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Vol. IV,  No. 30                         August 29 - September 4, 2004               Quezon City, Philippines


 





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Ninotchka’s Way

Perhaps more than any of Ninotchka Rosca’s writings, Jose Maria Sison: At Home in the World reaffirms her politics and explains why she is passionate about a lot of things. It puts in context the things that we knew -- or thought we knew -- about Rosca: her politics, her oftentimes angry, forceful yet elegant voice, and her tendency to unsettle those comfortable in their own little niches, be it in politics, literature and journalism.  

By Carlos H. Conde
Bulatlat

Ninotchka Rosca, the internationally-acclaimed Filipino writer, journalist and hell-raiser, was in town recently to launch and promote her new book, Jose Maria Sison: At Home in the World, a 260-page Q&A with the Filipino revolutionary now in forced exile in The Netherlands. The book is colossal not just in terms of its subject (Sison and the revolutionary fire he started that is still burning all across the country) but also because it involved the collaboration of two literary and political behemoths.

“I will never again collaborate on a writing project with anybody. Ever!” Rosca declared as she attacked a steamed fish during dinner almost two weeks ago at a Greenbelt restaurant. It’s not because Rosca hated collaborating with Sison. It was more like a declaration of her admiration and respect for the man, as if to say, “I have never done anything like this before and I did it for you and I don’t think I can ever find another collaborator-subject as interesting and as worthy as you are.”

Ninotchka Rosca talks about the book and its subject,
Jose Maria Sison, at the launch Aug. 24

Perhaps more than any of Rosca’s writings (including Twice Blessed, which won the American Book Award), Jose Maria Sison: At Home in the World reaffirms her politics and explains why she is passionate about a lot of things. It puts in context the things that we knew -- or thought we knew -- about Rosca: her politics, her oftentimes angry, forceful yet elegant voice, and her tendency to unsettle those comfortable in their own little niches, be it in politics, literature and journalism.

In a recent conversation with the author (a good portion of which was not audible, thanks to the miniature waterfall inside the Banana Leaf Curry House in Greenbelt), Rosca talked about the book, its subject and why it’s important for writers, journalists and activists not to get intimidated by the powers that be. Excerpts:

Aside from the fact that the book is going to be about Jose Maria Sison, what other force propelled you to him, to write a book about him?

Let’s put this on the record: I did not ask him! He asked me! It was his choice, not mine. He emailed to tell me that there’s this publishing house and so on and so forth. It took me two days to think about it because you know, the name is so… You’re going to walk into trouble and controversy again! It took me two days and then I thought about it and after a while, I said, “The women will be so proud. This will make the women so proud!” So I emailed him back and I said okay. (“The women” are Rosca’s comrades at Gabriela USA.)

Did Joma set any parameters?

No. He knew me better than that.

Rosca signs autographs, not at all intimidated by the long line
of admirers. It would take her more than an hour to get
the whole thing through

Did you know him for a long time?

Oh yes!

How would you describe him, your relationship?

Our relationship is based on certain principles that we held in common. But he also knew how headstrong I was. We quarreled, yes. In a way, I was like him: When I think I’m right, I will fight for it. Well, when I was growing up, the Philippines was not ready for a very headstrong woman. Haha! So we fought and we quarreled. But I think there was a great deal of trust and there was a great deal of respect for each other.

Let’s talk about the Q&A structure of the book. He had one book before with basically the same structure. And although he dealt with an earlier stage of the revolution, obviously, why did you retain the structure? Was it your idea?

It was his idea. The introduction is mine. One of the really big difficulties was how to maintain my voice. So I let him have this structure that he wanted because he felt that everything that he would say can be used as a guide by the people…

Like a primer?

Yes. So for me to maintain my voice, I did the introduction.

For a writer like you who is used to the narrative form, how difficult was it?

It was quite very difficult! There was a certain point when I did not know anymore where his words begun and where mine ended.

You kind of meshed?

Oh yeah, absolutely!

At which point in the book that the structure became a liability?

Whenever we talked about his person, aside from the movement. And it’s not only because of the structure of the book -- it's also the fact that it’s so difficult for him to think of himself apart from the movement. He has a very strong ego, you know, which is what is necessary if you are the kind of person who would think of overthrowing the government. So I was not surprised that he had difficulty thinking of himself outside of the movement.

Aside from occasionally putting up with the likes of Joma Sison, what keeps you busy?

We have so many issues to deal with in the U.S.

Is another book coming along? When?

Hopefully next year. It’s a novel called Broken Symmetry. Set in the U.S. A detective story.

Anything remotely political in the book?

Of course!

Or is everything political with Ninotchka Rosca?

Everything is political, philosophical and elegant.

I don’t know how plugged in you are in Philippine literary and journalism circle. I don’t  know how you would evaluate the level of commitment of present day writers and journalists -- their fire such things as for freedom of expression.

I think journalists and writers these days are trying very hard under very difficult circumstances, what with the consolidation of ownership of media here and the actual intrusion of owners, of families, in the running of various publications. That is always a problem.

There’s not the same kind of commitment that people used to have. There is a lessening of the level of analysis, of political analysis, and there is a tendency to just -- much like the media in the US – to support the ones in power.

I cannot think of an opposition media right now in the Philippines.

Well, there are those who rail against Arroyo, but they’re not offering the kind of…

Meaningful opposition that we need. These are not opposition newspapers. These are partisan newspapers. The real opposition newspapers are not there.

There’s this huge void of analysis, of good reportage, that the public needs now.

Yes. Yes. I think it was easier to deal with the press under martial law because it was only censorship. But now, it’s like what one person said -- a slow rot of the soul. They keep at you and keep at you and keep at you until you concede.

That is so true. And the more tragic part here is that several of the editors that had had brushes with the martial law regime and who should know better about, for example, freedom of expression… Where are they?

The ones who knew and appreciated freedom of expression most dearly were the ones who went to the mountains. In the middle of writing this book, Tony Zumel passed away. Other people may say different things on other people but Tony Zumel was beloved by everyone! He was a legend. Even before he was politicized, he was a legend.

Even people who did not agree with his politics?

Yes, absolutely!

How do you get away with being a writer, a journalist and an activist? In these times, can you be a journalist without being an activist in some way or another?

It’s difficult, I think. I remember somebody asking me what’s the Sison Way. And I answered with this story: When the European Union put Sison on the terrorist list, he filed a case against the entire EU. He is also demanding damages, having been maligned by the EU. To me that’s just the thing, that is the Sison Way: Never to be intimidated. If you want to be a great journalist, you should never be intimidated. Bulatlat 

Photos by Aubrey Makilan

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