Akdaan book 2 launched

Akdaan book 2 launched

By ∞ de Leon

Second anthology of literacy works by Filipino Canadians, Fil-Ams and Filipino authors

The infinity symbol above represents the eyes of the Tarsier used derogatorily by a ‘writer’ of a paper to malign Toronto community leaders. The Philippine tarsier is rather a badge of honour because it evolved over 65 millenia and survived the mass species extinction by asteroid. They are now an endangered species from another mass exterminator – humans.

AKDAAN founders, from left: Mary Parenno, Pet Cleto, Lui Queaño, Ysh Cabana.

It was raining when my brother and I arrived at the Scarborough Bendale Library. Inside, a group of mostly new gen Filipino Canadians had set up the cozy venue for their guests who were helping themselves to a light dinner and drinks, free of charge. Looking at young faces of a new generation of activists, I felt a tinge of nostalgia seeing myself and my friends decades ago during the martial law years when we, too, were charged with the same sense of mission driving them. The old-time activists were there as well, among them Hermie & Mila Garcia, Pet Cleto, Ricky Esguerra, Joe Rivera, Jojo Geronimo – all still actively pursuing a Philippines – free, democratic and self-reliant.

Music, paintings, dance, readings from a play, stories and poems –the program had everything and all well-orchestrated livening up the otherwise rained down afternoon. Dance is always a mainstay performance and the Cordillera Cultural and Music Troupe was a treat and the audience got in on the act as well.

Camilla Gibb

The guest speaker, PEN writer and literary awardee Camilla Gibb, spoke of her personal tribulations as a single mom and that she would never had made it through if not for her Filipina caregiver and friend.

Norman Crisostomo at the guitar serenaded the gathering with folk songs that easily remind us of Freddie Aguilar’s famous Anak. I read from my short story and so did Cesar Polvoroso Jr. His ‘Moving Furniture’ was too real and identifiable a story that it must come from his lived experience of racism on the one hand and identity with a kabayan, on the other. Francesca Esguerra, despite disabilities, can write and paint. Her activist sister, … Mithi, read her Fragments in her stead. Across from the reading stood Juana, an impressive painting of their grandmother. It is reproduced here in Akdaan 2.

Norman Crisostomo

Christopher Sorio’s graphic recollection of arrest, imprisonment and torture horrifies the reader and will give second thoughts to people who think a dictatorship is a good answer to our continuing and current socio-economic problems.

Akdaan publishes in both languages – English and Tagalog. It is nationalist in spirit and internationalist at the same time. This binary aspect of the resistance movement is clearly expressed in this collection.

Best for you to buy a copy of both Akdaan 1 and 2. It will give you a very good idea of the literature written in the Filipino diaspora

The Akdaan, a literary anthology published by Migrante Canada is edited by Pet Cleto. It’s beautifully done. Chris Sorio designed the cover. Its artwork and illustrations inside done by Bert Monterona are worth the purchase. Get one or two or three now. Email grupongakdaan@yahoo.ca.

Voltaire de Leon

Patty Rivera

Anne Santos Villar

Imelda Suzara

Mithi Esguerra and Sinag

Akdaan members, contributors and friends.

Ching Esguerra and her art works. PHOTO: MG

Bayani Edades, with Sinag, reads the message from Migrante Canada,
publisher of Akdaan 2

Joe Rivera with his paintings
PHOTO: PATTY RIVERA

Members of Cordillera Cultural and Music Troupe performed a dance.

Tommy Gesell in martial arts musical form

Pet Cleto and Dr. Joseph Arevalo re-enacting a play

Rydeen and Francis Fabie rapping in Tagalog

Ysh Cabana, Hermie Garcia, Lui Queaño, Voltaire de Leon and Cesar Polvoroso.
(16 PHOTOS: HG)

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Halo Halo Festival

Several of the Akdaan performers will be invited to do their thing at the Halo Halo Festival on August 9th, 2015. Be sure to put that date in your calendar. We (myself and 5 others – Marcie Bernal, Rose Tijam, Maria Guiao, Rony Deleon and Anne Nacorda) are producing the festival. Last year, 2000 visitors came to our event at the Artscape – St. Clair West and Christie. Not bad for a first time. This year’s theme is our connection to our Latin American neighbours with whom we share a common past with Spain. More later.