Search Results
Manila Bay & Alfredo (EH)
Call Number: IH 006Format: CassetteCollection: The International Hotel struggle and the Filipino community
Unedited recordings of a musical performance and interview, possibly happening at separate times. Musicians perform a song about the first generation Filipino immigration experience. The song may be called, "Manila Bay." Followed by an interview with "Alfredo" a tenant of the International Hotel. He discusses how he came to live at the hotel in March 15, 1969 and is now protesting the eviction of the International Hotel residents. Alfredo is being interviewed by an unidentified female.
Conversation about Liz DelSol's experiences with I-Hotel and ManilaTown (EH)
Date: 10/30/1996Call Number: IH 007Format: Cass A & BCollection: The International Hotel struggle and the Filipino community
Estella Habal interviews Liz Delsol about her experiences with the movement. She explains how she joined as a UC Berkeley student in the late 60s. Being third generation Filipina, her roots go back to her Grandparents living in Oakland. Liz's grandpa even worked on building the bay bridge. When Liz became involved and moved into the hotel, her parents looked down upon her because Manila Town was considered the "red-light district". Because her father was once part of the wild crowd of Manila Town, he knew of the seediness and didn't want his daughter around those men. However, Liz had an organic link with the old men due to her being in and around the area as a little girl. Liz has memories of Tino the barber and visiting many businesses. Liz reminiscences about a well-known manong named Lugasby. He was educated, stylish and many looked up to him. Being part of the beatnik generation, Lugasby had published work. Manila Town used to be ten blocks long down Kearny Street, but by the time of the International Hotel struggle it shrunk to just one block. The interview ends with the two reminiscing about differences of activism and politics.
Manilatown Heritage: Ben, Fred, Estella Habal. 1930s-1940s
Call Number: IH 004Format: CassetteCollection: The International Hotel struggle and the Filipino community
Panel discussion on issues pertaining to Manilatown and the Filipino Community during the 1977 International Hotel Eviction. As Emil de Guzman moderates the Manilatown Heritage Foundation, Estella Habal, and Manilatown residents Fred Basconcillio & Ben Abarca speak. Ben Abarca explains I Hotel's 10-block Kearny Street area and past lives of the many family oriented Filipinos living in the district (1930s to present). Next, Fred Basconcillio explains his childhood as being the son of the New Luneta Café owner. Living amongst severe discrimination, Fred witnessed the exploitation of runaway farm workers. Abarca adds that he witnessed a Filipino lynching incident in San Francisco that was a result of a Filipino man dating a white woman. In result of discrimination, Filipinos got involved in creating the Agricultural Workers Union of America (Larry Itliong) . Next, Estella Habal explains the I-Hotel Eviction era's youth and compares them to past and present generations. For the first generation Manongs it was a crime to be Filipino, the second generation was extremely conservative, the third generation was radical and today's fourth generation is still looking for their identity. Fred Basconcillio ends with recalling personal discrimination in the Ironworkers Union. Eventually, he became the first Filipino President of the Ironworkers Union.
The Manilatown Series (CC)
Call Number: IH 035Format: DVDProducers: Chonk MoonhunterCollection: The International Hotel struggle and the Filipino community
A compilation of documentary vignettes of life and history of the I-Hotel spanning from 1972 to 2003. Titles in the compilation are: "Tino's Barbershop Quartet in Action" (1972); "Manongs" (1979); "Manilatown Lives!" (1985); "The Rise of the I-Hotel" (2003). DVD format.
Life of the Manong: Henry Hipolito in Portsmouth Square
Date: 6/8/1977Call Number: IH 051Producers: Al RoblesCollection: The International Hotel struggle and the Filipino community
Manong Henry Hipolito talks with Al Robles about the old days in Manilatown. Henry speaks of the Manilatown area from Market to Broadway being the section symbolizing the common poor Filipino. Although the I-hotel area was run down during the interview (late 70s), it used to be a nice area bustling with streetcars and horse drawn wagons. When speaking of the area in the late 70s, the I-Hotel and its few old timers represent the last of Manilatown. Some of Henry's experiences of the old days were that there were no pinays in America till 1948 and local job discrimination forced him to travel to Alaska for seasonal fishing jobs. He reminisces about Pinoy town in Alaska and how he survived the depression. Ending the interview, Henry gives advice to new Filipino immigrants such as the importance of education, independence, poverty and discrimination reduction, and resist corruption.
Life of a Manilatown Manong: Mr. Pacifico, 1976.
