1
CELINE CHRISTY U. CABILAO
MCAS (Creative Writing and Literature)
June 20, 2021
An Essay
For the course
CAS 215(Creative Process 1)
Presented to
PROF. STEVEN P.C FERNANDEZ, DFA
"Paradigms in the creation of ART."
"How do you create your work of ART?"
It seems like a simple question, but millions of responses are available. Every artist in the world undergoes
a creative process in the face of a blank canvas. Some folks come with outlines and sketches. Others expect
a flash of inspiration till the last minute. They all do the same things, such as paintings, drawings, etchings,
sculptures, etc., but they distinguish them as artists by making tiny variances of their performance.
In this paper, I have examined two worldwide artists to critique their creation and interview one local
indigenous artist.
Joel Toledo is the first.
Joel M. Toledo was born and raised in the remote province of Silang, Cavite, near Manilla. Joel's family
was underprivileged, and he grew up without electricity in his home as the son of a navy guy. His debut
collection of poems, Chiaroscuro, is about his shift from the obscurity of his birthplace to the dazzling lights
of Manila. At the age of sixteen, Joel was admitted to the University of the Philippines. He holds a bachelor's
degree in journalism and an MA in creative writing (poetry). He previously worked for the Manila Times
as a music critic and is now a literature lecturer at Miriam College in Quezon City. Pedro and the Life Force
(1997), his first novel, was a young adult fantasy fiction. The first book of poems, Chiaroscuro, was released
in 2008, and the second, The Long-Lost Startle, was published in 2009. Ruins and Reconstructions, Joel's
third volume of poetry, changes his focus away from nature, rural life, and urban life.
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Joel M. Toledo was a guest at the 2010 Singapore Lit Up event, and Mike Ladd met him there to do an
interview and record a poetry recital.
➢ Inform me on the fate of the schoolboy who grew up in the province. How did he end up being a
poet?
"That was when I was about 16, I was accepted to the University of the Philippines in Manila; there were
only three people in my town who were accepted, and I was this probinsyano, I could barely speak English
Mike at the time because the accent is so different in the province, and they differentiate your V's from your
B's. So, my twang was very, very different, and it was a struggle to communicate."
➢ Who motivated you to pursue a career as a poet?
"In particular, Louise Gluck, because I was recently on vacation in the southern part of the Philippines, in
the city of Pines, in the coldest part of the Philippines, called Baguio city, and I was forced to stay in the
house of one of the poets, and I was just looking at the bookshelf, and I came across this book "The House
on Marshland," which is the title of the book, and it immediately connected me to her writing, the way Loise
Gluck as a writer would utter lines and then balance them with the rendering of nature which again I think
appeal so much to my sensibility as a would-be poet but I guess at that time I'm trying to capture my
childhood”. (Toledo)
The creative process manifests differently and on a typical schedule for each individual. Anyone capable
of unlocking their creative potential uses a similar approach to bring an idea to life.
As proven by reading his masterpieces and hearing his interview with ABC Radio National's Mike Ladd,
Joel Toledo's creative approach is experiential and intuitive. His approach is comparable to that of Graham
Wallas, a social psychologist and co-founder of the London School of Economics, who detailed the
fundamental elements of the creative process in his 1926 book "The Art of Thought." The creative process
necessitates critical thinking and problem-solving talents. Whether they are composers or television
producers, creative folks often follow a five-step procedure to bring their ideas to life: preparation,
incubation, illumination, evaluation, and verification.
The preparation stage for Toledo, like any other, comprises prior work and concept formulation. This is
the stage in which you gather resources and perform research to develop an innovative concept. Allow your
mind to wander when brainstorming or write in a journal to develop varied thinking. As he noted in his
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interview, "at first, your brain draws on its memory bank to produce new ideas by drawing on existing
information and experiences."
