Una Noche con Gabriela en Chile

by Oman Paul G. Antiojo, De La Salle University – Dasmarinas

Numerous posts it is in the social networking site Facebook that gave me

the idea on how am I about to dig dipper into the subject of this work. Posts

showing how hard it is to compose a masterpiece that deals with this person’s

identity and her country inspired me a lot and ignited the fire of curiosity within

me to have a night with her – yes, only the two of us. No other people around, in

a scenic, romantic and amazing place completed the memorable night of mine

with her.

Indeed, it would be hard for you to know her without me even letting you

know who this girl I am talking about is. Allow me to introduce you to her identity

by first, going to her country’s rich history and culture of which I believe, the best

way to know a person better is by seeing her environment, living with it, and

understanding its essence into her life. The girl I am talking to hailed from the

South American country of Chile. Her country is surrounded on three sides by

virtually impassable barriers; Chile's rich central valley remained largely unknown

to the outside world until the middle of the fifteenth century, when the Incas

began their great conquests of much of the continent. By destiny it is as I may

foresee, her country came into the timeline of fame of world history when the

same person who also set forth my beloved country in the same timeline of world

history by the name Ferdinand Magellan. Though just like the Philippines, Chile

has a long recorded of earlier settlers which they named as Incans, a branch of
the Indian tribes, it is the arrival of Magellan at Chiloé Island following his voyage,

in 1520, through the strait that now bears his name , that gave Chile the lasting

mark as of today in world history. And as I’ve mentioned earlier, truly, a great

resemblance exists in the history of Chile and the Philippines proven by the

Spanish occupations(333 years for my country while 400 years to her country),

the life after the free life of the people of both countries after the Spanish era, the

life within numerous wars which shaped not only each country’s history but as

well as the rest of the nations, the rule of dictators(Marcos in my world and

O’Higgins for hers), the driving force which ended the dictator’s rule which

respectively led into the liberalization of both countries, and the evolution of

cultural and literary dimension of our countries influenced by the timeless era of

the Spanish regime. Truly, similarities are within between the two of us. Thus,

letting me think that we are really meant to meet each other and fell in each

other’s arms.

This same feeling I have right now was last felt by me about a year ago

when I met this person named Jose Rizal who, just like this girl, had done so

much to the world of literature as well as the development of their respective

culture. Cultures which actually both rooted from Spanish influence and later on

grew and developed into a more complex and unique identity which defined its

own from others. A culture in awe is what my girl’s culture is all about. The rich

and lasting elements which allows her country to be known all over the world is

what tells us of Chilean literature. The stories passed on not only in written
appreciations but as well as the visual ones tells us the whereabouts and who’s

of her country. Who’s of which includes her as a great symbol of her country’s

culture and revolutionary phase to achieve what we currently see and knew

about Chile.

Born Lucila Godoy y Alcayaga or Gabriela Mistral in most of her

pseudonyms, this Chilean educator, cultural minister, diplomat, and poet was the

first Latin American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, awarded in 1945

"for her lyric poetry which, inspired by powerful emotions, has made her name a

symbol of the idealistic aspirations of the entire Latin American world." Yes, my

dear Gabriela is one of those powerful women of all times for she does not only

had her name established in the field of literature but as well as in the aspects of

culture enrichment and governance. Indeed, Gabriela Mistral is far off to be

remembered and acknowledged as the first Latin American woman to receive a

Nobel Prize. It is her dedication and deep sympathy in her works which allowed

us to know the real image of her country and her society that must be treasured.

As a proof for her greatness in her field of interest, her acceptance speech in the

Nobel Prize goes "At this moment, by an undeserved stroke of fortune, I am the

direct voice of the poets of my race and the indirect voice for the noble Spanish

and Portuguese tongues. Both rejoice to have been invited to this festival of

Nordic life with its tradition of centuries of folklore and poetry." As she said, she is

really the voice not only of the poets of her race but the entire Chilean race that
truly helped everyone to know, appreciate and value the rich culture that her

country has, influenced by the Spanish and Portuguese aborigines.

As most of the people see and believe, literature reflects more plainly of

the character of an individual, in a way that everybody and not only the initiated,

as in painting or music, can understand. Literary works are the great tools to

know intrinsically the identity of an individual as well as her society. In the case of

Gabriela, it is the central themes in her poems which are love, mother's love,

sterility, nature, sorrow and recovery which tells us of the real picturesque of her

life in Chile. Her childhood days spent with her mother who solely devoted her life

for Gabriela and her sister upon the abandonment of their father to their family

has been one of the greatest influences in Gabriela’s magnificent works. A proof

that the more a person gets hurt, the more he / she becomes the strongest

person and inevitably, the hardest matter that had ever been built, is her

astounding works which were created upon the death of her husband and the

pains and sufferings that had been experienced by her family.

However, all my praises and description won’t be enough to illustrate the

real image of my girl, Gabriela and her country, Chile. As they say, to see is to

believe. No other ways could greatly satisfy all the wonderings that you had as I

introduced you to Gabriela and her country except for you experiencing those

things. And by experiencing I mean not by your actual visit to Chile and to

Gabriela’s house which is of today, a museum, but rather, going through the
lines, the words, the emotions, and the stories behind Gabriela’s creations.

Surely, this will bring you far from what you expect to see in a visit in Chile.

Through Gabriela’s works, you will not only have the chance to see Chile’s

present image but as well as its past, together with the realm of what has been

hidden into the storyline of their development.

This is more than a date out with Gabriela Mistral in a scenic, romantic

and amazing place. It is an experience of mine being one with her in

contemplating her experiences in life and putting it into inscriptions that could

never be anymore deleted as it has all been shared and known by so many

individuals. Yet, a night with her really brought far off from what I expected. My

curiosity is not the only one that has been satisfied but as well as my deep

appreciation for the literary work of arts and high respect for all women more than

I ever had in my entire life. Gabriela, you will always be the sweetest scar that

could ever be drawn in my heart and in my life.