#154: Website and Oppenheimer; Manila then and now; Bernardo Pacquing, Hiroshima Mon Amour, Geof Huth, "Bound," Flossie Lewis, Zaria Forman; Ludwig Goransson, Tokyo Groove Jyoshi, and Goobie.
I love the story that’s developing in the unpacking/sharing of your parents’ letters as you consider their lives and the world they were living in. Also, thanks for sharing the essay by Geoff Huff. I needed that. These words resonate so much ❤️: “Maybe my issue has to do with time. I have only limited time, and I would rather make and show than make and submit and wait and maybe publish and maybe not.”
Thanks, Linda! Huth's essay really resonated with me, too. The older I get the more I realize I don't want to spend it marketing and submitting and worrying about publishing.
Hi Jean, I have been meaning to commend you on opening and reading your parents letters. US Comfort was a hospital ship. My dad joined the US Merchant Marines after the US Navy probably similar to your dad. The Merchant Marines enabled him to return to Sarrat, Ilocos Norte to court my mom after the War. I have pictures of my mom and her barkada May 7, 1947 on the pier before boarding the US Army Hospital Ship "Mercy." Her manifest was typed and dated May 21, 1947, but the ship actually did not leave until July 11th as written by hand. That means she had to stay in Manila for a few weeks -- probably with friends. I can't imagine her traversing the streets of Manila, where she went to Normal School College -- and seeing it "liberated" in total devastation. I have found similar military pictures of Manila at that time.
I have also found a fantastic young linguist/translator of my Lola's letters form the 1920's hand written in Ilocano. The translator is a great niece of mine, who I met in 2019 when I went to PI for the first time. We have kept in touch, and after she finished college she has worked on the translations. Almost 80% done. I feel the translations are important, because most scholars will probably know Tagalog Pilipino and may be taken aback by the Ilocano. PI was a territory of the U.S.
The letters from my uncles to my father are all in English from 1927 up to 1940. At the onset of WW2, there are no more letters. Of course most people would not understand the U.S. Education in English project since 1898 and how that system prevailed. One letter emerges in Ilocano in September 1947, from my great Lola Candida (my middle namesake) to my father - wisdom to take care of his new bride, her granddaughter (my mother Augusta.)
I need to discuss this with you off-line. The Bancroft Library is very interested in the letters, photos and ephemera. Huntington Library too -- for the Los Angeles period. Place each page in acid free sleeves - you can buy at Walgreens or Home Depot. Will email you. Ingat!
Catie: Thanks for your note! You are so lucky to have letters from as early as the 1920s! Mine are all from WWII and postwar--although that period is certainly interesting, too. I am looking for someone who can translate my grandparents' letters. Yes, let's discuss this more offline!
Wow, this is an amazing thread. How’s the translation coming along? I love old letters, Google earth and family stories.
Translation so far is not happening. The whole process is going more slowly than I'd like, with life throwing in a lot of curve balls. . .
I love the story that’s developing in the unpacking/sharing of your parents’ letters as you consider their lives and the world they were living in. Also, thanks for sharing the essay by Geoff Huff. I needed that. These words resonate so much ❤️: “Maybe my issue has to do with time. I have only limited time, and I would rather make and show than make and submit and wait and maybe publish and maybe not.”
Thanks, Linda! Huth's essay really resonated with me, too. The older I get the more I realize I don't want to spend it marketing and submitting and worrying about publishing.
Hi Jean, I have been meaning to commend you on opening and reading your parents letters. US Comfort was a hospital ship. My dad joined the US Merchant Marines after the US Navy probably similar to your dad. The Merchant Marines enabled him to return to Sarrat, Ilocos Norte to court my mom after the War. I have pictures of my mom and her barkada May 7, 1947 on the pier before boarding the US Army Hospital Ship "Mercy." Her manifest was typed and dated May 21, 1947, but the ship actually did not leave until July 11th as written by hand. That means she had to stay in Manila for a few weeks -- probably with friends. I can't imagine her traversing the streets of Manila, where she went to Normal School College -- and seeing it "liberated" in total devastation. I have found similar military pictures of Manila at that time.
I have also found a fantastic young linguist/translator of my Lola's letters form the 1920's hand written in Ilocano. The translator is a great niece of mine, who I met in 2019 when I went to PI for the first time. We have kept in touch, and after she finished college she has worked on the translations. Almost 80% done. I feel the translations are important, because most scholars will probably know Tagalog Pilipino and may be taken aback by the Ilocano. PI was a territory of the U.S.
The letters from my uncles to my father are all in English from 1927 up to 1940. At the onset of WW2, there are no more letters. Of course most people would not understand the U.S. Education in English project since 1898 and how that system prevailed. One letter emerges in Ilocano in September 1947, from my great Lola Candida (my middle namesake) to my father - wisdom to take care of his new bride, her granddaughter (my mother Augusta.)
I need to discuss this with you off-line. The Bancroft Library is very interested in the letters, photos and ephemera. Huntington Library too -- for the Los Angeles period. Place each page in acid free sleeves - you can buy at Walgreens or Home Depot. Will email you. Ingat!
Catie: Thanks for your note! You are so lucky to have letters from as early as the 1920s! Mine are all from WWII and postwar--although that period is certainly interesting, too. I am looking for someone who can translate my grandparents' letters. Yes, let's discuss this more offline!