He previously discussed why he chose the subject for his upcoming book:
"In Manila now, they think of me as the nature poet from the province whose two books, Chiaroscuro, and
the long-lost startle, are primarily about nature, and so the next book I am working on is, I believe, because
of the typhoon's effect, I am living on this particular street, where every house on my left was submerged,
and every house on my right was the same I was just fortunate that that particular section of that road it
was a bit high, so the water didn't even reach the ground floor, but all of my friends were living there in the
vicinity of my house, and the service signal for the phones were all jammed, clogged and I felt jolted out of
this very of talking about nature so much that I decided that my next book will be about the balancing of
the two, how now I'm trying to find my way into the city having gone through that."
"When you have completed the active consideration of your concept, that is when you let it go." He
continued. In the incubation stage, you can see that a necessary component of creative thought is stepping
back from your idea before fleshing it out. Your narrative, song, or problem is incubating in the back of
your mind at this period.
Stage of illumination: Illumination, which is occasionally referred to as the insight stage, occurs when an
"aha" moment happens. As new connections are created spontaneously, the light bulb turns out, and all of
the information you have acquired comes together to offer you the solution to your problem. He observed
that "You will come across the solution to your creative quest. For example, you can overcome writer's
block by deciding on the ending of your narrative." Perhaps unexpectedly, an idea has formed following
the incubation period.
Toledo's poetry undergoes an evaluation stage during which he analyzes the soundness of his notion
against alternatives. "I also go back to my initial notion or problem to ensure that my solution adheres to
my initial vision." He persisted.
Verification step: This is the final stage of the creative process. That is the point at which the real job
begins. You now have the chance to polish your work, bring your ideas to life, and present it to the world.
"At this point, I am prepared to share it," he chuckled as his interview came to an end.
Ernest Hemingway is the second.
On July 1, 1899, he was born in Oak Park, Illinois, and began his career as a writer at the age of seventeen
in a Kansas City newspaper office. He joined an Italian army volunteer ambulance unit when the United
States entered the First World War. While serving at the front, he was injured, received an Italian
government decoration, and spent considerable time in hospitals. After returning to the United States, he
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began working as a correspondent for Canadian and American publications and was swiftly transferred to
Europe to cover events such as the Greek Revolution.
Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway. Selections from four decades of articles and dispatches. William
White edited this volume, which includes commentary by Philip Young. Collins, 1968, London.
Use succinct sentences. Employ succinct paragraphs. This was the first aphorism Ernest Hemingway heard
while working as a reporter for a Kansas City newspaper as a young man. It was a technical approach that
suited him well when writing for newspapers, magazines, and publishing. As with the man, this literary
style evolved through World War I, during which he was injured on the Italian front. It would continue as
an expatriate in Paris, where he would live with his wife Hadley and their newborn boy and experience the
Paris of the Lost Generation. During this period, Hemingway met literary luminaries such as Gertrude Stein,
Max Perkins, James Joyce, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Hemingway discovered his path during this particular
period.
According to Dr. James Nagel, an American Literature professor, Hemingway's approach "changed the
fundamental nature of American literature." Hemingway had published two works of fiction, six novels
and novellas, and a handful of short story collections by the time he committed suicide in 1961 at the age
of 61. (Iwhite)
The Paris Review (1956, http://www.theatlantic.com) had an interview with Hemingway in which a portion
of the conversation went as follows:
Interviewer: How much rewriting do you do?
Hemingway: That is debatable. I reworked the final page of Farewell to Arms 39 times before I was happy.
Interviewer: Was there a technical issue? What had perplexed you?
Hemingway: Choosing the appropriate words. (Plimpton)
He presented an honest, if somewhat grim, glimpse into the life of a writer in a speech he sent to be read;
"Writing, at its best, is a lonely life. Organizations for writers palliate the writer's loneliness, but I doubt if
they improve his writing. He grows in public stature as he sheds his loneliness, and often, his work
deteriorates. For he does his work alone, and if he is a good enough writer, he must face eternity, or the
lack of it, each day."
