In other words

Two promising groups of young literati launched their respective ventures on October 3, 2015 at the Cathedral Museum. One was a group of translators called In Other Words and the other was the Mga Anak sa Dagang or Children of the Pen.  The program of the double launching was entitled “Ulan” where the members of both groups did a poetry reading on the subject Ulan. In his opening remarks, Trizer Dale Mansueto, president of In Other Words explained that he was drawn to translation work because  Hope Sabanpan-Yu, director of the Cebuano Studies Center, who has been publishing her translations asked him to co-translate with her Lamberto Ceballos’ short stories which came out as Hunger in Nayawak in 2012. From being a researcher and an inspiring writer,  he came into translation.

Hope Yu has been encouraging him to do more translations especially on the works of Cebuano writers. Then one day, while having lunch with a group, they came up with the  plan to form a group of translators and decided to register the group with SEC but they did not have a name. Trizer suggested that they can be a little “out-of-the-box about the name” and shared that there was a

Singapore-based organization which operated in Bantayan to help Yolanda victims and the group was called What a Relief. Hope quickly blurted out to call the group In Other Words. That’s how it came to be.

In Other Words hopes to create another translation workshop for its new members and will embark on translation works basically on Literature where majority of the members excel. The group also hopes to translate works on Cebu’s history into English so that these would be made available to people who don’t read in Cebuano. They will also do technical translations like what some of them are doing. I was honored to be inducting officer in swearing in the officers of In Other Words and I was impressed with the “out-of-the-box” translator’s oath which included:

I will respect the achievements of the translators in whose steps I follow,
and gladly share the knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow;

I will apply for the benefit of my colleagues and clients all strategies known
to be effective;

I will remember that there are rules as there is also art to translating;

I will work with other translators to inspire each other to excel.  I will not be ashamed
to seek help from them when I do not know what to do and they can show the way;

I will remember that I do not translate sentences but a great work so my efforts
will aim to translate not only the work but also its mind and spirit;

May I always act to preserve the finest traditions of translations and may I long
experience the joy of translating and helping those who seek my help.

On the other hand, Mga Anak sa Dagang or Children of the Pen through its president Haidee Palapar is campaigning for more members who are interested in literary writing. Some members of the group are also members of In Other Words. The officers and members were inducted by Lamberto Ceballos. A poetry reading by fifteen members and friends on the subject Ulan with two intermission numbers in between highlighted the twin launching. Very promising groups who always manage to get together with an activity to pursue and enliven the literary and cultural scene of the city.

***

October also ushered in the launching of Argao: In Search of a Usable Past by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. through its Cultural Heritage Program on October 7.  Written by Paul Gerschwhiler, a Swiss national married to a Filipina and based in Argao, the book comes just after the town history books have been released and distributed to the different towns and public schools in the province by the Provincial Government. The town history project was a project partnered by the Provincial Government and the RAFI with the University of San Carlos. The volume on Argao was written by Todd Lucero Sales with Paul’s contributions. The students and residents of Argao are very lucky to have these two books and enjoy reading and studying their past and the present. My CDN colleague Sofie Logarta wrote about the book extensively in her column last week

Argao has been very significant in the cultural heritage movement in Cebu. I have memorable experiences in working with the cultural heritage program of RAFI and the many trailblazing cultural activities which I held in Argao (which were made possible in partnership with the cultural heritage program of RAFI). When the Central Visayas Studies Center of UP Cebu was established  in 1999 and served as its director until 2009, I did a series of cultural activities ranging from conducting Heritage Fora and Local History Writing Workshops in selected towns, organizing a Barangay History Conference for SK officials of five southern towns, conducting cultural mapping in selected towns in the south, north and west of Cebu, conducting Community Newspaper Writing focusing on the local culture and history, and establishing a program on the Promotion of Cebuano Language and Culture. Some of these trailblazing activities were held in Argao such as the Barangay History Conference for SK officials from the towns of Argao, Dalaguete, Boljoon, Alcoy and Oslob, and the Community Newspaper Writing Workshop. Holding these activities in Argao was very smooth thanks to the partnership with the cultural heritage program of RAFI and the facilitative work of Ruel Rigor (who is presently the cultural consultant of the LGU), Todd Lucero Sales who was then the cultural heritage officer of Argao and the other cultural workers of Argao. Argao was the only municipality which came up with a community newspaper which they called Tagik (Cebuano term for to weave).  In fact, it came up with six issues of Tagik. The others could only come up with one issue. It was also in Argao that the Center did cultural mapping twice. The first was in the town proper and the second was in the mountain barangays. My most memorable experience was when Argao awarded me the Presidente Alejandro O. Ruiz Award (Sept. 26, 2009) in recognition of my commitment and contribution to the preservation of the cultural heritage of Argao. Thank you, Argao, and thank you, Paul, for such a great contribution to local history and culture. I look forward to your next book on Boljoon.