 ThinkTek Hawaii, civil engagement lives here. Aloha and mabuhay. My name is Emi Koliado Ortega Anderson, and I want to welcome you to another episode of Pinoy Power Hawaii. First, I'd like to thank the wonderful staff of ThinkTek Hawaii for allowing us the opportunity to be here on a weekly basis to share with you topics and concerns about Filipinos in Hawaii. I want to thank my guest today, the founding member of Gumil Oahu, also president of the Kaleiab Association of Hawaii, also a wonderful member of the umbrella organization of Filipinos in Hawaii, UFCH, United Filipino Council of Hawaii, as well as Oahu Filipino Community Council, and many other organizations that she volunteers, and that's a good job. Without further ado, I'd like to introduce my host, Gladys Mae Manor. Welcome, Ati Gladys. Hi, good morning. Thank you, Emi, for inviting me here. First and foremost, I would like to greet everyone who's listening right now. Good Aloha and good morning. Good morning to all of you. This morning, I have a program actually at the KPRP every Sunday, and the title of my program is Ngayatikanawidan Kenkultura Kasametanti Historia and Literatura Ilocana, or The Beauty and Splendor of Our Cultural Heritage History and Literature, every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. By the way, I am Gladys Mae Manor, was born and raised in Barangay 37, Kaleiab, Lawag City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. I came to Hawaii in 1971, and that was, I was only 17 years old. Wow. Of course. Yes. I experienced different, the environment, I mean, where we came from, Emi, of course, it's old-fashioned. So I attended one year at Farrington High School and then at Kennan's Business College at that time. Now, it's healed, I think, yeah. I took business management for, after a while, I work in an office and then work at the airport after that, well, life is not easy. So I had to take that caregiving course, so I'm a full-time caregiver also. Wow. So wonderful to hear, I take Gladys. You come all around and have served in so many different capacities and also helping us fulfill our mission. We aim to enrich, enlighten, educate, entertain. And the big word for us is to empower. And today we're going to do just that, to empower those that are involved, not only in our Filipino community, but our Hawaii in helping make Hawaii a better place to live. But our mission doesn't stop there. We also go back to the Philippines and other parts of the world where Filipinos are concentrated. And this is why the desire to want to preserve and share our Filipino culture is alive and well. And this is where Atte Gladys menorah's expertise comes into play. I know that a lot of your shows with Gumil O'ahuate involves sharing our culture, our traits, our belief. Quickly go over some of those and how you try to relive it by sharing our Filipino culture through your activities with Gumil O'ahuate. Yes, Amy. Thank you again for asking that. Yes, Gumil O'ahu means Gunglu, the Giti Ilocano Manorat Iti O'ahu, or group of Ilocano Writers' Associations here on O'ahu. It was organized in 1996. So next month we will be celebrating our 22nd year of existence. We will have a literary workshop for those who wanted to come and learn how to start to write anything in English and Ilocco, except Tagalog, because they have their own also. Your focus is on Ilocano culture. Yes, Ilocano culture. So now, since we started this Gumil, we host an international conference. We invited members or chapters all over the world. We are the only chapter that did this. We already did five times. So two on my administration and one from the rest from the other president. And so it's an honor that we could host a big one like that outside the Philippines, because Gumil Philippines is our umbrella organization. So they have a national convention every year also that we participate. But then here in O'ahu, since I became a president in 2001, we used to help the University of Hawaii students taking up Ilocano language. Because here in Hawaii, we're the only state or university in the whole world that offer a degree in Ilocco. Wow. Yes. Way, way back, we went to Laby so that it will become also a degree like Tagalog, because Tagalog is Filipino because it's our national language. So we helped from 2002 to 2007 through the professor, the leadership of Manang Preci Espirito. Now she retired, so we retired there also. But then we continue on doing this. Live shows, Saraswela, which is like an opera in English. Live drama, which consists of Bukanegan, which is poetic just in English or