25 November 2016 — The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney and the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre (SSEAC) of The University of Sydney co-hosted the launch of the book, “Re-imagining Australia: Voices of Indigenous Australians of Filipino Descent,” written by Dr. Deborah Ruiz-Wall with Ms. Christine Choo on November 10.
The book features rich narratives of descendants of Filipino seafarers and pearl divers, known as “Manilamen,” who comprised the first wave of Filipino immigrants to Australia in the late 1800s.
Dr. Ruiz-Wall, a Filipino-Australian and recipient of the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2004, has worked on oral history projects, Redfern Aboriginal stories and stories shared between Aboriginal and Filipino women in both inner-city Sydney and Western Sydney. Dr. Ruiz-Wall’s book was first launched in Broome, Western Australia, on September 29, followed by a launch at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila October 18.
According to Dr. Ruiz-Wall, her book is her contribution to the commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Establishment of Philippines-Australia Diplomatic Relations this year. She also informed the audience that five Indigenous Australians of Filipino descent visited the Philippines for the first time to attend the book launch in Manila and to look for and meet their relatives in Marinduque, Philippines.
Dr. Sandra Seno-Alday, Lecturer at The University of Sydney Business School and Executive Member of The University of Sydney’s Southeast Asia Center, opened the book launch in Sydney and remarked that Dr. Ruiz-Wall’s book illustrates the longstanding connections between the peoples of the Philippines and of Australia.
In her remarks at the event, Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis congratulated Dr. Ruiz-Wall and Ms. Choo, and all those who collaborated with the two authors on the book, for their outstanding accomplishment in documenting the oral history of Indigenous Australians of Filipino descent. She also thanked SSEAC for collaborating with the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney on a number of activities, including the book launch, to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Establishment of Philippines-Australia Diplomatic Relations.
The event was attended by representatives from the academe, the private sector, media and members of the Filipino community and the Australian public. END