By: Joe Sprite

The Jagna Culture and the Arts Council or JCAC is trying to beat a deadline so it could put out a commemorative book in time for the 375th anniversary celebration of the founding of the municipality, which is on September 29 of this year. All the manuscripts, pictures and illustrations will have to be submitted to the printer who has to have a lead-time of two months so the book will be published on time. Although most important chapters on the book had already been edited and laid out the remaining ones has yet to be finalized.

We had joined the group of writers late so we were not familiar with the editorial policy of the JCAC, However, since this is to be a commemorative book, the intents could be inferred as follows. The book tends to trace the origins, growth and development and future of the people of Jagna. It also tries to trace the development or the formation and evolution of the culture and traditions of the people.

For all intents and purposes, the commemorative book is a historical book but not history. It has to present the themes and events in a chronological order. If dates have to be mentioned, they must be thoroughly verified. The book may become a reference for students and professionals. The writers must stick to facts, personal interpretation of events avoided. If myths and legends are to be included in the book, it must be written under one chapter and must be labeled as such.

The book is not a literary work where writers may indulge in poetic expressions sacrificing comprehension of the theme. When an amateur writer starts to be lyrical, the Visayan balak is literally translated into English resulting to a loss in context. Almost all amateur writers fall victim to malapropism making their so-called masterpiece flowery, pointless and ignorant. The presentation must be in a simple, straightforward prose so readers would understand what the writer is trying to convey.

If history is to be intended JCAC writers should try to read Cornelius Tacitus. His Annales or Annals of Imperial Rome is a classic. His language is terse and though he indulges in colorful expressions, he does not lose sight of his topic. Another Latin author worthy of reading is Julius Cesar. His Commentaries on Gallic wars or Bella Gallica though simple and direct to the point, is a literary masterpiece. Cesar was not a writer but a military genius.

Perhaps the best style for writing commemorative books is that of James Michener. His Hawaii tells about the evolution of the island State from a group of islands of volcanic origin to a thriving part of the American nation. His style in describing the events on how Hawaii was settled by Polynesians, whalers and missionaries from New England , farmers from Japan , coolies from China and sacadas from the Philippines is simple yet elegant.

The joint efforts of the writers is laudable, the facts well researched and verified. The authors spared no effort to put out a book worth reading. It is informative since they have gleaned facts from various sources, verified and catalogued them in an orderly manner. Old pictures had been unearthed, borrowed and some reproduced. The book strives to shed light on the misconceptions of the past and stories clouded by mysticism may now be viewed in a clear light. This is an ambitious undertaking and several pitfalls have to be avoided in order to produce a presentable book.

The commemorative book will not be only read by the locals but by an international readership. Jagna is promoting the Globalik a local version of the TBTK, which stands for Tigum Bol anon Tibook Kalibutan or Tanang Bol anon Tihik Kaayo if you like. Jagna expats though tihik by nature will come and buy this book. This will serve as a tourist ad and will be read by other peoples. We would not like our international readers to think that benighted inhabitants live in Jagna and it was they who commissioned a bunch of hicks who murdered the King's English in order to write a commemorative book that only they could understand And tolerate.