From the desk of Neldy Jolo
Bismillahirahmanirahim!
My dream of publishing and writing poems is back to the school days. When I was pity to myself, according to my conscience I should try to write to ease my feelings and to put myself at the ambience of peace from the criticism of some students, that says I cannot write a poem and I am a dull student.
These expriences guide my journey to flap the wings of peace in the youth leadership advocacy for inter-ethnic dialogue, conflict transformation, social justice, socio-cultural, political and ecomonic struggle in the Philippines, MINSUPALA and Sabah.
I almost surrendered the idea of publishing this product of thoughts and feelings until I met Bro Yaz, first in Zamboanga City through my good couple friends Alfadzrey Hambali and his wife Emma Biral-Hambali, which happen his good friend too, second when we met in Sandakan, which where we discussed the possibility to publish this ambitious craft of emotions. He became my new inspiration to pursue this endeavor as he mentioned that he has all the collections.
Come fly with us to distribute the seeds of peace in the universe. Follow the lines of this anthology of poetry to bring you to the inner self of its emotionally engraved crafts, what is it all about, what is it try to convey and what it is wanted to build? Here first born the conceptualization of the word ARTIVISM- using arts for activism, the peace artivism. I would love to term myself as ARTIVIST (artist + activist) - or individual active in arts for peace activism, because of believing that artivism is a most non-violent and peaceful kind of protest to reveal the truth. Indeed, the truth does not lie in all aspects of peace artivism.
Indaginis Langan: A Melange of Thoughts and Feelings will pamper your emotions through its artistic expressions and messages especially when you are in the midst of chaos and confusion about yourself, identity, history and regrets to advocate for peace in yourself and in the community as a whole and when peace is being destroyed by the evil spirits of some human nature.
Only God knows!
From the desk of Yazz Bahagia
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
During school days writing poem is quite known to the students. Especially them who love to express their thoughts and feelings. There are also some never convey their emotions and ideas while in the schools through poem. Only later they captivate perhaps due to boringness of the ambiance and situation in their places.
These categories are true to us with Nelson. While in the University I didn’t write a single poem compare to him. It wasn’t because that I have no time for it. But as far as I know confidence is what I lacked by that time. No later than after I finish my bachelor degree which where I began to show interest in writing poem.
Before we met with Nelson in the Philippines many poems have already been in our respective dossiers. Only we didn’t expect each other having them. It was until in Malaysia where he showed and inspired me to compile our poems in a book.
On the way to piling up our work we are also submitting poems on the net like Poetry.com and the Makata.com. The idea is just to determine how they would respond to our masterpieces. Even we know poetry.com given prizes to those poems high in votes; our priority is not to win.
Now, the idea is not anymore on the net. It’s about publishing poetry on the book. Could we really make it? We talked each other. We didn’t lost hope. As we all know, writing poetry isn’t like writing history book. The erstwhile doesn’t necessarily needs facts and proofs. All you have to do is to express your feelings and thoughts on paper. This is one of the ideas that fueled our eagerness to come up with this humble work.
After we agreed on the project, our next task is looking for a title. This part is quite burdensome for we were searching title that matches the entirety of the said project. The title we were looking for preferably from our native tongue. It was then the word LANGAN discovered. Langan as defines in the Tausug-English Dictionary1 means Lullaby. However to us something is missing with the definition. For us the word LANGAN is more than lullaby. Rather it’s an exact definition of ART in Bahasa Sug (Tausug language). Langan encompass the feelings and thoughts of the artists. We do believe, how well and bad a certain masterpiece or song, it must be done with feelings.
As you decipher the thoughts and feelings of poems on this book – though interpretation depends on each reader – mostly came from our experience of corruption, injustice, arm and self struggle, love, political turmoil, economic instability, social disorder, religion, education and others. It is the reason this book has given a title, INDAGINIS LANGAN: A MELANGE OF THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS.
Each poem on this book represents its own direction and message. And the problems we portrayed in every verse have its respective answer. Be it is political, economy, love, social, and religion, its solution lay in one commitment to search and spread the truth. And there is no truth except the truth.
Our enemy is not our fellow but Satan. He is the devious foe able to enslave the leaders of democratic countries, scholars, freedom fighters, pious, truth seekers, economists and etc. Satan is the betrayal of truth. His mission is clear to all of us. Get rid of him for his bait mostly adore by our desires.
Allah’s knows best.
INTRODUCTION
Indaginis Langan: A Melange of Thoughts and Feelings is a product of discussion of both of us on how to spread the virus of peace in the realm of literary crafts throughout human world. This anthology of poems is written in multi-languages like, Bahasa Sug (Sinug), Pilipino, Bahasa Melayu and English.
We found 'Langan' while still looking for the appropriate title to our compilation. 'Langan' was inspired by the characteristic of a leaf falling from the tree branch seen from the glass-wall of Sandakan town library. We do not know exactly the name of the tree. The falling of the leaf is somewhat pampering the nature to stay calm and holds the influx of couching ocean wind that give the impressions covering the whole theme of our poesy.
Langan could mean lullaby, pampering and art in Bahasa Sug (Sinug) or Tausug/Suluk language. Indaginis is a Tausug word for various and of different kinds which portrayed our mix penned emotional thoughts.
This product of thoughts and feelings is longed been part of our dreams to publish, so the youth may flock together to express theirs as an advocacy of peace in the Philippines, Mindanao, Sulu, Palawan, Sabah and the world.
This craft is the expressions of love, peace, unity, justice and harmony that need to be distributed among creations to hate evil deeds.
Please join our trips by following the pages as path of peace journey, there are more things to be discovered ahead of you. See you there!!!
Best regards and thank you very much
Neldy Jolo and Yazz Bahagia
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