Contemporary Boholano Literature, How Are You? --Socorro Anne P.

Revilla
Distinguished guests, esteemed writers, fellow teachers, friendshow are you? There are certainly different responses to this simple question in as much as there are different personalities that this venue contains. Nevertheless, I would like to express my happiness to have been given this privilege to stand before a group of intellectuals so that we explore together the answer to the question How is our Boholano Contemporary Literature? Bohol is known to the world through the lush Chocolate Hills, unique tarsier, incomparable beaches and other various sights that only this island province can offer. Being the seat of the renowned Sandugo festival, it also has a rich historical and cultural heritage since it is one of the earliest Spanish settlements in the country (NCAA, 2003). This affluence of culture is handed down from generation to generation through the structures like the Capitol building fronting St. Josephs Cathedral, stone churches in Baclayon, Loon and Alburquerque and the Spanish-inspired houses which until now stand to attest time and history, the successes and the struggles the province has gone through. Aside from these edifices, Boholano culture is also woven in the literary pieces written by Boholanos themselves. Hornedo (2004) confirms

that literature is one of the primary institutions that transmit the culture of the society through generations. Indeed, literature, specifically poetry, keeps immemorial many of the countrys early practices (Tiempo, 1993). Hence, Boholano writers serve as the provinces keepers of the guardians of the legacy or healers of the soul (Evasco, 1999). This function of the poet becomes more evident when natives writing within their own cultural and social milieu use their language. Jose (2006) contends that the continuity in our literary tradition lies in our vernaculars. As such, many Boholano poets write verses in their own tongue. Inoc (2002) notes that there are 229 titles of poetry writings gathered from 34 Boholano poets. Sadly, only a few of them saw print so Boholanos fail to enjoy them. On the other hand, in the present-day literary community more and more writers carved their niches as these Boholano artists write both in Bolanong Binisaya and in English, publish and win recognition from awardgiving bodies. For the purpose of this discussion, I have chosen three Boholano poets and their respective works in their mother tongue. The first poet is Noel P. Tuazon. (look at the powerpoint) An AB Literature graduate, Roy (as he is fondly called among friends) has been writing various literary genres like short stories and poems in both Bol-anong Binisaya and Filipino. This Boholano third placer for Maikling Kuwento-Cebuano category in the Don Carlos Palanca Sr. Memorial Award continues to produce works not only in fiction but also in poetry. In fact, his works made it to the Komisyon ng Wika GAWAD in 2007 and 2008. This disciple of Dr. Leo Deriada has won Bathalad Mindanao (poetry category) in 2009, the Homelife Annual Poetry Competition twice (second prize in memories,

1998, first prize in 1999, both in the Filipino category). published in Graphic, Free Press and Homelife magazines.

His works have been

BAKI ni Noel P. Tuazon Sa mga higayong sama niini: maglagasak ang bunok-uwan sa mga dahon ug mohapyod ang kabugnaw sa amihan, madungog ko na usab ang hudyaka sa mga baki: magsauy-saoy, magsungog sa akong pag-inusara. Unsaon, mibiya kang wala gani magpahibawo kung mobalik pa. Di man nako tuyuon, ang ilang awit manuktok sa akong kasingkasing, mosuhot sa balatian, ug hilantan ang galamhan sa kamingaw. Bisag kada gabii kong nangandoy nga hulipan ang sauy-saoy nilang hudyaka sa kainit sa ato unyang katawa, ayaw kog ingna nga kutloon ko na usab ang lain pang gabii nga ikaw handumong moabot? Ugma, dakpon kog kan-on ang tanang mga baki.

In this literary piece, the voice tells of a beautiful friendship. The following lines (12-19) prove the wonderful memories that the friends shared.

Ang ilang awit manuktok

Sa akong kasingkasing, Mosuhot sa balatian, ug hilantan Ang galamhan sa kamingaw. Bisag kada gabii kong Nangandoy nga hulipan Ang sauy-saoy nilang hudyaka Sa kainit sa ato unyang katawa, Unfortunately, this friendship is short-lived because one left. In

Bohol, it is common among professionals to try their luck outside the province. The addressee might have left in order to work or to find his or her fortune outside Bohol but he did not have the chance to talk with and tell the one who was left behind. This reveals the adventurous nature of the Boholanos. Putong (1965) quotes Geraldo (1958) who says that Boholanos are pioneering. They are not afraid of difficulties. Instead, they consider the challenges as calculated risks and are part of their every day lives. So now the speaker, missing his friend away from him, is reminded of their fond memories through the croak of the frogs. As these little creatures continue with their joyful noise, the persona seems impatient of his friends return so he utters a striking last couplet : Ugma, dakpon kog kan-on/ Ang tanang mga baki. Possibly, the beauty of their friendship is now overtaken by yearning so he would rather keep the memories and go on with his own life with or without his very dear friend.

