Despite the harsh plantation life, the Filipinos still managed to have certain pleasures in life during their days off, such as attending each others parties. There were those who were able to bring their families and enjoy family gatherings. One peculiarity was the shocking practice of some men who would actually abduct someone else's wife either for his own benefit or for a friend. This was due to the scarcity of single women on the plantations.
Over the years, the lot of the Filipino immigrants in Hawaii improved. Children of the laborers were better educated and slowly paved the way for a much better quality of life for the coming Filipino generations. The proof of it was personified by Benjamin Cayetano, the son of a former laborer from Pangasinan province. He was elected Governor of Hawaii in 1994. The first Filipino American to become governor of a state in the United States.
Go To Page: 1 2
