It's been years since i've actually written on my blog but I guess I'm back because i've missed doing this! The past years have been hectic as I've been booking one job after the other which is really heaven for me because that;s all I wanted to do so far.

SO most of my posts soon will be recounting what i've been doing for the past years, so outdated ano? But I bet it's going to be interesting because I'll be doing product reviews of all the makeup i've been hauling lately and how they fair up! AND of course the faces i've been painting will be prominently displayed, SO watch out for those and in the meantime, ENJOY LIFE

Martina Salming-Carantes: Baguio Beauty of 1923

By: Gian Paolo Carantes-San Juan
My Great Grandmother Martina Salming was a beauty of her own back in her day, her exotic looks were almost universal, she could be mistaken for an Indian, a Cherokee Indian an Arabian or a typical dusky brown Filipina beauty. Her beauty was a prime asset aside from her Rich Ibaloi heritage. Although unaware of her beauty, her wide eyes, aquiline nose and full lips were enough to guarantee her the title of Baguio Carnival Queen of 1923.
Martina Salming or Lola Tinang as my mother and her siblings fondly called her was born to Ibaloi Baknangs Salming Piraso and Sabina Carino in 1902. She was said to be by my Lolo Andy her firstborn, that she was one of the first students of the CICM missionaries before they set up the Famous Saint Louis University Schools in Baguio City, she was lucky to be at least educated a little, for her parents Salming Piraso and Sabina Carino were illiterates.

Orphaned at an early age, Martina grew up under the wing of her aunt Josefa Carino, she was given work in Josefa’s household and farm for some years but was eventually adopted by her uncle Dr. Carino which gave her a taste of the good life and treated her like his own daughter, she lived a privileged life under her uncle.

My lolo Bigong remembers that Martina while lving under the wing of Dr Carino saved him from a legal suit. It was when one of the house helper’s long hair accidentally caught fire from the firewood stove and died from the accident. The parents of the Ilocano house help filed a suit against Dr. Carino but Martina testified that when she saw that the poor woman was on fire and screaming, Martina ran towards the constabulary for help and when they reached the house it was already too late. Martina’s Testimony resulted in Dr Carino’s acquittal.


IBALOI BEAUTY QUEEN
My Lolo Bigong recalls that it was the decision of the Ibaloi clans of the Carinos and the Carantes to make Martina a candidate for the Baguio Carinival Queen pageant. For the pageant she used two costumes, a livit (native ibaloi womans costume) and a gown, her jewelry was borrowed because she did not bother to own jewelry nor did she fancy wearing one since she always thought of herself as a farmer, it was her passion planting different farm stocks.
In any case, she had to wear jewelry since it was a trend among carnival queens to symbolize sophistication and aristocracy. Martina’s escort was also recommended by her uncle, the dashing Dr. Klapp who was a U.S educated Doctor just like Dr. Carino. Dr. Klapp was popular and was a close colleague and a family friend of Dr. Carino
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
Martina met her soon to be husband Juan Carantes another Ibaloi-baknang, just after she won the Baguio Carnival queen title. It was a traditional ibaloi marriage among relatives to preserve the wealth in the family and to carry the belief that one can always expect total and absolute protection from a relative-spouse. They married in the early 30’s, her firstborn Andres “Bigong” a “carbon copy” of his father Juan, was born in 1933 and soon enough their first daughter Mercedes “Piting” (d.2005) was followed by five more siblings namely Jacinta, Alejo “Alex”, Urbano(d.2002), Florita“Warling”-(who was born during the war which explains her nickname) then Inocencia “Sweet” (d.1990).
Early in their marriage Martina and her husband lived briefly with her grandfather “Kiddit” who was married to Samay Piraso but In 1936, the couple eventually built and settled in a two story house in Camp 7 built on one of the earliest torrens titled ancestral lands of the Carino’s directly transferred to Martina and her siblings inherited from their late mother Sabina Carino. To this day, there are still bullet holes fired by the Japanese in one of the posts inside the house. The property is located just across Kennon road, it still stands to this day and can be seen from the road just above the only remaining large farm spreads that you see along Kennon Rd. just after the bridge and after the road going up Loakan. Martina’s daughters Florita and Jacinta still live in the house and around it are the houses of Inocencia and Florita’s children. My mother and her siblings tell stories of their childhood snacking on the numerous fruit trees that Juan Carantes whom they called granddad, who planted the farm with Spanish guava, persimmon, Japanese cherries, “lukuat,” passion fruit or “masaplora”, sweet oranges and gigantic jackfruits. They even remember running for their life from wild and huge mother chickens chasing after them like wild dogs. The saddest memory my mother relates is the death of the last line of their farm dogs some years back, they were their most wonderful companions and playmates who were as big as my mother and her siblings and so keenly intelligent, my mother thought they were human friends.