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Even today, his work and manner continue to split the literary community. While some argue that his
journalistic manner was inappropriate for novel form, others commend his straightforward prose and barebones depiction of a battle between man and nature, demonstrating that while man can be destroyed, he can
never be defeated. Ernest Hemingway also primarily writes intuitively, which is how he produces his
creative work. He, too, has a preparatory stage.
"'...All that is required is the composition of one true sentence. Write the most accurate sentence you can.'
Thus, I would write one simple sentence and then proceed. It was simple back then since there was always
at least one factual sentence that I knew, had seen, or had heard." — (Young)
Then he jumped to the illumination stage.
"At times, when I was having difficulty getting started on a new story, I would sit in front of the fire and
squeeze the peels of the small oranges onto the flame's edge, watching the blue splutter they created. I
would stand and gaze out over the Paris rooftops, thinking, 'Do not be concerned. You have always written
and will continue to write...' — (Young)
Then comes the final stage, "cut the excess."
"When I began writing extensively, or as if someone were introducing or presenting anything, I discovered
that I could cut out and discard the scrollwork or decoration and begin with the first true straightforward
declarative sentence I had written." — (Young)
This method does not apply to all of his masterpieces. When he is in the mood to write, he may produce an
entire poem in one sitting, without any pre-writing or revisions; it all depends on his intuition and the spark
of inspiration. (Iwhite)
The third one is Timuay Libon Jocelyn Murayao Chua
Timuay Jocelyn Murayao Chua, a widow, was born in Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay, the Philippines, on
January 25, 1965. In 1985, she earned a BSED degree. Timuay Chua formed the Buug Subanen Workers
Association while serving as an Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) for Pob. Buug
(BSWA). Her newly formed association connects the Subanen to the Philippine government's rights,
programs, and activities.
Bloodline: Her veins are filled with a mixture of Chinese and Subanen blood.
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Datu Sa Hampong Limpon Murayao, a full-blooded Subanen, was my grandfather (mother's side).
Bae Teneng Siay Murayao, a full-breed Subanen, was my grandmother (mother's side).
Vicente Tiong Chua, a full-blooded Chinese businessman, was his grandfather (father's side). Grandmother
(father's side) - Joy Lim Chua, a Chinese entrepreneur of full blood.
Vic Tiong Chua, a full-blooded Chinese businessman who immigrated to the Philippines from Beijing,
China, in the 1960s and remarried Rita Murayao-Chua, a full-breed Subanen.
Rita Siay Murayao-Chua, a full-blooded Subanen, is the mother. Jose Levi Segundo, a former Mayor of
Tubo, Abra, was her husband.
Timuay Chua is now a certified Timuay of the Subanen Tribe, the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory
Representative (IPMR) for Pob. Buug, the Founding President of the Buug Subanen Workers Association
(BSWA), and the Project Director of the School of Living Tradition's Subanen Traditional Clothing (PREP)
(SLT). What is the procedure for a buklog Menonot in the Subanen community?
A Buklog Menonot is performed to welcome newcomers or mark a new timuay or rice field location. Before
the actual rites, the Buklog menonot observes a series of practices. It is typically performed in December
or January when individuals are not required to labor in agriculture. This is at least seven days long.
Throughout the festival, the community and tourists from other villages are served.
According to Hon. Jocelyn M. Chua, the IP representative of Buug Zamboanga Sibugay and holder of the
mediator role as "Timuay Libon," Buklog is done on festive occasions. For example, it is a week-long
celebration of the Subanen as thankfulness for their excellent crop.
Chua stated that "Buklog/Gbeklug" must be completed appropriately by the "Balian/"Balyan" in order for
the guests and Balian/Balyan executing the ceremony to be safe. As a result, the spirits will afflict them or
transform them into rocks.
"Buklog/Gbeklug is not done if there are insufficient Balians/Balyans to perform the rituals," she added.
