Sakada Pineapple Man

“Sakadas were the first among Filipinos, outside of the Philippines, to experience economic oppression, superimposed poverty, overt racial bigotry, labor exploitation, social rejection, educational neglect, political disenfranchisement, societal denials, civil wrongs, and empty promises (Cordova, 30).” Although they came as American Nationals, they did not have full rights like American citizens.

In Hawaii, the first-generation Filipino men, women, and children were treated as the lowliest of the unskilled labor. Some Sakadas were beaten with sticks by “lunas,” or plantation work supervisors for not responding to their satisfaction. They were stereotyped as being oversexed, hot-blooded, and quick tempered. H.S.P.A. policies also discouraged bringing the wives and children of the men because they believed families on plantation wages would be costly. Moreover, higher education was not encouraged for plantation children.

Fred Cordova, Filipinos: Forgotten Asian Americans (Dubuque, IA: Kendall/ Hunt, 1983)