Performed on November 7, 2022, at Nakai Theatre’s twenty-four-hour challenge cabaret / share-back in Lefty’s Well, Whitehorse Yukon.
I, Monica, introduce the performance as a creative experiment with research interviews with Filipina practitioners in the Yukon, then we begin with these words from Filipina-American writer Barbara Jane Reyes:
Monica. “This soothsaying, this hollering me
This lyric-making me, now a dazzling we —
Ira. “We howl, we witness, we testify
We stand firm, and you cannot break us
Gwyneth. “We are raw nerves, and we are fire. We rise
And in writing, we restore our lives.”
Characters
Narrator
Monica — Social work researcher
Ira — Bachelor of Social Work student
Gwyneth — Social service practitioner
Narrator. Tonight, we centre kwentuhan, Filipino-specific ways of storytelling, conversations between Monica, Ira, and Gwyneth: intentional relationships nurtured across space and over time. Tonight, we weave their stories together.
Repeating a line from Barbara Jane Reyes, “this lyric-making me, now a dazzling we” — may we learn more about their journeys: on how they, how we, how Filipinos come to call the Yukon our home.
Narrator. Scene 1: Introducing ourselves.
Monica. I call them my sisters in practice: we are Filipinas in Canada working in the social services sector, with shared commitments to work and support fellow Filipinos, our kababayan, wherever we may be.
Gwyneth. I’m Gwyneth Williams, full name Gwyneth Iola Villoria Williams. I was born and I grew up in the United States in Washington, DC. My father’s from Wales and my mother is from the Philippines. From my mother’s side, we originate from Nueva Ecija, and the predominant Indigenous groups there are the Aeta. After studying in the UK, I worked abroad in many places, including Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and the U.S. I then moved to Canada with my partner.
Ira. I’m Ira. I’ve basically lived here all my life. I was born in the Philippines and migrated to the Yukon in 2006 with my parents and have lived here ever since. And certainly, while I’ve had my temptations of leaving and going off to the bigger cities, it’s really a special place to live.
Monica. “The Yukon is a special place to live,” she tells me. And Gwyneth, no longer seduced by some of the world’s biggest cities, chose to visit here, then chose to stay.
I am intrigued. Most of my life, I’ve stayed within a one-hour radius of Toronto. And so, with these budding friendships and a research travel grant in tow, I board two planes to land here in early February. To visit them in person.
Narrator. Scene 2: What brought us here?
Ira. For my family, it’s similar to a lot of immigrant stories: that search for a better life.
Monica. A common refrain: if you want a better life, you come to Canada.
Gwyneth. But in Toronto, we couldn’t find meaningful work. We knew we had a couple of friends who had moved out to the Yukon, so we decided in April 2016 to drive out there. We were originally thinking we’d spend just the summer visiting —
Narrator. Six years later, they’re still here.
Ira. I’ve really dug deep into understanding my immigration story and what makes me me.
Gwyneth. I’ve done some study and self-learning too.
Ira. I reflect back on my life, coming here when the Filipino population was little to none. Seeing the community grow and blossom, recalling the challenges that I faced, my parents faced, coming to rural Northern Canada …
Narrator. Please, continue …
Ira. I really admire how our Filipino community here has remained resilient. If you think about it, I mean, you’re moving from a country where it’s very collectivist and you’re around people all the time.
Narrator. Plus, it’s really hot in the Philippines —
Ira. And then coming to a place like the Yukon, where it’s winter eight-plus months of the year —
Narrator. So cold.
Monica. So VERY cold.
Ira. Where there’s a new language, new culture, new society, new customs.
Gwyneth. Filipinos are the most resilient humans — I mean, I know I’m biased [laughs]. But there’s a humungous population of Filipinos here in the Yukon. Such a harsh cold environment and yet they thrive.
Narrator. My God, it’s incredible.
Gwyneth. It’s incredible! I had no idea. I was just going out to the Yukon to check it out. It’s the Wild West here. Especially Dawson City, Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in territory. You really feel it, it’s one of the most famous places for the gold rush, and you still feel that really …
Narrator. [Sing-song]
Gwyneth. Freedom.
Narrator. [Ends sing-song]
Gwyneth. Like, you can do anything! You have to know how to connect with people to thrive and grow. And that’s what Filipinos know how to do.
All. That’s what we know how to do.
Narrator. Scene 3: Filipinos in the Yukon.
Ira. I would describe the community as very colourful and vibrant. We now have a Filipino restaurant and store, people are really trying to stand their ground and establish themselves here. Similar to what’s happening across Canada, employment-wise, many are in the fast-food industry, housekeeping, the medical field as well.
I’m not going to say it’s very rare to see Filipinos in leadership positions, I think that’s changing. I’m sure you’ve heard, our first-ever Filipino MLA was recently elected …
Narrator. Yvonne Clarke.
Ira. And we have a Filipina city councillor …
Narrator. Jocelyn Curteanu.
MONICA. I meet them in my first few days here.
IRA. I think people are trying to make those strides. But it’s very common that for the first five-plus years, Filipinos are remaining in the jobs they originally come here for, they get a little bit more comfortable, and then they might work up into a higher position.
The Filipino community: it’s small but growing, and I’m excited to see what’s to come.
MONICA. Witnessing the changes with my own eyes …
NARRATOR. It’s incredible.
GWYNETH. My first experience in the Yukon with the Filipino community was in this tiny place of Dawson City. And I met incredible Filipinos. I first met Filipinas working at the daycare. Incredible loving humans, my God. And then through my youth work with Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in, through the youth centre, I got to know all the youth, the Filipino youth of Dawson City, and got to know their stories, too: how they made it out here and how they’re liking it.
And then when I moved to Whitehorse, oh my gosh, I had no idea.
NARRATOR. Totoo, I had no idea too!
GWYNETH. It’s a thriving community. Every winter, all the Filipino houses in Whitehorse, folks do them up for a Christmas lights competition. You can do a little toodle around, and you know it’s a Filipino house because it’s got the incredible lantern, what’s it called again? I forgot …
NARRATOR, IRA, MONICA: Parol?
GWYNETH. Parol, yes, parol. And then, they have this epic party that everyone wants in on. All my Indigenous friends were like, what’s this party, this Filipino Christmas party? And I was like, oh, you come with me, we’ll check it out.
And there’s karaoke! Oh! That was another thing about Dawson City. The first time: there was an uncle, there was a tito there who regularly would have karaoke nights, which is so fabulous, especially in the winter months when you need community, you need some fun. They just thrive.
It just feels good. I’ve travelled and lived in so many places, I’m fairly comfortable with coming and going.
ALL. Making a life wherever it is.
GWYNETH. I think that’s really my Filipino-ness. It’s so heartwarming to see that my community is doing the same here and they’re thriving.
IRA. We’re out here, we’re thriving.
NARRATOR. End scene. Thank you everyone!