Dr. Leoncio P. Dariada's Role
in the Re-Emergence of Aklanon Literature
by Melchor F. Cichon
April 19, 2024
Aklanon literature is alive and kicking! But it needs the support of everybody to make it an enthusiastic part of the Philippine literature mainstream. And I am so glad that Dr. Leoncio P. Deriada came back to Iloilo from Silliman University in 1985. If not because of him, I believe it would have taken fifty years or more for the re-emergence of Aklanon literature. Before he came to UPV, the Aklanon literature was snoring.
The word Aklanon has two meanings. It may refer to the natives of Aklan and to their language.
Aklanon literature refers to all kinds of literary works in any language written by Aklanons, either published or unpublished. Or by other people about Aklanon literary works. For several decades now Aklanons have been writing literary pieces in Spanish, English, Tagalog, Hiligaynon, and Kinaray-a.
Surprisingly, this writer has discovered that Aklanons have been writing poems in Aklanon since 1568. One of these poems is entitled Hambae Inakeanon written by an unknown Aklanon.
In 1925, Gabriel M. Reyes published a novel, Toning. This 35-page novel in Hiligaynon was published by La Panayana.
In 1926, Peping Tansinko Manyas published a short novel entitled Tagiposuon nga Hueowaran; Baeasahon Nga May Mataeupangdan. This 12-chapter novel tells about the heroic deeds of Pedring and his wife Pasing to free their fatherland from the colonizers. I still have to see a copy of this work, for it seems that this is the first recorded Aklanon novel.
The Aklanon oral literature is found in our luwa, riddles, legends, proverbs, and composo.
Luwa is a form of poetry that is usually written in four lines. It used to be the first stanza of corrido, that kind of poetry that relates the exploits of kings and princes.
Because luwa were recited in the wakes as a part of a punishment to whoever is the loser in a game like konggit, truth or consequence, and bordon, they are very much appreciated if the lines have rhymes, rhythms, and humor. Like the haiku of Japan, luwa do not have a title.
Luwa have aaaa, aabb, and abab rhyme structure. Occasionally,
we can find luwa that has abcd endings.
Example of an aaaa rhyme:
Pag-agto ko sa Ibajay,
May hakita ako nga patay;
Ginbagting ko ra eagay,
Mas mabaskog pa sa lingganay.—Unknown
For the aabb example:
Pag-agto ko sa bukid,
Nakakita ako it ibid;
Paglingot ko sa waea,
Gatueok kakon rang nobya.--Melchor F. Cichon
For the abab ending, here is an example.
Igto sa bukid
May busay nga naga-ilig;
Kon magpaligos igto si Ismid
May daeang butong nga binulig.--Melchor F. Cichon
And for abcd scheme, here is an example:
Ikaw ro kalipay
Ku tagipusuon kong gakusmaod,
Ikaw ro nagpahamtang
Ku probinsya it Akean sa bug-os nga kalibutan.--Cirilo Castillon, Jr.
There are luwa with Spanish and English words:
Ora pronubis
Ro habakae ni Nanay ibis
Duminum kubiskum
Ana ra nga gintuom—Melchor F. Cichon
There are bawdy luwa, but they are full of imagery. Here is an example:
Pag-agto ko sa Boracay,
Napusa ro ay Inday nga tuway;
Pagkasayod ka anang nanay,
Ana imaw nga ginminueay.--Melchor F. Cichon
There are luwa that have double meanings. These are the luwa that belong to the adults, if they can decipher the meaning. Here is an example.
Masupsup kunta ako
Sa maisot mo nga tuway,
Ugaling ra diperensya
May guardia nga anay. --Melchor F. Cichon
There are luwa that are really metaphysical. Here is one:
Kon gusto mo gid man ako
Nga mangin nobya mo;
Ro adlaw imo nga tukuran
Agod indi kita madueman.--Melchor F. Cichon
Here is one that I wrote with a traditional undertone.
Luwa:
Si Inday owa gid it kaeo-oy
Kay Nonoy sa Kuwait nga gapainit.
Kon imaw ngani eamigon
Masuhot sa haboe ni Ambeth.
Patugmahanon
Like any other people, Aklanons like riddles. Here are two samples:
Atis
Batsihon ra ueo, pero ra utok manami supsupon.
Si San Pedro, gueoson ra ueo.
Mga Hueobaton
Like any other people, Aklanons also have proverbs that serve as a reminder to everyone. Here are some of them:
Babaye, madanlog ro atong kalibutan.
Magdahan ka gid ay basi ka hidaphag
Ag ro imong alima hay maeapukan.
Komposo are folk songs. Some Aklanon folk songs deal on environment like the following:
MAMUGON
Mamugon ako, mamugon
Sa tawo nga manggaranon; Alas dos ako pakan-on, ay, ay,
Orasyon ako paulion.
Pag-abot ko man sa baeay,
Mangayo ako it humay;
Tinuro ako ni Tatay, ay, ay, Una sa eusong ro paeay.
Alinon ko man ro paeay,
Eawas ko karon ginabudlay;
Kon buhi kunta si Nanay, ay,.ay, Makaon ako, mapahuway.
Aklanons are also fond of tongue twisters especially when they wish to joke non-Aklanon speakers. Here are some of them:
Ro anwang gaeugaeog sa eugan-eugan.
