Prof. John Bengan of the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UP Min) - Department of Humanities kick-started his stint as this year’s Visiting Literary Artist by discussing his topic “Translation as Shapeshifting” in a forum with local writers and literature teachers in Iloilo.
Bengan, a decorated writer and translator, was able to share his experience and expertise in translating literature from local languages — particularly Visayan languages — to English and vice versa, in a forum held at the UPV Cinematheque, Iloilo City campus on April 16.
The UPV Division of Humanities (HumDiv), College of Arts and Sciences, invited Bengan for the Visiting Literary Artist Program (VLAP) 7, where he slated to have various speaking engagements at the Miagao and Iloilo City campuses from April 16 to 24.
During his presentation, Bengan likened translating literary works to “a kind of shapeshifting, that is, learning and adapting the abilities that your colleagues have developed to create their works.”
He said translating literature is not merely producing another copy of a writer’s work — it involves using languages to add layers and provoke responses from readers.
The audience at the forum was able to interact with Bengan by asking questions about translating while keeping the original context of the literature intact, translating with respect to political correctness, and translating academic papers, among others. He was also asked of how he manages to take time for the said vocation while working as a faculty member of UP Min.
Currently, Bengan is an Associate Professor at the Dept. of Humanities, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, UP Min, where he teaches writing and literary translation. He has received awards from the Philippine Free Press and the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for fiction.
His translations of the works of Januar Yap, Elizabeth Joy Serrano-Quijano, R. Joseph Dazo, and Jun Cruz Reyes have appeared in the Japan Foundation’s Asian Literature Project “YOMU,” Words Without Borders, LIT, ANMLY, World Literature Today, Shenandoah, and The Margins. He co-edited the anthology Ulirát: Best Contemporary Stories in Translation from the Philippines, published by Gaudy Boy. (With sources from HumDiv)
