Filipinos in Alaska

Alaska has the largest concentration of Filipinos of any state. As Alaska’s capital city, Juneau’s history has been shaped by its Filipino community, but their stories are rarely highlighted by the community they help form – not in schools, not in museums, not in the media.

Named after Thelma Buchholdt’s unprecedented historical anthology, “Filipinos in Alaska”, this webpage is our archive of Alaska’s countless, diverse Filipino stories. Learn more about Filipino history in Juneau by listening to KTOO’s podcast, Mga Kuwento, at ktoo.org/mgakuwento.

(Logo design by Rizza Mae Marvel/Z Squared Studio)

Most Recent Stories

Videos

An uplifting documentary by Rafael Bitanga that follows Filipino Alaskan dance coach Alma Manabat Parker’s efforts to unite her community through the power of traditional Filipino dance, celebrating cultural identity and mental wellness.

When the pandemic threatened to shut down their popular Filipino restaurant in the cruise ship destination of Skagway, Arlene Diente and Albert Efergan took the leap and moved to Juneau. The Gold Digger tells the story of how they’ve built a home for themselves and discovered community through their restaurant.

Since the 1990s, the Philippines has been the most common country of origin among Alaska’s foreign-born population. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates Alaska’s Filipino population at more than 26,000, one of the state’s largest ethnic groups. Prominent Filipino-Alaskans Loy Maturan, Dante Reyes, and Raffy Castanos share their stories and experiences.

“Filipinos in Alaska” is produced for Mga Kuwento, an archival history project by KTOO, Juneau-Douglas City Museum, and Filipino Community Inc. led by the project’s executive producer Tasha Elizarde.

Site notifications
Update notification options
Subscribe to notifications