GOLDEN YEARS
Martina in her later years lived a fruitful life tending to her gardens and farm, taking care of her “apo’s”. Aside from being a doting grandmother and a green thumb, she was a firm believer of the Ibaloi Customs and rituals, just like her other Ibaloi contemporaries and other relatives she always performed a canao for her ancestors. My mother recalls that Martina related to her that she almost became a “mambunong” as she was born in the breech position. Hence, Martina would constantly dream about her ancestors.
My other aunts also remember that Martina also danced the “tayao” gracefully and my Lolo Bigong recounts that while dancing our ancestors would possess her body and her eyes would turn red and her voice changed depending on which ancestor was in her body. However, before Martina died she advised my lolo Bigong to stop holding the rituals for the reason that when canaos are started our ancestors will always expect it.

On September 1, 1975 Martina along with other Baguio Old timers, was awarded for her outstanding contribution to the development and growth of the City of Baguio as the summer capital of the Philippines, she was recognized for her very active participation in several civic organizations around Baguio plus the fact that she was once a reigning beauty-made her a living legend, a living witness of the development of Baguio City. Martina was looked up to as a leader in the small community of Camp 7 and Loakan area since she was elected as barangay captain. In fact during her last moments at the Notre Dame hospital, my mother at her young age wondered at the number of people holding vigil outside and in the corridors of the hospital.
Martina remained beautiful in her golden years, she carried her wrinkles and lines like battle scars which showed her wisdom and her will to survive all the trials that she had gone through. As Martina approached her late 70’s, she began to suffer from various ailments only to find out that she was suffering from colon cancer, although still treatable, weak but still strong willed, Martina chose not to have operated on because she knew she was already too old and it was time for her to go. Her health deteriorated rapidly until she died peacefully, in Notre Dame Hospital in 1979, and was buried beside the house that she and her husband built in Camp 7.
(I am a great grandson of ibaloi-kankanaey-pangasinense lineage uneducated in the ibaloi language and customs hoping to rediscover my roots by listening to stories of my Lolo Bigong and Lola Sipin who are both nearing 76).

Plants that Purify indoor air

If you want to breath natural, clean and toxin free air, Get this plants into your home, marami nito sa orchidarium! Inexpensive and naturaly beautiful instead of a big bulky dehumidifier/air purifier.

The Areca Palm

NASA Purifying Score: 8.5
The top air purifying plant as ranked by NASA’s study is the Areca palm tree. Dubbed “the most efficient air humidifier” by MetaEfficient, the Areca can be counted on to keep your home or office moist during dry times and continuously remove chemical toxins from the air. During winter time, it can literally replace the use of electric humidifiers altogether!

The Lady Palm

Neck and neck with the Areca palm tree for NASA’s top-ranked air purifying plant is the Lady palm (or Rhapis excelsa.) A versatile plant, the lady can be kept in dry or humid climates (anywhere from 20-100 degrees Fahrenheit) and is fiercely resistant to most types of plant insects.

The Bamboo Palm

Just a notch below the top 2 air purifying palms is the Bamboo palm (or Chamaedorea seifrizii.) Featured prominently in CasaSugar.com’s “Plants That Purify” series, the Bamboo palm thrives when kept moist (but not wet) in indirect sunlight. Provided these conditions are kept stable, the Bamboo palm can be counted on to purify the indoor air of anywhere you happen to be.

TO SEE MORE PLANTS CLICK ON THIS LINK:
http://webecoist.com/2009/04/08/air-purifying-plants/

Rosa Rosal--Vamp Vixen

Rosa's Egyptian and French ancestry gave her a distinct beauty
Left: Playing herself in Sarrung Banggi with Rogelio dela Rosa (1948)

In the Movies you had to have Bitch leading ladies, MGM has Joan Crawford and Warner Bros. had Bette Davis..well the Philippines has Rosa ROsal--she was the ultimate Vamp of the Phil. Silver Screen, her manipulative, devious and and piercing persona coated with the ultimate sheen of big time sensual glamour onscreen, gave her the standing as the Original Femme Fatal of local cinema.

