Category: Footnotes to History
(By Renato Perdon, reprinted from his book “The Life and Times of Perdon Family”) The dictum that ‘We count the days of our years only when the end is near’ currently preoccupied my waking times. Anyone who looks back at…
Filipino-Australian mixed marriages, more often than not, we refer to a Filipino woman marrying an Australian man and the usual discourse is that this kind of union is doomed to fail. Studies have proven that this is not so; many…
BY RENATO PERDON – Towards the end of its twenty year rule of the Philippines, including the dreaded Martial Law period, the Marcos administration was having trouble. People started to show their disgust and displeasure as the Marcos family continued…
In 18th century, Alexander Dalrymple, a 30 year old Scot, was instrumental in naming the waters separating Australia and Papua New Guinea in the map of the Pacific in honour of Spanish explorer Luis Vaez de Torres. In 1767, Dalrymple…
BY RENATO PERDON – THE COLD WAR and the threat of communist in Asia and the Pacific were taken seriously by Australia during the onset of the 1950s. The emerging independent nations of Asia were vulnerable and suffering from poverty,…
Geographically speaking Australia and the Philippines share the same location in this part of the world – Asia and the Pacific region. Both countries share similar democratic tradition and proud of their respective pre-history, from the Mungo man found in…
When I wrote an article about the British Invasion of Manila in 1762, I purposely did not touch on a subject that is dear to me — early historical and cultural materials overseas. I am referring to the historical and…
In my research for my book The Life and Times of Perdon Family, I found out a number of questions which I deemed time and further researches will eventually provide the answers. They refer, in particular, to the life of my…
They never returned home But like the rest of the Filipino exhibits of people, animals and objects, Markod never returned home. Fuentes, in retelling the story of his grandfather, believes that there is a larger story behind the disappearance of…
Historically, the Tausugs consider themselves superior to the Samals and regard their group as the true Muslims of the area. They believe they descended from the old nobility. Unusual bravery and high respect for power and authority traditionally reinforced these…