Posted by Aldrin F.T. (203.177.231.208) on May 06, 2006 at 11:10:24:
Hi, people! Sirs, and misses. I need help.
For the first time in many years, I am in doubt of my Fujianese ancestry. And I�m threatened, actually. I�ve always believed that my maternal grandfather was Fujianese. And I�m too accustomed to that belief! Too much! But now I�m having legitimate doubts whether I�ve been living a lie� that I may not be Fujianese after all. My friend says Fukien doesn�t have F sounds� and he�s right! It doesn�t. But our clan-name hapens to have an F.
On a positive note though, Wikipedia�s list of famous Chinese Filipinos �confirms� Emilio Aguinaldo Y Famy (an elder grand-uncle) was indeed Fujianese in origin. Or maybe they just guessed, I really don't know.
So, there. I'm still problematic.
Does anybody know the story behind the "Famy" clan? ...a Chinese mestizo family from Cavite. Emilio Aguinaldo's mother, Kapitana Trinidad "Teneng" Famy was supposedly (according to Wikipedia) Fujianese. But why with an F? Fukien doesn't have any f's! Could the Famy's (later changed to Fauni) be Cantonese? Or Mandarin? But why do they speak Hokkien, then?
Someone named Coogee kid from the Gov.ph forum said: "Famy must have been coined from the original "Fang Ming" ancestry of Emilio Aguinaldo. I guess 'Aguinaldo' was a Spanish pseudonym of the original 'Famy' Chinese clan." Hmm... int'resting, but what's a "Fang Ming"?
We could always change our clan-name to Pehoco (after the "Pe Ho" crest)... but historicity matters. I can't just let go of the Fauni name...
Help, anyone?
Thank you very much.
-Aldrin