A Locational Feminist Reading of Filipina American Fiction by Ma. Elena L. Paulima

 

Many thanks to Dr. Erlinda Alburo for calling my attention to this academic paper about Filipino American fiction published in KINAADMAN Vol, XL, 2018 (A Jounral of Southern Philippines, published by Xavier University).  The study includes discussions of stories from books I edited, including Fiction by Filipinos in America, and Growing Up Filipino 2. 

Dr. Ma. Elena L. Paulma looks at the works of Amelia Bueno, Lesliann Hobayan, Rashaan Meneses, Julia Palarca, Veronica Montes, Evelina Galang, Leny Stroble, and other Filipino American authors and academics. 

Thanks to Dr. Ma. Elena L. Paulma and Kinaadman for this study. 

Source: Kinaadman Vol XL, 2018,  All rights reserved

ARTICLES

A Locational Feminist Reading of

Filipina-American Fiction: A Non-Fiction

Ma Elena L Paulma

Abstract

This paper tackles the concept of epistemic violence described by Michel Focault and Gayatri Spivak as the erasure of cultures, languages and identities. Taking into consideration several voices, to wit: those of feminist literary theorists, characters from selected Filipina-American fiction, voices of Filipina-Americans whom the writer has had conversations with in America, the creative non-fiction voice of the writer and the writer’s own voice in weaving together this collective experience, this paper elucidates that the search for “home” is the context for the international diaspora of Filipinos. Interlacing critical analysis with creative non-fiction, the paper outlines the creation of the reterritorialized “third space.” By applying Susan Friedman’s five locational tropic patterns, namely: the metaphorics of “glocation”, migration, nation, borders and conjuncture, the paper examines seven selected short stories written by Filipina-Americans, all focusing on Filipina-American characters. The paper shows that Filipina-Americans experience a continuing sense of marginalization as they are neither entirely included in, nor completely excluded from, the American landscape.

UBEC: CEBU REIMAGINED Talk by Cecilia Brainard, Cebuano Studies Center & YOUTUBE

 Cecilia Brainard's Talk: UBEC: CEBU REIMAGINED (Feb. 19, 2022) is streaming in the FB site of the Cebuano Studies Center:

https://fb.watch/bjCduHleD6/

Cecilia Brainard's Talk can also be viewed on YouTube:

The complete 1 hour 41 minute program with Introductions, talk, and Open Forum can be viewed here:   

https://youtu.be/MN0wzeF_j9I

>>>>

Following is the transcript of her talk. 

 UBEC: CEBU REIMAGINED

Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

Copyright 2022 by Cecilia M. Brainard

Author Cecilia Brainard Talk University of Santo Tomas CCWLS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Y0aSYxs3Q

Filipino FilAm Author Cecilia Manguerra Brainard gives a talk for the University of Santo Tomas Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies. This is part of their UST International Writers and Scholars Series.

This same video can be viewed in the Facebook site of UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies:

https://fb.watch/9ZIg1qMcNg/

Following is the transcript of Cecilia's talk:

Celebrating Writing and My Selected Short Stories

For the International Authors Series of UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies

by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, copyright by Cecilia Brainard

Interview of Cecilia Brainard by 95.9 Star FM Bacolod

 

INTERVIEW OF CECILIA MANGUERRA BRAINARD by DJ Billie of 95.0 Star FM Bacolod about Life in the US during Coronavirus Here's the interview:

Interview by Ve Ann Joy D. Lumangyao,.LPT (DJ Billie)
Disc Jockey
95.9 Star FM Bacolod
starfm_bacolod@bomboradyo.info

707-2836 I 441-1670; 09957924803

1. Greetings:  I am Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, writer -- please see my site for bio:  ceciliabrainard.com

2.Kamusta ang buhay niyo dyan sa America?

 

 

As of August 21, 2020, here in California, we no longer have a lockdown and the economy is opening up. California is not doing well; as of today there are 227,346 confirmed Covid19 cases in Los Angeles, with 5,446 deaths. In my city, Santa Monica, it is mandatory to wear masks once you are outside your house. Only outdoor restaurant dining is allowed and so you see parking lots of restaurants converted for outdoor eating.

Takuya Matsuda Interviews Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

Interview of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard by Takuya Matsuda

Focusing on her novel, When the Rainbow Goddess Wept

Takuya Matsuda is a PhD Candidate, Teaching Fellow

at the English Department of the University of North Texas

This Interview was done in March 2020 by email



TM (Takuya Matsuda): My name is Tak Matsuda, and I’m a PhD candidate in English at the University of North Texas. I’m from Japan and working on my dissertation that discusses ethnic American writers’ literary writings on the Second World War in the Pacific. I read your novel, When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, and was impressed with your portrait of the war and the history of the Philippines in the novel.

I’m writing this because I felt curious that you seemed to use the term of “Filipinos in America,” instead of “Filipino/a Americans,” in several occasions. In one interview, you said, “Many are still bickering about who the true Filipino American is. At some point, some said only those born in the US were the real Filipino Americans. Of course the immigrants ignore this definition.” I wonder if, when you said this, you had in mind the history of US colonization of the Philippines and the post-WWII neocolonial presence of the US in the Philippines. I think that many other Asian immigrants and their descents in the US, say Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans, accept the terms of "Chinese/Japanese/Korean Americans,” as categories determined by nationality. But this is so perhaps because their experience is very different from Filipinos’/as’ experience both at home and in the US.

I would be tremendously grateful if you could elaborate on your remark in the above interview. Again, thank you for writing the great WWII novel.

Rappler Interview of Novelist Cecilia Brainard

 L-r: Rappler's Lilibeth Frondoso, Cecilia Brainard, Rappler's Miriam Grace Go

Rappler's Miriam Grace Go and Lilibeth Frondoso arranged two interview of me for their live show as well as podcast.  Thank you Gigi and Beth!

Here's the link to the Rappler Interview of Author and Novelist Cecilia Brainard:

https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/234863-interview-author-cecilia-manguerra-brainard-writing-about-two-homes