GIEU Maui

Updates

I do not know how many of you still looks at this blog GIEU Maui. There is a lot of exciting news to share, some sad, some happy.I'll share the sad news first.

There had been three deaths from among our interviewees, the beloved Sakadas of Maui. Mr. Cabalce was the first, then Mr. Olais, and just a few weeks ago, Mr. Sinfuego.
I'm sure that you all remember them. If you wish to share your memories of any one of them with their respective families, please email me for their addresses. They would love to hear from you.

I was in Maui to deliver the interview transcripts together with the DVDs to the Maui Community College library in December 2006. Lucy Peros accompanied me to the library as well as visits to selected sakadas. Our contributions to the library collection at MCC, a branch of the University of Hawaii in Maui, was well received. I hope that the community will visit the library to read the wonderful stories and excellent words of wisdom of the sakadas among them.

deling

Gapu kadakayo

Gapu kadakayo (sang to the tune of Dahil sa Iyo)

Dedicated and sang to the Sakadas of Maui, Hawaii during the Centennial Barrio Fiesta of Maui, May 2006 by the students and teachers of the GIEU project from the University of Michigan.

Gapu kadakayo, Adda kam mangiliw, Dakayo patpatgen mi, Mga Sakada

Bimmallasiw taaw, Nagtrabaho't nangrangtay, Panaggagayyem, Panagki-innawatan

Agsursuro kam ta naadalyo, Panagbiag naurnos, Ili ti Maui

Agyaman kam ti lailoyo't ayat, Agserbi kam ngarud, gapu kadakayo (2x).

Mr. Cabalce

Mahal kong mga Philippines-Pacific team members,

I hope everyone is having a wonderful semester. I meet some of you one campus once in a while. I am always happy to give and get a hug particularly since the temperature is getting less and less like Maui's.

Lucy Peros continues to inform us about some of our favorite people in Maui. Mr. Cabalce passed on three weeks ago. His best buddies, Mr. Arreola and Mr. Baggao, were much affected by this event. I was too. I wonder whether Puno, who interviewed him, had a visitation from Maui lately.

Fortunately, the DVDs of their oral history interviews as well as the transcripts were already mailed to each of them. I hope that Mr. Cabalce was able to view his together with his family before he got sick.

Uring and Laro will be working on preparing copies of the oral history interviews for distribution to academic institutions with thriving programs on Asian and Pacific studies soon. Eventually there will be other students and researchers who will be doing what we sang in "Gapu kadakayo" : agsursuro kam ta naadal yo.

deling

Presentation at PACCM

The Philippines-PACIFIC team were invited by the Filipino American Historical Society (FANHS) to give a presentation of their experiences with the Sakadas and the other Filipino American community members in Maui, Hawaii last summer. Their audience will be members of the FANHS, the students at Paaralang Pilipino, and members of Filipino and non-Filipino communities in Metropolitan Detroit.

Not all members of the Philippines-PACIFIC team can go to this two hours presentation on a Sunday afternoon because of previous commitments. But those who have not already committed fours hours of their time on a Sunday are going.

This presentation is primarily an outreach program of the University of Michigan to the taxpayers of the State. It is also a means by which the students can learn about communities in Michigan at close range and on a more personal level. The young students at Paaralang Pilipino, the cultural school of the Filippino American community, are the direct beneficiaries of this quasi-academic activity. They will meet role-models among the undergraduate students of the biggest research university in the State - students who have had a meaningful intercultural experience with a special group of Filipino Americans.

Lessons from the Maui Experience.

Naimbag nga malem yo amin.

I added a new category to our webblog. Do you like the title?

As a language teacher, I learned a lot from our project in Maui. I thought that other students who are not as lucky as we are can benefit from the lessons we learned there too. One of these lessons is the importance being culturally competent in the use of language. Competence in using the vocabulary, the grammar, and  pronunciation of words  seem not to be as important as showing respect to another person with the use of respect particles and/or other expressions of respect. Thus, I am emphasizing this more in the lessosns for the Beginning and Intermediate Filipino classes.

Another important lesson I learned, and this I got from feedbacks from some of you, is that the pressure of imminent performance or use of the language to communicate and/or to elicit an information from another person is an effective incentive for language learning.Thus, I have designed the Intermediate Filipino class patterned after the Sakada Oral History Project. We also set up a blog "Filipino 211" where students can put in video and audio files about themselves and their interviewees as well as comments about the project and lessons. All in Filipino though, not Ilocano. Do check this page sometime. Or ask Dave about it.

See you all on Monday at the  symposium. I am sure that we will have the most interesting presentation.    

You will probably never read this.

Today is September 21st. Most of us have been back on the mainland for many months now. Yet, here we are spending time together. We've come a long when since we've been back. Iden is the drum major for the best college marching band in the nation. Abbie has been to India and back again. Priyanka spent time working with hyenas in South Africa. We've had jobs and lost them. Gone on trips, gone to parties, and started school again. But there's something about our friendships that haven't changed. When I walk into a room and see just one of our group members, I'm filled with the love and overwhelming excitement I felt on the top of Haleakala. When all 12 of us are together, I practically explode. And when it's all 16 of us, it's like we're in Kahului again, and there's very little I wouldn't give to be back there with you all. But Ann Arbor will have to do, at least until some of you leave for places like Spain, South Africa, or this unfamiliar thing called "graduation" that four of us are destined for. Through it all we'll always have the three weeks we spent in Maui and I'm grateful for that. If you're reading this blog, you clearly have too much time on your hands or you're crying because you miss our trip. Either way, here's what I have to say to you- I love you. And if you're a parent of one of my group members- I love you too, for taking part in creating the lives of 12 of the most fabulous people on this planet. Trust me, I've met everyone on the planet and they don't compare. So, I leave you with this, dahil sayo, ikaw at ikaw rin...

Maui News Article

For the more technologically inclined, click here for the digital version of the news article written about our interviews with the Sakadas while in Maui. Enjoy!

Still here...

Hey all! As our trip has finally come to a close, i am the last known gooey love representative left on Maui (besides Dean, of course). I post today from our favorite clearwire station in our favorite mall, with nothing but love and respect for all the other 15 of my team members. I sat by the beach for a while today, writing music and reflecting on what has been an amazing trip. As we finished our final leg of Habitat for Humanity, we were able to leave our personal touch on the homes of three families who truly appreciated our help. Whether they're level or not, we'll leave to Mike to decide. We got really dirty and left feeling tired, but in the end we all felt we had a great impact. I truly appreciate how we grew closer as a group as we moved throughout the process, I feel like I've gained 11 new great friends, along with an amazing experience that will last a long time. Being here alone makes me miss you all,  but makes me realize how lucky we all are to have seen the true Maui. I am so grateful we all shared it together.

Much respect and Aloha!

Anthony

Update

We're busy helping out at Habitat for Humanity this week! All the hard work has made this a great final project for the trip. 

Last week we wrapped up our interviews and had a great friendship celebration with the Sakadas. Here are some pics, care of Priyanka, of the festivities which included food, singing and dancing.

Abbie, Priyanka and Ming pose with several interveiwees and their wives.

Students and Sakadas joined together singing Dahil Sayo.

More updates to follow!

Pictures are worth a thousand words...

here's a massive picture update!

Sunrise on Haleakala

On air at Wild 105.5 FM Hawaii's Party Station with JayJ:

 

Marching at the Parade at the Barrio Fiesta. We were there to celebrate the centennial of the Sakadas...

Hung out with Jordan Segundo:

At the Pineapple Plantation with Wes showing us how to plant pineapples:

That's it for now!
Plenty mo' pics to come... dont go no where ya?
Aloha!