Marjorie Evasco
Encyclopedia
Marjorie Evasco is an award- winning Filipino
poet
, born in Maribojoc, Bohol
on September 21, 1953. She writes in two languages: English and Cebuano-Visayan
and is a supporter of women's rights, especially of women writers. Marjorie Evasco is one of the earliest Filipina feminist poets.
. She finished her B.A. in 1973 from Divine Word College of Tagbilaran, Masteral Degree in Creative Writing in 1982 at Silliman University
and her Doctor of Philosophy in Literature (Ph.D. Litt.) at De La Salle University-Manila
. She became a member of the faculty at De La Salle University, while completing her doctoral degree in 1998.For many years, she was Director of DLSU's Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center.She is currently a University Fellow at the same university.
Evasco's prize-winning poetry books are: Dreamweavers: Selected Poems 1976-1986 (1987) and Ochre Tones: Poems in English and Cebuano (1999). Ochre Tones was launched last May 1997 at National Artist Edith L. Tiempo's residence on Montemar (Sibulan, Negros Oriental
). Evasco calls this volume a " book of changes," following Dreamweavers which for her was a " book of origins."
She is currently working on a third poetry collection and hopes to finish it soon.
Evasco's other books include A Legacy of Light: 100 Years of Sun Life in the Philippines, Six Women Poets: Inter/Views (co-authored, with Edna Manlapaz), Kung Ibig Mo: Love Poetry by Women (co-edited with Benilda Santos, A Life Shaped by Music: Andrea O. Veneracion and the Philippine Madrigal Singers and ANI: The Life and Art of Hermogena Borja Lungay, Boholano Painter
Evasco was a founding member of two organizations espousing the cause of women writers: Writers Involved in Creating Cultural Alternatives (WICCA) and Women in Literary Arts (WILA). She has written many essays on women's poetry, several of them finding their place in various anthologies.
She served as editor of a special issue of Ani in 1998 that featured writings and art work by Filipino women.
She is an associate fellow of the Philippine Literary Arts Council (PLAC).
In September 2002, she was invited for a three-month residency at the International Writing Program in the University of Iowa.
Memorial Awards, National Book Awards
from the Manila Critics' Circle, Arinday (Silliman University
), Gintong Aklat (Book Development Association of the Philippines) and Philippine Free Press prizes for her poems and essays. Her poems have appeared in many important anthologies including Luna Caledonia and Six Women Poets. She has been published extensively in Asia
, Europe
and North America
. She has also received various international fellowships; among them, a writing fellowship at the International Retreat for Writers in Hawthornden Castle
, Midlothian
, Scotland
in 1991; a Rockefeller grant and residency in Bellagio
, Italy
in 1992; 10th Vancouver International Writers' Festival in 1997; International Writers'Program fellowship at the University of Iowa
in 2002; University of Malaya Cultural Centre grant in Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia in 2003; the Wordfeast 1st Singapore International Literary Festival in 2004 and the Man Hong Kong Literary Festival in 2006, and the XVIII International Poetry Festival in Medellin, Colombia in 2008.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, born in Maribojoc, Bohol
Bohol
Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of and a coastline long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines...
on September 21, 1953. She writes in two languages: English and Cebuano-Visayan
Cebuano language
Cebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...
and is a supporter of women's rights, especially of women writers. Marjorie Evasco is one of the earliest Filipina feminist poets.
Biography
Born into a family of teachers who were "always talking English", she was brought up and educated as a Roman Catholic and her formative years in school were spent under the tutelage of German and Belgian nuns. Evasco and her family then moved to ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. She finished her B.A. in 1973 from Divine Word College of Tagbilaran, Masteral Degree in Creative Writing in 1982 at Silliman University
Silliman University
Silliman University is a private research university located in Dumaguete, Philippines. Established in 1901 as Silliman Institute by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, it was the first American private school to be founded in the country. The University is named after Dr...
and her Doctor of Philosophy in Literature (Ph.D. Litt.) at De La Salle University-Manila
De La Salle University-Manila
De La Salle University is a private Lasallian university in Malate, Manila, Philippines. It was founded in 1911 by De La Salle Brothers as the De La Salle College in Paco, Manila with Blimond Pierre serving as its first director...
. She became a member of the faculty at De La Salle University, while completing her doctoral degree in 1998.For many years, she was Director of DLSU's Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center.She is currently a University Fellow at the same university.
