Call for Submissions (Travels, Travails & Triumphs of Igorot Cordillerans in Europe: Volume II)

BACKGROUND 

As part of 12 million Filipinos and 250,000 Igorot Cordillerans in the diaspora, some Igorot Cordillerans in Europe embarked on a book project in February 2020. The objectives then were to educate, encourage, inform, inspire and entertain. 

Fast forward to July through November 2021 and there were 35 writers, who submitted their essays, poems, songs and anecdotes. Since the book was self-published, the marketing strategy was through pre-orders. There were 250 books published and all were sold out. And since there were some who wanted to have a copy of the book, a second printing was planned.

In the spirit of ipeyas tako nan gawis (share your blessings), many of the authors have donated a book(s) to their alma mater and city or town library. They have also given the book to friends or shared it with them. This is a welcome gesture, so more people in the Philippine Cordillera and other places like Ilocos Sur and Quezon City, will be able to read the book. 

The book, which was published by Igorot Cordillera BIMAAK-Europe (ICBE) and MABIKAs Foundation-The Netherlands in November 2022, has generated interest in writing among other Igorot Cordillerans in Europe. It is for this reason that some Book Committee members thought of publishing Volume II. This volume will essentially have a similar content with the first. 

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES

So, are you an Igorot Cordilleran who migrated to Europe and have an interesting story to tell about how your Igorotness has helped you in navigating your way as a migrant in Europe? Or are you a first-generation Igorot Cordilleran who would like to narrate your journey from the Philippines to Europe taking into account your dream and the realities you faced along the way and how you have empowered yourself? Or perhaps you are 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, please join us and together let us continue to educate, encourage, inform, inspire and entertain others by sharing all these experiences and stories in Volume II of Travels, Travels, Travails & Triumphs of Igorot Cordillerans in Europe.

WHO IS “US’? 

Us are six women and a man from different countries and organizations in Europe, who volunteered on the ICBE platform to be members of the Book Committee. (For more information on ICBE, you may visit: www.icbe.eu).

We are: 

-  Marilyn Velasco Magoo from Austria;

-  Ricardo Cuyob from Belgium;

-  Yvonne Kay-an Belen, Myra Colis, Christina T. Moncado from The Netherlands;

-  Lorena Clerc from Switzerland and 

-  Averil Pooten-Watan from the United Kingdom.

Us are Igorot Cordillerans, a collective term to refer to us all belonging to different ethnolinguistic groups of the Cordillera Administrative Region in the Philippines. 

MORE about VOLUME II and WHAT to WRITE

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 their 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 recognize 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-visual 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., essays, poems, songs, anecdotes) with the following target readers and guidelines in mind.

TARGET READERS

Public. More specifically, migrants (their spouses, siblings, etc) and children of migrants from the Philippine Cordillera.

GUIDELINES 

1. An essay, poem, song, anecdote with a maximum of 2,500 words.

2. The written piece will be sent via email as Word document or Google docs.

3. A biodata (Bio) or brief profile of the author in 100  words to include: country where you are residing, part of the Philippine Cordillera you come from, and what you are presently doing. 

4. A passport photo to be sent as an attachment. In the book, it will be placed beside the biodata.

5. Send the article(s), Bio and passport photo to Yvonne Kay-an Belen (yvonnekbelen(@)gmail.com)on or before 30 June 2023. 

SPECIFICATIONS 

1. The book will be A5 and will be text only. 

2. The only photo will be the passport photo to accompany the author’s Bio. 

3. The text in the inside pages will be black and white; the book covers will be colored.

PUBLICATION

The date of publication will be announced in 2024.  

MARKETING

Since the book will be self-published, there will be a request for pre-orders especially from the writers. All those who have no written contributions can also pre-order.  

INQUIRIES 

For more information, please contact the Book Committee members. 

The Book Committee

8 January 2023