Rational Insanity
By Bryan Mari Argos

The region's literature

February is National Arts Month.Let me take this opportunity to orient our fellow West Visayans of our local literary artforms. Our language in this part of the country is known as   Hiligaynon. Ilonggo, Kapisnon, Antiqueño, Aklanon, and Negrence refer to   the people inhabitants of Iloilo , Capiz, Antique, Aklan and Negros , respectively. Of these main provinces, only Ilonggos, Kapisnons, and Negrences speak a, more or less, unadulterated form of Hiligaynon with only minor differences in intonation and vocabulary. Antique and Aklan have their own dialects. Kiniray-a for Antique and Akeanon for Aklan. The more popular literary artforms in Western Visayas are the binalaybay or poem, the paktakon or riddle, the sugilanon or story/folktale, and the komposo or traditional song. Below is an example of a binalaybay written by this columnist:

PANYAGA

Mabuhinan na ang akon tinig-ang
bisan puno ang bugasan.
Ang sud an nga duha ka pantat
mangin isa na lamang,
bisan naga-surong sang semilya
ang atun pantatan.

Ano abi,kay tuyo mo nga paawason
ang aton bugasan,kag ang pantatan
himuon nga bangrusan.
Gani,ginpili mo nga manyaga
Sa malayo nga lamesa,
kun sa diin,ang tinig-ang ko,
ang sud-an,
madimdiman na lang
sa paghanduraw.

The above piece is about the emotions of a mother whose son has gone overseas to work. Now, to samples of a paktakon:

Matahum nga prinsesa,
nagapungko sa tasa.
Answer:Kasuy

Diri ko gintanum,
didto namunga.
Answer:Flashlight

Isa ka bola,
pito ang buho.
Answer:ulo

There is one basic rule with these poems and riddles, 'they have first to be true in the literal sense before being true on the metaphorical level.'

'Juan Tamad' is an example of a sugilanon, while the composo is usually chanted, accompanied by a musical instrument.

There are other,more traditional literary artforms in Western Visayas like the 'loa' of Iloilo and Negros, and the 'konsiderad' of Pan-ay, Capiz. These literary forms are just the tip of the iceberg when trying to validate the fact that, indeed, Western Visayas and Panay Island is the seat of Literature. This is something all of us should be truly proud of.

Now, in celebration of National Arts Month, i am enjoining you all to support local writers in whatever way you can. Let us strive to keep our local literary forms alive because as has been said time and again, it is arts and culture that is the soul of the people.

Be rational;be insane...every once in a while,TTFN!

Do text me at 09209254269 or email me at prague@eudoramail.com , or visit TNT at www.thenewstoday.info . Bye-bye for now!Next week naman greetings ha! I love you all! Byers!