Journey Home
"Someday when we recall
All the places we did roam,
We will remember that all
We wanted was to find
Our way back home.
And all it took was
For us
To unfetter our soul of guilt.
Release our buts and because,
To open the doors to this home
That we built"
The poignant simplicity of the preceding excerpt resonates deeply with the spirit of Buwan ng Wika across the Philippines. This year, as we celebrate this month-long appreciation for our wika, the poem reminds us that the journey to "home" is often intertwined with our language, the very foundation upon which we build our identity and connection.
The "places we did roam" can be interpreted not just as physical locations, but also as the various influences and shifts in our lives that might sometimes distance us from our core. For many Filipinos, especially those in the diaspora or younger generations navigating a globalized world, the richness of our mother tongues might feel like a distant land we once knew. The longing expressed in the poem, "all we wanted was to find / Our way back home," echoes the yearning to reconnect with our cultural roots, a journey often paved by the familiar sounds and nuances of our Filipino languages.
The second stanza offers a powerful insight: "the home / That we built" isn't necessarily a physical structure but something we cultivate within ourselves by releasing burdens and embracing our true selves. Our language plays a crucial role in this internal architecture. It is through our mother tongues that we first learn to articulate our emotions, understand our world, and connect with our families and communities. As our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal reminded us, "Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika, masahol pa sa hayop o malansang isda.” By comparing those who do not love their own language to something as unpleasant as stinky animals and fish, Rizal underscored the deep significance of valuing our linguistic identity.
Across the Philippines, various languages serve as vibrant threads in our local identities. The proverbs, the songs, the everyday expressions – they carry the history and spirit of our ancestors. To actively engage with these languages is to open a door to a "home that we built" upon generations of shared experience and cultural understanding. It’s about embracing a part of ourselves that is deeply rooted in our heritage.
This Buwan ng Wika, let the sentiment of "Journey Home" inspire us to seek that connection back to our linguistic roots. Whether it's learning a few basic phrases in our heritage language, engaging in conversations with elders, or supporting initiatives that promote local languages, every effort contributes to strengthening the "home that we built" – our collective Filipino identity.
Let us release any hesitation or perceived difficulty in embracing our languages. Let us open the doors to the rich tapestry of Filipino expression. For in our languages, we find not just words, but a profound sense of belonging, a connection to our past, and a powerful foundation for building our future – a true journey home.
Missing your home now? Start your journey home by purchasing Jasmines In Her Hair at Bookshelf PH!
By Reychelle Reigne R. Belmonte