Visayan writers honored at Taboan 2010

Around 100 writers from all over the archipelago gathered at Casino Español de Cebu in Cebu City from February 10 to 12 for Taboan 2010: The 2nd Philippine International Writers’ Festival. The festival highlighted contemporary Philippine Literature — specifically works from the Visayan islands. Meeting point Taboan is a Visayan term for market day or a place where people gather to trade their wares and services. The first Taboan was held in February 2009 at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, Ateneo de Manila University, and Cubao Expo. Back then, it was suggested that Taboan should be brought to other parts of the country. Thus, Taboan this year was held in Cebu. Taboan 2010 was organized by the Arts Council of Cebu Foundation, Inc. and by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). It was part of NCCA’s National Arts Month celebration this month. According to NCCA Commissioner for the Arts and the chair of the National Committee on Literary Arts Ricardo M. de Ungria, the purpose of this gathering of Pinoy writers of all ages is "to exchange views with one another on sundry topics — imaginable and nearly unimaginable, timely and timeless, uncommon and familiar — and either finding common ground from which they can launch offensives next door or else agreeing to disagree even without a bottle of beer nearby to seal the deal." Championing Magdalena Jalandoni Furthermore, de Ungria said that "as befits a meeting of artists of the word, passion will implode in the air and spirits of the place revel in the quality of the minds and emotions laid bare in the discussions or performances." And indeed, passions exploded during the keynote lecture on the first day delivered by premiere Cebuano literary critic and Philippine studies scholar Resil B. Mojares titled “Will Magdalena Jalandoni Ever Become a National Artist?" Magdalena Jalandoni is known as the Grand Dame of Hiligaynon Literature. When she died in 1978, she left a body of works composed of 32 novels, 122 short stories, seven novelettes, five corridos, eight narrative poems of 100 to 1,000 stanzas each, 231 short lyrical poems, seven long plays, 24 short plays and dialogos in verse, seven volumes of essays, and two volumes of autobiographies. There are already many studies and translations of her works. Many of her poems and stories have also appeared in anthologies and textbooks. Despite her impressive body of work, Jalandoni is just a perennial National Artist nominee. Jalandoni's champions say that this is probably because judges from the universities in Metro Manila cannot understand Hiligaynon. Thus, they would bypass her. In fact, during the open Taboan forum, a delegate from Western Visayas said, "Jalandoni is a victim of Manilacentrism in Philippine Literature." Mojares noted the imbalance — out of 15 National Artists of Literature, six are Tagalog writers and nine are writing in English. He suggested that judges from the regions should be given enough time to do research and prepare documentation for candidates writing in the vernaculars. Honored writers There were panel discussions during the three days of the festival on various topics like Visayan Aesthetics, Translation, Regional Children’s Literature, Ecoliterature, Writing Erotica, Living Poetry, and many others. A rich and animated exchange of ideas between the panelists and delegates would usually follow the short lectures by the panelists. Thirteen Visayan writers received the First Taboan Literary Awards in a formal awarding ceremony on the last day of the festival after a dinner and a cultural presentation of traditional Cebuano love songs and poetry. This award is given to local literary artists of the first rank who have not only written well but who have also labored in pushing the frontiers of writing in the region. "We need awards like this given in the very place where the honored writers perform their sacred task, if only to remind us that others elsewhere have served the word well before us and that benchmarks of excellence have special roots in special places," de Ungria explained. The recipients of the First Taboan Literary Awards were Resil B. Mojares, Magdalena G. Jalandoni, Estrella D. Alfon, Austregelina Espina-Moore, Edilberto K. Tiempo, Erlinda Kintanar Alburo, Temistokles Adlawan, Gremer Chan Reyes, Leoncio P. Deriada, Gumer M. Rafanan, Rodolfo Escalon Villanueva (a.k.a. Renato E. Madrid), Rene Estella Amper, and Merlie M. Alunan. Literary concerns The last session before the closing ceremonies was called the "NCCA Hour." De Ungria, with the help of some NCCA staff, explained to the delegates how to get grants on the following areas: writing of biographies of regional writers, literary criticism, anthologies of new writings in the region, readings and performances, seminars and conferences, creative writing workshops, and literary festivals. Resolutions were also crafted on the floor like supporting the Artists Welfare Act and the publication of the Taboan 2010 proceedings to be launched at the next Taboan. De Ungria also stressed the importance of literary criticism to the development and preservation of the various literature in the region. He encouraged the young writers to undergo projects on literary history and criticism. Next year, Taboan will be held in Davao City. - FVI, GMANews.TV Thumbnail photo of Taboan logo from Panitikan.com.ph.