DevCabana TBT

Throwback Thursday: NastyNes, 206, & Music

IMG_0590.JPG In music history DJ NastyNes Rodriguez can be located at the foundation for hip hop growth in Seattle. His Posse was on Broadway helping the scene happen in a pre-digital Seattle age. He ran radio shows, produced NASTYMIX Records, and worked with many local artists. This transpired in a time where music was on cassettes, vinyl, or radio only. (MTV wasn’t big yet. Don’t even try imagining iTunes.) Nes was honored by FANHS in 1992 with the Very Important Pinoy award for his contributions. When you look back at early Seattle hip hop history, Nes was there for hip hop culture.

“Not only am I the first (West Coast Rap show) DJ, but a Filipino DJ and reppin’ the 206!” – Nes Rodriguez

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1985 Filipino Youth Activities Washington D.C. Tour Benefit Dance Flyer, FANHS Archive

Continue reading “Throwback Thursday: NastyNes, 206, & Music” →

mig News About Events, News About Projects

October and November 2014 events and projects

At our October 11th meeting, members had a chance to discuss, plan, and sign up for multiple projects. And you can be involved too.

FANHS National Volunteer Training, October 25, 10am to 12pm. National Pinoy Archives, 810 18th Ave #100, Seattle, WA 98122
Are you looking for an opportunity to learn Filipino American history? Do you want to take part in an effort to preserve Filipino American history? Are you a student looking for volunteer hours? Become a National Pinoy Archives (NPA) volunteer! The training is open to both members and non-members. For information contact fanhs-seattle@gmail.com

Filipino Veterans Event and Forgotten Soldiers documentary, November 1, 2014. University of Washington Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center, 3931 Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105.
Sponsored by FANHS Seattle and FANHS Tacoma. The event will feature the documentary, Forgotten Soldiers, a “story of a group of elite US Army soldiers who fought America’s first major ground battle of the Second World War.” The elite force is the United States Army’s Philippine Scouts. More details to come.

Historical Cookbook Call for Recipes and Stories. Some of our most memorable experiences are related to the scent and taste of that one favorite family dish. FANHS Seattle would like to share those memories and recipes in our 2015 historical cookbook. Do you have a recipe of significance to your family? What is the story or memory associated with that recipe? Is it an old family recipe from the Philippines that was adapted to the ingredients available to the greater Seattle area? Or was it a recipe your family gave a Filipino twist? To submit your recipe and story, fill out our online form.

FANHS Seattle Ongoing Call for Writers. We are looking for your stories. The website is open to any form of writing or media content related to Filipino Americans. Don’t know what to write, here are some questions to get you started. Was there a document, item, or artifact in the National Pinoy Archives that was interesting or meaningful to you? Do you remember an experience that affected you or your community? In your opinion, what are 3-5 points, places, or people of Filipino American History that you feel are essential to know? If you are interested in contributing, email Devin at velvetduke@gmail.com.

DevCabana TBT

Throwback Thursday: Fil-Am, Public Market, & Starbucks

Before the Starbucks Coffee Company was at Seattle’s Pike Place Market,  the Filipino Coffee Company, ca. 1909 was there!

Filipino_Coffee_Co_Seattle_ca_1909
Seattle’s Filipino Americans have had a continued presence in the Public Market for generations.  Many people take a leisurely afternoon to experience the colorful culture of the Market. For snacking in the afternoon you can find longanisa with a local Filipino soap opera attitude. There are giant bouquets for sale by the Ilocano flower vendors here. Also, there’s the great Seattle past time of watching people throw fish at each other to experience .

The above image shows “Batango” blend coffee, which is likely a transliteration of Batangas. Kape Barako is still grown in the Philippines today.   Whether Filipino beans or Starbucks, Seattle still has some of the best coffee around.

by Devin Cabanilla
Seattle, WashingtonPike Place Market 001The Flower LadyHeads Up!!!Pike Place StarbucksSeattle, WashingtonThe First Starbucks BranchGood concept... just needs some refiningSeattle, WashingtonSeattle, Washingtonfish
(user photos via Flickr Creative Commons license)

DevCabana TBT

Throwback Thursday: A Kid’s Yo-Yo

The First Modern Yo-Yo by Pedro Flores

My 5-yr old son began playing awkwardly with a Yo-Yo recently.  I began showing him the tricks I’d learned as a kid.  My uncle taught me how to “walk the dog”, and do “the cradle” trick moves. It was a wonderful place of nostalgia for me. Throwback Thursdays posts are all about fun nostalgia and a chance to remember the little things in life. However, in the larger scheme of history it is often forgotten that the Yo-Yo was popularized by Filipino Americans and shaped modern Americana!

The primary twirler who brought the Yo-Yo into the mainstream was Filipino Pedro Flores. In the 1920’s a Yo-Yo probably sold for around 10 cents.  Flores opened different factories making wooden Yo-yo’s and was the main innovator for using a slip-string on the axle to extend spin for trick moves.  Donald Duncan saw a child playing with a Flores Yo-Yo and decided to later work with Pedro Flores. By the 1930’s Duncan eventually bought full ownership of the enterprise and created Duncan Yo-Yo. Today, a single mint condition Flores Yo-Yo is worth $2,000, while Duncan Yo-Yo’s are now a dime a dozen. Continue reading “Throwback Thursday: A Kid’s Yo-Yo” →

FANHS Seattle News About Events

Filipino American National History Month 2014

Today is the start of Filipino American History Month. The roots of this annual celebration run deep in Seattle. The Seattle-based FANHS National board and trustees voted to establish October as Filipino American National Historical Month in 1988. Since 1991, FANHS National and chapters have coordinated events to celebrate the historical contribution of those of Filipino heritage to American history.

FANHS National has two events to kick-off the month-long celebration.

Friday, October 3rd, 6:00pm. Thank God I’m Filipino Lecture, “Growing Up Brown: Memories of Washington Hall.” Washington Hall, 153 14th Avenue Seattle, Washington 98122.
Free event.

Come hear stories of how Washington Hall was more than a building, it was a vibrant community. From the 1930s to the 1960s, Filipino families and organizations gathered at Washington Hall regularly for dances, events, and family occasions.

Saturday, October 4th, 6:30 pm. Dinner & Program FANHS Pioneering Family Reunion: Growing Up Brown 1945 to 1970. Immaculate Conception Auditorium, 820 18th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122.
Tickets: $25.

Continue reading “Filipino American National History Month 2014” →

FANHS Seattle News About Projects

Filipino American Historical Cookbook project

This year FANHS Seattle will publish a cookbook featuring the history of Filipinos in Seattle and the food we love to eat. From the pensionados, Alaskeros, to post-1965 professionals, family recipes transformed and new dishes integrated into the family cookbook.  We will be collecting stories that illustrate how family meals represent the Filipino American experience in Seattle.

More information to come.