Works
Origami (from Dreamweavers) This word unfolds, gathers up wind To speed the crane's flight North of my sun to you. I am shaping this poem Out of paper, folding Distances between our seasons. This poem is a crane. When its wings unfold, The paper will be pure and empty. (in Cebuano-Visayan) Mibukhad kining pulong, mitigom sa hangin Pagpadali sa lupad sa talabon Amihanan sa akong adlaw, ngadto kanimo. Gilalang ko kining balak Gikan sa papel, gipilo-pilo Ang gilay-on sa atong panahon. Kining balak usa ka talabon. Inig bukhad sa iyang pako, Ang papel motin-aw ug mahawan. |
| Marjorie Evasco, 1987 |
Evasco's prize-winning poetry books are: Dreamweavers: Selected Poems 1976-1986 (1987) and Ochre Tones: Poems in English and Cebuano (1999). Ochre Tones was launched last May 1997 at National Artist Edith L. Tiempo's residence on Montemar (Sibulan, Negros Oriental
Negros Oriental
Negros Oriental is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. It occupies the south-eastern half of the island of Negros, with Negros Occidental comprising the north-western half. It also includes Apo Island — a popular dive site for both local and foreign tourists...
). Evasco calls this volume a " book of changes," following Dreamweavers which for her was a " book of origins."
She is currently working on a third poetry collection and hopes to finish it soon.
Evasco's other books include A Legacy of Light: 100 Years of Sun Life in the Philippines, Six Women Poets: Inter/Views (co-authored, with Edna Manlapaz), Kung Ibig Mo: Love Poetry by Women (co-edited with Benilda Santos, A Life Shaped by Music: Andrea O. Veneracion and the Philippine Madrigal Singers and ANI: The Life and Art of Hermogena Borja Lungay, Boholano Painter
Evasco was a founding member of two organizations espousing the cause of women writers: Writers Involved in Creating Cultural Alternatives (WICCA) and Women in Literary Arts (WILA). She has written many essays on women's poetry, several of them finding their place in various anthologies.
She served as editor of a special issue of Ani in 1998 that featured writings and art work by Filipino women.
She is an associate fellow of the Philippine Literary Arts Council (PLAC).
In September 2002, she was invited for a three-month residency at the International Writing Program in the University of Iowa.
Awards
Evasco has received several Carlos PalancaPalanca
Palanca may refer to:*Palanca Awards*Palanca, Angola a comune in Luanda Province, Angola*Palanca, a commune in Bacău County, Romania*Palanca, a village in Floreşti-Stoeneşti Commune, Giurgiu County, Romania...
Memorial Awards, National Book Awards
Philippine National Book Awards
The Philippine National Book Awards, or simply the National Book Awards, is a Philippine literary award sponsored by the NBDB and the MCC . It is the national book award of the Philippines...
from the Manila Critics' Circle, Arinday (Silliman University
Silliman University
Silliman University is a private research university located in Dumaguete, Philippines. Established in 1901 as Silliman Institute by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, it was the first American private school to be founded in the country. The University is named after Dr...
), Gintong Aklat (Book Development Association of the Philippines) and Philippine Free Press prizes for her poems and essays. Her poems have appeared in many important anthologies including Luna Caledonia and Six Women Poets. She has been published extensively in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. She has also received various international fellowships; among them, a writing fellowship at the International Retreat for Writers in Hawthornden Castle
Hawthornden Castle
Hawthornden Castle is located on the River North Esk in Midlothian, Scotland. The castle lies a mile to the east of Roslin at grid reference , and is just downstream from Roslin Castle. Hawthornden comprises a 15th century ruin, with a 17th century L-plan house attached. The house has been restored...
, Midlothian
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1991; a Rockefeller grant and residency in Bellagio
Bellagio
Bellagio is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located on Lake Como. It has long been famous for its setting at the intersection of the three branches of the Y-shaped lake, which is also known as Lario....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1992; 10th Vancouver International Writers' Festival in 1997; International Writers'Program fellowship at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in 2002; University of Malaya Cultural Centre grant in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia in 2003; the Wordfeast 1st Singapore International Literary Festival in 2004 and the Man Hong Kong Literary Festival in 2006, and the XVIII International Poetry Festival in Medellin, Colombia in 2008.
External links
- Marjorie Evasco by Ed Farolan
- Ochre Tones by Marjorie Evasco
- Writers in Conversation – Marjorie Evasco and R. Zamora Linmark
- Gray November by Marjorie Evasco
- Elemental by Marjorie Evasco
- Origami by Marjorie Evasco
- DLSU Bienvenido Santos Creative Writing Center
- Wordfeast Singapore
- The Man Hong Kong International Literary Festival 2006
- 41st Dumaguete National Writers’ Workshop
- NCCA Writers’ Prize 2005
- Literary Readings By Philippine Writers at the University of Hawaii Manoa
- 2003 Dumaguete National Writers’ Workshop by Ian Casocot
- 2006 Iyas Creative Writing Workshop by Rolly Espina