The second poet is the well-acclaimed Marjorie Evasco who traces her roots to Maribojoc, Bohol. (see the powerpoint) Evasco has received several Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards, National Book Awards from the Manila Critics Circle, Arinday (Siliman University), Gintong Aklat (Book Development Association of the Philippines) and Philippines Free Press prizes for her poems and essays. Her poems have appeared in many important anthologies including Luna Caledonia and Six Women Poets. She has been published extensively in Asia, Europe and North America. She has also received various international fellowships. Evasos prize-winning poetry books are: Dreamweavers: Selected Poems 1976-1986 (1987) and Ochre Tones: Poems in English and Cebuano (1999). Evasco was a founding member of two organizations espousing the cause of women writers: Writers Involved in Creating Cultural Alternatives (WICCA) and Women in Literary Arts (WILA).

BABAYENG TALABON ni Marjorie Evasco Nagsugyot kining dalit nga sugilanon Gikan sa daang nasud sa imong inahan Nga mobukhad gikan sa likod sa akong mga dalunggan Ang mga puting pako sa talabon. Ang tubig may-ong sa pagkahablon sa panumduman: Kaniadto, namati ang usa ka bata sa iyang amahan Nagtawag sa mga talabon didto sa lunhawng basakan.

Sa kalinaw sa panganinaw, Ako nahimong babayeng talabon, Nagsalirap og seda gikan sa mga balhibo, Nagkidlap-kidlap sama sa tubig, Didto sa asul nga luok. Motugpa ako sa baybayon karong kilum-kilum Ug itiklop ang akong lawas didto Sa sakuban sa pagbinugtong. Niwang na sa akong pagtukaw, Nagdamgo akog kahayag Nanakop ug kilab Sa asugi Sa tubig. Ug hilom Na usab Ako Karon.

The beauty of childhood and how this contributes to the maturity of an individual is illustrated in the poem Babayeng Talabon. This piece

recounts the transformation of an innocent child to a brave woman that is not afraid to explore the heights. Despite the altitude she has reached in her flight, the later part of the poem provides a detail of rest and homecoming. As what has been mentioned, Boholanos are naturally adventurous that they migrate to other provinces in search of greener pastures. Thus, they take their own flights, too. But no matter which part of the globe they are brought, they always remember their beloved Bohol during special occasions like birthdays of parents, Christmas holidays and most especially

fiestas (Putong, 1965). This is also their way of renewing bonds with their relatives and friends. Somehow, the child in this poem is the woman who has grown and like a bird has explored the heights. Despite the fun and attractiveness of soaring, this individuala woman can also get tired so she seeks her past for refuge. The third poet is Clovis Nazareno. (look at the powerpoint) He is also a fiction writer. He started writing poetry while in University of the

Philippines, Diliman in 1979 under the guidance of teachers like Philippine National Artist for Literature Francisco Arcellana, Gemino Abad, Alejandrino Hufana and Amelia Lapea-Bonifacio. His two chapbooks, For My Friends and In Search of Simeon Lugo (1983 and 1985 respectively), show his rootedness in the Boholano culture as well as the breadth of his poetic vision. Clovis has won several Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, namely: Horns of the World and Other Poems (1988, 3rd place, under the pen name Dodong); Fear in the World and Other Poems (1989, 3rd place, under the pen name Ondoy) and The Link Immemorial (1994, 1st place, under the pen name Araceli). He was a Philippine delegate to the 1996 Association of Southeast Asian Nations fiction-writing workshop in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand.

BALAK-DAGAT NA USAB ni Clovis L. Nazareno Daghang balak ang misulay Pagsulti sa iyang tingog, Apan kalisod pagtagik sa huni Sa iyang kalapdon. Tingali ang kamadanihon Sa iyang pagpanghupaw, Ang iyang pag-uraray Sa tawhanong baybayon, Ang kaisog sa iyang balod Nga mohapak mosinggit Sa pagbali-bali sa unos, Mao ang motulod sa kamot Sulay pag-awit Sa dakong asul nga kasulob-on.