Nagpueaw ro antulihaw sa paghinueat it paghueaw it uean sa may puno it dueaw.--Melcichon
As for the Aklanon written literature, we find them in poems, short stories, novels, essays, haiku, and lately, flash fiction.
Except for riddles, composo, proverbs and luwa, most of the Aklanon written poetry, legends, and short stories are in English. This is understandable because, before the advent of the internet, there were no venues for Aklanon literature. School administrators would not even allow their students to publish Aklanon poems in their school organs. If there were, they were very limited. We have for example the Aklan Reporter, published and edited by Mr. Roman de la Cruz, that used to publish Aklanon poems and short stories. Or those who have the means would just publish their own works. One of those was the late Roman A. de la Cruz. Known as the Dean of Journalism and History of Aklan, Tay Roman, among others, wrote a book entitled Alone Along a Lonely Road and other stories in 1973.
As a result, most of the Aklanon writers would contribute their pieces to national magazines like the Philippines Free Press, Liwayway and Sunday Times Magazine. But the competition in these magazines is very stiff.
After the 1986 EDSA Revolution, a new literary revolution in Western Visayas sprouted. Spearheaded by Dr. Leoncio P. Deriada, a former professor in literature at the U.P. in the Visayas, a literary revolution took place almost simultaneously in Iloilo, Antique, and Aklan.
Through his encouragement and with funding from the Cultural Center of the Philippines and later through the Presidential Commission for Culture and the Arts, which later gave way for the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), writers in these provinces started to write poems and short stories in Hiligaynon, Kinaray-a and in Aklanon.
The NCCA encouraged the establishments of local arts councils and subsidized conferences, workshops and publications. It also awarded writing grants and venue grants. Two of these writers who availed of these writing grants were John Barrios and this writer. The Bishop Gabriel Reyes Foundation also availed of these grants.
Dr. Deriada’s “political approach” to encourage local writers to write in their own languages was effective. He said this to Kinaray-a writers.
“My politicizing would begin by my saying: There is no such thing as a superior language. No one can give power and dignity to your language except you. Your language has dignity and power if you can do three things with it: sing your songs in it, compose your poems in it, and pray in it. If you can do these in Kinaray-a, then your language is the same level as any language in the world.”
Later, he used the same approach to Aklanon writers.
After conducting creative writing workshops and contests among Ilonggo and Kinaray-a writers, Dr. Deriada continued his crusade to Aklan. Here is how he practically twisted the arms of Aklanon writers to write in Aklanon:
“Liberating itself likewise from literary oblivion was Aklanon. Just as the Antiquenos were forming Tabig, emerging Aklanon writers also formed the Aklanon Literary Circle in Kalibo. Spearheading this was Melchor F. Cichon, a librarian at UP Visayas. Ably assisting him was UP Visayas student John E. Barrios.
“In my various workshops in Iloilo, Cichon had been there listening to the things I was telling Kinaray-a writers to challenge them. Cichon - and Barrios - took the challenge and soon the Aklan issue of Ani, which I edited with Cichon, et al., was published by the CCP and launched in Kalibo in early 1993. Cichon, who was by then writing in English and Tagalog-based Filipino, turned out to be the leading poet in his language and has the distinction of being the first Aklanon ever to publish a book of poems in his own language. Eventually, Cichon and Barrios won writing grants from the CCP.”
That book of poems is entitled: Ham-at Madueum Ro Gabii, Inay? This is the book of Aklanon poems that served as the major reason for giving me an award by the Unyon Ng Mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL) in 2001, the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas. I thus became the first Aklanon to receive such a prestigious award.
The first creative writing workshop held in Kalibo, Aklan was on November 9-10, 1991 under the leadership of Dr. Leoncio P. Deriada. It was sponsored by the newly established Aklanon writers’ group, the Akeanon Literary Circle. On January 28, 1994, the first issue of Bueabod, the literary journal of Akeanon Literary Circle, was launched in Kalibo, Aklan. It was in the same occasion when the special Aklanon Issue of Ani was launched.
Aside from encouraging the writers in Western Visayas to write, Dr. Deriada also encouraged them to enter into literary contests. One of these contests is the Bigkas Binalaybay.
This annual written and oral poetry competitions produced a considerable number of poems in Kinaray-a, Hiligaynon, Filipino and Aklanon.
Through the years, Aklanon poets have been winning in this contest. This includes Rommel Constantino, Alexander de Juan, Rocky Abello, Antonio F. Tolentino, June Mijares, and this writer. Their winning entries are included in Bigkas Binalaybay; Kritisismo, Antolohiya, edited by John E. Barrios, Melchor F. Cichon, Jonathan P. Jurilla, and John Iremil E. Teodoro, 2008.
When the Aklanon Literary Circle (ALC) was formed in the 1990s, Melchor Cichon, John Barrios and Alexander de Juan put up Bueabod, the literary journal of ALC.
