This is my
response to the query regarding our life in Kansas City where I had my
first industrial job after my Ph.D graduation from the University of
Illinois in Chicago.
The Lechon (Roast Suckling Pig) at Ditas Baptism Party
After my Ph. D. graduation, I was hired by Chemagro
Corporation as a Chemist in their Research Department doing pesticides
residues analytical methods development. Chemagro was located in Kansas
City, Missouri.
In addition to our involvement with the church and the Christian Family
Movement (CFM), our life in Kansas City also involved our participation
with the Filipino-American Association Of Greater Kansas City social
activities.
One of our Christmas parties was featured in the Kansas City Dispatch dated January, 1969 and titled "The Nipa Hut- Right Here The in Northland". We purchased our first house in Platte Woods, Missouri and named it "The Nipa Hut" in 1967.
An excerpt from Mary Jane Peironnet (reporter for the Dispatch) article is as follows:
Our First House, 5701 N.W. Linden Road, Platte Woods, Missouri.
"Its many thousand of miles from Manila P.I. to Platte Woods, U.S.A.,
but at 5701 N. W Linden Road, on the edge of the southern Platte
community, there's home which the Filipino owners have called a nipa
hut-after the thatched palm leaf huts typical of their native land".
" In this self-styled "hut", now surrounded by snow and wintry weather
70 or 80 degrees colder than that of the tropical Philippines, Dr. and
Mrs. David Katague are carrying on many of their native customs while
bringing up their four children in the American ways of their neighbors
and classmates at Chin School."
" The gold-lettered "nipa hut" sign in the Katagues' front door causes
much comments from guests, Mrs. Macrine Katague says, because the family
filipino friends know the meaning of the term and understand the reason
for calling the 4-bedroom 3-bathroom rambling ranch house in an acre of
land, a hut."
" Especially during the holiday season do the transplanted Filipinos,
carry on with the tradition of their birthplace. Family and church
observances began nine days before Christmas and they will continue
through Jan 6, known in this country as Epiphany, but celebrated in the
Philippines as the Feast of the Three Kings for the three wise men who
visited infant Christ 12 days after his birth".
" Tuesday night, Dr and Mrs Katague climaxed their holiday entertaining
with a New Year's Eve party for nearly 30 of their countrymen, members
of the Filipino Association Greater Kansas City. The year's end
festivity was a colorful affair, where the women in their bright
"ternos", native gowns characterized by butterfly sleeves, and the men
in "Barongs" embroidered silk shirts worn with dark slacks, assembled to
wish each other " Maligayang Pasko at Bagong Taon", the tagalog version
of Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
"As the clocked ticked off the last minutes of '68, the Katagues and
their guests toasted the new year with San Miquel beer sent from the
Philippines by some of their families. Soon after midnight, a
traditional repast was enjoyed by the party-goers. Rice cakes( known as
puto), pancit ( noodles), cheese balls ( keso de bola), leche flan ( egg
custard), dinuguan ( bloody pudding), ginger tea and chocolate were
among the food and drinks served during the party."
The Typical Nipa Hut in Rural Philippines, Boac, Marinduque- our second home
The rest of the article described why we immigrated to US and how the family are adjusting to the typical American life in the suburbs of a midwestern city. Pictures of Macrine in her terno and me in my barong, as well as of Ditas highlighted the article.
Another party at our residence was also published in the local paper, a
baptismal party for Ditas. The article was published in the the Kansas
City Star, dated June, 1965. Here is the full article in the society
page titled
"When a child is baptized in the Philippines, it is an occasion for
celebrating. Like so many other religious holidays and festivals,it
calls for an all-out project in the kitchen.
Last Sunday in Gladstone the fourth child of Dr. and Mrs. David B
Katague was baptized at the St. Charles Catholic Church. Late that
afternoon, a full blown luau took place in the baby girl's honor
although in typical American fashion, 2-month-old Ditas Macrine Katague
quickly became the charge of her baby sitter.
The young Philippine family moved here last year after Dr. Katague had
completed his graduate study at the University of Illinois in Chicago.
Among the American and Filipino friends on hand to share the family
occasion were the baby's godmother, Mrs Jose Liwag who came from Chicago with her husband, and Senora Maria
Elena Cobian de Rojas, whose home is Mexico City. There were about 30 in
all.
The unanimous choice for starring role in the food department was a
roast suckling pig that stole the whole show. It cooked slowly,
deliciously all afternoon while a watchful host tended the spit. When it
was crisp on the outside and succulent inside, it was then ready to be
brought with pomp to the table.
Chopping the food is the hardest and slowest task of all, Mrs Katague
commented on the many courses she prepared to accompany the pork.Mixing
the ingredients, takes only about a half hour, she said. "But unlike
party dishes that can be prepared well ahead of time, these must be put
together just as the guest are arriving."
Sweet and sour peppers were one of the native appetizers she served with
Hawaiian punch, spiked with rum. Some more typical American hors
d'oeuvres found their way to the table, as well. One other dish served
was an elaborate noodle, chicken and shrimp dish flavored with spices.
Another delicacy was pea pods with shrimps. For dessert, a special rice
cake was served with coffee.
Later in the evening several guests took a turn at the piano, some
playing classical, others concentrating on popular music and jazz. "It
was nostalgic when we sang some of our native tunes", the Filipino
mother reminisced.
All the while the guest of honor slept blissfully through it all!
********************************************************************************
Our
Life in Missouri will not be complete if I do not write this incident
about a subtle racial discrimination my family experienced from our
local swim club.
In 1965, my wife and three children experienced their first discrimination experience in Gladstone, Missouri.
Gladstone is a northern suburb of Kansas City, Missouri with about 99.5% Caucasian population at that time.
The discrimination was not blatant but very subtle. After relocating in
Missouri for my first job after my Ph.D graduation from the University
of Illinois, my family and I joined a Country Swim Club just a couple of
blocks and a walking distance from our rented residence.
My wife, Macrine, and the kids would swim at the country club twice or
three times a week. The first day, they were there, she overheard the
conversation from two middle-aged ladies. She heard a comment of the
first lady to her friend, "look we are getting invaded by blacks
already". Macrine look around, but there were no black families around;
she and the kids were the only colored ( brown) relaxing and swimming in
the pool area. Macrine was bothered by what she heard but did not get
upset. She continued watching the kids swimming in the pool.
After our second year in the neighborhood, we became more active socially and became well-known to the Gladstone community. I was elected by the members of the club as treasurer for two years. I was handling the payroll of three employees and collecting the membership fees of the 300 members. I was delighted that the club members and Board of Directors trusted me with their finances. I therefore conclude that the cure for discrimination is education and ignorance is the mother of prejudice.
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