Call Number: IH 052Producers: Al RoblesCollection: The International Hotel struggle and the Filipino community
Mr. Pacifico begins explaining his experiences with America. Pacifico explains fraternal organizations that brought pinoys together. Helio Mucado a five star WWII general started one of the most popular groups. Being treated as a martyr, he started an organization that combined men from all islands and was similar to the free masons. Pacifico also describes how Spanish influence changed the Philippines by conflicted ideals and the raping of resources. As the locals got smart to the Spanish and fought back, US were there to claim the land unlawfully. Pacifico then explains America's presence as being a blessing and a curse. Pacifico then goes into describing the social hierarchy in Philippines vs. America. Differences of mestizos to peasants are not as present in the US. Pacifico speaks of the manong voice not being heard because of the money promised after WWII not being given. He then delves into his first encounters with the US. Pacifico ends with him explaining the old days back in the islands and how he is Marcos's 3rd cousin.
The Sugar Cain Manong: Rapping with 20,00 Carabaos in the Dark, Maurice Passion.
Date: 5/10/1985Call Number: IH 053Producers: Al RoblesCollection: The International Hotel struggle and the Filipino community
Maurice Passion talks of many subjects that a usual Manilatown manong has gone through in his life. Maurice begins with telling Al Robles about how when he was young there were no Filipina women in San Francisco. Maurice explained his experience dating white women and how white men were suspicious of him and often threaten to beat him up. He further discusses the dynamics and dangers of inter-racial dating during that time. He also contrasts relationships in America with relationships in the Philippines. Maurice explains arranged marriages and trends of infidelity with Filipino men. Towards the end of the interview, Maurice describes vanishing Filipino businesses in Manilatown and the hardship after the eviction. Seven years after the eviction it is still a hole in the ground.
Life of a Manilatown Manong: Mr. Cortes, born 1886.
Date: 8/20/1980Call Number: IH 054Producers: Al RoblesCollection: The International Hotel struggle and the Filipino community
Manong Cortes tells Al Robles how life in the Philippines was in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Manong Cortes grew up in an agricultural town in the Muncada area of Luzan. In a family of him and his parents, their income mainly came from selling water buffalo and small farming. Next Cortes explains different techniques in growing rice such as: planting time, seasons, cutting, and harvest times. While living in a nepa hut, they slept on floor mats (Banigs) with no electricity. Their kitchen had no metal just homemade clay stoves and pots. Cortes ends the interview with his memories of the Spanish-Philippine War and the Philippine-American war. Cortes explains that his family went into hiding during both wars. Looking for revolutionaries, Spanish and Americans alike killed many innocent people. The men of his family fought for independence by using knives, out of date rifles, and homemade bamboo muskets.
Manong Joaquin Legaspi, 1973.
Call Number: IH 055Format: CDProducers: Al RoblesCollection: The International Hotel struggle and the Filipino community
Joaquin Legaspi and Al Robles philosophize about life and its different aspects. Joaquin Legaspi an artist, poet, and an intellectual was a popular monong among the I-Hotel's activists crowd. Legaspi begins his viewpoint on explaining that night and day is not that much different from each other. The earth revolves constantly; light is constant and on another side of the world. By comparing this to people's thoughts, the mind is taught this through a learning process that uses labels, fractions, divisions, and sanity is only taught through separation. With this premise, he compares race to being left or right handed. Primitive people have a more natural connection with the world versus the one sided thinking of most people. The five senses around the world are the same all around yet can create ignorance, such as racism. With senses being abused, clashes cultures help to separate (western world vs. Filipino and Asian world, ie I-hotel struggle)
Lucky 'M' Pool Hall, 1973.
Call Number: IH 056Format: CDProducers: Al RoblesCollection: The International Hotel struggle and the Filipino community
Al Robles recites a spoken word comparing music, poetry, art, and life. Next Al Robles interviews a group of manongs in the famed Lucky M pool hall. The interview begins with a group of manongs complaining that ignorant people think that the I-Hotel should be demolished. If this historical landmark is gone, many have no place to go. During the interview Al mainly talks to manong Duvera. Coming to America in 1917, Duvera got a Job as an apprentice barber in the famed Tino's barbershop. He explains the vibrant culture and music that was in the barbershop. Currently working at the Lucky M, Duvera reminisced of the good old days leading to lucky M's closing on March 1st, 1973. Along with other vanishing businesses, Lucky M was the last Filipino pool hall in Manilatown.
