Lumbera and the teacher’s mind

Yesterday, Sept. 28, was the third death anniversary of Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera, who was named National Artist for Literature in 2006. The day was marked by the 1st Annual Bienvenido Lumbera Lecture Series at the Vargas Museum with Nicanor G. Tiongson speaking on “Figuring Bien Lumbera: Remembering a Teacher, Activist, Artist and Friend.”

Lumbera is truly one of the pillars of Philippine literature, cultural studies and film. He has written numerous books on literary history, literary criticism and film.  He also had a long and influential career in the Philippine academe. He taught literature, Philippine studies and creative writing at all the major universities in the Philippines. He was also visiting professor of Philippine studies at Osaka University and the first Asian scholar in residence at the University of Hawaii.

In 1993, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communications.

Lumbera has been known for his nationalist writings and was one of the leaders of the Filipinization movement in Philippine literature in the 1960s. He was one of the many writers and academics detained during the Marcos martial law regime.

In 2014, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts published a collection of essays by Lumbera, “Paunang Salita:  Pieces of a Teacher’s Mind.” This is a collection of some 86 essays that he wrote from 1966 to 2014. It is an interesting glimpse of Lumbera’s mind as a teacher in this compilation of Introductions he had been asked to write for many books.

The idea for this light reading of a volume came from two former students of his who have become his good friends, Perfecto T. Martin and Delfin Tolentino Jr., who wanted to honor their teacher on his milestone 80th birthday. Truly a welcome collection in the company of all of Lumbera’s more scholarly volumes.

The first essay written in 1966 is entitled “Nick Joaquin as an Academic Topic.” This essay focused on the intro to the slim volume, “Past Revisited: Three Studies of Nick Joaquin’s ‘Portrait of the Artist as Filipino’.” Although the essay includes a critique on Nick Joaquin, the main topic is actually literary criticism. Lumbera wrote: “The essays in this slim volume remind us, if we have forgotten, that criticism is an essential service to creative writing.”

Since the book contains essays written in English and in Filipino, I can only limit my reading and my comments on a select few essays. Unfortunately, I am not as well-versed in Filipino, so the essays I am commenting on are all in English.

Another essay is “Genuine Academic Freedom for the Ateneo” written in 1975. This was actually an open letter of Lumbera to his colleagues and students in the university regarding the decision of the president of the university, Fr. Francisco Araneta, SJ to terminate the contracts of Dr. Dante Simbulan and Adolfo de Guzman.  These two were members of MAGAT (Malayang Guro ng Ateneo), openly identified with the national democratic ideology. According to Lumbera, he realized that the letter might lead to his being removed from the faculty.

Lumbera wrote: “Each one of us in this academic community – students, lay faculty and Jesuits – should demand that the principles of academic freedom within this university be honored in practice as it is so well honored in print.”

Although this open letter was written more than 50 years ago, the topic of academic freedom is still so relevant today.

In 1978, at the height of martial law, Lumbera’s essays remained relevant. The essay “A New Spirit in Literary Studies” was written at that time because, he said, “There was a new spirit that animates literary studies in the more progressive sectors of the academe…” He then cited one book as a sign, “The Iloilo Zarzuela: 1903 to 1930” written by Doreen G. Fernandez, as an example of active interest in native language, literature and theater.

“Behold Muzones, Hiligaynon Master!” praises translator and scholar Cecilia Locsin Nava for bringing to an audience larger than the Hiligayon-speaking population the novel “Margosatubig: The Story of Salagunting.” Lumbera says Muzones’ novel first appeared as a serial novel in 30 installments in the popular local magazine “Yukum,” which made its weekly circulation jump from 2,500 to 37,000. (Muzones was named National Artist for Literature in 2018.)

“The Poet as Political Leader” talks about the poems in the book, “Prison and Beyond” written by Jose Maria Sison, published in 1962. Lumbera wrote: “Sison the poet has chosen to be judged alongside Jose Rizal (“Mi Ultimo Adios”), Aurelio Tolentino (“Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas” the poem) and Amado Hernandez (“Bayang Malaya”).

Lumbera’s last essay in the book was written in 2014. It is “Revisiting Brocka.” According to Lumbera, serious art was what Brocka wanted to do. His early films were “Santiago,” “Tuhog sa Ginto” and “Wanted: Perfect Mother.” Brocka started as a “popular” director. After doing popular movies, Lumbera says, “Brocka stepped out of the industry and involved himself in theater work with the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).” Then Brocka went back to movies and made “Tinimbang Ka Nguni’t Kulang” and “Maynila, Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag.” That was the start of his artistic reputation as a director to take notice of.

I hope my “discovery” of this book of Bien Lumbera’s will lead the readers to make their own rediscovery of the genius of Lumbera.