Interview Guide

1. What is your complete name?

-Ludivina Ravidas-Opeňa

2. When did you start writing?

-Mrs. Opeňa started writing at an early age. According to her, her mother was a voracious reader. She was surrounded with books when she was a kid. She really likes to express her feelings.

3. Who inspired you to write?

-Basically no one had influenced Mrs. Opeňa to write. It runs through her blood and instinct that she will be a writer. She recalled that when she was young, she wanted to become an author or teacher. But, however, she recognizes the help of Fr. Franciscon Radaza Dimetrio, the top folklorist throughout the Philippines. Her experiences when she travelled in many countries made her inspire to write more. Best of all, she wanted to write in order to represent the minority. It really hurts her when someone degrades the indigenous people and culture of our province.

4. Do you have any particular favorite poet? Can you say that his/her influence on you can be seen in your earlier works?

-Mrs. Opeňa is not a fan of a single author though she favoured some of their works like: Long Fellow, Matthew Arnold, William Coolen Brian, Henry Wadsworth. She is not a fan of idolizing writers because it may prevent us to build-up our own style and originality.

5. Is there any particular theme that you like writing about? What is that topic? Why do you like that?

- She is not following any specific topic in writing. She depends on the pulse or trend of time. She describes herself as a poet that moves and watches time. An author only progress if he or she meets the demand of time.

6. What is your first published work? Where was it published?

-The first work she published was “The Bukidnon Folk Literature.” This was published in the year 1979 at Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro City.

7. Can you please give us any advice on how to become a good writer like you?

-At the last part of our interview she said that to be a good writer, one must have the feeling, the understanding the issues of the times. Observing the pulse of the society where we live in is a must have to write interesting literary pieces. She also stressed that if we teach literature, we should learn to inject good literature. According to her, there are two types of literature, the good and the trash. Trash literatures are often associated with too much sex, violence and the likes.

Other interesting information:

Her most valued published work- Olaging-The Ethno-history of the Bukidnon Tribe-Malaybalay Then and Now.

Pen name-“Quijano De Kitanglad” which means that she’s a watcher of the province.

Favorite literary pieces- The Master’s Violin, For Dreams Must Die and Beyond Forgetting.

Mrs. Ludivina R. Opeňa co-founded the Kaamulan Festival.

Mrs. Ludivina wisdom of nuggets

This was gathered during our interview last December 27, 2011 in her residence at Brgy. 1, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. While she answered our questions, she also uttered many words and advices to ponder and to live by.

Here are the collections of her nuggets of wisdom:

-Tradition exists. It is a very powerful social force that can propel us to progress or pull us down to destruction depending on how we use it.

- Literature records the inner most feelings of people.

- When a person is interested and appreciates literature, he or she can understand the humanity.

-Literature’s purpose is to stabilize the mentality of mind. It touches the inner moral fiber of human and makes us understand the trends in time and the right and the wrong priorities in life.

Pictures

“Levilyn considers Mrs. Opeňa to be one of the most important person she met in her entire life.”

“Ronel is typing for the answers of Mrs. Opeňa.”

“Wow! I am reading the personal literary works of this woman! So fascinating!”

Pictures

”Were the poorest in Southeast Asia but the world texting capital in the world.”

“It’s had to find credible and authentic reference. it’s hard to find them…many are pretenders.”

“Literature records the inner most feelings of people.”

An Interview with Local Filipino PoetsRonel A. Naringahon, Levilyn G. Agustino

Understanding Poetry, Mrs. Shara Rose Virgini B. Olaya-DionaldoJanuary 9, 2012