In his own tongue
By RONALD S. LIM
September 5, 2009
Manila Bulletin
While winning a Palanca is honor enough, it means so much more to Richel Dorotan. For him, his second prize win in the Short Story - Cebuano category is affirmation of the continuing growth that is happening in the literature of the regions.
Dorotan, a staff writer for the Manila Bulletin Group’s Bisaya Magasin, won for his story entitled “Biyahe”, which tells the story of a tricycle driver who died by choosing pride over his and his passengers safety. This is the second Palanca win for Dorotan, who also won second place in the Short Story - Cebuano category in 2005.
Two other writer from the Manila Bulletin Group’s regional publications also won alongside Dorotan: Ariel Tabag, entertainment and poetry editor of Bannawag, won second prize in the Short Story - Iluko category for his story entitled “Dagiti Ayup iti Bantay Quimallugong”, while former Liwayway editor-in-chief Reynaldo Duque won third prize in the same category for his story “Ti Kararua ni Roman Catolico Nga Imulog iti Imperno”.
Dorotan says that he and his colleagues’ wins only show that it is not the number of speakers that a language has that makes one an effective writer, but rather how skillfully one manipulates that language, no matter how small the audience.
“Hindi naman issue dito ang lenguwahe. Ang lenguwahe nandiyan ‘yan, nasa sa iyo kung paano mo siya gagamitin,” he explains. “Hindi paramihan ito. Wala diyan ang usapan, kundi kung paano mo ginawa, kung paano mo ginamit.”
Dorotan got into writing at an early age, saying that he looked forward to the formal themes that his elementary school teachers would ask them to write. He says that even then, his teachers were able to note his skill.
“Ang nanagyari noon, kapag pinagsusulat kami ng formal theme, laging nagiging model sa eskuwelahan ang formal theme ko. Doon nakita ng teacher na marunong akong gumawa,” he recalls.
While his other siblings also displayed an interest in writing, Dorotan says that he was the only one who pursued it past their elementary years. He would look forward to writing compositions when he was in high school, and while in college he was the one who established his college’s school organ.
But even with such an obvious interest in writing and literature, Dorotan would first find himself in broadcasting before landing his job in Bisaya Magasin in 2001.
“Nagtrabaho ako nun sa radyo. Nung nagkaroon ng bakante sa staff, inimbitahan nila akong sumali sa editorial staff ng Bisaya,” he says.
REALISM
Dorotan believes that it was the realism of his story that caught the judges’ eye, saying that he strives in all of his stories to provide a mirror to the people of his region.
“Kung babasahin mo ‘yung kuwento, kuwento ito ng mga tao sa lugar ko na pinagsama-sama ko sa plot ng storya ko, para kapag nabasa nila, nasasalamin sila dun sa kuwento,” he says. “Ang mga tao sa lugar mo, kailangan nila ng spokesman para maipakita ‘yung totoong damdamin ng lugar. Banal na katungkulan ng isang writer na sulatin ‘yan.”
More importantly, Dorotan believes that these stories can best be told in the language used in that region.
“Ang mga karanasan ng Cebuano ay masusulat lang sa Cebuano. Ang kultura, naka encode ‘yan sa lenguwahe,” he says. “May mga punto sa lenguwahe na hindi mo maisasalin kaya kailangan mo siyang isulat mismo sa lenguwahe kung saan nakapaloob ang karanasang iyon.”
He says that this way of thinking is becoming more and more popular among young writers in the regions, who are now exploring the possibilities of writing in their own language rather than in English or Filipino.
“Ang sentimiyento dati, kailangan magsulat ka sa English o Filipino. Pero ngayon sa Cebu, ang mga kabataang manunulat mga Cebuano writers talaga sila. Nagbago ang pananaw na iyan dahil nagbago ang panlasa. Naging exotic ang sumulat sa sariling lenguwahe,” he says.
However, Dorotan does point out that today’s young writers in other Filipino languages seem to be forgetting the fact that it takes a lot of hard work and time to come up with a prize-winning story.
“Taon kong trinabaho ang kuwento ko. Ang pagsulat kasi hindi mo nakukuha sa isang upuan, parang nagbubuntis ka hanggang sa hindi mo mapigilan at sulatin mo,” he says. “Ang mga iba ngayon, iniisip kaagad kung babasahin sila. Kailangan muna nilang i-develop ang craft nila. Siguraduhin mo muna kung anong susulatin mo. Kapag magaling ka nang magsulat sa lenguwaheng ginagamit mo, darating ang mga magbabasa.”
As for him, Dorotan plans to continue writing in the language of his regions, no matter how small the audience for his writing may be. “May Bisaya magazine tayo, diyan lumalabas ang mga kuwento namin. Mayroon din kaming mga publication, mga libro na lumalabas. At kung magaling ka, itratranslate ka,” he ends. “Ito ang lenguwaheng hinehele sa akin ng nanay ko. Dito ako natutong mag-bilang, mag-isip. Ito ang para sa akin.”
