The Start / Ang Umpisa

I left the Philippines when I was ten years old. And even though my Tagalog is hilaw (unripe), as a friend once described - I love to use it.  Apart from the regular tinolas and the occasional adobos, it’s an important part of my Filipino self.  Speaking Tagalog gives me joy and the words transport me to a time when I belonged.

Having a daughter only made it all the more important to pass on. We sang her Bahay Kubo and weaned her on pinoy food.  She loves tinola and she will also love Tagalog.  In turn, she’ll love being Filipino too.

But it wasn’t easy to find Tagalog books that were more than a vocab list with pictures, and many of the books with stories had long narrations that for me, were tongue twisters. Often the books were made of paper that my 6-month old would simply destroy them - and for language learning, as with most things, the earlier the engagement, the better. I realised that the board book format would be key in being able to start early. The empowerment a child derives from turning a page really deepens their sense of discovery as well.

So I was compelled to write and produce my own book, with my daily joy (Ligaya) the inspiration. I would often call out to her to get her attention, or to warn her I’m coming asking, “Saan ka, Ligaya?”

I was lucky enough to work with the talented artist Allyana Leizel, a fellow pinay. She brought Ligaya the twinkle in her eye and the richness of detail and texture to carry such a simple and mundane story. But what better way to learn a language? Using everyday words and phrases in context is vital for usage and proficiency.

I hope that the readers of Saan ka, Ligaya? can immediately find the joy in Tagalog dialogue and set a foundation for a love of all things Pinoy.

Mabuhay!

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