Conyo Culture Bearer

So you listen to Kalayo, or Pinikpikan, Bagong Lumad, Gary Granada, and other cool music you like

And respect Lupang Hinirang so tumigil ka sa paglalakad when you heard it playing, or maybe, like Joey Ayala did, you sang gusto mong magmahal

imbes na mamatay

Popular is no longer an option for you, you define your own alternative; you have your own stream. If the recipe says toyo, you experiment with bagoong. You make plain and simple two words that means magical.

You read first before watching movie adaptation, you listen first before talking and making a point. You are amazed by difference, not by common standards, so natuwa ka when you saw someone at your age carving a piece of wood, playing a different kind of instrument, listening to oldies and unique new music, talking about what is the meaning of life, writing a poem to someone he loves.

You consider your life as a book, you are turning every other page day by day, or pwede rin naman, in most magical moments; seconds by seconds. You keep secrets, for yourself and for the other people, and most of the time, maniwala ka sa akin, you seems very mysterious to other people at iyon ang dahilan why they like to dig deeper on your personality. May sasabihin ako sa’yo, gusto ka nilang makilala.

You don’t tell to other people na magaling ka and they want to be you. Instead you let them notice it, and most naturally, they want to learn what you did. Gumagawa ka ng sariling daan. Umuukit ka ng sariling kasaysayan.

You own an industry, actually; industries. When someone talks about painting, ikaw ang unang naiisip, or in film-making, or drinking coffee, or wearing a very nice shirt, o pwede din naman, ikaw ang naiisip kapag naiisip nila ang mag-isip.

You’re standing up for your own rights, and the rights of others. Meron kang isang salita, and if a circumstance happens, you know how to apologize. You don’t blame others for your mistakes; instead you claim it and use it for your own personal growth. Alam mo ang ikaw, at alam mo ang hindi ikaw.

You don’t copy, you recycle. The result is something new, something you sinasabi man nilang wirdo ang mga gawa mo. You are not dictated by bandwagon and populist politicians. You condemn killings, sexist chuvinism. Hindi mo sinasabing dapat na lang tumahimik, you participate, you post or share, nagbubulatlat ka ng sa tingin mo ay tama, you care for the society which you belongs.

Culture is for you the way of life, not an old concept written in an old textbook. Culture makes you shine in every places you go, culture makes you a light to others.

Culture bearer ka nga. And believe in me, kahit conyo ka pang magsalita, hindi ka nila madidiktahan.