Balactasan in Tagalog. Kinantaran or folk dances, Daniel poetry, and of course singing our Iloco folk songs. Yes. So wonderful to hear your efforts in preserving our culture, the things that we've grown up with to love. And I know for myself that I'd like to see more young people, the youth, our children to carry on this tradition. And it is a hard task sometimes because the younger generation sometimes don't show any interest in preserving our culture. But you are there on a regular basis to offer these workshops, the opportunities, the resources, the skills, the skills, the literature, and the culture of the Filipinos. And I commend you for that. Thank you. For wanting to continue this heritage, this legacy that we want to pass on to our children and our future generation. Now we do have some topics today that we would like to just kind of enlighten our listeners of some of the things that they might pay attention to, like the Dungau. Dungau. Dungau. They tell you, Daniel can... Dwaya. Dwaya. So tell us about it. Okay. I guess I have to explain this in Iloco. So that way, the young generations, I'm sure they understand also because if their parents teach them how to speak their own dialect, then they can understand. Because like me, I have three local daughters, and they understand our own language. Because from the beginning, we already taught them our own dialect. Okay. And me, how this Daniel started means, you know, it's mostly like as Ilocano, it was not written yet at that time. It was oral. It was oral poetry. That means their feelings, their size, or their language, or the form of Daniel. So it's Dwaya. Dwaya means lullaby. And then Dungau. Dungau means wail, wail. That's how in the form of crying, Dungau. Express our grief. Yes. If somebody passes away, or how you feel with that certain, you know, feelings, then you say Dungau. And the Dalot, the Dalot is, there's no English in the Dalot. I've been researching that, but none of them wrote about the Dalot in what is the English. But I was telling your Manong, what is the Dalot? Is it chanting? No, that's not chanting, because chanting is just in religion. Yeah. So I think in modern times, at the Gladys, we can kind of compare it like maybe old-fashioned rapping, because if you make sense and you try to use words that kind of rhymes and tell a story, right? Right. But that might be a drastic comparison, but the Dalot is alive and well. It's another expression. It's sang, yeah. It's sang, yeah. Because they use it in courting, like it used to be the style in the Philippines that the guy couldn't say whatever they feel, so they asked the old people to go with them so that Manes Asawa is Asawa, and they say it in the Dalot way. They sing it how they wanted, why they wanted the lady to be the wife of the baro, the single guy. That they are remanded through the old people will say that in the Dalot. So I can understand and relate to the old-fashioned way of expressing your romance or your love, your desire for that special person that you want to become as your future partner. And it's sad out there that we don't see it nowadays. It seems like that tradition or that culture is lost. It's fading. No. And Gumi Lwaho, we're still doing it. Only in Gumi Lwaho. Only in Gumi Lwaho. That's why some of the children who come and watch, what is that? So we have to explain it to them that was the old way of courting, yes. So and then let's continue about the form of like Daniel in poem like in Dwaya, Dungau, Dalot, Bokanegan, Kankanta, and you know, that is so Filipino because we wear our emotions on our sleeve. We don't hide it. It comes to life by our way of expression. And those are the times that you had just gone over, whether it's Dungau, Daniel, Dwaya, and also Dalot, all the D's in Filipino, Hilo Kano, right? Yes. So in Dalot, like I said, it might have cast in a Daniel, in oral poetry, because Aramedan Degitina Tatayangan alalakai, lalaki, wanubabai, nukasta amapanda mga asawa, like I said, iti Pamiliati Babaian. Now, they use Dalot, telalakian, Degitina Onag, nasab sabungan, ken makabukai rikna, abalikasta pno, iti kasta mapurusda jai sab sabunganda abalasa. Wow, what a great way to earn the love of that certain love interest. And that's the portion, the first part of our program today, where we have our special guest, Teh Gladys Menor, the founding member of, of course, Gumil Oahu, and president of Kaleab Association of Hawaii. We are having our conversation on the different traditions, cultures, characteristics of the Filipinos. We will be right back with Pinoy Power Hawaii here on Think