The Legacy of Yanoy

For Salustiano Gamil, life was repetitive but interesting. The days were like checkers of black and white. In The Legacy of Yanoy, author N. Dawes recapitulates the life of Salustiano “Yanoy” Gamil, the patriarch of her family. The story chronicles his legacy and the creation of a large family. It originates in the Philippines with Yanoy’s birth in June 1907. It continues through to his marriage to sixteen-year-old Fely Olguera in 1936 and the births of their children and their children’s children. It recounts his humble work as a poor tax man, the ups and downs of life in the Philippines—where he was surrounded by co-workers who exuded money—his eventual immigration to Canada, and his death. The Legacy of Yanoy chronicles more than a life’s worth of events. It communicates the true character of Yanoy, a disciplined man who followed his religion, counted his blessings, and practiced honesty and sensible frugality—a man who inspired generations of his descendants.