Filipino Ka Ba?

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Christopher and Gina Holl and their four children: Carmella, Christina, Teresa, and Christopher Jr.

Christopher and Gina Holl and their four children: Carmella, Christina, Teresa, and Christopher Jr.

“The entire course, and meaning, of my life changed with three words,” says Christopher Holl, author of ‘The Kano, The Teacher & The Lola: A Filipino-American Fable.’ “Filipino ka ba. Three words that completely changed the trajectory of my life were Tagalog.”

Recently published, American-born and bred Holl describes the book as a celebration of the Filipino culture and people, in the form of a whimsical tale, from the perspective of an appreciative outsider-insider.

“I’m the outsider-insider,” he says with a smile. “I married into the culture 28 years ago, and my wife Gina and I have been blessed with 4 FilAms—three daughters and a son.”

Three decades have passed since Holl and his wife met at Rutgers University, when he asked her the three words. Still, he clearly remembers how, as the first non-Filipino marrying into his wife’s family, being respectful and appreciative of the culture was important to him. “It wasn’t something I had to think about, really,” he says.

“I was drawn to, and enjoyed, all things Filipino immediately—the warmth, smiles, accents, faith, and of course, the food! But, when it came time to ask for Gina’s hand, I wanted to make sure I did it right.” Doing it right for Holl meant meeting with her parents at their apartment in New York City to ask their permission and blessing. But, he wanted to do it in a special way. “I thought asking them in Tagalog would be respectful and show that I not only loved my wife—I loved her family’s culture and heritage too.” With a Tagalog fluency limited to only a few greetings and catch-phrases, Holl knew he would need help. “I asked my wife’s sister Marites to help me out on this secret project. Fortunately, she not only beautifully translated what I wanted to say, she kept the secret too!”

The inspiration for the book is mother-in-law Guillerma Amper, who the author says ‘is always in our hearts.’

The inspiration for the book is mother-in-law Guillerma Amper, who the author says ‘is always in our hearts.’

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Holl believes “The Kano, The Teacher & The Lola: A Filipino-American Fable” will appeal to Filipino immigrants, like his wife, as well as children of Filipinos and mixed-race parents, like his. “What I’ve been hearing from those who’ve read the book, is that they laughed, and they learned. There’s a sweeping range of subjects seamlessly worked into the story line including Filipino history, immigration, food, festivals, celebrations, beliefs, quirks, language, superstitions, notable compatriots and random facts.”

In the book, readers will join Michael, a smitten American boy, on an unexpected journey to prove himself a worthy suitor for the beautiful Maria, who is a recent immigrant from the Philippines. In a quest to find his ‘inner Filipino,’ Michael encounters a mysterious teacher, and together, they discover a Filipino world not bound by time or space, where Michael learns from the Lola the Filipino traditions, folklore and superstitions necessary to transform him from an Ameri-kano to a Filipino, at least in appreciation and spirit.

Holl is quick to point out, “Not being Filipino myself, my readers don’t need me to teach them about their culture, but I hope my perspective and appreciation for it add to, or at least remind them, of what they already know and love about it.”

Christopher Holl may not be Filipino by birthright, but he is in spirit, as evidenced by 28 years of marriage to his Filipina wife and their FilAm children. He’s fond of saying that he loves the Filipino people so much, he made four of his own! The couple have four children: Carmella, a high school Spanish language teacher in Philadelphia; Christina, a professional dancer in a ballet company; Teresa, a nursing major at Seton Hall University, and a son, Christopher, who is in the 8th grade and a second-degree Black Belt.

Holl is a business executive, former U.S. Marine and author of “Life Lessons from The Chocolate Factory: 10 Rich, Satisfying Nuggets to Nibble On” and “Dispense-Sation: A Pharmacist’s Rx for a Laugh.”

“The Kano, The Teacher & The Lola: A Filipino-American Fable,” is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble in eBook, hardcover, and paperback. The author can be contacted at publisher@ajnealpublishing.com



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