Tech Hawaii. Well, I'm Dave Stevens, host of the Cyber Underground. This is where we discuss everything that relates to computers that's just going to scare you out of your mind. So come join us every week here on thinktechawaii.com, 1 p.m. on Friday afternoons, and then you can go see all our episodes on YouTube. Just look up the Cyber Underground on YouTube. All our shows will show up, and please follow us. We're always giving you current, relevant information to protect you. Keepin' you safe. Aloha. Hey, Stan the Energyman here on Think Tech Hawaii. They won't let me do political commentary, so I'm stuck doin' energy stuff, but I really like energy stuff, so I'm gonna keep on doin' it. So join me every Friday on Stan the Energyman at lunchtime, at noon, on my lunch hour. We're gonna talk about everything energy, especially if it begins with the word hydrogen. We're gonna definitely be talkin' about it. We'll talk about how we can make Hawaii cleaner, how we can make the world a better place, just basically save the planet. Even Miss America can't even talk about stuff like that anymore. We got it nailed down here. So we'll see you on Friday at noon with Stan the Energyman. Aloha. Welcome back to the second portion of Pinoy Power Hawaii. Thank you again to Think Tech Hawaii for giving us the opportunity to discuss issues and matters that concerns our Filipino community. Today we have a pleasure of having a conversation with Ate Gladys Menor. She is the founding president, founding member of, of course, Gumil Oahu, and also the current reigning president of the Kalayap Association of Hawaii. So we were talking earlier about the different deeds, Tungau, Daniel, Dalot, and the other one Ate? Dwaya. Dwaya, which is a lullaby. We're going to talk about other things like drama, which is another deed, Saraswala, and the things that you would like to leave as a legacy in your hope of continuing on or preserving these traits, these ways or these characteristics that Filipinos truly have in our hearts. Yes. Thank you again, Amy. I would like to touch about Saraswala. That's what we've been doing, or the drama, or Bukanegan. This Saraswala is like an opera, or I know you watched that Nolimi Tangere. It's a musical drama. Instead of you expressing it all, or you're just seeing it, you're seeing it also. So we've been doing this for how many, many years. We started a live drama way, way back in 2004, and we've been showing it in different schools here, like August Irons, Waipaho Intermediate School, Kapalam Elementary, and also in Maui at the Binti at Ani, and of course our very own Philcom Center. So a lot of old people, especially our audience, because we portray in the Saraswala about the life of the Sakadas, or we call it Hawaiiano actually. Sakada is a Hili-Gaenon term, it's not Ilocano. Oh, it's not? It's not. You remember when we were young, in the Philippines, when somebody came home, we called them Hawaiianos. So Sakada is a Hili-Gaenon term, yes. And now we have a good scriptwriter, because we portray the Sakada, it's a true story actually, about the life, how they work in the plantation, how they survive, and how they succeeded, or succeed, or how, I mean, not all of them successful, some did not make it also. It was a very hard time, because we started in 1946, circa 1946, because we didn't want to touch before the war. So we started when the Hawai'i Suga Planters Association recruited OFWs, actually, they were the first OFW, Oversies Philippine Workers. So they were the first contract workers, they are the heroes actually, because the Sakadas, they came here to sacrifice just to have a better life with their family. And then about the story of the Sarswella, that I wanted to touch it, because three young men, but three young men came to Hawai'i, one is married, actually two of them married and one single. So it was the first couple, which is portrayed by Yumanong Rizal and Mila Fernandez, they were married already at that time. So three of them, and then the second couple, which is me and Yumanong Edibueno, I was pregnant at that time when he left. And the other couple is Emily Ndamo and the current president Ngomilwaho, June Burmisa, they were both single. But the thing is, June Burmisa, who he portrayed, no read, no write. The other one, they know how to read and write. But then, would you believe at the end that the person who doesn't know how to read and write, he was the one who succeeded. But then the story of Yumanong Rizal, he portrayed the life of the Filipinos in the plantation area. They had Sabong or Kakfai. It's an important