Writers gather for the first Anunaw workshop

Aspiring writers from different parts of Mindanao and beyond gathered for the first Anunaw: Bukidnon Writers’ Workshop at the OP Conference Room, September 20-22, 2023.

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The three-day event was organized in consonance with the vision of the National Commission on Literary Arts to empower the writers and readers in the Philippines, especially in Bukidnon. For this year, a total of 14 writing fellows in three different categories got the chance to receive critiques on their works from literary luminaries in Mindanao.

Dr. Manuel “Manu” Avenido, Jr., a Japan-based Bisaya author and Palanca Awardee, shared his journey in writing and translating his works including his first book, Ikigai Ug Ubang Piniling Mga Sugilanon (Ikigai and Other Selected Stories) during his keynote speech.

“I hope that the creative process of writing and co-translating my book will inspire many of you who are listening to this talk,” Dr. Avenido said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Christine F. Godinez-Ortega, Chair of the Mindanao Creative and Cultural Workers Group, Inc. and one of the panelists saw this workshop as an opportunity for writers especially from Mindanao to build a network among fellow writers, and make CMU a leader in literary arts within the region.

She also sent off the writing fellows with a challenge to share the stories of Mindanao with the rest of the country and the world.

“As writers from Mindanao, it is your responsibility to write about this place. Show the people what we are, and how we live so that people will really see us and know that we are peaceful here. We are human beings. And those of you who are here for the first time, I hope you also bring stories with you, good stories with you,” Dr. Godinez-Ortega added.

Another panelist, the five-time Palanca Award winning author Dr. German V. Gervacio also gave a reminder to the fellows.

“Ang pagiging manunulat ay laging naglalaban ang mga nasa loob. Pangunahin ang angas at ang duda. Mahirap maging manunulat kung wala kang angas… pero para mabalanse ‘yun, lagi rin nating isaisip na mahalaga na meron lagi tayong pagdududa. Kasi kung angas lang, tinatanggap natin na mahusay tayong manunulat. Ang workshop na ito ay nagpapaalala sa atin na kailangan din nating magduda sa ating ginagawa (Being a writer is a constant internal battle. Confidence and doubt are primary. It’s difficult to be a writer without confidence… but to balance that, we should always remind ourselves that it’s important to have doubts. Because if it’s just confidence, we’re accepting that we’re great writers. This workshop reminds us that we also need to doubt what we’re doing),” Dr. Gervacio said. Spoken word artist John Dave Pacheco, a writing fellow for poetry, said that the workshop inspired him to continue writing to tell the stories of his tribe and community. Meanwhile, psychology practitioner Bernard Christopher Catam from the novel category and one of the recipients of special awards left a message for the future fellows of the workshop.

“To the fellows of the 50^th Anunaw in the year 2073, to our future fellows, remember the names of these 14 fellows. Remember, we’ve been there and you’ll make it far as well,” Catam said.

The workshop wrapped up with a tour in Malaybalay City. Both the fellows and panelists were able to visit the Bukidnon Studies Center and get to know more about the culture and traditions of the province.

This event was made possible through the collaboration of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) with Central Mindanao University, the Department of Languages and Literature, and the Office of the Public Relations and Information _{[Johnica Chantal M. Montero]}