September 5, 2009
Manila Bulletin
While winning a Palanca is honor enough, it means so much more to Richel Dorotan. For him, his second prize win in the Short Story - Cebuano category is affirmation of the continuing growth that is happening in the literature of the regions.
Dorotan, a staff writer for the Manila Bulletin Group’s Bisaya Magasin, won for his story entitled “Biyahe”, which tells the story of a tricycle driver who died by choosing pride over his and his passengers safety. This is the second Palanca win for Dorotan, who also won second place in the Short Story - Cebuano category in 2005.
Two other writer from the Manila Bulletin Group’s regional publications also won alongside Dorotan: Ariel Tabag, entertainment and poetry editor of Bannawag, won second prize in the Short Story - Iluko category for his story entitled “Dagiti Ayup iti Bantay Quimallugong”, while former Liwayway editor-in-chief Reynaldo Duque won third prize in the same category for his story “Ti Kararua ni Roman Catolico Nga Imulog iti Imperno”.
Dorotan says that he and his colleagues’ wins only show that it is not the number of speakers that a language has that makes one an effective writer, but rather how skillfully one manipulates that language, no matter how small the audience.
“Hindi naman issue dito ang lenguwahe. Ang lenguwahe nandiyan ‘yan, nasa sa iyo kung paano mo siya gagamitin,” he explains. “Hindi paramihan ito. Wala diyan ang usapan, kundi kung paano mo ginawa, kung paano mo ginamit.”
Dorotan got into writing at an early age, saying that he looked forward to the formal themes that his elementary school teachers would ask them to write. He says that even then, his teachers were able to note his skill.
“Ang nanagyari noon, kapag pinagsusulat kami ng formal theme, laging nagiging model sa eskuwelahan ang formal theme ko. Doon nakita ng teacher na marunong akong gumawa,” he recalls.
While his other siblings also displayed an interest in writing, Dorotan says that he was the only one who pursued it past their elementary years. He would look forward to writing compositions when he was in high school, and while in college he was the one who established his college’s school organ.
But even with such an obvious interest in writing and literature, Dorotan would first find himself in broadcasting before landing his job in Bisaya Magasin in 2001.
“Nagtrabaho ako nun sa radyo. Nung nagkaroon ng bakante sa staff, inimbitahan nila akong sumali sa editorial staff ng Bisaya,” he says.
REALISM
Dorotan believes that it was the realism of his story that caught the judges’ eye, saying that he strives in all of his stories to provide a mirror to the people of his region.
“Kung babasahin mo ‘yung kuwento, kuwento ito ng mga tao sa lugar ko na pinagsama-sama ko sa plot ng storya ko, para kapag nabasa nila, nasasalamin sila dun sa kuwento,” he says. “Ang mga tao sa lugar mo, kailangan nila ng spokesman para maipakita ‘yung totoong damdamin ng lugar. Banal na katungkulan ng isang writer na sulatin ‘yan.”
More importantly, Dorotan believes that these stories can best be told in the language used in that region.
“Ang mga karanasan ng Cebuano ay masusulat lang sa Cebuano. Ang kultura, naka encode ‘yan sa lenguwahe,” he says. “May mga punto sa lenguwahe na hindi mo maisasalin kaya kailangan mo siyang isulat mismo sa lenguwahe kung saan nakapaloob ang karanasang iyon.”
He says that this way of thinking is becoming more and more popular among young writers in the regions, who are now exploring the possibilities of writing in their own language rather than in English or Filipino.
“Ang sentimiyento dati, kailangan magsulat ka sa English o Filipino. Pero ngayon sa Cebu, ang mga kabataang manunulat mga Cebuano writers talaga sila. Nagbago ang pananaw na iyan dahil nagbago ang panlasa. Naging exotic ang sumulat sa sariling lenguwahe,” he says.
However, Dorotan does point out that today’s young writers in other Filipino languages seem to be forgetting the fact that it takes a lot of hard work and time to come up with a prize-winning story.
“Taon kong trinabaho ang kuwento ko. Ang pagsulat kasi hindi mo nakukuha sa isang upuan, parang nagbubuntis ka hanggang sa hindi mo mapigilan at sulatin mo,” he says. “Ang mga iba ngayon, iniisip kaagad kung babasahin sila. Kailangan muna nilang i-develop ang craft nila. Siguraduhin mo muna kung anong susulatin mo. Kapag magaling ka nang magsulat sa lenguwaheng ginagamit mo, darating ang mga magbabasa.”
As for him, Dorotan plans to continue writing in the language of his regions, no matter how small the audience for his writing may be. “May Bisaya magazine tayo, diyan lumalabas ang mga kuwento namin. Mayroon din kaming mga publication, mga libro na lumalabas. At kung magaling ka, itratranslate ka,” he ends. “Ito ang lenguwaheng hinehele sa akin ng nanay ko. Dito ako natutong mag-bilang, mag-isip. Ito ang para sa akin.”
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