Abakada-Kinukwenta?

Kagabi habang nanonood ang nanay at tatay ko ng balita sa tv at ako naman ay abala sa pagnguya ng Oishi na maanghang, napatangin ako sa binabalita: Mga estudyante, pinagmumulta ng piso kapag nahuling nagsasalita ng wikang Filipino. Hahaha natawa naman ako dun! Pero bigla kong naalala nung estudyante pa lang ako (elementary o high school) dumaan din pala ako sa ganyang “class policy”. Gusto kasi ng mga teachers namin nuon matuto kami magsalita ng Ingles kaya para hindi kami matempt magFilipino, may multang piso sa bawat Filipino na salitang mabibigkas namin. Ayun, effective naman. Effective hindi dahil gumaling kami sa pagsasalita ng Ingles kundi dahil tumahimik ang klase. Menos sa pagsasaway si Maam. Siguro natawa ako nung mapanuod ko yun kasi hindi ko akalain na hanggang ngayon e ginagawa pa din sa paaralan ang kahibangang yan. Ayokong magsingle out pero kung sino man ang nagimbento ng ganyang patakaran, guro ka man, estudyante o barbaric, sana kilala mo pa ang sarili mo.

Hindi ko lubos maisip kung paano naging kasalanan ang paggamit ng sarili nating wika.  Ang pagbigkas ba ng wikang Filipino ay isang kababuyan tulad ng pagtatapon ng basura sa kung saan- saan o sa pagihi sa pader? Kung sa ibang bansa siguro may ganyan ding patakaran, magaral lang ako dun siguradong yayaman nako. Alam kong malaki ang impluwensya ng Ingles sa atin lalo na sa panahon ngayon. Kapag mahusay ka nga naman magIngles at with matching slang slang and twang twang, mas madali kang matatanggap sa trabaho at mas malaki ang sweldo mo. Ewan ko ba bakit ang mga Pinoy manghang mangha kapag nakakakita sila ng kapwa pinoy na magaling magIngles tapos pagtatawanan nila yung iba na baluktot magIngles o kaya’y ni hindi makapagsalita ng Ingles. Kung tutuusin mas nakakaintimidate pa nga makipag-usap ng Ingles sa kapwa pinoy kaysa sa mga native English speakers. Kasi karamihan sa mga pinoy “fault finder”. Aminado akong hindi ako mahusay magIngles. Pero mas nahihiya akong aminin na hindi din ako mahusay magsalita sa wikang Filipino. Kapag nagbabasa ko ng mga librong may malalalim na salitang Filipino na hindi ko alam ang kahulugan, nahihiya ako sa sarili ko kasi bakit hindi ko alam yun? Naisip ko, kung naituro lang sana sa akin yun ng aking mga guro sana mas confident akong magbasa ng mga libro sa Filipino.

Sa tingin ko, ang pagtuklas sa kahulugan at pinagmulan ng bawat salita sa ating sariling wika ay pagtuklas din sa kahulugan at pinagmulan ng ating pagkatao. Marami ng pagaaral na nagpapatunay na higit na natututo ang isang bata kung ang medium ng pagtuturo ay nagsisimula sa kanyang sariling wika  o mother tongue at higit na umuunlad ang isang bansang may tuwirang suporta at pagmamahal sa kanilang wika. Pero hindi na para maglecture pa ko at magkumpara pa dito. Ang sa akin lang, bilang isang guro, mag-aaral at mamamayang Filipino, naniniwala ako na ang paggamit ng sariling wika ay hindi nakakapagpababa ng ating pagkatao at ang pagtanggap ng dayuhang wika ay hindi nangangahulugang pagtalikod sa ating pagkaPilipino. Magturo man ako gamit ang dayuhang wika, hindi ko pinipigilan ang mga estudyante ko na magsalita sa wikang alam nila na kung saan kumportable silang maipahayag ang gusto nilang sabihin. Hindi sa wika o salitang ginamit hinuhusgahan ang karunungan ng isang tao kundi sa pagunawa nito sa mga bagay bagay at sa kung paano niya ito magagamit sa ikauunlad ng kanyang buhay at ng mundong kanyang ginagalawan. Ngunit isipin din natin na ang pagpapahalaga sa ating sariling wika ay pagrespeto sa ating sarili at sa lahi na ating pinagmulan.