It was a one-page mimeograph or photo-copied journal. In this journal some contemporary Aklanon poets like John Barrios, Pett Candido, Alexander de Juan, Jeoffrey Ricafuente, Rommel Constantino and others contributed poems. It was also in this journal where the Aklanon poems of Dominador Ilio and Roman de la Cruz first appeared. Both writers are considered the finest among the elder Aklanon English writers. Here is a poem by Dominador Ilio:
Bita
Ro masi-ut nga katamnan it bita
(Ro anang mapait nga panit it kahoy
Gina ea-ga para bueong sa takig)
Hay kadueom ku kinaunang eubnganan
Nga gintawag nga Bita.
Ro baeay ku tatlong magmanghod
Nga si Anacleta, si Josefa ag si Lorenza
Hay una sa maeunang nga aeagyan sa Bita.
Ro baeay ku ap-at nga eaking magmanghud
Nga si Manuel, si Tomas, si Amadeo,
Ag si Jose una man sa daean pa Bita.
Sanda tanan nagsaad nga mamuyo sa maeayo,
Sa maeayo-eayo sa Bita.
Ngani pinangasawa ni Amadeo si Anacleta
Ag nagbungkas sanda it paag sa Kabangkat,
Si Manuel dinaea nana si Josefa ag idto
Nagbaeay ag nanguma sa bukid it San Dimas,
Pinangasawa ni Tomas si Lorenza ag sa Kogon
Nananum sanda it abung euy-a ag eunga
Si Jose inapok sa Patnongon sa Antique
Idto nangasawa ag wa gid hibalik sa Bita.
Apang sa kabuhayan, ro andang mga nunga
Ro naghatud kanda tanan balik sa Bita.
Here is one of the Aklanon poems of Roman de la Cruz:
Panaeambiton
Tampuean mo ku imong
Mainit-init nga paead
Ro maeamig ko nga likod
Ag tug-anan mo ako
Nga indi mo eon pag-aywan.
Tamda ro atong kahapon
Kat owa ka pa magtugbong sa syudad.
Nagsumpaan kita nga magmaeahaean
Hasta sa kamatayon
Suno sa kudlit ku atong paead.
Kon pumanaw ka it uman
Kahil-o man dayang gugma.
Ako magataliwan
It dayon.
Many of the poems published in this journal were anthologized in Patubas, Ani (Aklanon issue), and in Mantala. Some of them were selected as best poems of the month by Mr. Isagani Cruz in his column Critic at Large.
From 1986 to 2000, three books were published by NCCA edited by Deriada et. al. which included Aklanon poems. One of these books is the Ani Aklanon issue. In 1999, the book by Melchor F. Cichon, Ham-at Madueom Ro Gabii ? (Bakit Madilim Ang Gabi?) was published. The second edition of this book was published in 2016 by the Kasingkasing Press.
The books on poetry by Bellysarius I. de la Cruz came out within this period. These are With Hope Undying (1988); Earth Glare (1994) and Poems in Praise of God (1997). In 2000, the novel of Roman de la Cruz, Life with the Family, a folk autobiographical novel came out. Bellysarius also published in 2003 the first Aklanon translation of the Holy Bible entitled Ro Bag-o nga Kasugtanan ku Baeaan nga Biblia.
In 1998, five Aklanon short stories were published in the book: Selebrasyon at Lamentasyon: Antolohiya ng Maikling Kuwento ng Panay edited by Carmen L. de los Santos, Ma. Milagros G. Lachica and John E. Barrios.
A breakthrough came out in 2002 when the first Aklanon haiku written by this writer came out in SanAg, the literary journal of the Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Desk, University of San Agustin, Iloilo City.
Another breakthrough in Aklanon literature took place in 2002 when the haiku by this writer was published in Heron’s Nest, an international haiku journal based in America. Another breakthrough in Aklanon literature took place in 2005 when the first Aklanon collection of short stories by John Barrios, Engkant(aw)o ag iba pa nga Tagud nga Istorya came out.
When the Aklanon Literary Circle was formed, almost all the members then were college students like John Barrios, Alexander de Juan, Jeoffrey Villafuente, and Rommel Constantino. The youngest was Am Roselo. He was still a high school student then. Among the five writers, unfortunately, only Barrios has continued to write. And after their graduation, Bueabod has stopped its circulation.
While Bueabod was resting, a new writing venue was evolving in the Philippines. This is the internet.
And with the internet, a new kind of Aklanon literature evolved. This is what is now known as the Aklanon virtual literature.
Through the internet new Aklanon writers were discovered and new types of poems were added to Aklanon literature. These are haiku, senryu, and tanka. These are all Japanese types of short poems which had never been utilized by Aklanon writers until the new millennium. It was during this period when I started writing haiga, where my haiku was posted with a picture of Filipino women. As far as I know, I am the only Aklanon, if not the only Filipino who composed haiga, a haiku with pictures of Filipino ladies. Haiga of other poets around the world combined haiku with pictures of snow, flowers or other non-human beings. Lately, some Aklanons have been writing flash fictions. And the latest innovation in Aklanon poetry is Bakod.
Bakod is the term use in Aklan for a five centavo coin. I am using this term to call my new poetic form: a five-line poem with 2,3,5,7,5 syllables. Below is my first attempt.
