‘We Are Migrant Trees’

By Evangeline Ragus Hinnenkamp*

Speech given at Eskwela Natin’s graduation ceremonies on September 22, 2013.

Dinarangal na mga kapwa-Pilipino, kapwa-tagapagturo, mga mag-aaral sa sekundarya nagprisintang tumulong sa pagtuturo, mga kabataang magtatapos sa unang klase ng Eskwela Natin, mga kaibigan, magandang hapon.

Honored fellow-Filipinos, fellow educators, student volunteers, graduates of Eskwela Natin’s first session, friends, good afternoon.

I’ve got the whole world in my classroom. Sort of.

I teach English learners – children who have come to America from all over the world with different reasons, with varying levels of English language fluency and skills – from early beginning to advanced levels, and with varying degrees of emotional, social and cultural adjustment capabilities.

Regardless of their reasons, English language proficiency levels or maturity levels, they all deal with culture shock. Daily during the school year, I witness students deal with issues of identity, language and culture. Some who have very strong family ties are able to cope with the changes quite remarkably. Others, however, seem to have difficulty and often struggle to either maintain or create a new one.

I empathize with them and it is through working with them that I ponder on my identity and heritage, our own, yours and mine as Filipinos who have come, have grown, or were born here in America. To establish a unique identity while fitting in and adapting to a multicultural and multilingual society is a never-ending struggle.

Our struggle is often like that of migrant trees. First generation immigrants such as I are like plants uprooted from the home soil and transplanted into foreign soil. They get uprooted at varying stages of growth (mature, sapling, seedling). Others are grafted into foreign stems and many are fruits of the transplanted or grafted trees. Whatever stage they get uprooted or whatever conditions they happen to be here, they strive to adapt in order to flourish. It is then essential that the tree stays connected to a healthy root system in order to grow, blossom and bear fruit.

In a similar way, whether we came to America as adults, youngsters or babies, been grafted into other ethnic families, or born of mixed ethnicities, we need to stay connected to our roots in order to thrive. We need our roots to preserve and enrich our identities.

These reflections and the desire to uphold the Filipino legacy prompted me to say yes when Dolores Diaz asked me to teach at Eskwela Natin, our very own Filipino School. Eskwela Natin is here to ensure that all of us, especially our children who have been uprooted, grafted or born from these grafts can stay connected to our Filipino roots. Here they learn our language, history, geography, culture, traditions, music and cuisine. What they learn here at Eskwela Natin will help sustain the essence of their being a Filipino and influence them to care and carry on our heritage. They will go out into the community taking pride in their Filipino identity and fortified by their culture and heritage. America will behold and will be enriched by the value and integrity of the Filipino people.

I am proud to be part of this undertaking to fulfill Eskwela Natin’s vision. The trees have been transplanted; the branches have been grafted; the seeds have been sown. The nurture is in our hands – yours and mine. May the fruits be good.

Mabuhay ang Pilipino!

*Evangeline Ragus Hinnenkamp is the Head Teacher of Eskwela Natin, the first Filipino school of its kind in the United States.  She teaches English at the Inderkum High School at Natomas Unified School District in Sacramento, California.