In this piece, Balak-dagat Na Usab presents the comparison between fishing and the equally difficult yet fulfilling activitywriting poems. The lines give the readers a clear impression of the occupation of most Boholanos. Having abundant water forms, they engage in fishing. Putong (1965) proves that the people along the coast have relied on the resources of the sea for livelihood. With their nets, traps, corrals, and hook and line, they are able to fish enough marine resources. Though a bad weather and other circumstances sometimes affect the catch, the hardworking fishermen do not fail to undertake their daily toil as they see these risks as part of the business. They also consider their success fulfilling once they manage to survive.

Jesuit Pedron Chirino, Spanish observer Miguel de Loarca and Recollect historian Licinio Ruiz were only few of those who attested Boholanos valor before, during and after colonial rule (NCAA, 2003). This only manifests the heart of a Boholanodaring and beautiful. It can be observed that the three poems written by the Boholano poets have preserved their language. Even though known to write excellent works in English and in Filipino, poets like Evasco, Nazareno and Tuazon prove to be no strangers to their own tongue. Though Bohol has, in a way, preserved its traditions, this does not hold true to the poetic tradition since the abovementioned poets use free verses and not the old idea of poems with exact meter, accentuation and rhymes. So with the language used. The contemporary poems presented have a combination of the lingua franca (colloquial or the borrowed ones) and the purist language (pure, unadulterated Binisaya) contrary to the sole purist language of traditional poems. Furthermore, the themes nostalgia, importance of childhood in the transformation of an individual and the challenge of writing poetry are the threads that connect our experiences to the rest of the world. Meaning, these emotions or experiences are not only felt among Boholanos but also among people in the different parts of the globe.

Certainly, reading these literary artists whether from the regions or the nation gives one of the younger generations a reflection of the past as well as a guide for the future. Revel (2005) proves this when he states that

traditional societies where the singer of tales, a sage-poet-musician sings the story of the deeds and the ordeals of a hero and heroine, thus, creating the history of a tradition, a nucleus of social, political, religious and poetic views so a moral code and an aesthetic natural perception lives. In the light of those pieces, literature is also a potent force that can open ones eyes to the realities thereby allowing the audience to develop a perspective about events that occur locally and globally. In this manner, people will be able to understand certain events in their lives. Because of these notions about

literature, two writing workshops were held in Bohol on May 13-22, 1997 and January 27-30, 2000 respectively. These gave the seasoned as well as the budding writer-members of Bahandi, Kaliwat ni Karyapa (KAKA) and Society of Active Boholano Artists and Writers (SABAW) the avenue for expression. Those events gave birth to Salingsing sa Pulonga collection of poems from the participants. Considered by many as a complex genre, poetry is usually experienced by those in the academe. The school supposedly becomes a path where Boholano authors brilliance can be discussed and celebrated.

Cultural development is then shaped as the students understand better the motivations of man as literature conveys human nature as well as presents a human experience that is both universal and timeless (Uytico, 1999). However, due to textbooks readily available for Literature teachers, majority of the works of these Boholano writers remain in the folios. They are not tackled in the classrooms despite the provision in CMO No. 59, Series of 1996 which is as follows: Literature I must cover The Literatures of the Philippines and focus on literatures of all regions of the Philippines, whether written in native or foreign languages from the beginning of Philippine history to the present. So when I taught Philippine Literature last year, I picked Sa Imong Pagsuroy sa Lasang, one of the pieces written by Anthony Incon to be discussed in the classroom. Hoping to elicit answers from my students, I began raising questions about Incons roots or any stored knowledge about him. I ended up answering my own questions because they really did not have any idea who he is. This truth confronting our own writers might be attributed to the loss of interest to read poetry among students and other individuals as well as the absence of the material in the classroom. In a local paper, Fernandez (2007) laments the fact that nobody seems interested to read poetry anymore. He further states that poetry is rightness; hence, it must be read so this world filled with escalated violence and

tension will be better. Chouraqui, Frances ambassador to the Philippines, has warned the Filipinos of the pressure of modernity that threatens this discrete and essential aspect of Philippine culture (Revel, 2005). Here is the last piece which I do not want you to miss. Coming from Loboc, Anthony S. Incon
is at his best when he writes poetry in the

vernacular or Bol-anong Bisaya.

