Leticia Bulotano Wheeler’S Legacy: A World of Diversity

By Elenita Belgica

Leticia Bulotano Wheelers Legacy: A World of Diversity chronicles the life of a highly acclaimed cultural icon from its humble beginnings to the zenith of her leadership. She believes that respect for our roots and our ancestors is expressed through the preservation of traditional values, customs, and folklore. They have to be taught, shared, and valued; it is the foundation of human evolution. She is the voice that heralds unity through multicultural and intercultural dynamics from local to a global stage. Her legacy is to promote a deeper understanding of the pivotal role of diversity in a fast-changing world towards unity and evolution of life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524583903

Elenita Belgica

Elenita Belgica is a published author, independent educator, lecturer and artist. She was a journalist, radio, television, independent documentary film producer. She has given lectures and workshops in communication skills, creative writing and public speaking. She is an active member and volunteer in diverse, multicultural organizations in Montreal. She was born in the Philippines and now lives in Montreal, Quebec Canada.

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 by Elenita Belgica.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2017902403

ISBN:   Hardcover   978-1-5245-8392-7

   Softcover   978-1-5245-8391-0

   eBook   978-1-5245-8390-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 02/16/2017

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication

Quotations

About the book

Special thoughts

Acknowledgements

Leticia’s special thanks

Preface

Early years

Life in Canada

Multicultural Communities

a. Meeting Guy Landry

b. Beauty Pageants

Personal Struggles and Friendships

Preserving the B’laan Indigenous Culture

Awards and Achievements

Awards

Achievements

Album of Memories

Thoughts From Friends

Leticia Bulotano Wheeler Foundation, Inc.

Interviews And Writing Process

Expressed in Images

DEDICATION

To Leticia, a woman of substance, leadership and purpose. You inspire and motivate everyone you meet. Thank you.

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Leticia Photo

QUOTATIONS

The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit.

-Wade Davis

We all sing we all dance, we all have art, but what’s interesting is the unique cadence of the song, and the rhythm of the dance in every culture.

-Wade Davis

ABOUT THE BOOK

This is a gift of friendship written on pages of gratitude. It is bound together with affection and kindred spirit. The writing process of this book was a rewarding experience because it gave me the opportunity to understand the life of Leticia from the perspective of feelings rather than the cerebral context of her life story.

I followed the promptings of my heart and wrote the book to express my deep feelings of gratitude for her friendship and generous heart as a mentor to me. It presented a path where I could share it to the numerous people that she significantly touched and affected their lives.

This book holds the sentiment of her pioneering and missionary spirit to make a difference in life and to ripple that energy for generations to come. It hopes to inspire the reader and offers lanterns of reflection in moments of solitude.

This is Leticia Bulotano Wheeler’s story a legacy of leadership and purpose. It is my gift to her as a manifestation of my gratitude and friendship.

Elenita Belgica

Author

SPECIAL THOUGHTS

I met Leticia in Montreal in 1986 when we were creating a Folklore Canada International. During all these years we have built a very strong friendship. We collaborated on projects in many levels: local, provincial, ethnic, cultural, Canadian and International.

For more than 30 years Leticia Bulotano worked for the transmission and dissemination of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Philippines and Canada. By her leadership, she has motivated many people of the importance to preserve and transmit intangible cultural Heritage. By her efficiency and her availability she has accomplished a remarkable work to help groups and associations to rediscover their Cultural Heritage. We thank her for her commitment to building a rich Cultural Society open to Cultural Diversity.

Guy Landry

Chairman

Folklore Canada International

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The writing process of this book has been a unique and personal experience for me. The challenges around the timeline became a rhythm with its own drummer. The material and interviews were massive in its documented facts and in its inspiring profundity. It allowed me to be an obscure observer in the mind of Leticia and in the energy of the spirit of her mother and ancestors. I thank her for the trust she gave me in writing her life story. My gratitude is seamless.

I would like to thank Minister Pierre Arcand for the beautiful preface in Leticia’s book. I appreciate the kind thoughts from Guy Landry and the material resource used in the book.

I am grateful to Derek Neal Fincham my partner, who provided a conducive ambience for my writing process and for documenting moments and images. It made the task a joyful experience.

My deep appreciation to my daughters Clarissa Mia Munoz Banerjee and Corey Munoz Panergo my beta readers whose feedbacks gave me the opportunity to raise the bar in my life as a writer.

Thank you to my sister Vicky Belgica, auditory manuscript reviewer, for listening with patience to the coherent flow of the first draft. The support and encouragement from my mother, son Ceejay, and daughter Paula.

To Norma Vohra, Caring Tabunar, Julie Parado, Bal Yujuico, Cecille Estioka Hernandez and Sherling Rose de la Paz for their contribution in the book with their kind personal thoughts for Leticia. Thank you to everyone who are part of this book through the pictures they had with Leticia.

I wish you will enjoy reading the book. It was written with one theme: the deep love and gratitude to Leticia Bulotano Wheeler, a mentor, a woman of substance, conviction and committed leader.

LETICIA’S SPECIAL THANKS

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work with Folklore Canada International, CIOFF Canada National Sector and especially to Guy Landry, who mentored me and ensured that I understood the importance of Canada’s cultural diversity.

Magdalena Tovornik, Mayor of the City of Maribor, Slovenia in 1991 for accepting the first Philippine group to represent Canada in the international CIOFF Festival in Europe- it is the gateway to the recognition of multicultural groups in Canada showcasing the unique and beautiful pluralistic Canadian Society all over the world. To the Philippine Dance troupes in Montreal that I founded and co- founded with love, care and deep devotion.

Kalayaan- Filipiniana Dance Company of Montreal, Kalinangan, Sallinggawi and Pamana ng Luzviminda hats off to the performing artists in all of you. To all the parents for their commitment and dedication to preserve and promote the Filipino culture and tradition, locally and nationally and internationally.

There are so many names to mention but most notably, I want to express my special thanks to Cecille Estioko Hernandez, touring member of Salinggawi Philippines UST, for her unselfish and tireless efforts in inculcating in the minds of the Filipino – Canadian Youth members who were born in Canada the strength of the Filipinos and its beauty and unique cultural heritage.

My gratitude to Canada a great country that welcomed me and