History dep’t sponsors talk on Jacinto, Francis M

The College of Liberal Art’s History Department has recently held a number of talks to celebrate Linggo ng Kasaysayan 2013: Bonifacio @ 150, Dangal at Kabayanihan, one of which was “MAKABAGONG EMILIO JACINTO: Ginhawa, Liwanag, Dilim at iba pang mga Dalumat ng Bayan at Katipunan sa mga Awitin ni Francis Magalona”, August 7 at Room Y508.

Professor Michael Charleston “Xiao” B. Chua of DLSU and Prof. Alvin D. Campomanes of University of Asia and the Pacific were the two speakers for the said event which explained similarities between Emilio Jacinto’s Kartilya ng Katipunan and Franics Magalona’s, the Philippine-dubbed King of Rap, songs. The speakers revealed how Magalona’s songs also touched on principles, ideologies, and rules by which the Katipuneros stood.

The history of a certain place is directly connected to its future, says Chua and Campomanes. This is evident in the way specific cultures are shown in different forms of art. This is then put in a larger context of Philippine history which they called “kapanahong kasaysayan”.

Fusion of rap into Philippine society

The speakers also mentioned that Filipinos are commonly mistaken to have no true identity at all, having been colonized by the Spanish, American, and Japanese. This, they say, probably brought about colonial mentality. It is not true though, since Filipino culture was fused with the other cultures given by the colonizers.

In the same way, Francis Magalona was able to introduce rap to Filipinos and make it uniquely Filipino. Rap, the speakers say, flourished in African- American communities and was practically unheard of in the Philippines. Magalona popularized the said style and infused nationalism and love for one’s country in his songs. Chua and Campmanes cited the use of the kulintang, an ethnic instrument, in the beginning of Magalona’s “Mga Kababayan Ko.”

A portion of the talk was dedicated to the speakers rapping some of Magalona’s songs and showing the similarities between these and the Kartilya ng Katipunan, some of which talk about respect for elders, love for skin color, and facing the consequences of one’s wrongdoings.

Chua and Campomanes clarify that although there are similarities between Magalona’s songs and Jacinto’s Kartilya ng Katipunan, it does not necessarily mean that he had used the Kartilya as an inspiration for his songs.

Naomi Paguio (I, CAM-MKT ) says that “Events like these are important in that it teaches us to embody Jacinto and Magalona so that, like them, we could learn to love our country. This, in turn, will make us more united.”