Back to 1909.
That is the year my Great grandfather, Mr. Mariano Tan (his original Chinese name was
Tan Ngai Feiyi)
first arrived to the Philippines with his brothers (whose names escape me, all of whom shared the Tan surname). I still have relatives in present day Guangdong, China. In fact, my grandmother (Mrs. Fortunata Tan-Salvo, had an older brother by the name of Celestino Tan who went to China for schooling, as told by my great grand father. My grandmother, and her older brothers and younger sister and brother spoke fluent Cantonese Chinese, aside from Bisaya. They were fluent in their father's native language.
How I would have wanted to have seen my Lolo Mariano. Who I hear so much about through my mother and my uncles in my mother's side of the family. I want to see the face of my Chinese roots, though my mother says that my younger brother Andre has the beauty of our Chinese great grandfather.
If I saw him in life, I would have given him the customary Chinese kow tow (bow) as he came from a very traditionally conservative and well-off Chinese background. He came from a well-to-do Chinese family.
The only one that somewhat looks like my great grandfather is my uncle, Romeo Tan. The older brother of my mother. (he is pictured here with my mom, my younger brother Andre, and my cousins Joseph and Forlyn)
My baby brother, Andre.
All of my mother's brothers, elder sister, and relatives say that he looks the most like our Great Grandfather.
The Chinese blood flows strong in my little brother, lol
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Topic: If You Could.... (Read 1504 times)