Imprinted on lives and pages: Legacy of a Filipina

Perhaps words weaved by an author is all it takes for a Filipina’s memories, experience, and life to be imprinted on the leaves of a book, but what does it take for a person to be etched into people’s lives?

Charles Au Lavoie, born in rural Canada met a Filipina some 20 years ago who not only made an impact on his life, but was also the ink to the words behind his book of four and a half years in the making, “Legacy of a Filipina.”

“Through a mutual friend, I had the opportunity to meet a Filipina whose volunteer work in Canada was recognized, both locally and nationally,” Lavoie told Philippine Canadian Inquirer (PCI).

Without dropping the name of this woman of inspiration, he said he felt privileged to share a friendship with her.

“I was her companion, chauffeur, and confidant,” he added.

Lavoie is thankful because for him, meeting her meant meeting other members of the community that has “greatly enriched his life.”

“Through her, I met Filipino expats– men and women in their fifties, sixties, and seventies who went abroad to work and start a new life. I had heard some of the matriarch’s personal story; I was now hearing other stories,” he shared.

Though his friend is no longer in this world, her story will forever be engraved in the eyes of Carmelita Tauber née Madridejos Baldemor, the protagonist of Lavoie’s book.

“Carmelita’s life is revealed through the eyes of Filipinos and others who regard her with a mix of frustration, bewilderment, and tenderness. Her generous heart and unabashed meddling serve as the catalyst for the growth and self-acceptance of those she cares for. As the story moves from Canada’s West Coast to Honolulu and the Philippines, Legacy of a Filipina explores the immigrant experience and the universal themes of love, loss and new beginnings,” the book’s synopsis read.

Laying eyes on the pages of her story invites the readers to a journey – into Filipino fiestas, into the laughter and love of food at the heart of their families, and into their country of origin.

“But another, deeper journey awaits the reader: the final days of an old woman who lived and loved with her whole being, and a young man’s gradual discovery of his homosexuality,” Lavoie said.

The Legacy of a Filipina examines the divide between these Filipinos and the North Americans – who encounter them on a daily basis, employers, co-workers, churchgoers, and neighbors – and the prejudices on both sides.