Bongolan Family Collection
Dublin Core
Title
Bongolan Family Collection
Description
Felix Hidalgo Bongolan was born in October 1911 in the municipality of Santiago, in the province of Ilocos Sur, in the Philippines. Felix immigrated to Hawai‘i from the Philippines when he was around 19 years old to work on the pineapple plantations in Oahu. He eventually worked as a foreman for the Dole.
Felix began corresponding with his soon-to-be wife, Irene “Inning” Sipin, through letters. In 1951, Felix traveled back to the Philippines to marry Inning. Inning was born in Santiago, Ilocos Sur, Philippines in July 1919. During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, Inning moved away from her village to hide in the mountains for about eight years. After she and Felix were married, they moved to Oahu together.
In 1952, Felix and Inning moved to Watsonville, California to be close to Inning’s brothers who were already living in the area. There, Felix worked as a camp cook at Filipino labor camps located on Lee Road. Together, Felix and Inning had two children: Lorraine “Rain” (b. 1952) and Felirene “Fe” (b. 1955). While living in Watsonville, Inning was involved with Filipino community events and Lorraine and Fe participated in Filipino dance classes. Rain went on to attend the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the University of San Francisco. Rain worked in the Pajaro Valley School District for forty years and taught as a professor at California State University, Monterey Bay.
Felix passed away in 1975 and Inning passed away in 1998.
The Bongolan Family Collection was donated to Watsonville is in the Heart in 2023. It contains one oral history interview with Lorraine "Rain" Bongolan.
Felix began corresponding with his soon-to-be wife, Irene “Inning” Sipin, through letters. In 1951, Felix traveled back to the Philippines to marry Inning. Inning was born in Santiago, Ilocos Sur, Philippines in July 1919. During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, Inning moved away from her village to hide in the mountains for about eight years. After she and Felix were married, they moved to Oahu together.
In 1952, Felix and Inning moved to Watsonville, California to be close to Inning’s brothers who were already living in the area. There, Felix worked as a camp cook at Filipino labor camps located on Lee Road. Together, Felix and Inning had two children: Lorraine “Rain” (b. 1952) and Felirene “Fe” (b. 1955). While living in Watsonville, Inning was involved with Filipino community events and Lorraine and Fe participated in Filipino dance classes. Rain went on to attend the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the University of San Francisco. Rain worked in the Pajaro Valley School District for forty years and taught as a professor at California State University, Monterey Bay.
Felix passed away in 1975 and Inning passed away in 1998.
The Bongolan Family Collection was donated to Watsonville is in the Heart in 2023. It contains one oral history interview with Lorraine "Rain" Bongolan.
Contributor
Lorraine "Rain" Bongolan
Collection Items
There are currently no items within this collection.
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