Rosa rose to fame in the late 40's after being spotted by Luis Nolasco a film producer, they were awestruck by her exotic features because no one had a face like hers, strong but yet so delicate she was like a mixture of Hedy Lamarr and Dorothy Lamour--it's her French Egyptian ancestry that made her look different from other actresses and soon she was cast as a vampish glamour girl in many movies until they made her a full fledge star in Biglang Yaman where she shed off her "contravida"act for a while and played an Innocent young woman in the comedic film. Rosas career took off successfully and resumed playing nemesis to LVN's leading ladies in the early 50's, but soon she clamored for meatier roles and in 1955 she starred in Anak dalita where she played a good hearted prostitute. From then on she churned out 2 more classics; first was Badjao where she convincingly looked and took on the role of a Tausog Princess, and then Biyaya ng Lupa-which she considers one of her best movies.

Rosa might be the bitch onscreen but in real life, the dame is an angel--Rosa's incomparable and highly commendable volunteer work in the Phil. National Red Cross has earned her numerous humanitarian awards, she has been with PNRC for about 60+years and counting, she has helped thousands with her tireless efforts in obtaining blood from her countless blood donation drives, her genuine heart for the needy has left an impact to all the Filipino people sometimes she is mostly recognized and associated with the Red Cross more that with Show business.

TRIVIA---The FAMAS statuette is modeled after Rosa Rosal's figure and this is a written fact in the local showbiz scene.

left: In Biglang Yaman (1949)
Rosa Rosal the Original Femme Fatal of the Philippine Sliver ScreenRosa w/Jaime Dela Rosa in Faithful 1958

PARALUMAN: MOVIE STAR

<----photo is courtesy of video 48

Late 40's studio picture

By: Paolo Carantes-San Juan

When one thinks of mystery and glamour, the Divine Greta Garbo always manages to bat her doe eyes in our minds and and pose languidly on a gilded banister, delivering her lines with her signature dramatic intensity. Paraluman is said to be the Philippines answer to the "monalisa" of the 20th centruy, her svelte body and long brown hair may seem similar to Garbo's look, but I must say that Paraluman was no Garbo, but an actress who made her own name and her own legendary Movie Star image. Born to German father and a Filipino mother in 1923, siegrid von giese (paralumans real name) was a drop dead beauty who adored movie stars and ultimately became one after she was discovered by Luis Nolasco of the Nolasco Brothers pictures via the recommendation of the sister of actress Corzon Noble who was Paralumans friend.

Our Glamour Gal holding a cigarette

(mid 50's)

MOVIE STAR

She started her career in 1940 and was praised for her extraordinary beauty, nobody had a face like hers, she was a natural beauty, she need not rely much on makeup unlike the other movie stars then, who relied heavily on makeup to make them look fabulous in the pictures. It was reported by her equally beautiful daughter actress, model and host, Baby O'Brien that Paraluman always maintained her glamorous image even though she was at home. She would bath regularly and wear full makeup with her hair coiffed to perfection and joked that "Pag may sunog ayoko mag mukhang bruha pag labas ng bahay" , as Hollywood's ultimate movie star, Joan Crawford said, "when i go out, I have to look like Joan Craword" same can be said with Paraluman, her image was too be well care for.

Paraluman resumed her career after world war II in Sampaguita pictures playing obligatory romantic roles in the early 50's until Doc Perez the owner of the studio, repackaged her image and gave her character roles that added to her status as an actress besides that of a movie star, she chopped off her long locks and opted for the short curly coiffure that was worn by most femme fatales of the Phi. cinema. dressed sexily and exuded sensuality in the films she made during this time. She played nemesis to Gloria Romero in Hongkong Holiday and then a lame woman in Tanikalang Apoy (1959). She won a FAMAS Best Actress Award for her role in Sino ang maysala?.

Paraluman winning her first FAMAS award for "Sino and may sala?"(1959)
Paraluman was also nominated four times in FAMAS: twice in 1959 for Best Actress for the movies Bobby and Anino ni Bathala, in 1972 as Best Supporting Actress for Lilet, and in 1976 as Best Supporting Actress for Mister Mo, Lover Boy Ko. Her last film was Kailan Sasabihing Mahal Kita (1985).(wickipedia)

POP CULTURE

Paraluman was somehow introduced to a younger generation during the 90's via the eheads song "And huling el bimbo", somehow the people clamored to know who is Paraluman? the woman they were refering to as a comparison to the beauty of the female in their song:"kamukha mo si Paraluman, nang tayo ay bata pa", little did people know it was the beauteous actress who's fame resurfaced when she was featured in the Inquirer updating us on what has happened to the legend, to everyone's surprise,She still looked beautiful for her age, her beauty still intact showed the lovely facial contours that made her a star and an actress.

We will miss PARALUMAN, the ultimate movie star, the glamour gal, the actress, She now shines brighter than ever, watching over us with her alluring eyes, everlasting in our memory.