Candy Gourlay
FILIPINO AUTHOR IN LONDON
FIRST CONTACT
is the first meeting of two cultures previously unaware of one another.
PICTURED LEFT: U.S. SOLDIERS MEETING MEMBERS OF A MOUNTAIN TRIBE IN THE PHILIPPINES IN 1899
What was at the bottom of the pit was definitely not a boar.
It was a boy, skinny as the parched trees on the higher slopes. He was dressed in the most peculiar outfit I had ever seen. Dirty white cloth was sewn to the shape of his stick arms and stick legs.
He had a strange haircut, short, cropped closely to his head, around his ears and at his nape.
He planted his knuckles into his waist like someone inspecting chickens in their cages and his face stretched into a big smile.
‘Good evening,’ he said, now speaking in perfect Bontok. ‘Can you help me? I am looking for my brother, Samkad.’
Chapter 14, Bone Talk
PICTURE: FILIPINO BOY AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY
WHAT DOES SAMKAD'S FIRST ENCOUNTER
WITH SOMEONE FROM
THE WORLD OUTSIDE BONTOK TELL US
ABOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE
OF THE WORLD
OUTSIDE BONTOK?
DOES THE NEW BOY
SEEM AS UNFAMILIAR
TO YOU AS HE IS TO SAMKAD? WHAT DOES
THAT TELL YOU ABOUT HOW THE BOY'S WORLD MIGHT COMPARE TO
YOUR OWN?
"SKINNY AS TREES",
"STICK ARMS AND
STICK LEGS"
"LIKE SOMEONE
INSPECTING CHICKENS"
WHAT DOES THE CHOICE OF WORDS TELL US ABOUT SAMKAD'S WORLD?
IF YOU WERE THE BOY
IN THE PIT SEEING SAMKAD FOR THE FIRST TIME, HOW WOULD YOU REACT? HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED ENCOUNTERING ANOTHER CULTURE BEFORE?
Many stories involve characters from
wildly different backgrounds meeting for
the first time. Why do you think that is?
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF STORIES THAT FEATURE A 'FIRST CONTACT' NARRATIVE THAT YOU CAN READ, EXPLORE AND DISCUSS. ENJOY!