A Living Faith

Poleteismo by Mideo Cruz

I came across this article on yahoo about a Filipino artist named Mideo Cruz and his “controversial” and what they say “blasphemous” artworks he entitled Poleteismo which was part of Kulo, a group exhibit organized by UST’s alumni artists held at the CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines). Poleteismo is an installation of art and murals depicting idolatry, history, religion and culture. When I saw the pictures, I was perplexed and disturbed at first. I was thinking why he had done something like that. I’ve seen a lot of “weird” artworks but then for me this is something different. Different in such a way that he showcased it in a place where he knows that majority of people would react to it violently. True enough, the artist was stormed with negative comments, insults, curses and even death threats. I thought he must be really brave and confident to what he believes in that he wouldn’t care if someone will shoot him while walking down the street because of his “expression”. When he was interviewed, he said that he always wanted to create thought-provoking artworks but never goes out of his way to offend. He believes that art is an expression of one’s view about the world. 

Some of his pieces that depict idolatry, patriarchal society, 

pop culture, politics and the emergence of Catholic faith in the

Philippines.

I remember when I was young, my mom actually did somewhat similar to that. She did not make an artwork of course but she did gather all our religious figures and posters in our house and burned it. This was when we (except for my father) shifted to Born Again Christian. When my father knew about it, he got really mad and our “home” was bombarded with their verbal fights and religious debates. I heard various explanations and arguments about the Catholic’s use of icons and the issue of idolatry. To my curiosity, I asked my professor in religious education (who’s a Catholic) about it way back in college. He merely explained it by an example of a couple ring. He said, “When you are in a relationship, you would want something that will signify your love for each other. You buy a ring as a symbol of your commitment. You give importance to it because it has meaning to you. It symbolizes your love and commitment to the person you value and care much. Maybe there are times that you kiss that ring or talk to it especially when you miss the person. Some might think you’re crazy but that is just your expression of love”. I don’t really know if that rationalization sufficed me but as I look into a deeper picture, it boils down to a very simple end. Love and Faith. 

Many would raise their eyebrows to something like what Mr. Cruz did. But for him, it’s just his expression of love for art and faith to what art is all about. I know that not all artworks are beautiful that every people in the world will be mesmerized but all has its own sense. We hold up that art is one of the expressions of freedom which God has given us. However, we should also keep in mind that God made us critical beings so we could use that freedom wisely. For me, Cruz’s exhibition represents people’s abuse of freedom. Reality bites. The truth hurts. A lot of things are happening that will test our faith in God but nothing could make or break it but ourselves. I believe that what we need is a living faith. It’s not about our relationship with religion but our relationship with the higher being and how we actuate it in this circle of life.

Everything- by Lifehouse

God, you are my everything:)

A Welcome Note

This blog is specially created for myself. It is a personal blog that contains my thoughts, reflections and everything I experience in life. I've always wanted to document things I see, hear and feel and  this is the perfect venue for it. I aim for self expression and to inspire myself inspiring others.

Pink+Heather = ME

Pink- is my obsession. I see life in shades of pink and it gives me sense of relief. Pink is love and God is love.

Heather- symbolizes cleverness, selflessness and toughness. I'm a smart person who wants to care for others. I get hurt a lot but I survive and  thrive even in difficult circumstances.

The Heather

When God first made the world, He looked at the bare and barren hillsides and thought how nice it would be to cover them with some kind of beautiful tree or flower. So he turned to the Giant Oak, the biggest and strongest of all of the trees he had made, and asked him if he would be willing to go up to the bare hills to help make them look more attractive. But the oak explained that he needed a good depth of soil in order to grow and that the hillsides would be far too rocky for him to take root.

So God left the oak tree and turned to the honeysuckle with its lovely yellow flower and beautiful sweet fragrance. He asked the honeysuckle if she would care to grow on the hillsides and spread her beauty and fragrance amongst the barren slopes. But the honeysuckle explained that she needed a wall or a fence or even another plant to grow against, and for that reason, it would be quite impossible for her to grow in the hills. So God then turned to one of the sweetest and most beautiful of all the flowers - the rose. God asked the rose if she would care to grace the rugged highlands with her splendour. But the rose explained that the wind and the rain and the cold on the hills would destroy her, and so she would not be able to grow on the hills.

Disappointed with the oak, the honeysuckle and the rose, God turned away. At length, he came across a small, low lying, green shrub with a flower of tiny petals -some purple and some white. It was a heather. God asked the heather the same question that he’d asked the others. "Will you go and grow upon the hillsides to make them more beautiful?" The heather thought about the poor soil, the wind and the rain - and wasn’t very sure that she could do a good job. But turning to God she replied that if he wanted her to do it, she would certainly give it a try. God was very pleased. He was so pleased in fact that he decided to give the heather some gifts as a reward for her willingness to do as he had asked.

Firstly he gave her the strength of the oak tree - the bark of the heather is the strongest of any tree or shrub in the whole world.

Next he gave her the fragrance of the honeysuckle - a fragrance which is frequently used to gently perfume soaps and potpouris.

Finally he gave her the sweetness of the rose - so much so that heather is one of the bees favourite flowers. And to this day, heather is renowned especially for these three God given gifts.