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PAMANA was honored to welcome Joshua Lim So during his short visit in Madison last weekend.

Joshua is a Filipino writer, whose plays have been staged in the Philippines and won national and international acclaim. In 2024, he was inducted to the Hall of Fame of the Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (regarded as the "Pulitzer Prize of the Philippines").

Joshua Lim So (center) receiving the Palanca Hall of Fame plaque from Carlos Palanca IV (left) and Criselda “Dang” Cecilio-Palanca (right). Photo from the Philippines Graphic.

Joshua met with the Filipino community in Madison, particularly the PAMANA Carolers during their weekly practice last Sunday.

We caught up with Joshua to talk about his visit in Madison and winning a prestigious fellowship from the Asian Cultural Council (ACC), which was established by John D. Rockefeller III in 1963.

PAMANA

Congrats on your ACC New York Fellowship! Can you talk briefly about this, as well as your project for this fellowship?

Joshua

I am part of the 2024 cohort, the year the fellowship was announced. Together with other fellows of different disciplines, I’ll be in the U.S. for 6 months from 2025 to 2026. Despite the name, we are encouraged to explore different parts of the country, which was also my intention prior to my applying. I’ve been meaning to gather Filipino American stories outside more known areas of the demographic, like California and New York. ACC gave me that opportunity. Since my arrival, I’ve been to Jacksonville, Lexington and Richmond, New Orleans, Boston, and Chicago. 

PAMANA

This was your first time in Madison. What do you think of the city?

Joshua

A friend highly recommended it months back, telling me how beautiful and charming it is. It also sounded like the perfect place to take a breather from the frenzy of NYC. Also, food is a passion of mine, and Wisconsin cheese had been in my mind for some time (laughing). But I didn’t think I would have the chance to visit Madison until I was invited to do lectures/workshops at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. So I took the opportunity to visit Madison after my stay in Chicago, since they’re only around 3 hours apart by bus. Madison exceeded my expectations. The free tour of the State Capitol was unexpectedly enjoyable. The lakes sandwiching the city center—an area I best experienced by foot—are great views for calm. The Saturday market was amazing too. And of course, the dairy products were so good. A discovery was the maple syrup, which is typically associated with Vermont. I also got lucky with the weather. The cold snap had just passed when I arrived.

Left photo: PAMANA's Instagram story reposting Joshua's photo of the PAMANA Carolers. Right photo: Joshua (fourth from left) with a few members of the PAMANA Carolers.

PAMANA

How was your experience with PAMANA—and witnessing the caroling practice?

Joshua

You were all so welcoming and generous. The caroling rehearsal was a treat, and it’s so great to hear you sing songs in Filipino. And the food! Busog ako hanggang kinabukasan. And like in my encounters with other Filipino communities in the U.S., I am reminded of how our degree of separation is extremely slim. My big regret is that I only came to know about your organization when I arrived in Madison, and I only got to meet you all on my last day. I wish I could’ve spent more time with the community. Also, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t know that at least one National Artist (Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio) went to UW-Madison, which, like the Capitol, is mostly open to the public, and another great place to wander around and appreciate architecture. The university even let me go through their archives.

PAMANA

And lastly, can we expect your next play to have some semblance or be loosely based on your experience with PAMANA? (laughing)

Joshua

I’m sure it will influence it. But to be frank, I still don’t know what the story will be. There’s so much to take in about the Fil-Am experience, especially because I am not from here. I am still processing a lot of the issues I gathered, and not just the narratives. It will take some time. But most definitely I will treasure my experience with Madison and PAMANA. I just hope another opportunity will bring me back to your city. 

Join us on December 7, 2025, Sunday. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. Exact venue in Sun Prairie will be announced only to those who registered.
 
Here are four things to know:

• FREE. This event is free for everyone, but we strongly encourage attendees to be a PAMANA member. Individual members and primary registrants of family memberships will receive special Christmas freebies from PAMANA.
• FOOD. This is a community potluck gathering. Please bring food to share with at least 10 persons.
• DRINKS. We will offer unlimited water and soda drinks. Attendees are not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages. Instead, there will be a cash bar with fully staffed bartenders.
• VENUE. The place will be bigger than last year's, with more space for dancing, party games, and raffle prizes!

PAMANA would appreciate any donation that goes to our community programs and services. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed under the present law of 501(c)(3) organizations.

If you are a vendor or someone interested to sponsor the party, visit our sponsorship page to know your options.

7:00 p.m.

UW Cinematheque

Room 4070, Vilas Hall, 821 University Ave., Madison

1981 | DCP | 99 min.
Director: Mike De Leon
Cast: Vic Silayan, Charo Santos, Jay Ilagan

A young woman’s announcement of her pregnancy and intent to marry triggers the wrath of her domineering father, a retired policeman whose grip over his family turns increasingly suffocating. As the couple tries to build a life together, the father’s manipulations escalate into a chilling battle for control. Inspired by true events, Mike De Leon’s psychological thriller unspools with terrifying precision, exposing the violent extremes of patriarchal power. A new 4K restoration will be screened.

For more info, contact Claudine Lucena (cblucena@syr.edu).

Forward this email to those you think might be interested.

Visit our website for our full lineup of activities.

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About PAMANA

The Philippine-American Association of Madison and Neighboring Areas is a registered non-stock, nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charity that aims to foster unity and harmony among Filipino, Filipino-American, and other communities throughout Madison and nearby areas of Wisconsin. In Filipino, "pamana" means inheritance or legacy.

Philippine-American Association of Madison & Neighboring Areas (PAMANA)
P.O. Box 5013 Madison, Wisconsin, USA 53705-0013
pamanamadison.org

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