Baeay
Ku eamang
Gahabyog-habyog
Bangod gaalipugsa
Ro daga-da
Here is the other line pattern of Bakod: a four-line poem with five syllables in each line. Here is one example which I wrote:
Ro batong baeay
Puno it paeay
Pagsueod ni Guy
Nagkawaykaway
Another poetic innovation which I did is Hailuwa, a combination of haiku and luwa. Here is one of my hailuwa:
ugsad—
namumit si Tay Itsong sa Maeara
agod may isumsuman imaw sa tuba
Ugaling ro mga nagtueokob hay puro paka.
Nag-eaha eon lang imaw it eangkuga.
As mentioned earlier, the new crop of Aklanon poets came out as a result of the appearance of this website: http://www.my.akeanon.com/.
This website was created by a group of young Aklanons where Aklanons from different parts of the globe can exchange ideas.
Then one day a certain Tata_Goloy opened a thread, Kangga ni Tata_Goloy. In this website, many Aklanons posted their opinions on how to further develop Aklan. Some of the contributors include beeSPUNKY in Canada, bugoy in Federated States of Micronesia, Cinderella in Alaska, USA, ember in Manila, kal in Alaska, miss-terryosa in Iloilo City, SunflowR in Florida, USA, Swiss in Switzerland, Tata-Goloy in Michigan, USA, Toryo in one of the states in USA, water sprite , in Manila, yamanitoshi in Makati, Manila, and Maeara, in Iloilo. All of them are Aklanons and have one common desire—to write essays and poems. All the contributors used aliases.
Then a certain Badjao opened a new thread in my.akeanon.com. He called it Iskul Bukol.
In this thread, some of the above contributors posted poems in Akeanon. Noting that the so-called poems posted in this new thread needed editing, Maeara posted some comments to improve their works.
Then SunflowR posted a haiku written by Melchor F. Cichon from Heron’s Nest, an online haiku journal based in America.
Here is a copy of that haiku. It is a poem on the impact of the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo on a town in Pampanga: And this is the first haiku published in an international journal written by an Aklanon.
Sunday morning—
a boy digs in the mud
that buried a cathedral
Heron’s Nest, Vol. IV, No. 9: September, 2002
Knowing that Maeara is no other than this writer, Tata_Goloy asked me to conduct a virtual class in poetry writing, which I did.
Adopting the technique used by Dr. Leoncio P. Deriada in creative writing workshops, I suggested to them that they first write and post their haiku, luwa, or longer poems in my.akeanon.com website so I could write my comments on them.
And they did post their contributions in this website.
Every Saturday, I collected their works, wrote my comments on them and then posted the original and the corrected ones in the website.
The result of that virtual workshop is the book: Haiku, Luwa and Other Poems Written by Aklanons edited by Melchor F. Cichon, Edna Laurente Faral and Losally R. Navarro (2005).
But before this, I had developed a website that focuses on Aklanon literature (http://www.geocities.com/Aklanonliterature). In this website, one can find Aklanon riddles, maxims, luwa, longer poems, songs, legends, short stories, profiles of Aklanon writers, annotated Aklanon bibliography, and haiku. As of April 17, 2006, this website was visited 16, 417 times. Modesty aside, this website was the most popular website on Aklanon literature. Unfortunately, this portal folded. But some of the literary works can still be read there. Before it folded, I transferred the whole contents in my new website called, Aklanon Literature Archive. (https://aklanonlitarchive.blogspot.com/). As of August 5, 2017, it has reached 460, 052 views.
I have another website, http://anahawleaf.blogspot.com, which features my poems and fictions. As of April 18, 2024, it has 217, 6 93 total pageviews.
In 2007, I selected 25 of the best poems written by Aklanons. The result of this collection is found in the above blog. Two years after that, I published The 32 Best Aklanon Poems, the anthology of Aklanon poems. Then in 2011, I published Matingas nga Paeanoblion; anthology of poems written by Aklanon, followed by Maiden: a collection of haiga on Filipino women, also the first of its kind not only in Aklan but throughout the country, if not in the world. In 2015, the second editon of my book, Ham-at Madueom Ro Gabii, was released.
On the same year, Al F. Dela Cruz of Balete, Aklan, published his collection of Aklanon poems with English translation, Sa Gihapon; mga Binaeaybay para sa Engkantada it Manaya-nayang Banwa. The following year, my Mga Pabula ni Aesop sa Akeanon came out, followed by Mga Bueawanon nga Hueobaton sa Akeanon. Then my new ezine, Eangit, a collection of flash fictions and a collection of my love poems, Raya Rang Pasalig, Parayaw with Filipino translation done by Sharon Concepcion Masula were released by Kasingkasing Press.
In 2010, Mila S. dela Rosa compiled her poems and tongue twisters, which I edited, in the book entitled: When I Fall in Love; haiku, luwa, tongue twisters and other poems. This I understand is the first collection of poems written by a Lezonian woman, because Maria Josephine Barrios, known as Joi Barrios from Kalibo has published literary books like Ang Pagiging Babae ay Pamumuhay sa Panahon ng Digma (1990); Bailaya: Mga Dula Para sa Kababaihan (1997); Minatamis at iba pang Tula ng Pagibig (1998); and Prince Charming at iba pang Nobelang Romantiko (2001). According to Virgilio Almario, one of the best recognized literary critics and a scholar of Filipino poetry, Barrios is one of only four recognizable women poets in Philippine literature. I heard that NVM Gonzales and Jose Dalisay have Aklanon roots. But then again, not one of them has written any poem in Aklanon.
