The Craft Can Capture It

Oh well I got an angry email to begin my day Because of my last post on the Jabidah thing yesterday Galit sa akin but greeted me with Assalamu alaykum. And kung personal Moro friends ko naman ito They know I don't criticize Moro leaders I always leave that to them to criticize their leaders According to my friends baka nasa gubyerno or something Next time I'll write na lang about the sea and the palm trees and the beaches Pray and pray nalang para walang provocation ako nga ang daming nag-message sa akin nagalit sa issue ng Sabah standoff Ikaw pa kaya na wala namanng masama na sinabi dun Alam mo ‘buti na lang you verbalized that kasi iniisip ko rin ‘yun I know you have reasons and you know better kaya; I just read your posts I don’t have to go against parties kasi both have rights And the issue must be solved Wala, kasi sa akin kundi independence lamang ang kailangan May ganyan din kasing realities? Minsan you are being asked or expected to take sides Yes, my side is peace – with peace is independence Yes, I heard that sa dating Jabidah Massacre celebration Somebody said that, “Walang kapayapaan kasi walang kalayaan” And that is very universal, kapatid. Moro or non-Moro and writing should always geared towards humanity That’s why for me it “anti-humanity” if you will not listen Or suppress when somebody will talk about freedom. That’s the problem with Filipinos, they don't listen. Kasi the leaders may sarili ring interests. How do you see being Filipino? Ako, it's a cage, Filipino nationalism Agenda ng mga oligarchs and landowners Filipino nationalism is violence against Muslims and lumads Kasi ‘pag ako ang tatanunginmo I will never say I am Filipino Because Tausug it’s not a name but an identity... I understand but kaunti na lang kayo Ako sasabihin ko na I am a Filipino but I have reservations When I was a teenager hindi ako tumatayo ‘pag Lupang Hinirang ngayon tumatayo na kasi napapaaway ang mga kasama ko sa sinehan Yes and identity should be critically assessed and examined. Kaya if they say Filipino ang mga Tausug masakit sa aking loob But not all, kapatid. try mo pumunta sa Manila Yung mga Moro na malalapit sa mga institusyon ng Pilipinas Bakit iba ang Moro at ibang ang Tausug kaya sila naging Moro at masaya na tawaging Moro May identity na naiiba sa Filipino Pinag-aaralan ko rin yan and ino-observe ‘yung pag-yield sa 'Filipino' ‘Will give Filipinos a disservice Because it is tantamount to be an accomplice to a corrupt system And this system is the one that oppresses Muslims At alam natin ang Tausug di lamang taga-Sulu Pati Bisayan, Tausug din As much as possible I am trying to make my writings 'away' Away from Filipino nationalism That's the right way for me and my writing I will ask first, “How it is to be human?” At super last na ang, “How to be a Filipino” And the Bangsamoro struggle is the greatest critique to the violence And failures of Filipino nationalism Ang problema kasi kaya di successful ang Bangsamoro struggle Dahil nagdadala sila ng pangalan na di naman originally sa kanila How come ang pangalan ko ay Abdul sa rights Gagamitn ko ang Juan para sa aking bayan? Kaya war of ideas ito and alam mo naman sa akin, ‘pag ideas And perspectives walang kompromiso and peace talks I do not compromise my language, my craft and myself, my writing Filipino is an imagined nation, as well as Bangsamoro Bakit di natin magamit ang orignal nation natin Na based sa Sulu archipelago and Mindanao Yes, actually diyan ako papunta - papunta Bakit hindi i-Bangsamoro-ized ang buong Filipinas? It doesn’t mean na i-convert ang Pilipinas But the spirit, the struggle it should mean something to Filipinos It should kasi ang dami na nagbuwis ng buhay Kaya ko pa na tanggapin kung Maharlika ‘Yan ang gusto kong ma-achieve: Filipinos should listen to Moros Siyempre marami pang madidiscover along the way Indeed. Ikaw ba ‘pag sasabahin ko na ‘Tausug’ ano ang maiisip mo? Tausug is Moro and Moro for me is something that predates 'Filipino' But now, I would like to know the concept of “Lupah Sug” I want to know it, I think there are more and beyond Moro on it Before ‘Moro’ was named to Mindanao and Sulu people It was first name to Aceh people, Melaka, Brunei and then Manila Sulu and Mindanao were the last places to have been called the name ‘Moro’ Sulu archipelago was united under the name Sulu archipelago The name of people is Tausug. Tausug is composed of different ethnics: Arab, Banjar, Dampuan, Buranun etcetera. The concept of Sulu as part of dar al islam Is already a nation and state Where the government is the people and itself headed by sultan or raja Yes, and I would like to feel this from the ordinary Tausugs when I get there I would like to experience this from ordinary Tausug and on from place itself. In the hinterland of Jolo, their laws still on the ground not of Philippine law I believe in narratives I want to hear and feel this from the place and from the people. And then capture it; I have these thoughts That Lupah Sug has something that the Moro concept does not have And it’s a bit metaphysical but sige lang. I know my craft can capture it. I think there is a language that can capture it And specific craft that can carry its soul Not fictionalize but put it in a form like a novel or a narrative Which have their own logic and truths as crafts. This poem is made after the conversation and sharing with Filipino writer Rogelio Braga who also serves as the editor of the poem. He is currently in Mindanao, travelling and writing; he will then proceed to Sulu Archipelago soon. 2:28PM, 19 March 2013, Facebook Chat across Sulu Sea!