Ryan Cortez

AAS 360
Tues/Thurs (11-12:15)
02/23/17
Family Immigration

In 1906, the Hawaii Sugar Planters Association (HSPA) began recruiting

workers from the Philippines, also known as the Sakadas. The Sakadas were

the Filipino workers who were first hired and contracted by the HSPA. At the

time Sugar in Hawaii was considered gold and the HSPA had already

exhausted their efforts to hire other outsources of cheap labor, starting with

the Chinese, Japanese, and then the Koreans. Due to limitations by

immigration legislations, their work force was cut short. So the Filipinos were

next in line to be exploited for cheap labor. (Filipino laborers arrive).

This is where my grandpa, Juan Tagata comes in. (Born in 1905 from

Sarrat, Ilocos Norte.) He was a blue collar, hardworking young man at the

time, which worked in the fields as a farmer. His family and living situation

there was very poor. So in search of a better life he sought out the HSPA and

was hired and shipped out to Hawaii in 1924, by boat. He was 19 years old at

the time and was an ideal candidate that the HSPA wanted to hire -

hardworking, single, and young men.

On Oahu, my grandpa worked on the sugar plantation. Expecting life to

be fine and dandy, he was immediately hit with reality. They woke up at 6

every morning and worked long and rigorous 10 hour days, for 6 days a

week. They also only got paid 1 dollar a day - which is equivalent to 10 cents
an hour. Their living situation was not the greatest as they lived in small

cabins which occupied up to 10 workers and were packed like sardines.

Language was also an issue because my grandpa could not speak English,

however there were a few people in his house who could, so they would

translate whatever was being said. Also known as language brokering.

Through the years of working on the plantation my grandpa has been

back to the Philippines 7 times. During one of those trips back is when he

met my great aunt, Saturnina Calaputut Tagalicud. This was set up like an

arranged meeting which eventually led to them getting married. Her married

name then became, Saturnina Tagalicud Tagata. She was also a farmer in the

Philippines working in the rice fields and her living situation was not the

greatest. So in search for a better life she married my grandpa, then became

sponsored and arrived in Hawaii in 1960 at the age of 34 years old. In Hawaii

she supported my grandpa working in the fields and eventually worked as a

counter helper at the Pearl Harbor Bowling alley and as a helper at the Navy

Exchange. She came to Hawaii knowing little English so she struggled with

translations, but over time she learned parts of the English language from

friends and of family. She does not regret moving to Hawaii one bit for the

opportunity and experience she gained was much greater than if she had

stayed in the Philippines.

In 1965, immigration quotas that limited the amount of Filipinos to

migrate each year were finally eliminated. With my great aunt, Saturnina
Tagata, now in Hawaii the family reunification process began. (Castles 116-

117)

First came over in 1973, were her mother and father (my great

grandma and grandpa), Sabina and Paulino Tagalicud. Although I dont have

much information about them, I would assume they experienced an extreme

culture shock, but enjoyed their life here. They didnt end up working in

Hawaii, due to their old age, however they never returned to the Philippines.

My great grandpa, Paulino Tagalicud then brought over and sponsored

his other daughter, my grandma, Simeona Tagalicud Kay (my moms mom).

She arrived in Hawaii on July 1973. In the Philippines she was a maid and a

farmer which offered a very minimum wage and took a toll on her body. So

moving to Hawaii gave her a promising opportunity. In Hawaii she worked at

the Honolulu Produce Company and retired from the State Linen Laundry

Department. Also laborious jobs, however the pay scale was much better.

She also got to link back up with her family. The English language for her was

also difficult to understand so she had to learn through time and experience,

mixing Filipino words with some English. Since moving to Hawaii she has

been back to the Philippines 3 times to visit her family and share her

experiences. Among those family members were 7 of her children, my mom

being one of them and she was next to come to Hawaii.

In 1974, my mom, Virgilina Tagalicud Kay, arrived in Hawaii. She was

sponsored by my grandma Simeona Tagalicud at the age of 8 years old. In

the Philippines she was being watched and taken cared for by all her older

siblings, being the youngest in the family. She was enrolled in an elementary

school in Manila before being relocated to Hawaii. In Hawaii she attended

school and only knew very little of the English language so she had to take

ESL (English Second Language) classes to help her improve. Growing up her

mother Simeona Tagalicud really pushed her to do well in school, knowing

that education was really important to make money and support her and the

family. So thats what she did, graduating from high school and then going on

to complete college courses in order to become a nurses aide. Since she was

the only child in the family that learned English in school, she became the

language broker of the family. She began translating English back to Ilocano

for her elders as she took them on errands to the bank, the doctor, the store,

and even to work. My mom now runs a care home and tends to 2 patients.

Looking back on all her experiences she does not regret moving to Hawaii.

She realizes that she is blessed to have the opportunity and freedom to be

able to thrive in the strong economic system of America. Since moving she

has been back to the Philippines 5 times to visit her family and friends.

After my mom came to Hawaii, all 6 of her older siblings came shortly

after and were also sponsored by their mom, Simeona Tagalicud. Since

moving they all have been thriving and doing well in their respective lives.

My Aunty Juanita currently works as a nurses aid at Queens Medical Center

and owns 3 stores/restaurants with her husband. Uncle Ruben owns and runs

a papaya farm business with his wife. Uncle Ric owns a convenient store/fish
market with his wife. Uncle Rodrigo retired as a welder from Ameron. Uncle

Gabriel retired as a chef from the Hyatt Regency Hotel. And Uncle Ernesto is

currently a chef at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel.

Between the entire families, they all have been back to the Philippines

a number of times and every time they do go back, they never go empty

handed. They always give money and bring back what they call Balikbayan

Boxes. These are typically cargo boxes that are filled with goods, food and

clothing in order to give to their extended families in the Philippines. They

have also gone back and held a medical retreat at their neighborhood public

school. This aided many sick and poor families in the area in hopes to

revitalize their hometown. This goes to show that they respect and enjoy

their opportunity in America, but never forget where they came from.

Bibliography

Castles, Stephen, and Mark J. Miller. The Age of Migration: International

Population Movements in the Modern World. 5th ed. New York: The

Guilford Press, 2013.

"Filipino Americans." Countries and Their Cultures. Web. 03 Mar. 2017.

<http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Du-Ha/Filipino-Americans.html>.

"Filipino laborers arrive - Hawaii History - Short Stories." Filipino

laborers arrive - Hawaii History - Short Stories. Web. 02 Mar. 2017.

 John S.W. Park and Edward J.W. Park. Probationary Americans:

Contemporary Immigration Policies and the Shaping of Asian American

Communities. Routledge, NY, 2005.