An Analysis of Ramon Muzones' Margosatubig
Juan Miguel T. Tan
R25
Unification sans Differentiation In an archipelago of 7,107 islands, is this even possible: unification in the light of division, diversity, and differentiation?
First of all, it’s important to contextualize. In more contemporaneous times, the Philippine islands, while very much archipelagic has not been spared from that of imperialism nonetheless. One of our perhaps major colonizers, the Spaniards, provided a framework for the indios that we once were. Most notable, perhaps, among the myriad of their influences was that of religion – they introduced the concept of Christianity to us, Filipinos who were predominantly religion-less until the time that we had been colonized. But if we again go back to more the contemporary context, we realize that while Christianity pretty much dominates the entire archipelago, almost an entire sector, an entire entity and part of the Philippine islands is dominated by the religion Islam. Once again, we go back to the concept of an archipelagic state in order to be able to understand this “religious division.”
Has our being divided by way of 7,107 islands benefited us or has it perhaps led to our being differentiated further? Clearly, in a way, it was able to help in sparing a part of our country, particularly Mindanao, from our oppressive colonizers. But at the very same time we question, was this all good? Because right now, it seems as if while a part of our country had been spared from the oppression of Western colonizers, we have significantly been divided by way of religion, more than that of the geographical line(s) that naturally separate(s) us. In more contemporaneous times, this “religious division” has brought about disparities and wars within our own country. But what is the root cause of all of this disparity and disagreement?
Through his novel Margosatubig, Ramon Muzones answers this question especially through his main character, Salagunting, who is representative of this
R25
Unification sans Differentiation In an archipelago of 7,107 islands, is this even possible: unification in the light of division, diversity, and differentiation?
First of all, it’s important to contextualize. In more contemporaneous times, the Philippine islands, while very much archipelagic has not been spared from that of imperialism nonetheless. One of our perhaps major colonizers, the Spaniards, provided a framework for the indios that we once were. Most notable, perhaps, among the myriad of their influences was that of religion – they introduced the concept of Christianity to us, Filipinos who were predominantly religion-less until the time that we had been colonized. But if we again go back to more the contemporary context, we realize that while Christianity pretty much dominates the entire archipelago, almost an entire sector, an entire entity and part of the Philippine islands is dominated by the religion Islam. Once again, we go back to the concept of an archipelagic state in order to be able to understand this “religious division.”
Has our being divided by way of 7,107 islands benefited us or has it perhaps led to our being differentiated further? Clearly, in a way, it was able to help in sparing a part of our country, particularly Mindanao, from our oppressive colonizers. But at the very same time we question, was this all good? Because right now, it seems as if while a part of our country had been spared from the oppression of Western colonizers, we have significantly been divided by way of religion, more than that of the geographical line(s) that naturally separate(s) us. In more contemporaneous times, this “religious division” has brought about disparities and wars within our own country. But what is the root cause of all of this disparity and disagreement?
Through his novel Margosatubig, Ramon Muzones answers this question especially through his main character, Salagunting, who is representative of this