part of our culture. Yes, because they run, it's our culture. So they brought the Kawitan when the first one who came to Hawaii, he brought the Kawitan. So that's our culture. So we portrayed that also. And the Kawitan is here to stay. Yes. All right. Yes. And then he used to run a bar and then, you know, all this kind of, so that's why he was bankrupt, until he realized that he already forgot his family. And then me, I was pregnant at that time. He also forgot me. For 20 years, he did not come back to the Philippines. He found a Portuguese lady that he lived with. And then he worked, he had the union, you know, they used to fight for union, so that they have a better representation. Yes, and salary in order to have a better, yeah. But then they have rallies and everything like that, or he went to jail at that time. But then he forgot us already. I was left behind with one son, and I worked hard just to raise him by myself. I only found out the story when the other guy went to the Philippines and visited his family, who he already, you know, he wanted to go back now with the wife and the kids. And so what happened? He forgot us. And then the third couple, he did not write the girlfriend for three years. Of course, he didn't know how to read and write. He couldn't tell what was happening right there. So when he went back, the girlfriend already pregnant because he married somebody else because he didn't know what happened to him already. It's a very, I just don't want to talk the whole story, but it's going to be a happy ending. Tell us about when is this show? This coming November, second week Saturday at August, I would like to invite everyone. We already showed this as well, but they always ask us to repeat it. So like I said, the story of the Sakadas or the Hawaiians, we all succeeded. Now they become politicians, doctors, they are all in their own field of what do you call this one? Whatever. Chosen career. Chosen career, yes. And so now as Filipinos, we are already up there. They don't see us anymore down there. But the main thing is that we carry our own custom and tradition. And let us not forget to teach our children our history. It's wonderful how you retold the story, Ate, and you're going to bring it to life and to play. And this is a fair representation of some of the examples, the struggles, the trials, the determination of the Sakadas and what they did, what they had to do to succeed. So tell us more of the legacy that you want to leave behind. I wanted to leave behind to our younger generation to continue to preserve our culture and tradition by way of taking up the Ilocano courses or Tagalog, whatever the region you came from, so that it will carry on until the end or for the rest of our lives. And let us remember that wherever we are, wherever we will be, we are always that Ilocano tribe that we carry for the rest of our lives. Nothing can change that. And I'm proud to be Ilocano, especially Filipino. Well, that's a sign of Chu Ilocano, who wants to leave her legacy and continue and leave it for future generations. I really want to thank you, Ate Gladys, for taking the time out to be with us, to share or give us a glimpse of the struggles, like I said, the trials, because of the struggle that Ilocano has. But nevertheless, I want to thank you for giving us the desire to go back, so that we can continue to learn more about the struggle and the progress of the Filipinos. And after all, we are proud of the fact, Ate, that we are the largest minority group in Hawaii. And we are known to swing the vote. And I just wanted to share that without being political, because it's a fact. Yes, it's a fact, Amy. We have the right to vote. Of course, you choose who you think that can serve better. Because I'm sure they can do their job to serve the people, to serve the community. But lastly, I know we're almost going to wrap up. I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to have a program at KPRP so that I will continue to educate, especially the younger generation, about our culture, our tradition, literature, and history of the Filipinos. Well, thank you again, Ate Gladys-Mernor. That wraps up another Pinoy Power Hawaii episode here on Think Tech Hawaii. And again, I want to thank you for taking the time out. We will invite you once again, because we have more to share. Oh, thank you. We want to encourage all of our viewers to keep tuning in to Pinoy Power Hawaii. And this is every Tuesday live, 10 a.m. from the heart of the paradise of the Pacific, which is Hawaii. We want to say mahalo, maraming salamat po, and mabuhai.