Poetry, "World's Fair, St. Louis, 1904"

The poems we discussed were interesting as they echoed some of the themes and discussion we’ve had so far and consequently are intertwined into the experiences of all Filipino Americans, like myself. The poetic techniques helped emphasize and elaborate on the Filipino American experience, as identified by the poets.

Jaimie Jacinto, a Philippine born poet, was raised in the Richmond District of San Francisco. Identifying with both cultures he appears to have a curiosity on how the two have come together, a notion that he explores in his poem, “World’s Fair, St. Louis, 1904”. The poem plays on the irony in the American desire to civilize the “savage”. With seemingly good intentions the American persona becomes desensitized to their treatment of the Filipino, blurring the line between accommodation and exploitation. Presenting varying perspectives, the poem sets the divide between the experiences at the World’s Fair. Stylistically, the poem creates a very personal view, as the reader is able to identify with the sense of self, established in the second stanza. Overall it reveals the power struggle between a reigning world power and a still developing nation.

The other poems explored various themes in the Fil-Am experience, including the plight of the Philippine oversees worker, the cultural obsession with branding, betrayal, and foreign aggression. All seem to present an illusion of American glamour and opportunity, only to negate the experience with harsh realities of exploitation and mistreatment. Understanding theses stories of struggle, I question whether or not those who did immigrate to the states, such as my family, truly found what it was they were looking for in America, or if it fell short of their expectations. Personally I see the move as successful as my parents and extended family were able to establish themselves in a new country, start their own businesses and live relatively comfortable lives. This obviously isn’t everyone’s story and perhaps the generation of my parents still feels as if they had to compromise more than they initially set out to. Hearing other Fil-Am experiences in these poems definitely made me question why my family relocated and how they feel about the world and life they left behind. Additionally I feel as if I’ve been made more aware of that cultural gap and disconnect between the two worlds that seemed to have always meshed well in my life. This realization has become a growing interest of mine, and definitely something I want to further explore, both in and outside of any creative work I do.

Nara Denning, "Madalien the Small"

Nara Denning’s Madalien the Small was a very interesting take on an individual’s experience of coming to terms with a sense of identity and belonging. Personally, I really enjoyed hearing Denning’s descriptions of her influences in addition to her discussion of artistic process. I was really taken by her sense of community in the mission district, which truly speaks to that aspect of the arts that we’ve discussed as being an ideal situation for reflecting on cultural experiences.

As Madalien discovers this new world, in the film, she seems to lose track of herself, trying to assimilate to the “wild” ways of her new community. The realities of the world harden her and force her to realize and value certain aspects of her past and the world she once belonged to. And as she appears to long for familiarity, she finds a guide and hope in the moon, which ultimately draws her away from her insecurity and suffering. Her sense of disconnect regarding the morals, values, and actions of the characters around her parallel some of the feelings of immigrants who may feel forced to blend into their new surroundings. Some of the other themes she used included an awareness of “the other”, a living of “the dream”, and a sense of self-loss in relation to another.

The surrealistic tone is set by dream sequences and psychological charges, with dark undertones of manipulation, exploitation, and longing. The mood is set by instrumental music with minimal information provided by the changing title cards. This seemed effective in that it made you think more about what Denning was trying to portray and forced you to piece together some of the loosely presented topics. The focus on symbolism rather than the more common realistic approach gives the story more depth, engaging the viewer to question and analyze rather than just accept what is seen. Overall I enjoyed the film for its unique nature and for Denning’s timeless yet somewhat vintage aesthetic.

Bontoc Eulogy, Marlon Fuentes

Bontoc Eulogy is a narrative that explores the Filipino movement to the west, focusing on the fairly exploitative nature of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, which placed native Filipino tribes and urbanized citizens on display in the name of education and knowledge. Juxtaposing images of the past with that of the modern Fil-Am, Fuentes uses Bontoc Eulogy to make a statement regarding Philippine identity in America under the mask of a “family history”. The film seems to question the ability to maintain ties to a native culture while beyond its specified borders.

While the narrator sets up his story, we witness how time and distance have faded his memories of his former home, and his ability to identify more and more with American culture, which happens to be the world of his children. It is this insecurity and inability to define identity, which often forces Filipino Americans to realize the existence of “the other” which inevitably separates “us” from “them”. But as Fuentes attempts to reconnect with his past he begins to question whether or not it is a past he wants to remember, as it is riddled with tragedy, desire, and loss, putting this cultural investigation under a somewhat somber light.

Speaking of the two sides his family, Fuentes develops a sense duality and explores the cultural tales that define the larger narrative of Philippine history. One is a glorious story of war and freedom fighters, the other one of curiosity and exploitation. The story of Markod, is one of mystery, open for interpretation and representative of the cultural loss felt by many who leave their native country. And secondly there is the tension between the worlds of the “primitive” and “civilized” as he touches on the disconnect between the native ways of the Filipinos and that of their American hosts, hinting at the familial and civic bond between the communities on exhibit. The film appears to asks us to examine our definition of “home” as we deal with a complexity of history and cultural identity.

Overall, the film is thought provoking, creating a realistic grounding in present day, while delving into mysteries of the past. Technically, I believe the repetitious patterning of imagery often pushed me to analyze and rethink themes in the story and better connect the individual pieces of the bigger story.

Dino Ignacio and Rex Navarette: Maritess vs the Superfriends

Rex's type of comedy seems to echo what many of us have witnessed in our communities, as Americans who identify with Filipino roots. He himself although born in the Philippines was raised in America, giving him a somewhat skewed sense of identity, unique to those who identify as Filipino-American. I often find myself in a similar situation being born in the US to a family from the Philippines.

In “Maritess and the Superfriends” he acknowledges the plight of the overseas worker, which touches on the idea of the Filipino Diaspora and also the fact that one of the biggest exports from the Philippines happens to be its labor force. Inevitably, I believe that this often gets people to better understand the cultural traditions and mindsets of the Filipino American. Because, in my experience, those who are on the outside of this tradition often believe that latching American on to Filipino in someway diminishes our ties to our family history and legacy. More specifically, I believe that at the heart of this piece is Rex’s ability to address the familial bond and sense of duty that is inherent to our cultural upbringing (in "Maritess'" reference to sending money back to her family). He brings this reality to life through comedy and thus makes the at times controversial and somewhat stereotypical topic easier to talk about while building social connections with those who have similar experiences.

Additionally, Dino utilizes new media, in Flash, to not only create a visual representation but also produce something that is reflective of how he relates to the topic of the Philippine laborer. In doing so he adds another layer of discussion to Rex’s dialogue, and in a way helps create answers to the question of “what is the Fil am experience?”