Though I'm still feeling the energy of last night's performance, I'm too lazy to write up a recap. Let me allow Eileen Tabios, co-editor of
Babaylan and hostess of the SRO event give you a taste of the celebration:
Dear Friends,
The East Coast book launching of BABAYLAN was a joy to share with the
supportive and enthusiastic, as well as standing room crowd. Thank you all
for coming--some highlights:
- hearing Kinaray-a spoken out loud (the first time I've personally heard this
language) through the poetry of Mila Geremia-Lachica;
- the devious (and post-modern) take on "Tsismis" by Erna Hernandez, joined by
the stellar actress (background with PETA, among others) Bing Magtoto;
-
looking at Gina Apostol in her retro-ish mini-dress and black boots as she
read a chapter from her novel BIBLIOLEPSY;
- hearing shy Jade Viray Afable (citizen of both Madrid and NY) read one poem,
then silently slip out of the room in an early departure (Nick--it's as if she didn't really exist);
- seeing Corinne Leilani Domingo after two years (?) and fondly recalling her as a young poet submitting to The APA Journal (she's still young but now has emerged as a leading literary light, complete with a Van Lier Literary Award);
- meeting Leslie Ann Hobayan who introduced her poems by wondering whether the
Babaylan reading or her upcoming wedding this Saturday is more nerve-wracking
(congratulations Leslie)...and, of course, Leslie read LOVE poems;
- seeing Cristina Martinez-Juan six months pregnant as she shared her
poems...pregnant with her second child!.
It was also a delight to see Jessica Nepomuceno (one of many other talented
poets not in Babaylan but who could easily help fill up a second volume of
Filipina writing)--I understand she used Babaylan to "teach" her teacher at
Hunter College about the variety of Englishes in the world...
And several men naturally showed up to show their support -- including male
writers Luis Cabalquinto (whose daughter Sofiya is in Babaylan and whom I
thank for bringing me the Philippines' National Book Award trophy;
wow...thanks Manila--that trophy fit in my arms like a baby); Paolo Javier
who brought me into his Tagalog class at NYU earlier in the week to discuss
Asian American and Filipino literature as well as poetry...and I was glad to
see many of his class members return for the reading; Eric Gamalinda who's
about to leave for a 4-month stay in a French colony; Luis Francia who
introduced me (and many Fil-Ams) to the first comprehensive look at Filipino
literature through his groundbreaing anthology Brown River, White Ocean;
wonderful New York-based poet Joseph Legazpi (another poet to watch!); Bino
Realuyo who set up dinner afterwards at Korean restaurant (Bino, I hope that
wasn't one of your normal haunts as our crowd totally flabbergasted the poor
waitress); and more.
I am delighted Babaylan opened the season for AAWW at their new loft
space--thanks Quang, Anantha and Jeannie for a superb job, as always. Be
sure to restock Babaylan in the shelves as -- something I don't mind
repeating here again -- Babaylan should be a favored Holiday present to give
to loved ones this coming Christmas (okay...give it to "enemies" as well to
convert them to Filipina literature).
Livia Tenzer was present to represent our publisher Aunt Lute Books...once
more, thanks to Auntie Lutie for your support.
Each Babaylan event continues to be special and unique...I look forward to
sharing more in the coming months ahead.
Finally saw my "sistah" Miss Farah Montesa after months of being MIA, another Babaylan contributor and budding poet. She just found out about it a few weeks ago. Little did she know that I was bragging about her contribution to our shared adoptive loony family back in Manila. Hehe...
I'll link some of the writers mentioned above later, so you can see the incredible works they have done.
