DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 06 September) — A new book by young Moro writers will be launched next week in Cotabato City.
The book, “Rays of the Invisible Light – Collected Works by Young Moro Writers,” will be launched at the ARMM Regional Library at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15.
“Rays” comes eight years after the publication of the first anthology – “Children of the Ever-Changing Moon – Essays by Young Moro Writers.”
“Rays” features essays and poems of 12 writers – Pearlsha Abubakar, Maria RS Bermudez, Arifah Macacua Jamil, Janesa Mariam G. Ladjiman, Loren Hallilah Lao, Diandra-Ditma Macarambon, Mohammad Nassefh Macla, Gutierrez Mangansakan II, Kristine Ong Muslim, Datu Shariff Pendatun III, Sahara Alia J. Silongan and Iyyah Sinarimbo,
“The voices of young Moro writers in this anthology are like rays of an invisible light passing through a prism forged from memory and struggle, longing and conviction, refracting a kaleidoscope of dazzling colors, sensations and experiences. Each word written is an expression of identity, home, culture, faith as well as skepticism, resonating from the depths of the Moro soul,” Mangansakan, the book’s editor, wrote.
Mangansakan also edited “Children” in 2007 and was among 16 young Moro writers who wrote essays for that book.
Four of the 2007 authors also contributed to the 2015 book: Mangansakan, Pearlsha Abubakar, Lao and Silongan.
Mangsakan acknowledged that Moro writers were “roused from our silence and passivity to defend our right and honor with the best weapon we can muster – our writing.”
“The recent historical events are like lightning that stimulated the ideas to germinate after a dry spell. We needed to be heard. We needed to speak our minds. Suddenly, it was time for this anthology to come out,” he said.
The 2015 anthology does not only include essays but also poems and an excerpt from a screenplay.
“Rays” features poetry by Macla, Silongan and Muslim; short fiction by Jamil, Macarambon, Bermudez and Lao; essays by Pendatun III, Sinarimbo, Abubakar, Ladjiman; and an excerpt from the screenplay of Mangansakan’s latest film, moro2mrw.
The initial list of outlets for the book starting September 16: In Cotabato City, “Rays” will be available in Eco Choices at 18 Gonzalo Javier St.; Datu’s Brew along Gov. Gutierrez Ave. and Cotabato Grafix Expert along SK Pendatun Ave. In Davao City, the book will be available at Coffee for Peace along Matina and MindaNews office and in Quezon City, at Uno Morato along Tomas Morato.
The book is published by Bidadali Press. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)