Women's Day Musings
Happy International Women's Day to all women in the world!Happy Women's Day to all the women in my life--my mom, my sisters, my grandmothers, my aunties, my cousins, my friends...of course, that includes my blog-friends!
Sa lahat ng bumati sa akin, thank you!
To all men who support and/or work for women's rights in their own ways, thank you for being in solidarity with us. Let us continue to work for a gender-sensitive world. Rock on!
Since today is International Women's Day, allow me to share one of my favorite poems, entitled Kasalo (Dinner Partner) by Dr. Joi Barrios, a renowned poet/playwright, professor, and activist in her own right. This poem (which includes an English translation) appeared in her book, Ang Pagiging Babae Ay Pamumuhay Sa Panahon Ng Digma (To Be A Woman Is To Live In A Time of War).
Ang babae ay hindi kaning inihahain
sa mesa ng matrimonya
ilniluluwa kapag maiinit at takot kang mapaso,
sinasabawan ng kape sa umaga
kapag ikaw ay nagkulang
at itinatapong tutong
sa kanyang pagtanda.
Ang babae ay hindi karneng
dinuduro at kinikilo,
ginigisa ang laman sa iyong mga pangako,
nilalaga ang buto sa iyong pagsuyo,
at ginagawang chicharon ang balat
upang maging pulutan.
Ang babae ay hindi halalyang
panghimagas sa iyong kabusugan,
inuming pampatulak sa iyong katandaan
o putahaeng nilalaspag tuwing may handaan.
May tiyan rin siyang kumakalam,
may sikmurang kailangang mapunan
at pusong dapat mahimasmasan,
kasama mo siyang nagtatanim ng maisasaing,
katuwang na naghahanda
ng almusal, tanghalian at hapunan,
kaharap at kasalo sa kinabukasan.
Dinner Partner
A woman is not rice
served at the table of matrimony,
disgorged when hot and you fear the scalding,
diluted with coffee in the mornings of your want,
discarded when burnt in her old age.
A woman is not meat fingered and weighed,
flesh sauteed in your promises,
bones boiled in your wheedling,
and skin crisp-fried for your appetizer.
A woman is not dessert
you eat when satiated,
a cool refreshment in your old age,
a course devoured during parties.
She has her own belly that grumbles,
stomach that needs to be filled,
and a heart that needs affection.
With you she gathers food,
prepares the meal,
and shares the same table of tomorrow.
Man He formed of slime, but woman of man's rib.
She wasn't formed of a lower limb of man--for example, his foot--
lest man should regard her as his servant,
but of his midmost part, so that he should regard her as his fellow."
If language reflects the beliefs, norms, and values of people in general, then the structure of the many different languages and dialects we have in the Philippines says a lot about the way we Filipinos viewed women before the experience of colonization took its toll. Other languages are more gender-specific and tend to uphold masculinity as the standard or frame of reference. The English language is a prime example of such. But Filipino languages aren't gendered. We use the same pronouns (e.g. siya, kanya, niya) to refer to men and women alike. The only gender-specific words we have pertain to familial roles (e.g. nanay, tatay, ate, kuya, tiya, tiyo, lola, lolo), for the most part. The relatively egalitarian nature of our languages is consistent with the way pre-colonial society wasn't stratified in terms of gender roles. While pre-colonial Philippine society had its forms of division and oppression, women had the same rights, privileges, and opportunities as did men. Women held leadership positions and engaged in business, and were not even required to give up their name upon marriage! Indeed, the pre-colonial Filipina held her own and was considered the equal of man in many respects. And these trends or dynamics are reflected in our many languages and dialects.
So our society wasn't always patriarchal. I wish we could re-claim that part of our heritage.
found herself @ 12:17 PM
8 Comments:
Mabuhay tayong mga Babae!
ganda ng poem. tagos hanggang kaluluwa.
kita kits na lang maya sa bar. hehehe.
Take care and God bless.
Ganda ng poem Di, mabuhay ang lahi ni Gabriela :) Happy womens day!
ingatz lagi Di, mwaaahh
"Kababaihan, Labanan ang Imperyalistang Atake sa Kabuhayan at Tumitinding Karahasan Laban sa Kababaihan"
yan lang masasabi ko!
Happy Women's Day!!! :)
what an awesome poem!
happy international women's day!
Ate Malaine: Korak! Mabuhay ang kababaihan!
Kumusta ang bar-hopping niyo? Enjoy ba? Di ako nakasama kasi naligaw ako papunta diyan. Hahaha :) Ingat ka lagi! Belated Happy Birthday! God bless rin.
Nang Ethel: Thanks! Happy Women's Month to you, my friend. Ingat ka rin lagi. *mwah*
Mommy Neng: I agree with you 100%. Happy Women's Month!
Azzzzzz: Thanks! Happy Women's Day to you, too. Happy Women's Month!
Thanks for dropping by my blog. Come back anytime. Take care!
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