Transcript:

Filipina women created spaces of belonging and cultural celebration in the Pajaro Valley. Organizations like the Filipino Women’s Club of Watsonville aimed to ease the transition of newly arrived Filipinas to the United States, and to build community with Mexican, white, and Native American women who married into Filipino families. Women whose husbands were away for seasonal migrant labor also sought friendship among fellow club members. For this section, we’ve paired two oral history interviews that discuss the importance of the Filipino Women’s Club of Watsonville, and women’s roles in sustaining and transforming cultural practices from the Philippines.

Eva Alminiana Monroe: In this interview with Eva Alminiana Monroe, the daughter of Rosario Nieva Alminiana, Eva discusses the reason behind the creation of the Filipino Women’s Club of Watsonville. She states that her mother created the organization to foster cultural vitality and support among women. According to Eva, her mother had to balance assimilating to American society while preserving aspects of Philippine culture. In the interview, Eva uses the word “terno” to refer to a traditional Filipino women’s ensemble worn during formal events and social gatherings. 

First of all, she wanted it to be social so that […] the Filipino women in Watsonville would have someplace to go and to gather and to be with one another. And they talked about the things that they wanted to do: to provide social gatherings and to provide education about the Filipino community and the culture of the Philippines to the wider community to Watsonville. […] And then, in order to supplement the dry educational programs, she decided with her friends that maybe the kids could learn more about their culture by learning how to do all the Filipino dances. And so what they did to prepare for that was to get the buy-in from the people whose kids were going to be able to learn the dances and write back to the Philippines to get a typical and original fabric, most likely, the pineapple fiber fabric to make miniature like ternos for all the kids. So the kids wore authentic costumes. With butterfly sleeves that were stiff and scratchy. We hated that. […] I think she would have an agenda set up with an open program where people from Watsonville can speak to the Filipina community. So she had the chief of police then she had the mayor and several council members come and talk to the Filipino community about what Watsonville provided. And give those people, in turn, an opportunity to meet us and to start building a bridge.

Juanita Sulay Wilson: The Filipino Women’s Club of Watsonville was also a refuge for non-Filipina manang who were looking for sisterhood. Many non-Filipina manang sought out companionship because they were ostracized by their families for marrying Filipino men. Some needed a support network after moving to the Pajaro Valley from out-of-state or wanted guidance on Filipino heritage and culture. In this interview, Juanita Sulay Wilson, the daughter of Virginia Viner Sulay, discusses her mother’s involvement in the club. 

Juanita: I would think in her young years […] She got married just before 18. […] It was a place that she could go and meet people safely. And where there was support for her. A lot of the community in the clubs were a lot of support for these women, who were married […] to Filipino men.

Meleia: How were they supporting them?

Juanita: Just encouraging them, and being able to bring their families to a safe place. […]I know they’ve taught my mother […] some Filipino customs.