His pieces have been published in

Homelife Magazine and Sunstar Weekend magazine poetry page and in the literary section of Homelife, as well as in In Time Passing, There Are Things and Anthology of 100 Homelife Poets. After publishing several poems in Cebuano, Incon was awarded a writing fellowship in the 1998 Cornelio F. Faigao Writers Workshop. Then he worked with Marjorie Evasco as informant in the LIHIP project retrieving literary works of Cebuano writers in the Central Visayas. He finished his engineering degree and was awarded the UST National Writers Workshop held in Manila. He spent some of his spare time hiking and most especially communing with nature which became evident in his work. This made him one of the most popular poets in Bohol.

SA IMONG PAGSUROY SA LASANG Ni Anthony Incon Hunong, Una ka mosulod sa lasang Huboa ang imong mga sandalyas Ang mga lumot na ang Mosapnay sa imong mga tiil. Paghinay sa imong tunob Maipit unya ang mga duwende Nga nahinanok ilawom sa kabatuan. Ayaw paga-uyuga ang mga sanga sa kahoy Kay matagak ang mga gangis nga nanaghagwa. Inig abot nimo sa busay, Panabi-tabi Kay basin ug magkaguliyang ang mga enkantadang Madanihon nga nanghamli. Ayaw pag-ubog sa tubig Ang mga alimokon dili na modimdim Sa katam-is sa nagbugwak nga tubod. Sunda na lamang ang mga dalan Nga hinimo sa mga agta Aron dili mapusgay ang mga palasyo sa mga hulmigas. Paghilom Inig-abot nimo sa langub Matugaw unya ang yukog nga miriko Nga nagkuraw sa dugos nga pinabukaw. Sa imong pagpauli Ayaw kutlua ang mga bulak nga namidpid sa dalan Matagak unya ang lumay sa ilang kaanyag. Hinuon, busga ang imong kaugalingon Sa pagsud-ong sa pagsayaw-sayaw sa mga dahon Nga maabi-abihong mialagad sa imong pagsuroy.

The poem Sa Imong Pagsuroy sa Lasang is a well-laden account of the supernatural creatures Boholanos believe to inhabit the forest. In fact, there have been many stories involving them. Putong (1965) cites that there

are many old people in Bohol who believe that there are two kinds of dwellers on earth---the ordinary human beings that people see about them and the unseen inhabitants who live in trees and caves but go about among humans. The duwende, engkantada and the agta are some of these forms. It is, though, noteworthy that the miriko or hermit sage is the central persona of the poem. Here, he is portrayed Nga nagkuraw sa dugos nga pinabukaw suggestive of him preparing this drink for anyone who might need it for whatever healing purposes. True to this, many Boholanos still cling to the counsel of this mysterious man called in a variety of names tambalan, miriko, sukdan, dangkoy or shaman. Considered as mediators between the dili-ingon-nato (They Who Are Not Like Us) and human beings, the tambalan is also requested to perform pagdiwata rituals in order to appease the spirits. The farmers, for example, will only cultivate the land after the ritual is done. Cautious of what the spirits can possibly do, house builders also refer to the shaman. Some households prefer the healing ways of the tambalan rather than those of the health professionals. The poem suggests how both human beings and nature spirits can dwell peacefully. Even with the difference of characteristics, they can

respect each other and in turn maintain the beauty of the place. In her own analysis of the last part of Incons work, Evasco (2003) cites the hermit sage

who reminds everyone

to continue regarding the spirits and make this

respect enduring. In this way, human beings will do their share in the preservation of forests, caves and bodies of water that bear with them natural beauty. In so doing, there is a challenge among Boholano writers. Will you be able to continue the task of the miriko stirring wonderful thoughts through the beautiful, mysterious, enigmatic literary pieces with cultural relevance despite the threats of the present time? To what extent will you be able to preserve the forest---the literary tradition in Bohol?

Contemporary Boholano Literature Free verses and not the old idea of poems with exact meter, accentuation and rhymes Combination of the lingua franca (colloquial or the borrowed ones) and the purist language (pure, unadulterated Binisaya) contrary to the sole purist language of traditional poems Themes represent universality of experiences

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