Are you an Igorot Cordilleran who migrated to Europe? Do you have an interesting story to tell about how your Igorotness has helped you in navigating your way as a migrant? Are you a first-generation Igorot Cordilleran who would like to narrate your journey from the Philippines to Europe? Would you like to share how you have faced the challenges of times and how you have empowered yourself along the way? Or perhaps you’re one of the second- and third-generation who has much to share about your family’s oral history as well as success stories? Do you have some travel narratives during any of your tours or holidays that you would like to share?
If YES is your answer to any of the above, the book committee would like to invite you to write and submit your story. It is our utmost hope that together we can educate, encourage, inform, inspire and entertain others by sharing all these experiences and stories in a book we shall call, “The 3Ts of Igorot Cordillerans in Europe: Travels, Travails & Triumphs”.
More about the 3Ts (What to write about)
TRAVELS
When we are in the host country, we take the opportunity to visit other countries we have read only in books when we were young. We become tourists. We experience the sights and sounds of other countries.
Tell your journey in getting settled and/or integrated into our European adoptive countries. How does your Igorotness and/or indigenousness play a role in overcoming the challenges we are facing?
Share a story, essay or anecdote that has something to do with travel.
TRAVAILS
Apparently, our travel to another country to seek greener pastures led many (if not all) to travails– to obstacles and challenges. Others experience travails as they adjust to the life and culture of our host country. So for many, their travel ends up becoming a travail.
For this part, you can relate interesting stories about immigration issues, family issues, mental health, finding a sense of community belongingness, and coping strategies amongst others as part of your travails and further on your triumphs.
TRIUMPHS
The second- and third-generations are products of the travels and travails. In most cases, their paths have been paved by the first-generation, and hence the value of empowering oneself to thrive and have a better quality of life became paramount. Whether you are a first-, second-, or third-generation, everyone must have a success story to share. This open platform welcomes you to do so!
INTERESTED?
We recognise oral history is something our ancestors relied heavily on, which our forefathers in particular are able to connect through rituals. But all these could be lost if the next generations won’t be able to preserve these in writing or audio-vidual recording. So wait no more! Start putting your own family’s oral history and your story into writing!
If interested, please submit any literary piece you have (e.g., stories, anecdotes, poems, essays) with the following specifications and target readers in mind.
Target Readers: Public. More specifically migrants (their spouses, siblings, etc) and children of migrants from the Philippine Cordillera.
SPECIFICATIONS
1. A story, essay, anecdote, joke with a maximum of 2,500 English words.
2. The story to be sent via email as Word document or Google docs.
3. A maximum of five photos to accompany the story to be sent as attachments.
4. Abiodata or brief profile of the author in 200 words to include: country where you are residing, part of the Philippine Cordillera you come from, and what you are presently doing. Please send as attachment a passport-size photo.
5. Please send your articles and photos to Yvonne Belen via email at yvonnekbelen@gmail.com on or before 30 June 2021.
Members of the book committee are much looking forward to hear from you!
Current Members of the Book Committee:
Kristine Gayep Kawi Gorans (France) | Yvonne Belen, Myra Colis, Christina T. Moncado (The Netherlands) | Lorena Clerc (Switzerland) | Evangeline Martinez, Grace Nabus, Averil Pooten-Watan (The United Kingdom)
