01/03/2024
𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐘 𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄
𝐊𝐚-𝐀𝐠𝐢: 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐤 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗢 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘: 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁?
STEVEN P.C. FERNANDEZ, DFA
Yes and No, depending on how we define our concepts.
Two Concepts: 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐨 and 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
First, do these words refer to specific subjects because each will have overlapping meanings. Mindanao, a geographic entity bounded by a political territory set by law. A practice and Law conceived from the Center bearing a colonial perspective–which means values and a multitude of mindsets abound.
And Literature, a categorization of a genre anchored on a European (hence, Western) construct, separate from other forms like Painting, Sculpture, Music, Dance, and the like. These are categorizations based on how these cultures give meaning to their realities that evolved from history, nurturing, communal relationships, economics, politics, technology, and a lot more, collectively Culture.
Therefore, will our definition of Literature apply to the cultures of peoples living on the island of Mindanao? When we refer to our Literature, or the manner we use words, are we also referring to the “literature” of indigenous communities?
We need to be clear because from these indigenous communities, we get our sources of our narratives.
And when we refer to Literature we often connect these with words, and in this forum a world revealed by words, but does this manner of revelation and meaning-making function for communities in Mindanao?
So clearly now, when we refer to Mindanao Literature we refer to that composed by settler groups and us in cosmopolitan centers, capitals, towns, and those enrolled in formal education like the BAELS.
But note: the samples are limited to a certain sector only. We do not represent the majority because the majority is a diverse, multiple lot.
One will understand my argument better if one notes the dictum: 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦, 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
I will not deal with the intricacies of these as I will leave these to your teachers who developed your program based on the parameters of Cultural Studies. Instead, I will narrate my story as a sample of how one truant evolved and moved from a cosmopolitan world into a milieu I learned to live and love. This has become the reason and foundation for the creativity I now possess.
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=122117931164203524&set=a.122112592442203524
Ka-AGI: Tracing the Ink Trails of Mindanaoan Literature
𝙆𝙖-𝘼𝙂𝙄 : 𝘿𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙝𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙤𝙖𝙣 𝙇𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚. 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮, 𝘽𝘼𝙇𝘾𝙎 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝘼𝙀𝙇𝙎 𝙨𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨, 𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙤 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚!
As Mindanaoans, let us embrace what is ours with our honored guest, 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐂. 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐳, 𝐃𝐅𝐀, a highly acclaimed director-playwright and music composer-arranger. With over fifty productions under his belt, Dr. Fernandez has earned praise in more than 100 cities across Europe, the United States, the Pacific, and Asia, including the Philippines. He is the visionary behind the influential MSU-IIT Culture and Arts Studies Program and he is the founder and artistic director of the world-renowned Integrated Performing Arts Guild (IPAG). "Sir Tibo," as he is affectionately known, is also an expert in Mindanao literature. He will guide us through an assuredly vibrant journey, and his wisdom will be our compass as we explore the layers of our cultural identity through texts that resonate with the soul of Mindanao.
𝙆𝙖-𝘼𝙂𝙄’𝙨 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙩 1:00 𝙥.𝙢. 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙚 𝙖𝙩 5:00 𝙥.𝙢. 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙎𝙐-𝙄𝙄𝙏 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙞 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧.
𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲!
