Сен-Мало: Забытая филиппинская община Луизианы

Saint Malo (Lang es samaˈlo) was a small fishing village that existed along the shore of Lake Borgne in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana as early as the mid eighteenth century until it was destroyed by the 1915 New Orleans hurricane. The exact date of the establishment of Saint Malo is disputed. The members of the community were commonly referred to as Manila men, or Manilamen, and later Tagalas. Filipino Americans residing in the region (referred to as "Manilamen" on the account of Manila being the capital of the Philippines) were recruited by local pirate Jean Lafitte to join his "Baratarians", a group of privately recruited soldiers serving under the American forces under the command of Andrew Jackson, in the defense of New Orleans. They played a decisive role in securing the American victory, firing barrage after barrage of well aimed artillery fire. The settlement of Saint Malo was established, by some accounts, as early as 1763 by Filipinos who deserted Spanish ships during the Manila galleon trade. It is also possible that the community was established later into the early nineteenth century. The Manilamen settled in the marshlands of Louisiana where no Spanish officials could reach them. Reasons for their desertion varied; however their desire to escape brutalities dealt by the Spanish is generally regarded as the main reason. Beginning in 1784, Juan San Maló led a group of fugitive slaves below New Orleans and in St. Bernard Parish which stole livestock, destroyed property, and seeded other chaos. In May of that year, the Spanish government began preparing for an expedition to capture San Maló and his maroons after a group of Americans were murdered. The same area that San Maló and his group found refuge became known by his name. It wasn't until March 31, 1883 that the journalist Lafcadio Hearn published an article in Harper's Weekly which documented the community firsthand. The article is the first published article about the Filipinos in the United States. Saint Malo was completely destroyed, along with much of the region, by the New Orleans hurricane of 1915 and consequently the remnants of the community assimilated into New Orleans.

Filipino Americans residing in the region, referred to as "Manilamen," were recruited by local pirate Jean Lafitte to join his "Baratarians", a group of privately recruited soldiers serving under the American forces under the command of Andrew Jackson, in the defense of New Orleans. They played a decisive role in securing the American victory, firing barrage after barrage of well aimed artillery fire. Historian Marina Espina states that the defending American force under Jackson consisted of "regular army troops, state militia, western sharpshooters, two regiments and pirates from the Delta Swamps (which included the aforementioned Filipinos)."

The Manilamen lived in small houses supported above the water by stilts in a similar style to the nipa huts of the Philippines. The mattresses were laid upon a series of shelves mounted against the walls. According to Hearn, the fishermen slept at night “among barrels of flour and folded sails and smoked fish.” Fish was also smoked and hung for later consumption. The reason for this can be attributed to the isolated and harsh conditions of the settlement. Manilamen often courted and married Isleño, Cajun, and Indigenous women.

Due to the isolation of Saint Malo, the Manilamen paid no taxes and the community lacked law enforcement officials. The village had never been visited by any official from St. Bernard Parish, the state of Louisiana, or the United States government. Priests rarely went to visit the settlement due to its isolation. A number of Isleños and their descendants possess Filipino ancestry, so much so that Los Isleños Heritage and Cultural Society of St. Bernard lists "Filipino" as a significant community that developed the Isleño identity. In November 2019, a historical marker for the settlement was installed at Los Isleños Museum Complex.