In my recent visit to Manila last month, I pursued my research on materials, commentaries, and essays about my illustrious Uncle Nick or Tito Onching as he is know at home.The fourth in the family of nine siblings with my father Ping being the eldest, Nick has effortlessly made a name for himself - and for the country - with his works. What is amazing says fiction writer Krip Yuson is that Nick does not seem to care the way he relates with his friends. And speaking of friends they range from taxi drivers, waiters, budding writers whom he advises from time to time, and the literary world of the Philippines.
At this point, it is my privilege to report that more and more comments either on live interviews or email messages from writers of fiction in the Philippines and those from other countries are reaching me for their contributions for inclusion in the biography. Someone commented that this biography could be a significant one in the history of Philippine literature in English.
When Uncle Nick or "To-Onching" Philippine National Artist for Literature, Nick Joaquin died on April 29, 2004 Ed Joaquin, my first cousin began his role as official administrator of all by Nick Joaquin's works. One announcement Ed made was for me to be the official biographer of our uncle Nick.
So, I ask interested readers -and writers reading this blog entry - to share and send their contributions to my email address: tony.joaquin@gmail.com with a face photo and return postal address [and if possible telephone numbers of sender].
I also thank Dine Racoma for her unflinching support of this project through her own personal efforts and time and now with this guest blog entry.
2 comments:
Sir, I hope that you'd be able to also focus on his pro hispano-filipino standpoint in regard to Phillipine history. It's because that's what constituted most of his non-fictional thought, anyway. Even in many biographies that he wrote --in Mayor Alfredo Lim's book, for instance-- he never failed to mention our country's Hispanic past.
Of course you are aware that Spanish was your Tito Onching's first language, not Tagalog. Please emphasize that, too.
Just my two cents, sir.
From an avid Nick Joaquín fan, Pepe Alas
I chanced upon your blog while googling "Paraluman" and I have become an instant fan of your writing style. I devoured each sentence like a sumptuous buffet. I have always been fascinated by Filipino literature, having aspired to be a writer myself in my teenage years.
I distinctly remember reading "A Woman With Two Navels" back in highschool.
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