Reflect and Refresh

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However and wherever you choose to celebrate this week, we wish you the space for meaningful reflection, the comfort of rituals and the joy of community.

Jose Garcia Villa and Nick Joaquin -- literary giants known for sardonic humor and acerbic wit -- apparently had affection and respect for each other, as PF contributing writer Virgilio Reyes Jr. gleans from a valuable poem Joaquin wrote for the internment of his friend, Garcia Villa. The latter's colorful life is at the center of this tribute to the friendship between two great Filipino writers.

Hardly anyone has been untouched by grief these past three years. Certainly not PF Correspondent Criselda Yabes who mourns and honors her "three mothers" in this week of solemnity and contemplation.

To Cha-cha or not to cha-cha? The issue of Charter change comes up once again in the Philippines, and Netherlands-based lecturer/activist Jacob Apostol weighs in.

Once upon a time, in the '70s decade, when political turmoil was prevalent and Filipino Americans were struggling to be heard, a rock band named Dakila made waves by recording what is now considered the first Asian American rock album. With permission from KQED, we are posting this story about the revival of Dakila's important musical legacy.

In time for this Holy Week, Read Again about the art and soul of Redemptorist priest, Fr. Rey Culaba: 

http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/art-and-soul-and-fr-rey

Always a good Lenten dish, guaranteed: 

http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/pesang-salmon-filipino-fish-stew-in-ginger-broth-with-tomatoes-spinach

[Video of the Week] 6 Decades of American Fashion Turned Filipino

In The Know

The best Filipino restaurants in Los Angeles

https://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/restaurants/best-filipino-restaurants-in-los-angeles

[Only IN Hollywood] 2 Filipinos among key talents behind ‘John Wick 4’s’ dazzling fight scenes

https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/movies/only-in-hollywood-filipinos-talents-behind-john-wick-4-fight-scenes/?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2iy6mRfnRcptLx7XcVfGjpev9_Hcdzl9PeHZ1n-CzGwP30-mxH3sxdX5w

Rich Rodriguez honors Filipino spirit through Masaya store

https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/03/19/the-sunday-times/filipino-champions/rich-rodriguez-honors-filipino-spirit-through-masaya-store/1883301?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3cpRWwVAHGasL_6GpQrau9xNUIJFDtqT2Ie-01mofbMMEV0Ys4cY0zLQY#Echobox=1679777836

Child actor singing ‘Happy Birthday’ in Filipino on ‘Barney’ 3 decades ago has left an indelible impression

https://nextshark.com/pia-jasmine-hamilton-happy-birthday-filipino-barney

Local Filipino American players pave way for baseball’s growth in Philippines

https://www.latimes.com/sports/highschool/story/2023-03-26/filipino-american-baseball-players-pave-way-for-growth-philippines

Pinay Nurse In US Transforms Backyard Into Garden, Conducts “Talipapa Days” To Sell Her Produce

https://www.businessnews.com.ph/pinay-nurse-in-us-transforms-backyard-into-garden-conducts-talipapa-days-to-sell-her-produce-20220928/?fbclid=IwAR31cjQOHoXmoZxnJ3GBOz1ZS-SO4w8LRHhVyrxxdrXvOj-JKxl5JfWaBes

Apo Whang-Od And The Indelible Marks Of Filipino Identity

https://vogue.ph/magazine/apo-whang-od/

Taylor Swift surprises Filipino fan by doing his viral dance during concert

https://nextshark.com/taylor-swift-filipino-fan-viral-dance

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Staff

Days of Poems and Prayers

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Lent takes a deeper meaning to our world this year as we wake up each morning to dreary news -- a war in Ukraine that threatens to go nuclear, a pandemic still not completely waned, a crucial election that will define the future trajectory of our motherland.

As we do our personal reflections in these 32 days until Easter, we can get some guidance from the art of Fr. Rey Culaba, a Redemptorist priest and artist who recently celebrated his golden anniversary in the priesthood. As a gift to his parish, Our Lady of Mercy in Daly City, California, Fr. Rey painted his interpretative version of the Stations of the Cross, and we have the images here.

A major what-if for political junkies this May: if the next president has a pending liability totaling $2.3 billion for a US court judgment in effect from 2005 to 2031 (currently preventing him, his mother and his elder sister to set foot in the US or they get arrested), what will it do to US-Philippines relations?

As for other questions, existentialist or not, that we have to ponder, political activist/academic Ed Garcia invokes Bob Dylan: "the answer is blowin' in the wind."

