My name is Conrado Paet Cortez, the second oldest son of Apolinario Fontanilla Cortez and Unilda Paet Cortez, my grandfather’s daughter. I hope to paint, in this short story of my grandfather, who he was and the sacrifices he made that helped build the Paet Ohana in Hawaii.
On February 13, 1904 in Ilocos Sur Philippines, Leandro Padre Paet was born to Venabuentura and Maria Paet . My mom told me the story of my grandfather, lovingly known as Lelong, who was one of four children born to Venabuentura and Maria Paet. The first of the other four children was Melicia, who I fondly knew as Lelang Miling. The second of the other four children was Julian, who resided in California instead of Hawai’i and never married. Finally, the third of the other four children was Idelfonso, patriarch of the huge Paet family here in Hawai’i.
Lelong married Leanora Paranada (date unknown), and together they had 3 daughters: Virginia, Elogia, and my mom, Unilda Nellie Paranada Paet. My mom was born in 1938. Tragically, both Virginia and Elogia died of illness before the start of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941. Lelong also lost his wife to illness during the Japanese occupation that ended in 1945; the year World War II ended. During the Japanese occupation they hid in the mountains to prevent from being captured by the Japanese.
In the following year, 1946, Hawaiian Cane and Sugar (HC&S) were hiring thousands of Filipinos, known today as the Sakadas, to work in the sugar cane fields in Hawai’i. At this point in his life Lelong had already lost his wife, two daughters, and went into hiding during the Japanese occupation. Life was not easy. If he does not seize the opportunity at hand, his daughter, and the generations to come would continue to struggle. On the other hand the thought of leaving his daughter behind and the uncertainty of when or if he would see her again must have been tormenting.
Despite the uncertainty and anguish of leaving his daughter, and life as he know it behind in the Philippines, Lelong aspired for his family to have a better life than he did. So Lelong made the decision to move to Hawai’i and work for HC&S. In his absence his young 8 year daughter, Unilda, was cared for by his sister Lelang Miling. Joining him was his nephew (his brother Idelfonso’s son) Zacharias Paet.
When we think of traveling to a foreign county, the mode of travel would be via airplane. And the time to get there would be about a half a day. Then when we get to our destination we send our loved ones a text letting know that you’ve arrived. Back then the mode of travel from the Philippines to Hawaii would be by ship, the SS Maunawili to be exact. The time it would take from port to port is about 1 month, and then another week or so before they get to their assigned camp in Pu’unene Maui. It is only then, nearly two months after they said their tearful goodbyes, that they could sit down and compose a letter to their loved ones in the Philippines letting them know that they made it.
Remember how I said Lelong’s goal was to make sure his family lived an easier life than he did? That he did. He worked tirelessly everyday to send the money he made back to the Philippines to help with expenses and eventually, help my mom go to college. This continued from 1946 until 1956, which is the year she married my dad. More on that in a bit.
For now, let’s look into the years between 1946 and 1956. My dad, Apolinario Fontanilla Cortez, was also a Sakada who at first, worked on the Big Island. According to my mom, dad was not happy on the Big Island so he moved to O’ahu first and then to Maui where he stayed with relatives in Pu’unene. I’m not sure what year dad ended up on Maui, but according to my mom, Dad visited the house where Lelong lived, saw a picture of Lelong’s daughter (my mom), and then popped the question, “Tata kayat komang I date ta balasang mo no mapanak to diay Pilipinas?” Translated. “Sir may I date your daughter when I go back to the Phillipines.”
The air must have been sucked out of the room at that moment, and if they were partying with friends and relatives at Lelong house, the room must have gone dead silent. Then Lelong must have given dad the stink eye from hell as he told him, “SAAN (no) she needs to finish college first.”
I wouldn’t be writing this today if my dad complied with Lelong’s demand. Sometime in 1956, dad went back to the Philippines and dated Lelong’s daughter, my mom. Mom said, they fell in love and ELOPED!!! They married in November 1956 somewhere in the Philippines. Mom immigrated to Hawaii in 1961 and lived with Lelong in his new home in Kahului’s 6th increment.
This home and uncle Carias’s home became the first homes for many relatives they “ordered” from the Philippines from the mid 60’s to early to mid 70’s. Lelong’s dream of creating a better life for his daughter and the families he left behind in 1946 was coming true, and despite dad ignoring Lelong’s “Saan”, they both were very close.
Lelong had 3 grandchildren: Christopher born in October 1962, then me in July 1963, and then my sister Reynilda in February 1971. My brother Christopher was adopted by my parents because they tried to have kids for years but couldn’t. So they heard of the baby, just born, that was being put up for adoption, and adopted him. Exactly 9 months to the day after Christorpher was born, yours truly came to this world.
By late 1960’s Lelong’s next phase of his “better life” plan took shape. He retired from HC&S, so he could take care of us while mom and dad worked. That he did. He took us to school and picked us up. He fed us -- Noda’s market was always a favorite. And from time to time we’d all jump into his white 1960 something VW Bug, and drove to Pu’unene to watch either Manong Bernard or Manong Clifford play baseball. After the game Lelong would take us to Sam Sato’s for some dry mein and hamburger. Yum. Lelong truly went out of his way to support us his grandkids, and his grand nieces and nephews.
Some of the values he instilled in us are: be the salt of the earth, to respect your elders (always greet them lelong, lelang, nana, tata, uncle, aunty, etc), and school FIRST. No dating until you are finished with school. I can say, unlike my dad, I listened to Lelong.
In 1994, he passed away two weeks before his 90th birthday and before he could meet his first great-grandchild, who was born later that year. I cannot begin to describe the love and heartfelt appreciation relatives felt and expressed during and after his funeral. Everybody Lelong and uncle Carias helped to bring over from the Philippines, repeatedly said, “If it wasn’t for Lelong, we wouldn’t be here today. If it wasn’t for Lelong we wouldn’t have the life we live today.” It was so heartwarming to see that level of appreciation expressed after Lelong’s passing.
So that is a glimpse into who lelong Leandro was, and the sacrifices he and uncle Carias made so we can have a better life than they did. Let us continue to keep them close at heart and never forget who they are and what they did.