Buklog's creative method is based on oral history that has been passed down through generations. It has
been gradually updated and improved over time by Balyans based on how spirits communicate with them
in order to placate the dieties. (Mangangot)
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Chua stated that as the host, she is also responsible for initiating the peace-making negotiations necessary
to assure the celebration's success. The climate of peace and order must begin within, resolve family feuds
and tribal conflicts, and continue by reestablishing the right connections and ritual linkages with all human
and supernatural beings. Otherwise, the Buklog will have no influence, impact, or significance on the social
system as a whole. She continued by explaining that her inherited status as the granddaughter of the
renowned Datu Sa Hampong Limpon Murayao is validated and confirmed whenever she travels months in
advance of the Buklog to visit her relatives, resolve family misunderstandings, and invite prospective
Buklog guests, including Christian friends from throughout the province who would also make pledges of
offerings and perform rituals.
TABLE 1. CLASSIFICATION OF BALIAN (Mangangot)
Native Term
Balian Delumpo
Balian Megiba
English Equivalent
Characteristics
Pope Prophet (Georsua
1987;378) Holy, High
Priest
Prince of the Balians
(shaman)
-a
Pure
Balian
highest rank -one who is secluded as hermit or ascetic, can ride on his thulapok (turban), does not
die but simply sleeps or disappears after death; interprets and predicts upcoming and unusual event;
does astral travel to the 6th heaven (bos dlangit)
-lives and associates with other Subanen
-had experienced death himself; can raise dead; can recover lost souls of the sick; an expert balian
(gemaw) who can cure without offering sacrifices (kanu) because his vow pigubasan (training and
apprenticeship) are direct from a spirit guide or more powerful balian, as "pure" balian, receives
prophetic message from "pure" & powerful spirits or gods;
-does astral travel into spirit realm to get information from the High God.
-does corporate worship, rituals and festivals representing a large group; power and position usually
inherited from a balian relative.
-heals at the residence of sick people; outside the house, he builds his little spirit house bata balay
or maligai where he sleeps there for 7 days and dreams entering the spirit world to recover the lost
soul of the sick.
-does agricultural rituals; heals sickness right in the village by finding ginubang tree and throws it
in the river
-balian assisting (menlilok) in making rattan leaf decorations placed on a table (palesanding) where
idols are placed for religious ceremonies and worship.
Balian Matas
High Priest
Balian
Mahasegit
(Gulay Balian)
Priest and Healer
Balian
Menambay
(memulong)
Balian Palensanding
Healer
Balian Gmemulut
Balian Mengudat
Balian Mengunot
Balian Menghalag
Bata
Balian
Gbebalian
or
An assistant priest
assisting
a
senior
Balian
Priest Embalmer
Assistant balian to an
officiating priest healer
Priest
and
Spirit
Medium
Spirit
MediumSorcerer
Child or “Little Balian”
-performs memulot (embalmment) for a dead datu or tribal leader using special prayers and herbs
where body parts are cut off and placed in a big antique jar. Later, bones are buried at the ketulanan
(burial place) after several years.
-interview officiating priest who is in tenaan (trance) and serves as intermediary between the patient,
audience and priest during the megayep group prayer meeting or healing ritual.
-an expert on hunting the evil spirit which torments and causes illness by chasing and killing it in
the middle of the night
-practiced sinalak a form of sorcery which kills the familiar spirit of another balian. The defeated
balian proves to be the weaker one
Categorized as "lesser balian" doing minor functions of a practitioner as curing the sick, setting out
food for spirits and the like, through dealing and contact with lesser spirits or objects of power.
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Preparing for a Buklog is a collaborative effort. Although holding a Buklog is a privilege reserved for the
community's few affluent and influential Subanen families, everyone participates in the preparations. The
Subanen believe that each individual must prepare his or her donation of food, offerings, labor, and forest
products since those who donate resources will also receive benefits and blessings from the gods, spirits,
and ancestors. Buklog preparation necessitates the gathering of enormous resources over an extended
period. This is why Buklogs are conducted infrequently, approximately every seven to ten years.
