Some notions on why Ilokano Literature remains parochial and pathological

BAYANGGUDAW NOTES. 30 AUG 2016. TUE. N1.
Some notions on why Ilokano Literature remains parochial and pathological.

(For my dear Apo Errol Abrew who clearly understands what it is to write and starve, to write while starving, to starve while writing, and to starve to write, in any order. And to my dear Manang Sra Delia Caguioa Guran for giving away so many of her books and my dictionaries just so students would have something to read.)

SOMEWHERE, some Ilokano writers are of the opinion that Ilokano writing, and therefore, the production of Ilokano literature, must remain a case of a Philippine social welfare a la Dinky Soliman's and that abominable PNoy's sense of dole-out.

One even had the temerity to say say that one writers organization somewhere in tra-la-la must be emulated because

(1) this organization continues to produce the works of its writers, and

(2) this organization gives as dole-outs its books to the people in the Philippines.

There is no context to this claim, and any writer worth her or his salt must not go the route of famine after doing hard labor in the Siberia of Ilokano letters.

Except those who have become paid hacks in Ilokano writing, I do not know anyone who has gotten rich in Ilokano writing. Many hold jobs, some menial and they do not seem to do the preachy-preachy thing to sustain their craft, and presumably, themselves.

Some sell or pawn their earthly goods--and there is not enough of these goods in the first place--to produce their works. Ask many of our better writers who do this, and we can only salute them.

For all we care, so much of the work we do are almost like gratis et amore.

And then we are expected to starve for the sake of Ilokano writing?

Some holier-than-thou personalities do not know at all the wages of good writing, and BAD writing, with BAD in capital letters, can be given for free, but NOT, please take note, GOOD writing.

You can give away your writing that will end up in the garbage can. Who cares about bad writing?

If Ilokano writing is understood as a case of dole-out and social welfare, please, whoever you are, STOP writing.

You are a good writer, you MUST eat.

YOU must put food on your table, and not cry out in the wilderness and boil stones and sand and soil for your breakfast.

Enough said.