6/4/08


Answers to some welcome comments

May I answer some comments from our readers.

from j.a. Carizo:

“This is an interesting entry. But I just wonder: If the entry on the Chinese interaction is true, how come I haven't seen Chinese residents in the area? And almost all of the surnames of the locales (since post World War II) are not Chinese-sounding surnames?”

Well, contrary to common perception, Baao has many Chinese residents and business people(read “A Spark Into the Darkness:The Life and Death of Dr. Dominador UyBarretta) My side of the Esplana Family have many stories of Chinese migrants to the town assuming the Esplana family name to integrate smoothly among the people. This example of integration is probably the reason the Chinese is seamlessly assimilated into the population and also this is why very few of their original names survive. From the same aforesaid article above, you will find that many of the Chinese doing business in Baao before the WWII were among those taken by the Japanese and never returned. I have found traces of the Chinese in Baao not only in its pre-Hispanic history but during the last century when they migrated to the town intermittently in waves.

From “paula abdul” :

This site appears to have only entries from Paulix Robosa when it is supposed to be from and/or for the "Baao historical and cultural society." Isn't this too presumptuous? Does this organization really exist? Who are the members, anyways?

Word of advice: just make it a personal blog, minus the pretense. It wont hurt.

Some entries are also from Fr. Ramirez and A. del Rosario. Yes, there is a “Baao Historical & Cultural Society” composed of many people not only those mentioned above and anyone interested in Baao History and Culture, barring objections, is considered a member. However, much as we like that many would contribute to this site, we are still in the process of calling attention to it and soliciting contributions. Your comments are not only welcome but also a big help. I am afraid I would be presumptuous if I would put the History and culture of Baao on a personal site of which I have several already.

From “ali-ponga”

“Do you know why our area is called “Rinconada”? I've done some research and couldn't find an explanation.

Take a map of the Bicol region, and using a ruler, trace a line following the Bicol river from Bato Lake to Bula. Then with the same ruler, trace a line from Bula then to Baao, on to Buhi, double back, by-pass Iriga and Nabua but end at Bato. By connecting your lines, you will find that you have created a triangle or three corners. In English, the Spanish “Rinconada” means “cornered”or “little corner”.

Keep searching and Enjoy!

P. Robosa

4 comments:

rosadel said...

It felt good to find others writing comments to a blog which I consider very informative and nostalgic. Although my mother, aunts and uncle looked more like Spanish rather than Chinese mestizos,as a child, I remember feeling like an outcast because my grandfather was called "insik", an undesirable label similar (I think) to the "n" word in the USA. I could only imagine how the children of the late Mr. Cosme UyBarreta felt because I heard others call him that name also.The above memory was a nightmare; the nostalgia is the memory of Dr. Susana UyBarreta's kind letter to me when I came to America as she was already here.
Dr. Cosme, Jr. was also my classmate at SMA. A.delRosario

rosadel said...

It felt good to find others writing comments to a blog which I consider very informative and nostalgic. Although my mother, aunts and uncle looked more like Spanish rather than Chinese mestizos,as a child, I remember feeling like an outcast because my grandfather was called "insik", an undesirable label similar (I think) to the "n" word in the USA. I could only imagine how the children of the late Mr. Cosme UyBarreta felt because I heard others call him that name also.The above memory was a nightmare; the nostalgia is the memory of Dr. Susana UyBarreta's kind letter to me when I came to America as she was already here.
Dr. Cosme, Jr. was also my classmate at SMA. A.delRosario

rosadel said...

It felt good to find others writing comments to a blog which I consider very informative and nostalgic. Although my mother, aunts and uncle looked more like Spanish rather than Chinese mestizos,as a child, I remember feeling like an outcast because my grandfather was called "insik", an undesirable label similar (I think) to the "n" word in the USA. I could only imagine how the children of the late Mr. Cosme UyBarreta felt because I heard others call him that name also.The above memory was a nightmare; the nostalgia is the memory of Dr. Susana UyBarreta's kind letter to me when I came to America as she was already here.
Dr. Cosme, Jr. was also my classmate at SMA. A.delRosario

EyRa said...

Oh that was a cool GEOGRAPHY 101 about rinconada...