What do Aklanon writers write? Who are the writers? What is the quality of their works?
Through the years, Aklanon writers, like other writers in the Philippines, wrote on oppression, corruption, poverty, exploitation of women and the environment, love, religion, politics, insurgency, and hope. This is so because many of them are college trained and have gone to many places outside of Aklan like Manila, Iloilo, Antique, America, and other places abroad.
Before the coming of Dr. Leoncio P. Deriada in Iloilo, we had very few Aklanon writers like Manuel la Serna, Roman de la Cruz, Leopoldo de la Cruz, Joi Barrios, and Dominador Ilio.
But when Dr. Deriada started to mobilize the writers in Aklan, they grew rapidly.
Allow me to present some Aklanon contemporary writers, mostly poets.
SOME CONTEMPORARY AKLANON WRITERS
John Barrios is multi-talented Akeanon. He is not only a poet, but he is also a painter and an essayist. His poems have been published Pagbutlak (the official student publication of UPV-CAS; Ani 21 (1993), Patubas (1995) ag sa Mantala (2000), Homelife, SanAg (2002) and in Hiligaynon. He is also one of founding members of Akeanon Literary Circle. He won Second Prize in Bigkas Binalaybay 2002 sponsored by UPV Sentro Ng Wikang Filipino. He was one of the editors of Bueabod, the poetry journal of Aklanon Literary Circle. His poem, The Mosquito, won first prize in the English category in the 1994 Miag-ao Summer Arts Camp. John was born Lezo, Aklan but he grew up Kalibo. Today, he is a professor in UP in the Visayas Iloilo City Campus.
George T. Calaor was born on May 22,1967 at Notre Dame Hospital in Cotabato City and grew up Malay, Aklan. He was a founding member of Akeanon Literary Circle, Fellow 24th UP National Writers Workshop in the Visayas, and third prize winner in National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) All-West Visayan Poetry Competition (Hiligaynon category). His entry was Pinatubo nga Kasakit. Some of his poems were published in Bueabod and were anthologized in Ani Aklanon and in Patubas. George writes poetry in Akeanon, Filipino, Hiligaynon and English. He is also involved in all-gays theatre group in
Aklan: Butterfly Mobile Theatre Group. He was the script writer and director of Poetry in Motion a la musical stage play “Puta at Ako; Pitong Mukha Bakla, Heretotell. George has a degree in Bachelor of Secondary Education at the Aklan College now Aklan Catholic College. George was also affiliated with the following organizations: NUSP-Aklan, CEGPAklan, Aklan College Supreme Student Council, Guild of Aklan Student Councils, and Alyansa it mga Kabataan nga Ehemplo ku Atong Nasyon (founding chair) . He was also a former Youth Congressman of Aklan. George is the founding vice chairperson of Sub-eak (local organization of Aklanon lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender) and current Chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Aklan Published works: OWA NABATIAN NGA TANGIS, OWA'T SUEOD NGA PINGGAN, SAKADA, HAMPANG BALAY-BALAY, EANSANG NGA LAPIS. Address: Poblacion, Malay, Aklan, Philippines Pett
Alexander D. De Juan was born on on October 17, 1976 in Kalibo, Aklan. He was once the Vice-Chair of Akeanon Literary Circle (ALC) and one of the editors of Bueabod, the literary journa; of ALC. His poem, Bakit si Xela ay Nagdighay Pagkatapos Mag-inom ng Cole was chosen as one the best poems in Isagani Cruz’ Critic’s Choice (April, 1994), Starweek. In 2010, his anthologies of poems were published in Kalibo, Aklan. His political view says it all: “Aren’t we the President of ourselves?”
Mila dela Rosa is a nurse, a singer-composer, a poet, and an author of children’s books. She was born in Lezo, Aklan. In 2020, her first book, When I Fall in Love; Haiku, Luwa , Tongue Twister, and Other Poems, was published. Her website is miladelarosa.com; chancedr.com author of children's books.
Edna Romulo Laurente-Faral was born in Batan, Aklan, and is now residing in Florida. She finished B. S. Chemistry in Adamson University/Manila and completed her academic units in Master in Public Administration in PUP/Manila. She took up her elementary education in Batan and her high school at Kalantiaw Institute. A proud Batangnon, she extends the Filipino culture through dancing. She dances with the Tampa, Florida-based Philippine Performing Arts Company (PPAC) and the Indak Pambata. She devotes her time in volunteering. She is a volunteer of Hands On Tampa
Bay (HOT), a volunteer program of United Way of Tampa Bay and a St. Stephen Steward. She can be contacted through her email address: ednalf@msn.com
Jed Nykolle Harme is a spoken word poet of Titik Poetry and the president of AkLit - The Unspoken. She is a Senior High School student journalist that won various awards in Division and Regional levels for years. Last March, 2020, she won 2nd Place in her category during the National Schools Press Conference in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. Jed is a Golden Pen Awardee of Regional English Circle 6 and an IWAG Awardee of the Philippine Information Agency. She became the first Spoken Word Champion of Binaeaybay, a Spoken Word Contest for Diez y Nueve Martires it Akean. She was also hailed as Champion during the Nationwide Poetry Writing Contest of Quexbook, participated with a thousands of high school students nationwide. She became one of the winners of spoken word contest from the Philippines Educational Theater Association (PETA) and became a fellow of Cavite Young Writer's Association Writing Workshop. She mostly spends her time doing feature articles and writing poems. Aside from being a writer, Jed is also an event organizer of art fairs and a youth volunteer with a heart for Mobile Photography. Her love for poetry has pushed her to publish 5 zines both printed and online named Ariwanas, Aplaya, Tabi-Tabi po, Babaylan and Mind Across.
