00:00 How does one report on events that happened over a century ago?
00:04 Well, American newspaper the Washington Post thought of doing a graphic novel to tell the story of Filipinos who went to the United States and were put on display at the infamous 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.
00:16 Some of these Filipinos, including a girl named Maura, was even part of a so-called racial brain collection of an anthropologist of the Smithsonian National Museum.
00:25 Pagahanap Kay Maura is Washington Post's first ever Filipino published story.
00:30 And to tell us more about this, joining us now via Zoom are Filipino-American artist Jana Anunyuevo-Langholz, who brought this whole story to light,
00:40 and visual artist Ren Galeno, who illustrated the novel.
00:43 Hello, Jana and Ren. Welcome to New Day.
00:45 Ladies, this is such an interesting story. I don't know where to begin.
00:50 Jana, let me start with you. You're a caretaker of the Philippine Village Historical Site that was once part of the World's Fair,
00:56 and you're the one who brought the story of Maura and other Filipinos to light.
01:00 The Washington Post did say that they came upon Maura's story in 2022 when you concluded something in your research.
01:07 Tell us about this discovery, this journey, and the story of Maura.
01:12 Yes. So I was born at the site of the 1904 World's Fair, and I currently live and work at the site of the Philippine Village.
01:23 The bulk of my work really started when I learned about the death of Maura on her death anniversary in April 2021.
01:32 And since then, I've followed her story, and I've followed the story of many, many others who were also at St. Louis in 1904.
01:48 Right. Jana, this is obviously somewhat a sad, somewhat regretful story and part of our history,
01:56 but something that really does need to be looked at and does deserve the focus that it's getting right now.
02:03 This story is something quite different. What is it about this story that captivated you the most?
02:11 I think the fact that these were all people that lived where I live,
02:16 and they moved through the same spaces where I move through every day made it even more powerful for me.
02:26 And the fact that this was a young woman who was clearly abused and has never been acknowledged in 119 years felt like it was a story that really needed to be told.
02:38 Right. Since this happened, obviously a long, long time ago, way back in 1904,
02:43 how were you able to convince the Washington Post to tell such a story?
02:47 And once it was told, I think it was something that really sort of captivated everybody's attention and imagination.
02:54 How much archive researching and really shuffling through the pages of history did you have to go through to tell this story?
03:04 Well, that research is still ongoing. It began on Maura's death anniversary in April 2021 when I came across the headline that it had snowed.
03:18 Probably the last time it happened was back in 1904, if I understand correctly.
03:24 Yes, back in 1904. And I wanted to pay respects to her.
03:29 I wanted to bring flowers to her grave and I didn't know where to do that.
03:34 And so I started searching for her grave on that day.
03:39 And every day since then, I've read the newspaper from 1904 on the corresponding day.
03:49 Right. I'd like to talk to Ren now and get her thoughts on how she decided to, how she went about illustrating a time from such a long time ago.
04:00 And we have nothing really solid to go with or to base our storytelling on other than very few photographs from this somewhat infamous exhibit from way back in 1904.
04:15 How did you go about illustrating this story, Ren?
04:20 Well, first of all, thank you so much for having me.
04:23 But one of the things that was really great about the Washington Post's research and Dana's research is they were really great about providing these incredible reference images.
04:34 And because we didn't have a likeness for Mora, it was important that everything around her was really vivid and textured.
04:45 So that could lend some humanity and really bring her to life.
04:51 And she really is the focus, as well as Janna, of this comic.
04:55 Right. What were some of the, I don't know, learnings and discoveries that you had looking at these photographs, going through these photographs and illustrating this time?
05:05 What were some of the big discoveries for you?
05:10 I believe, of course, it was really shocking to see these images.
05:15 Prior to this, I had no, little to no knowledge of the World's Fair and what went on there.
05:21 So researching these things and kind of putting yourself in the shoes of these participants of the World's Fair, of these Filipinos, it becomes a little bit emotional.
05:36 I learned a lot in kind of one big, one fell swoop, I suppose.
05:44 I learned so much in a short period of time, and then I had to put a lot of emotions into creating this work, as well.
05:52 Right. So we're seeing some of those images on screen right now.
05:56 It's some amazing work, and it really does aid in telling this story, and it's a very important story to tell.
06:03 Did what, the learning about this, like I said, somewhat, you know, regrettable part of our history, but at the same time, did it awaken, I don't know, a sense of roots as far as going back and looking back to our Filipino connections?
06:24 It's always important to look back on our history, and I'm just really thankful I got to be a part of this retelling of, I know that this isn't something we learn in school.
06:40 Right. This certainly isn't over.
06:45 The search for Maura's burial site continues.
06:48 What's the plan moving forward, Jenna? The story isn't told, and we haven't really put closure on this story.
06:55 There's still a little bit more of the story to tell.
06:57 How would you like to move forward and really sort of finally close the chapter on this particular story?
07:04 Well, I went to Sioux Yoke to visit Maura's relatives earlier this year, and they're still looking for more information, and we'll determine how we move forward, I guess, from there.
07:19 And in the meantime, there were also 16 other people that died in St. Louis during the 1904 World's Fair, and I'm also searching for their descendants as well.
07:30 Right. Maura's story is really just one of many that deserve to be told from this, like I said, somewhat sad and regretful part of our history.
07:40 But thank you once again, Jenna and Ren, for sharing your story and for telling Maura's story and for joining us here on New Day.
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