(Indigenous Peoples Eduation (IPed))
The Buklog complex consists of a collection of rites and ceremonies that commemorate the stages of life
in Subanen society. The Subanen celebrate a variety of Buklog that represent many facets of Subanen
existence. Irwin summarizes the Buklog's complete nature as follows: The Gheklug festival encompasses
and supersedes all other Subanen religious rites; that is, during its performance, any religious demand or
solution known to the tribe may be observed. Through the acts of the participants, particularly dancing and
singing the Gingoman, men are transported back in time to the moment of the world's creation, where they
experience total rejuvenation. Members exist at the nexus of the natural, social, and divine orders and
experience whole universe harmony there. (Gabriel)
Three general reasons for holding a Buklog are to express gratitude and praise for the recovery of sick
people, a bountiful harvest, or to demonstrate prestige at a feast for a new leader or a home comer; to
restore order or salvation to creation following natural calamities, epidemics, and disasters; and finally, to
grant immortality to their dead by reinstating their spirits to heaven. The following table outlines the
various Buklog kinds and their sub-categories.
Type
For Praise
thanksgiving
Sub-categories
and
a.
Recoveryfrom
sickness
Native Terms
Characteristics
•
Buklog Mengawa
•
Relief from affliction/healing
•
Buklog Balaan
•
A promise/vow to the bad spirits which entered the sick
person
b.
c.
Bountiful harvest
Prestige or show
off feast
•
Buklog Samaya Getaw/Benua
•
Thanksgiving for recovery from illness
➢
Buklog Gaus
➢
For good and bountiful harvest
➢
Buklog Mennonot
➢
To honor a home-comer
➢
Buklog Gako
➢
Assumption of new leadership
➢
Buklog Gungog or
➢
For the prosperity and good health of
Jinyun
•
Buklog Pag-ampo
➢
•
spoonsoring family
➢
prominent in the community
Buklog Pegya
Buklog Samaya
Show off feast by some bosy very important/
➢
Offered to the luminilong & mamanua (good
spirits) to watch over the sponsoring
Getaw/Benua
family againts evil spirits
➢
Show-off feast of sponsoring family’s wealth &
prestige to establish leadership privelege
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➢
Show-off feast showing success & prosperity of
newly transferred host family
2. To send spirits of
a. grant the dead
•
Buklog Miluasan
•
Spirits of the dead go to dlinihawan or heaven
the dead to heaven
immortality
•
Buklog Pelokob or Pelentu
•
Feast in honor of the dead, or memorial
•
Buklog Demon
•
The merriest & highly attended final burial of ancestor by
putting the bones from burial jar into a coffin
3. To restore order
a. prayer for restoration,
or salvation to
reconciliation and
creation
salvation
•
Buklog Delompo
•
Balian Delompo (highest priest) officiates
TABLE 2. TYPES OF BUKLOG (Mangangot)
Additional secondary events, such as marriages or changes in political leadership, are also held during the
Buklog, broadening its scope and purpose. Before the Buklog's celebration, the Subanen must complete
two cycles of seven rites related to the individual's life cycle and the agricultural system used by the
Subanen swidden farmer. (Jacinto) All Buklogs are celebrated in Subanen society following harvest, the
season of plenty. Thus, regardless of the occasion, the Buklog is always a thanksgiving ceremony for a
plentiful harvest that enables the host to sponsor and finance such an elaborate and costly feast. This gesture
demonstrates how the Subanen appreciates their labor and are grateful for the numerous gifts received
from, supported by, and given birth to the land on which they toil. The Subanen believe that dlupa (land)
is a holy gift of life provided freely by Diwata Megbabaya for their primary source of survival. Thus, the
land corresponds to what they refer to as dlupa pusaka (ancestral land), which is where their forefathers
and mothers are buried, as well as where they were bom, bred, introduced, and initiated into the secrets,
privileges, and responsibilities of their customs and traditions, and where they hope to be buried in turn.