Phillip Yerro Kimpo (Phillip Kimpo Jr.) is a multi-awarded writer in English and Filipino, and a nationally recognized public servant. A graduate of the University of the
Philippines Diliman’s College of Engineering, he is the former editor-in-chief of ABS-
CBN’s Choose Philippines tourism property.
He won the Grand Prize in the Maningning Miclat Poetry Awards, one of the country’s top literary laurels, in 2013. He won Second Prize in the Talaang Ginto: Gawad KWF sa Tula (popularly known as the “Makata ng Taon”) in 2012. He is the first Aklanon to have won in both contests.
He has garnered fellowships to the country’s prestigious national writers workshops: UST in Manila (2008), IYAS La Salle in Bacolod (2009), Silliman in Dumaguete (2009), Iligan (2012), and the UP workshop for advanced writers in Baguio (2012).
He has authored eight books, as follows:
• álattalà (poetry, 2020)
• The Freedom Fighters of Northern Luzon: An Untold Story (history, 2009);
• Aklan: Land of the Finest, Land of the Fervent (tourism, 2017);
• Malay, Aklan: The World’s Destination (tourism, 2018);
• The Travel Guide to Malay, Aklan: The Best of Boracay and Beyond (tourism,
2018);
• Aurulence: Aklan’s Golden Harvest of Entrepreneurs (governance, 2016);
• Unang Paglalayag Paikot ng Daigdig ni Antonio Pigafetta (translation, 2017)
• To the Marrow: Hospital Diary and other Essays by Romulo P. Baquiran Jr. (translation, 2015).
His book álattalà was published by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Filipinas Institute of Translation and was included in the official national celebration of Buwan ng Wika and Buwan ng Panitikan 2020.
His poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and translations in both English and Filipino have been published in more or less 50 book anthologies, journals, magazines, and newspapers. He is the creator of the tourism tagline of his home province, used from 2016 to the present—“Feel Alive, Feel Aklan.”
He was the longest-serving president of LIRA, the oldest group of poets in Filipino, from 2009-2015, during which he also served as a director of UMPIL (Writers Union of the Philippines). He served as the director of the Pambansang Edukasyong Pampanitikan (PEP), a nationwide education outreach program which served 3,500 teachers and students across 35 towns. In 2011, he led LIRA to being declared as one of the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) in Malacañang Palace. This was followed in 2012 by LIRA’s “poet-volunteers” being declared by the government as the Most Outstanding Volunteer Group for the National Capital Region.
He is the founder of The Aklan Literati (AkLit), president of the Aklan Historical and Cultural Society, and co-founder of the Aklan Madya-as Arts Festival. He is the founder and supreme convenor of the Pulong ng Kabataan.
In 2016, he was elected to a seat in the municipal council of Kalibo, Aklan. In the same year, he was named by ABS-CBN Lifestyle as one of the country’s “Nine Millennial Politicians to Watch For.” His record of public service has earned him several national recognitions. As a legislator, he writes his own resolutions and ordinances, two of which were featured as best examples in the nationally distributed Guidebook for Young Legislators (2020).
Sharon Concepcion Masula is an Asst. Prof. IV and Head, Dept. of Teacher Education sa Aklan State University-Ibajay Campus, Ibajay, Aklan. He was born in Estancia, Kalibo, Aklan. She finished her Bachelor of Science in Education major in Communication of Arts in Filipino in Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Intramuros, Manila, and her Master of Arts in Filipino at Capiz State University, Manbusao, Capiz. |She took her Doctor of Philosophy in Filipino-Literature at Manuel L. Quezon University, Quezon City. Her has published two books: Melchor F. Cichon and Sharon C. Masula, Raya Rang Pasalig, Parayaw; ito ang pangako ko, Mahal, 2018; and Sharon Concepcion Masula. Kahalagahang Ispiritual, Politikal at Ekonomiya ng mga Obra Maestra ni Melchor F. Cichon, 2018. She also published a flash fiction at Liwayway Magazine.
Topsie Ruanni F. Tupas finished his MA, BA, cum laude, at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City and finished his PhD at the National University of Singapore. He teaches Business Communication. He also taught at the University of the Philippines in Diliman and at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the United States. Nagaturo man imaw sa National University of Singapore. Two of his poems were published in Patubas (1995): Ro Jawili ag Akeanon, ag Pangutana ni James sa Kaugalingon. The last poem was published in England.
It was also during this period that I started to write short stories. One of the stories that I wrote is Silabu, a story about family relationships. It was anthologized in the book, Sa Atong Dila, edited by Merlie Alunan. Aside from short stories and flash fictions, I also translated fables and proverbs into Aklanon.
Analysis of the three periods of the Aklanon literature
Pre-Deriada, Before 1986
During this period, Aklanon writers were writing mostly in English and Spanish. But there were some Aklanon writers who wrote in Aklanon.
The most prominent among these writers were Peping Tansinko Manyas, Manuel Laserna, Roman de la Cruz, Leopoldo A. de la Cruz, and Dominador Ilio.
Although, NVM Gonzales, Josephine Barrios and Jose Dalisay are all Aklanons by blood, they never have written any poem or short story in Aklanon.
Of those who wrote poems in Aklanon were Manuel Laserna and Peping Manyas. In their writings, both Laserna and Manyas wrote on freedom and love of country. Their writing structure was mostly rhymed and metered.
Deriada Period, 1986-2004. During this period, new Aklanon writers were discovered. Influenced by Deriada, through his creative writing workshops and private conversations with the Aklanon writers, these new writers wrote mostly in Aklanon, English, and in Filipino. Almost all of them wrote in free verse, except Mr. Roman de la Cruz, who preferred to write in rhyme, but not metered. Their topics are now widened: love, poverty, nationalism, environment, gender. This was due to the writers' diverse milieu and experiences. All the new writers have gone to college and have traveled outside of Aklan. The many contests and grants given by the NCCA have boostered their enthusiasms. The help and encouragement of Dr. Deriada in the re-emergence of Aklanon literature is great. It was during this time that the special issue of Ani came out. It was during this period that some poems in Aklanon came out in anthologies like Mantala and in Patubas. It was also in this period that Alexander de Juan, Roman de la Cruz, John Barrios and myself won local and national awards and book writing grants. My book Ham-at Madueom Ro Gabii (Bakit Madilim ang Gabi) was published. I eventually won the coveted Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas (for Aklanon Poetry). It was given by Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL), the first Aklanon to receive that award. In 2017, Maria Josephine Barrios, popularly known as Joi Barrios received the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas award, the second Aklanon to receive it. Joi is a poet, activist, scriptwriter, actress, translator and teacher. Born in 1962, she completed her Ph.D. in Philippine Literature at the University of the Philippines (UP).
It was also during this period that the New Testament was translated into Aklanon by Vellyzarius de la Cruz and was published by Macar Enterprises.
Post-Deriada Period, 2005-2020
With the emergence of the World Wide Web and through my encouragement many new Aklanon poets were discovered. Many of them are Aklanons living in America and Europe. Through the internet and the creation of the website: http://www.my.akeanon.com/, many of the newly discovered Aklanon poets contributed their poems in this website. They wrote haiku, luwa and other poems. The result of their creative works were published in a book: Haiku, Luwa and Other Poems by Aklanon edited by Melchor F. Cichon, Edna Laurente Faral, and Losally Navarro. Through my encouragement, it was also during this period where many Aklanon luwa were written and published in the internet and in the books. The subjects of their works were varied: love, nature, under development, gender, nationalism, poverty and almost all topics. The latest addition to Aklanon literature is the publication in the internet of poetry for children. Unfortunately, very few Aklanon writers write children’s poetry and stories.
With the opening of a college course on Aklanon Literature in Northwestern Visayas Colleges (NVC) in Kalibo, Aklan, this writer believes that Aklanon Literature will flourish. More and more students will be encouraged to read the literary outputs of Aklanon literary writers. Later these students will also be encouraged to write poems, short stories, essays and other literary pieces, thus providing more and more reading materials for our Aklanon students and researchers. Also, more and more non-Aklanons will be encouraged to read our literary works especially so when these outputs are translated in English and Filipino.
Another development in Aklanon literature is the inclusion of my poem, The Whisper, in Grade 11 classes. Now one can see some movie adaptations of the said poem in youtube. One of this is the work of Ms. Renalyn A. Villegas. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMF9VRl3T84&t=500s.
In 2017, a new type of fiction was popularized in Panay. It is called flash fiction.
Flash fiction is a story on any subject from six to two thousand words. Some Aklanon writers like Perry Mangilaya, the present editor-in-chief of Liwayway and me write flash fictions. Perry Mangilaya writes in Filipino while I write in English, Filipino, Hiligaynon and in Aklanon. Here are some of my works.
Gera
Melchor F. Cichon
Ginawasay it napueong soldadong Hapon ro pertaha’t dormitoryo’t mga babayi. Pagkasayod kara ni Obispo Santos, dumaeagan imaw halin sa simbahan agod protektuhan ro mga babayi.
“Gapusa ro Obispo ngaron ag isueod sa sako,” mando ni Kapitan Suho, “Ag itib-ong sa suba!”
Sinueod it mga Hapon ro mga babaying nagatiyabaw.
Hayahay
Melchor F. Cichon
Ginbaha it Bagyo Frank so suba. Pag-agi ni Pilma sa pangpang it suba, hakita nana ro naga-eutaw-eutaw nga hayahay it Pilipinas. Gin-eumpatan nana ra agod salbaron ra. Pagkadakop nana kara, dali-dali imaw nga nag-eangoy pabalik sa pangpang. Maskin basa ra eambong, dumeritso imaw sa munisipyo ag gintao ro hayahay sa meyor.
Another type of poem that I developed lately is what I call Bakod.
Bakod is the term use in Aklan for a five centavo coin.
I am using this term to call my new poetic form: a five-line poem with 2,3,5,7,5 syllables. Below is my first attempt (May 30, 2008):
Baeay
Ku eamang
Gahabyog-habyog
Bangod gaalipugsa
Ro daga-daga
In 2020, Jed Nykolle Harme won first prize in QuexBook, a nationwide poetry contest with her entry Agua. Here is her winning entry:
Agwa
Jed Nykolle Harme
Siya ang pitak na patak ng ulan. Butil na namamahay sa ulap., tinatamasa ang himpapawid – ang andap sa sikat ng pangarap. Subalit nangulimlim ang dagim, nagbadya ang kaniyang hamog.
Isinaboy ng ulap ang ulan, Ibinagsak mula sa tugatog.
Nanangis yaring ulang tikatik,
Mahagunghong ang kaniyang palatak;
Nangapa sa bundok ng lumbay,
Natalisod sa talampas ng pighati,
Nadapa sa burol ng sumigawi,
Lumagpak sa lambak ng dalamhati, At inihatid sa wakas nanag pagsuko— Sa bingit ng kaniyang dalisdia.
Sumama sa ragasa ng ilog, Nilayag ang wagayway ng dagat. Yaring ulang sa sakit ay nasaid Ay naisipang tumingala muli sa langit.
Pinagmasdan ang paanyayang alok
Nitong ulap sa kay tagal nang hindi natanaw.
Kay’t niyakap niyang muli ang lawiswis; Nagdiwang sa halipawpay.
At sa kaniyang muling pagpanhik
Ay naaninag mula sa himpapawid;
Ang alimuom ng kaniyang danas, Ang bulaos nang pagkawasak sa lupan At pagbagsak mula sa anyogn tubig.
Ipinaalala sa sarili na salamin ng langit ang karagatan, Na may paparating pang pagsubok at digmaan At hini siya nito magagapi, hindi kailanman.
What is next for Aklanon writers?
From the above statements, it is noticeable that Aklanon literature for children like nursery rhymes, and short stories, are very scarce. Likewise, academic studies on Aklanon literature are very few. This writer hopes that this gap will soon be filled up by the present and future Aklanon writers. Fortunately, some Aklanon students have used some of my poems for their dissertations and theses in Panay and in Metro Manila. One of them is the dissertation of Dr. Sharon Masula of Kalibo, Aklan who took her PhD in Manuel Luis Quezon University, Manila.
It seems too that Aklanon contemporary writers will still write poetry, but mostly short poetry, like luwa and haiku. But I hope that someone will write novels and plays in Aklanon.
As for the contents, Aklanon poets and fiction writers will still be writing poems, etc. with social relevance as they are still experiencing the impact of poverty, injustices, corruption, environmental degradation, and many other social issues.
In conclusion, Aklanon literature has a tradition to think of. Through the centuries, Aklanons have been writing different types of literature: poems, short stories, novels, riddles, songs, maxims, and legends. But the writing of Aklanon literature became staggered until the arrival of Dr. Leoncio P. Deriada who manipulated many young Aklanon writers to write in Aklanon through literary workshops.
And through the internet Aklanon writers have been exposed to world literature particularly the short poems like haiku and tanka and fictions. This will surely improve Aklanon literature.
Sources:
Barrios, John E., Cichon, Melchor F., Jurilla, Jonathan P. and Teodoro, J. I. E., eds. Bigkas Binalaybay; Kritisismo, antolohiya. Iloilo City: Sentro ng Wikang Filipino, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Visayas and Pambansang Komisyon para sa Kultura at mga Sining, 2008. 171p.
Cichon, Melchor F. Belle Nabor: A Filipino Haijin. Posted November 28, 2005. http://www.akeanon.com/. Retrieved: April 16, 2006.
Cichon, Melchor F. Dr. Leoncio P. Deriada: Masiglang Lider Sa Muling Pag-Uswag Ng Malikhaing Panulat sa Western Visayas. Daluyan, the official publication of the Sentro
Ng Wikang Filipino, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 8-11, 1994.
De Juan, Alexander C. Ang Pag-ahon Ng Nakasulat na Literaturang Aklanon. Daluyan, the official publication of the Sentro Ng Wikang Filipino, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, vol. 5, No. 2, pp.15-16, 1994.
De la Cruz, Beato. Contributions of the Aklan Mind to Philippine Literature. San Juan, Rizal: Kalantiao Press, 1958. 97p.
Deriada, Leoncio. Literature engineering in West Visayas. Forum, Opisyal na Pahayagan ng Universidad ng Pilipinas, March 28, 2006.
http://www.up.edu.ph/forum/2000/03/28/litengg.html, retrieved: April 13, 2006.
Manyas, Peping Tansinko. Tagiposuon Nga Hueowaran. Daeang Rizal, Kalibo, Capiz. 1926. 26p. (Photo-copy)
Nabor, Fiorella I. “An Inquiry into the Ancient Inakeanon Writing System,” Silliman
Journal, Ist Quarter, 1968, pp. 54-86 ((Photo-copy)
Reyes, Gabriel M. Toning. Mandurriao, Iloilo, 1925. 35p. (Photo-copy)
Tente Undoy. Mga Bilisad-n ni Tente Undoy. San Juan, Rizal, Kalantiaw
