Pampanga: Land of Legion of Poet Laureates
by Oscar Balajadia
ISN'T IT shameful or ridiculous that quite a good number of Kapampangan poets are said to be jockeying for position to be named the next Kapampangan Poet Laureate, despite the fact that we know poetry is all but dead—at least in Pampanga? Is not that a behavior we expect only from politicians? Is not that the behavior that put our country in the dark pit it is in now? It is as if corruption mutated into some kind of literary virus and has gotten into the veins of our poets and writers as well—when in fact they should be regarded as model citizens for their intellect, virtues and righteousness. Everything is getting dark in all aspects of the Filipino's life.
Many of us don't even know that Kapampangan literature exists and, yet, here we are surrounded by an army of poets laureate. I have gathered that we currently have 21 so-called poets laureate. Yes, you read it loud and clear—21. And again you read it loud and clear—laureates. I don't want to sound counterculture (I expect Kapampangan poets and their so-called laureates to call me such), but in all honesty, why on earth do we need laureates? Why 21 of them? And now, why elect some more? (I heard it through the grapevine that elections for the next batch of laureates are in the process).
One Kapampangan lingua-cultural activist I am acquainted with mockingly wrote to me, "Gewa rong tsa-tidwa beinti-singku reng laureado."
That is not a joke to me. It is a meaningful statement. Of course, it is an irony or hyperbole, or both (my friend is more of a poet than our so-called poets). Yes, I dare say, the exercise is worthless. I don't (and will never again) question the literary skills of our Kapampangan laureates. But with 21 laureates (and counting), you want to give up thinking that there will ever be a bright future for Kapampangan literature. What and who do these 21 or more Kapampangan laureates represent? Why do we care so much for a title? Why don't we just write and write and write the best we can to improve and enrich our literature and mend its damaged dignity? We haven't done anything really grand and meaningful for Kapampangan literature to deserve laureateship, in my book. We may write volumes or quantities yet we still fall short on quality. The arts and culture don't owe us anything. Doing what Kapampangan poets are doing right now is detrimental and fatal to Kapampangan literature. It makes writing and laureateship lose their dignified meaning and purpose.
Our Kapampangan poets are digging a pit full of mud and filth in which they will one day drown themselves. Laureateship does more harm than good to Kapampangan literature. » Read more...
Source: http://www.eksite.com/
ISN'T IT shameful or ridiculous that quite a good number of Kapampangan poets are said to be jockeying for position to be named the next Kapampangan Poet Laureate, despite the fact that we know poetry is all but dead—at least in Pampanga? Is not that a behavior we expect only from politicians? Is not that the behavior that put our country in the dark pit it is in now? It is as if corruption mutated into some kind of literary virus and has gotten into the veins of our poets and writers as well—when in fact they should be regarded as model citizens for their intellect, virtues and righteousness. Everything is getting dark in all aspects of the Filipino's life.
Many of us don't even know that Kapampangan literature exists and, yet, here we are surrounded by an army of poets laureate. I have gathered that we currently have 21 so-called poets laureate. Yes, you read it loud and clear—21. And again you read it loud and clear—laureates. I don't want to sound counterculture (I expect Kapampangan poets and their so-called laureates to call me such), but in all honesty, why on earth do we need laureates? Why 21 of them? And now, why elect some more? (I heard it through the grapevine that elections for the next batch of laureates are in the process).
One Kapampangan lingua-cultural activist I am acquainted with mockingly wrote to me, "Gewa rong tsa-tidwa beinti-singku reng laureado."
That is not a joke to me. It is a meaningful statement. Of course, it is an irony or hyperbole, or both (my friend is more of a poet than our so-called poets). Yes, I dare say, the exercise is worthless. I don't (and will never again) question the literary skills of our Kapampangan laureates. But with 21 laureates (and counting), you want to give up thinking that there will ever be a bright future for Kapampangan literature. What and who do these 21 or more Kapampangan laureates represent? Why do we care so much for a title? Why don't we just write and write and write the best we can to improve and enrich our literature and mend its damaged dignity? We haven't done anything really grand and meaningful for Kapampangan literature to deserve laureateship, in my book. We may write volumes or quantities yet we still fall short on quality. The arts and culture don't owe us anything. Doing what Kapampangan poets are doing right now is detrimental and fatal to Kapampangan literature. It makes writing and laureateship lose their dignified meaning and purpose.
Our Kapampangan poets are digging a pit full of mud and filth in which they will one day drown themselves. Laureateship does more harm than good to Kapampangan literature. » Read more...
Source: http://www.eksite.com/
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