Australia-based Pinoy writer talks about changing sensibilities in migration
In a clear voice, Filipino writer Merlinda Bobis read sections of her new book to a select audience inside the Plaridel Hall at the University of the Philippines Diliman last week.
Her new book, "Dream Stories," is a re-issue of "White Turtle," first published in Australia in 1999 and Philippines and the US in 2000, and contains some of her "younger" stories.
The University of Wollongong professor said these stories shuttle between the Philippines and Australia, and chronicle her writing before it was influenced by her geography change.
"Geography influences your sensibilities. When I was still here, I was writing based on this geography, Bicol especially... but when I went there, it's a different geography and different culture," she said.
Staying in Australia even changed her mode of language and sentence construction. While Bobis wrote in English before coming to Australia, she wrote epic poetry in Filipino and even in Bicolano.
Long years in Australia changed her language so much that she couldn't properly write in Filipino, noting that her earlier works read like it was written by another person.
"I lost a language... Ngayon, kahit magsusulat ako ng konting Filipino, hindi na ganun katatas. [That's] the sadness, na nawala yung lengwahe. I know that language [and] I can play with that language very well, [pero] hindi na ganun," Bobis said.
Despite this, Bobis is happy with the change, as it allowed her to grow as a writer.
"I'm happy with the change. I've grown up—I've grown. Pati yung vision ko, lumawak," she explained.
Her migratory experiences also made it clear that, while the imagination certainly helps in writing stories in foreign lands, living in or traveling to these areas help create an authentic story.
"A lot of writing is about the senses. Kung ano yung apprehension ng senses mo before... You feel a place with all your senses so you are able to write, with some credibility, [a story] that is believable on the page," Bobis shared.
Loneliness and the difficulty of publishing abroad
While she's come to terms with her migration, Bobis vividly remembers being sad and homesick during the first few months of moving to Australia.
"But the greatest difficulty was publishing. Kasi iba yung sensibilidad mo. Ngayon okay na, but the beginning was so hard," she said.
Part of the difficulties lie in her different race, as she was an "other." Even if she wrote about Australia, her writing identity made it hard for her to get published.
Tough as it was, the royalties and recognition that came with publishing deals encouraged Bobis to continue submitting her work.
"I've written about [rejection]. But it made me become a better writer because I just worked harder and worked harder. Sasakyan mo rin yung gusto nila, but you cannot give up on who you are," she explained.
Pop culture and 'high-brow' fiction both have places in PHL
Finalists for the 2014 Filipino ReaderCon Reader's Choice Awards were mostly comprised of self-published pop fiction, reflecting Filipinos' taste in casual literature.
According to Bobis, this isn't necessarily bad, saying there is a place for everything in literature as long as they tell a story. Tastes, she said, naturally vary.
"It's not my genre, but I have respect for people who do that, especially since they're able to get their story out there. It's just not a genre that I will write. It's not me. But good on them for doing that," she said.
Helping others rise from tragedy through poetics
Bobis contributed to "Agam," a photobook containing stories from 24 writers, highlighting the effects of climate change through unique narratives.
For the collection, she wrote a story called "Ten Fingers," which she also wrote in Bikolano.
Bobis said it was dedicated to the mothers and fathers who worked despite constant storms ravaging their farms, and how the increasing magnitude of storms would eventually be too much for them to bear.
"[Because] of climate change, we will have storms of ever-growing strength. Hindi na kaya. Kahit 20 fingers—even if you have 100 million fingers holding back the storm, if you have a Yolanda, you can't hold it back," she said. — BM, GMA News
Her new book, "Dream Stories," is a re-issue of "White Turtle," first published in Australia in 1999 and Philippines and the US in 2000, and contains some of her "younger" stories.
The University of Wollongong professor said these stories shuttle between the Philippines and Australia, and chronicle her writing before it was influenced by her geography change.
"Geography influences your sensibilities. When I was still here, I was writing based on this geography, Bicol especially... but when I went there, it's a different geography and different culture," she said.
Staying in Australia even changed her mode of language and sentence construction. While Bobis wrote in English before coming to Australia, she wrote epic poetry in Filipino and even in Bicolano.
Long years in Australia changed her language so much that she couldn't properly write in Filipino, noting that her earlier works read like it was written by another person.
"I lost a language... Ngayon, kahit magsusulat ako ng konting Filipino, hindi na ganun katatas. [That's] the sadness, na nawala yung lengwahe. I know that language [and] I can play with that language very well, [pero] hindi na ganun," Bobis said.
Despite this, Bobis is happy with the change, as it allowed her to grow as a writer.
"I'm happy with the change. I've grown up—I've grown. Pati yung vision ko, lumawak," she explained.
Her migratory experiences also made it clear that, while the imagination certainly helps in writing stories in foreign lands, living in or traveling to these areas help create an authentic story.
"A lot of writing is about the senses. Kung ano yung apprehension ng senses mo before... You feel a place with all your senses so you are able to write, with some credibility, [a story] that is believable on the page," Bobis shared.
Loneliness and the difficulty of publishing abroad
While she's come to terms with her migration, Bobis vividly remembers being sad and homesick during the first few months of moving to Australia.
"But the greatest difficulty was publishing. Kasi iba yung sensibilidad mo. Ngayon okay na, but the beginning was so hard," she said.
Part of the difficulties lie in her different race, as she was an "other." Even if she wrote about Australia, her writing identity made it hard for her to get published.
Tough as it was, the royalties and recognition that came with publishing deals encouraged Bobis to continue submitting her work.
"I've written about [rejection]. But it made me become a better writer because I just worked harder and worked harder. Sasakyan mo rin yung gusto nila, but you cannot give up on who you are," she explained.
Pop culture and 'high-brow' fiction both have places in PHL
Finalists for the 2014 Filipino ReaderCon Reader's Choice Awards were mostly comprised of self-published pop fiction, reflecting Filipinos' taste in casual literature.
According to Bobis, this isn't necessarily bad, saying there is a place for everything in literature as long as they tell a story. Tastes, she said, naturally vary.
"It's not my genre, but I have respect for people who do that, especially since they're able to get their story out there. It's just not a genre that I will write. It's not me. But good on them for doing that," she said.
Helping others rise from tragedy through poetics
Bobis contributed to "Agam," a photobook containing stories from 24 writers, highlighting the effects of climate change through unique narratives.
For the collection, she wrote a story called "Ten Fingers," which she also wrote in Bikolano.
Bobis said it was dedicated to the mothers and fathers who worked despite constant storms ravaging their farms, and how the increasing magnitude of storms would eventually be too much for them to bear.
"[Because] of climate change, we will have storms of ever-growing strength. Hindi na kaya. Kahit 20 fingers—even if you have 100 million fingers holding back the storm, if you have a Yolanda, you can't hold it back," she said. — BM, GMA News
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