More stories on Filipino women who matter:

Paulynn Paredes Sicam on Gilda Cordero-Fernando http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/gilda-cordero-fernando-forever-groovy

Robby Tantingco on why women rule Pampanga http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/why-women-rule-pampanga

Gemma Nemenzo on the poet Angela Manalang-Gloria http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/gemma/the-enigmatic-poetess

 Cook It Again:

The Happy Home Cook: Pompano with Chili and Pineapple — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora

Book Launch: 100 Poems for Leni

Video of the Week: Gayyam Ben

In The Know

How Juan Luna became the first Filipino art superstar in Europe
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/art/03/03/22/how-juan-luna-became-the-first-filipino-art-superstar?fbclid=IwAR3gDVRSfTihP8u590gbaGso3Q6tgl4dLmLaHeK9InpNngqe75ppZD7VO4k 

The Invisible, Afflicted Spy Who Led the U.S. Army Into Occupied Manila 
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/josefina-guerrero-spy-philippines-world-war-ii?utm_source=Atlas+Obscura+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=fa168b0448-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_03_12&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f36db9c480-fa168b0448-70947933&mc_cid=fa168b0448&mc_eid=15cc48d2de

The Fascinating Life of Nick Joaquin
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/nick-joaquin-life-a00293-20190507-lfrm?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20220306-fbnp--nick-joaquin-life-a00293-20190507-lfrm-fbold&fbclid=IwAR046GOUTexCI96sdJXkj9r_k1SRPZWgcircJpfh1BPutSEzka1qXVt5MiQ 

FEAR AND LOATHING IN DUTERTE’S PHILIPPINES: AN INTERVIEW WITH VICENTE RAFAEL

https://fpif.org/fear-and-loathing-in-dutertes-philippines-an-interview-with-vicente-rafael/?fbclid=IwAR1-NNnyIhmTLYw7qs0iZmjrSwRXFbcHjJVJAeybZKLjrVLxen-H834lSw8

This Filipino Visited 160 Jose Rizal Monuments Around the World
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/filipino-visited-160-jose-rizal-monuments-a00293-20201002?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20220301-fbnp--filipino-visited-160-jose-rizal-monuments-a00293-20201002-fbold&fbclid=IwAR2I1E6SN0TWGGNoUfjSer07q1QfnCIIACFiBwXlhSlJKK2LWzmeYdZleBg

This Filipina farmer turns heads in Canada—and not just ‘cause of her striking beauty
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/03/07/22/why-this-pinay-farmer-turns-heads-in-canada

Filipino visual artists showcase work in Paris exhibit
https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/03/04/22/filipino-visual-artists-showcase-work-in-paris-exhibit/?utm_campaign=sharedpost&fbclid=IwAR1PQ7Ru5pxOCpi1WhjcYvrJ50Uu0VMIP8gK1L_o0rgatX6s-Qr38ONxPQg

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Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino

Critical Myth Theory

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One of the very first books I bought when my children and I immigrated to the US more than 30 years ago is Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen. I knew that they were in for American history from a certain point of view so it was important to prepare for some counter-mythmaking. The book was too complex for my little kids to appreciate at that time but its presence in our bookshelf was a constant and symbolic reminder that stories/lessons (particularly historical ones) passed on as "facts" should be examined before they are believed. 

I just reread Loewen's chapter on "The Truth About the First Thanksgiving" because, well, it's Thanksgiving. This "feel-good" holiday is not as pure and innocent (and celebratory) as has been drummed into American schoolchildren through generations. There was another side to the story and it was dark and diabolical, involving, among other things, the slaughter of Native Americans. This ugly side has been exposed by other historians, not just Loewen. 

Historical myth-making or revisionism is not limited to long-ago events; some evil souls are even trying to rewrite contemporary history -- events that many still living can easily remember and expose as lies. (I'm looking at you, martial-law-as-golden-age liars.)

"The antidote to feel-good history is not feel-bad history but honest and inclusive history," Loewen says. It means "...allowing students to learn both the 'good' and the 'bad' side...." 

It is in this same spirit that we encourage you to read "The Conservation President's Troubling Legacy," our lead story this week about President Theodore Roosevelt whose monumental legacy is the protection of millions of acres of land that we visit and appreciate to this day. Roosevelt, however, was also a hard-core imperialist who considered Filipinos as an inferior specie. First-time PF contributor Mikko Jimenez, a conservation biologist and academic, de-mystifies the 26th US president.

There's nothing mystifying about our Living Legends series which hails the very real achievements of some Filipino Americans. Part 2 of Mona Lisa Yuchengco's compilation features Historians and Archivists, the Academe and the Arts. 

Sisig, that crispy, savory pork sensation that has surpassed adobo and lumpia as the Filipino dish of choice, has an interesting -- and accidental -- beginning, as chef and food historian Claude Tayag relates. And to top his delectable story, Claude is sharing his own recipe for this Pampangueño delicacy, for the Happy Home Cook.

Our Video of the Week is a short video documentary on the disappearing art of making Asin Tibuok in Bohol, one of the rarest salt in the world.

Read Again:

We commemorate the 147th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio on November 30:
http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/andres-bonifacio-the-other-national-hero

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Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino