacana also graced the group with his presence.
The group photo shows seated l-r: Melva Rodriguez Java, Louella Alix, Louie Nacorda, Margarite Cullinane, standing l-r: Cecilia, Terry Manguerra, Gavin Bagares, Toti Villalon, Councilor Pacana,Joy Gerra, and Michael Cullinane. (Val and Booging Sandiego were supposed to be there but got hung up with an event in their heritage Yap-Sandiego house).
The photo of three shows l-r: The Cullinanes and Toti Villalon.

The food picture shows Louie Nacorda's delicious Balbacua Cebuana


Here's Louie's recipe for the Balbacua Cebuana and note proposing a Spanish themed food the next time we do a Zulueta dinner:
~~~~
From Louie Nacorda:
The pleasure is mine in sharing my mother's recipe of Balbacua
Cebuana. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
2kgs ox tail, cut in serving size
1 kg beef kinche, cut in serving size (I don't know what this is called in
English but its on the leg part, used also for pochero)
1/4 kg raw peanuts, shelled and peeled
1 can black salted beans
2 red onion bulbs, peeled and quartered
1 pc fresh duwaw, about 3"long, half inch in diameter (turmeric? Im not
sure of its English name)
2 tablespoon annato oil

Procedure:
Boil ox tail in salt and water for 15mins, then drain;
Boil ox tail again in water and duwaw for about 2-3 hours, or until
semi-tender;
Add beef kinche and raw peanuts, continue boiling over slow fire for
another 2-3 hours;
When tail and kinche are almost tender, add the quartered onions, salted
black beans (rinsed once in running water, and quick) and annato oil;
Cook for another 30mins-1 hr.;
Serve with hot steamed rice. Perfect combination is dry pork adobo, or
Ilocano bagnet (boiled in Rufina patis) or bocaue lechon kawali.

Got to check my flicker url for your easy access but I guess when you go
internet explorer and type "Louie Nacorda", it will come out along with the
other cyberspace entries about me.

I did enjoy very much our get-together last night and yes, please, let's do
it again when you get back and have Spanish-themed food. I can hardly wait
to taste Chona's Galantina and Jamonada, and Louella's Pastel de Lengua. No
Paella please as it is a complete dish by itself and must be eaten alone. I
can do Beef Pochero and a mean Leche Flan (that will hold a spoon standing
when you stab into it. More like tocino del cielo actually, but I still
call it Leche Flan because of the heavy syrup and caramelized topping)

Terry, I will try your chicken TIMKEE one of these days, but I will add
duwaw, black mushroom and glass noodles to your Shiao Shing Chinese Wine
and water, and perhaps, a spoon or two of White Horse Chinese Soya Sauce,
because I remember my mom's recipe of it had some black mushroom and
sotanghon on it, and it was rather brownish. Thanks! I just hope I could
buy dressed culled chicken, as I find the butchering and the dressing part
rather tedious and messy.

See you guys again in the near future.
Louie

Read also:
Cooking with Cecilia Brainard - Quiche
Cooking with Cecilia Brainard - Linguine with Clams
Cooking Lengua Estofada
Food Essay - Fried Chicken Caribbean-style
How I Learned to Make Leche Flan (or How I Met my Husband)
Cooking with Cecilia - Leche Flan (Vietnamese Style)
Recipe of Balbacua Cebuana from Louie Nacorda 
Easy Filipino Recipes from Maryknollers 
Cooking with Cecilia - Beef Bourguignon
Cooking with Cecilia - Chicken Soup for my Bad Cold 
~~~
Links:
Cathedral Museum- Where Louella Alix and Terry Manguerra work
Casa Gorordo Museum where Joy Gerra works
Yap Sandiego Heritage House owned by Val and Booging Sandiego
Dr. Michael Cullinane - Fullbright Scholar, more information
Dr. Augusto Villalon, more information
Honorable Councilor Arsenio Pacana

Top Photo l-r

Antonio Pigafetta Statue in Cebu, Philippines

Ciao Cecilia,

I really enjoyed your very informative piece on Ferdinand Magellan, and very much appreciate the photos you took for me of the statue of Antonio Pigafetta in Cebu. Italians everywhere should honored that such a tribute is in the Philippines. However there is a lot of Italian culture that goes unrecognized in that part of the world. Much of it within the Catholic church, and the other is the many Italian surnames, including my own, throughout the Philippines.

If you come to Boston, let me know and I'll treat you to a cappuccino in the North End of Boston.

We seem to be on the same mission, which is to preserve our cultures, and maintain our links to our original countries. America is a great place, but the culture that it offers is for the most part contrived and amalgamated at best - to be engaged with caution. As I mentioned, my daughter grew up on the island of Guam, is part Chamorro but now lives in Italy. She feels quite attached to both cultures.

The real richness of America is the original authenticity of the individual cultures of its immigrants. One can observe such a contrast between the totally contrived Olive Garden at the mall or a small Italian family restaurant in Boston's little Italy.

I greatly admire the culture of the Philippines, and the intellect, determination, dignity, and genuine good nature of its people. I love the food, and have always felt comfortable and welcome in Philippino circles. Also a Spanish dominion, which endured wars and occupations... and liberations; I see many parallels between the Philippines and Southern Italy. And of course there is the Catholic Church.

You're works are quite impressive and it would be interesting to hear your impressions on the importance of maintaining your cultural links. I have been thinking of doing a multicultural piece with just that focus, from different ethnic writers.

Lets keep in touch.

