Layag and Agos: European stories translated in Filipino

Last April 4, 2018, the Austrian Embassy of Manila invited me to attend a book launch from the EUNIC Group, Manila cluster.  The European Union National Institutes of Culture, or EUNIC, is a group of 36 national institutes and ministries responsible for cultural relations and cultural diplomacy coming from all 28 EU member states.  Their principal aim is to bring European awareness to the world through culture. 

Together with Anvil Publishing, the book launch, held at National Bookstore in Glorietta commemorates the beginning of the European Literature Fair from April 4 – 21, 2018.  In it is the release of the second anthology of European stories translated into Filipino called "Agos: Modern European Writers in Filipino."  "Layag", the first rendition of short stories, is a collection of European classics. 

"Layag: European classics in Filipino" was launched on April 20, 2017, at the residence of the Czech Ambassador, H. E. Mr. Jaroslav Olša, jr. translator, editor and publisher who leads the Manila cluster of EUNIC.  Centuries ago, European explorers once braved the seas to set out into the new world.  Today, "Layag" offers Filipino readers a chance to explore European philosophies and idealism through literature using myths, legends, and timeless stories passed down through generations.  In cooperation with Anvil Publishing, stories from Europe namely Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, and Switzerland are represented in 14 classic and historical tales of yesteryear written by some Nobel Prize-winning authors.  This event was organized by EUNIC in partnership with Instituto Cervantes de Manila.

The first story in "Layag" is from Austrian writer, Stefan Zweig.  Stefan Zweig is a novelist, playwright, journalist, and biographer.  During the 1920s and 30s, at the pinnacle of his literary career, he was one of the notable writers in the world.  His historical account of how the Pacific Ocean was discovered, "Pagkatakas Tungo sa Buhay na Walang Hanggan (Ang Pagkalutas sa Dagat Pasipiko, Ika-25 ng Setyembre 1513)", "Flight into Immortality" or "Flucht in Die Unterblichkeit" was selected for this collection of short stories.  It tells how on September 25, 1513, explorer Vasco Nuñez de Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean.  He was the first Spaniard, the first European, the first Christian to set eyes on the yet unknown ocean of the Pacific.  However, this jovial celebration was cut short when he was found guilty of treason by Pedro Arias Dávila and was beheaded.

I found "Layag" an interesting read -- I felt like I was in school again, reading historical accounts, myths, legends and other great stories in Europe translated into Filipino.  The words were very formal and constrained.  I found it factual, enigmatic and academic, but nonetheless informative.  It clearly shows the sign of the times of how Europe was then as compared to now. 

After almost a year after launching "Layag", European diplomats and cultural officers along with Anvil Publishing gathered together once again to launch the latest title in their European anthology series called "Agos: Modern European Writers in Filipino."  Agos, which means "current" or "flow" in Filipino, contains 14 stories by European writers that give Filipinos a glimpse of the modern and ever-changing Europe. 

During the opening, a speech was given by Czech Ambassador to Manila, Jaroslav Olša Jr.  The Czech Ambassador hopes that through "Agos," Filipinos will genuinely see the diversity of Europe as a whole, primarily by those represented in this book. 

Me along with Zelpha Marie Bombais, Press and Cultural Attaché for the Austrian Embassy Manila during the book launch. 

Austria is represented by author Alois Hotschnig, known for his off the wall themes that deal with the ethereal, using eerie, disturbing dreams.  This recurring theme is not meant to be taken literally as an exemplification of Austria.  Instead, it is an explanation of how the country is stepping out from its conventional way of thinking, embracing the avant-garde, accepting realism through the medium of literature. 

"Katulad na Katahimikan, Katulad na Ingay", "The Same Silence, The Same Noise" or "Dieselbe Stille, dasselbe Geschrei" is about a man who becomes addicted to spying on his neighbors as they spend the whole day sitting on their deck chairs on the jetty. However, he is not quite interested in the neighbors themselves, but in the way that he sees himself through their eyes.  He questions why his neighbors don't mind him and is utterly obsessed by it.  Although it is he who is spying on them, he is the one who feels invaded by them, trying to escape.  He finds that his identity has merged into theirs, and he realizes in the end that he was looking at himself all along. 

Reading this made it clear that this sequel is a clear departure from the world of explorers, where kings and queens reigned supreme, and a legend was considered fact.  "Agos" talks about realistic representation that is present in today's European way of life, acted out with an attitude of openness and diversity.  It is a collection of multifaceted stories coming together in the pursuit of today's truth.

"Layag" and "Agos" are an excellent read for Filipinos translated in our native tongue.  For me, it's definitely a good reason to go back to reading Filipino books!  Grab a copy of "Layag" and "Agos" today!