Queen and Social Box Dances
In order to raise money, community organizations would hold sponsored queen contest that were derived from both the town fiestas of the Philippines’ Spanish heritage and from American ventures such as the Manila Carnival in 1908[2]. The selection of the queen and her court was not based on beauty but rather based on the power and influence of he candidates family and community networks[4]. Thousands were raised at these affairs because the young ladies and organizations would split the ticket sales at the end of the contest.
“I remember every year or every Fourth of July, they would have young girls that would run for queen. I happen to be one of them that was elected as a queen although we had to sell tickets. The more tickets you sell, the more voted you get. I think you get about half of the money. Half goes to the club. They had strong Filipino clubs at that time. I sold at the camps. My uncle knew all the big bosses.—Mercedes Arro Concepcion, El Cerrito, California[3]
Next to queen contest, social box dances were the next event that pulled in money for community organizations. At these dances, girls would prepare a box (often times a handkerchief) and the men would bid on the box, the bidder would bid, or put, an amount of money, and would dance with the girl until somebody put a higher bid then the higher bidder would cut in and dance with the girl[5]. This would go on until there were no more bids and the highest bidder would get the box. These girls, called dalagas, were young women who were usually the daughters of Filipino community leaders[4]. At the end of the dance, women split their winnings with the sponsoring organization.