Many of them continue to live in isolation in pockets, in the folds of secondary forest mountains, and deep
in the lush tropical rainforests of the Zamboanga Peninsula. They continue to engage with the wealth and
mystery of nature here, responding joyfully in small groups through their myths and rituals. The Subanen
have a holistic view of the tanggang (world) and all of its components. They regard the earth and all
heavenly things visible during the day and night as autonomous entities, though a complex web of
interdependent links connects them. This idea is manifested in the Subanen's ability to understand and
project the passage of time, daily life events, religious beliefs and rituals, and year-round agricultural cycles
through their ancestral agricultural tradition known as thangaw-lupa. (Georsua) This traditional knowledge
of astrology served as the foundation for Subanen kaingin or binal (swidden) agricultural systems,
determining the farming activities' schedules and success. The passage of time is determined by reading
the constellations, the moon's location, and cloud forms. Additionally, it is defined by the seasonal bloom
of trees, grasses, and vines, as well as the flocking, sounding, and appearance of various species of birds,
insects, wild pigs, and other wild animals in the forest at various periods. The land was not owned, and the
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Subanen did not have permanent settlements, as dry-rice growing is a nomadic practice. Rice is the
fundamental motive for the Subanen, Higa-onon, Bukidnon, Manobo, Mandaya, and Mansaka of
Mindanao to settle on their separate swiddens. This farming approach is carried out in stages: slashing,
burning, planting with the aid of sound-producing dibbles, tending, and harvesting - all of which are carried
out in conjunction with ceremonies, prayers, chanting, and the playing of musical instruments. (Georsua)
The seven agricultural cycle rites are summarized in Table below:
Description
I.
Term
Site Selection
Khanu
Gbitun
Components
or
A.
Tangawan
Field Preparation:
1.) Cutting/slashing of small trees lumelik or lilik, 2) Cutting big trees Gumapi
or Pailis (dulong siklat, ulitan); 3) Burning – Tumotod or Lingapoy, 4)
Gathering of unburned woods and roots Lumapog; 5) Pre-planting Initiation
dagyong tala pinutungan pulubinian
-First year of Buklog preparation
II.
Planting Rituals
Salat or Lumpok for
rice; Pegebek
1)
Thelyan- pest detection on site; 2) Saliang or daga benit- Pagebek- Blood sacrifice
of animal offerings 3) Khanu Gbitun- offering before planting to petition for good
harvest
-done in the second year of Buklog preparation
III.
Care
for
the
(no generic term)
Plants/Rice
:Menoyak (to block entry of bad spirits): biniling(against locusts and pests; gilang batang or
dansang lunaw for good growth; Palas or Mepalas; Pre-harvest giving of first fruits to deities
Bakti or Bulagok.
-done in the 3rd year of Buklog preparation
IV.
Eating
Newly
Kanbugo
Harvested Rice
Kanbugo dinner within family circle only; eating and offering the first fruits; Mashahonadinner with family and other visitors
-done in 4th year of Buklog preparation
V. Harvesting Rituals
VI.
Gumani
Food Offering to
Ancestors
(Who
helped in the Good
Harvest)
Pheluhob
Pasungku- thanksgiving
Pamalingan- harvest starts
Gumek- threshing
Kinlesong- harvesting the half- riped sticky rice pulot malagkit, a corporate lively
thanksgiving feast for good harvest done in seven years
Sinlang- done in the 5th year of Buklog preparation; offering to prevent sickness and for
people to remain healthy
Three-day feast; a Kanu Meluasan (hanging of clothes for invited spirits of dead ancestors
-done in the 6th year of Buklog preparation
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VII.
Buklog
Balaan/menganawa
-the greatest thanksgiving festival for a bountiful harvest, lasting for seven days. Done in the
7th years of Buklog preparation
TABLE 3. SEVEN AGRICULTURAL CYCLE RITUALS (Mangangot)
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the
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