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BAMBOO WHISPERS, Poetry of the Mangyan

The Bookmark, Inc. in cooperation with the Mangyan Heritage Center, Inc., and the FILIPINAS Heritage Library launched Bamboo Whispers, Poetry of the Mangyan last October 24, 2017, Tuesday at the Ayala Museum in Greenbelt, Makati.


BAMBOO WHISPERS, Poetry of the Mangyan features the best 100 Mangyan poetry in two scripts and four languages, with translations by poets in Filipino, English, and Spanish. These are accompanied by archival and recent photographs.


The Hanunuo Mangyans of Mindoro have gifted Filipinos with their ambahan, inscribed on bamboos in their pre-Spanish syllabic script, and chanted over the centuries. Their reflections on life from birth to death resonate with all humanity, even today.


Because of their communal authorship, no individual can claim ownership to any of the ambahan. Present for the book signing will be the Hanunuo Mangyan who hand wrote their script for Bamboo Whispers, the poet-translators, and the Editorial Team.

Quint Fansler introduced the speakers. Suzanne Yupangco with the opening remarks. Resti Reyes Pitogo introduced the Mangyan culture with the ambahan chanting performed by Yasong Bigong and Anya Postma. Mangyan Heritage Center president, Lolita Fansler with the closing remarks.

Also present were Gemma Cruz Araneta, Beatriz and Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Atty. Bienvenido Tan, Jr., Raena Abella, Quintin Pastrana, Marne Kilates, and many others. 

Some guests requested the translators to sign their copies.


Translators: 

Antoon Postma (†), Sylvia Mayuga, Marne Kilates, Quintin Pastrana

Resti Reyes Pitogo, Danton Remoto, Soledad Laviña


Editorial Team:

Lolita Delgado Fansler

Quintin V. Pastrana, Raena E. Abella, and Emily L. Catapang