Grazie di nuovo e Maraming salamat po,


Philip Celeste
Publisher
The Italian-American Magazine
Italo Publishing
48 N. Bennet Street
Boston, MA 02113
781-485-5711
www.theitalianamerican.com

Photo shows statue of Antonio Pigafetta near Fort San Pedro, Cebu City

Fiesta in Parian, Cebu, Philippines

The Fiesta celebration of the Parian District in Old Cebu, Philippines came to pass, without rain and with old world touches. First the tridium (3 day) pre-Fiesta prayers were held at the Casa Gorordo, and attended by members of the Cofradia of St. John the Baptist. There was one evening when the rain fell and the wind blew, but it quickly passed.

The actual fiesta day was yesterday, June 24. Members of the Cofradia met in Casa Gorordo at 5 p.m. Each one was assigned to carry a standard with a painting of one aspect of St. John's life. Visiting scholar from the University of Wisconsin, Michael Cullinane carried a standard as well. There were three antique carrosas: one carrying statues of the Holy Family, the second carrying two statues of the young John and Jesus, and the third carrying the antique statues of John baptizing Christ, with an angel by the side. The carrosas (carriages) were decorated with fresh flowers and pulled by men. The lineup then was: Holy Family carrosa, some standard bearers, Young John and Jesus, some standard bearers, adult John and Jesus, followed by candle-bearing devotees who trailed behind.

There was a 5:30 Mass in the Parian chapel. It was concelebrated by four priests from the Cathedral, including Msg. Alesna who now heads the Cathedral. After the Mass, the procession started. It wound around the small district. The highlight of the procession, was when the carrosas passed by Casa Gorordo. Following old tradition, each carrosas stopped in front of the window facing the street. Below there were seranaders who sang religious songs, accompanied by guitarists; and above, viewers threw down flower petals onto the carrosas.

It was also quite nice to "process" in front of the Yap-Sandiego antique house. The house was dolled up, with dining tables and above, guests of Val and Booging watched the procession.

There is another section in the Parian where people decorate the street with banana trees and fireworks and they watch from the balcony.

After the procession, the carrosas, and banners were returned to the side of the Casa Gorordo for storage. There was an induction of the 3 new Cofradia members: Teresita Manguerra, Chona Bernad, and me. There was dinner in the lovely garden of the Casa Gorordo, simply stunning that balmy star-studded night.

For entertainment, there was singing and dancing provided by the Sandiego Troupe. It was delightful to see the Franco sisters, Marilou Chiongbian, and many others in Filipiniana attire. Seen among the guests: Resil Mojares, Linda Alburo, Chinggay Utzurrum, Inday Blanco, Erma Cuizon, Jaime Picornell, Beth Reyes, and the Manguerra kids and grandkids were also there.

Cofradia members Louie Nacorda, Pepit Gorordo Revilles, Joy Gerra, Gavin Bagares,Cheding Hermosa, Margie Mattheus were flitting about talking to city officials, their Manila, US guests, and others.

And down the street, Val and Booging Sandiego hosted their first fiesta celebration in the antique house. We visited the house, talked to Val's mother, Luz Mancao Sandiego (a friend of a Cuenco-aunt) and admired the recent developments in this beautiful treasure of a house. The downstairs has now been opened up; they discovered a window and a door, that leads to nowhere now, but it's fun to speculate that it once led to a garden. The ancient well still has fresh water! The Yap-Sandiego is such a magical place, I highly recommend it as a must-see if you are in Cebu.

For more pictures of the Fiesta, click here, Louie Nacorda's flicker site.

All for now,
Cecilia

(top photo: Cecilia Brainard, photo by Louie Nacorda;
next photo l-r: Chona Bernad, Terry Manguerra, Loy Alix, Cecilia Brainard, Marilou Chiongbian
Other photo shows Casa Gorordo with guests throwing flowers)

Philadelphia and Map of Old Cebu

Lauren and I arrived Philadelphia yesterday and toured today: Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and American Constitution were signed, Constitution Hall, Christ Church where Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Betsy Ross, John Adams, Francis Hopkinson and others worshipped; cemetery of Christ Church where Benjamin Franklin and other signers of the Declaration are buried; Betsy Ross house, Benjamin Franklin's house, etc. The history is fascinating of course, but what hit me most of all is the fact that the Constitution is not a done-deal; it is a living document. It took a while before African Americans actually got their freedom, it took a while before women could vote; there is a need for constant vigilance about freedom.


This is my first visit to Phillie and didn't know what to expect. I thought maybe it would look like Boston, but it's different. The old section is gentrifying, and many of the old brick buildings are still intact. We also drove around the downtown section, saw the high rises, and the museums. Phillie is not without charm, at least the old section. It is clearly gentrifying, and even with the restored colonial buildings and the art galleries, restaurants, and hotels, there are still some seedy sections. But it feels safe to walk around even at night, and it feels as if it will develop even more.
On another topic, here is a map of Old Cebu, known as Escondrilla's map, dated 1873, courtesy of Melva Java and Louie Nacorda. Another Cebu trivia: Sangcianko street used to be Vasco de Gama, info courtesy of Resil Mojares and Louie Nacorda.

OLD CEBU TRIVIA

Louie Nacorda sent in this Old Cebu Trivia about Zulueta Street in Old Cebu:

"Anyway, I found some Old Cebu trivia that could be of interest to us:
Zulueta's old name was Calle Pizzaro;
Mabini was Calle Maria Cristina;
Logarta was Calle Cadiz;
Lopez Jaena was Calle Hernan Cortes,
and the whole area was under Pueblo de Parian.

These info compliments of Don Domingo de Escondrillas, Cebu cartographer,
circa 1873."