Columnist's note: This is a modified version of my essay "Mainstreaming Violence Against Women and Children in Marjorie Evasco's 'Caravan of the Waterbearers'" in Rhizomes and Rhythms, an e-Festschrift for Marjorie Evasco. Edited by Gerardo Largoza and Dinah Roma in September 2024.
MARJORIE "Marj" Evasco is not only an internationally acclaimed poet but also a respected professor and university fellow at De La Salle University (DLSU). Despite not working in the same department, we quickly became friends: we're both migrants from the South and native Cebuano speakers. Marj's brilliance as a poet is matched by the sincerity she showed to students, colleagues and even the social scientists from the Behavioral Sciences Department (BSD), to where I belong. When I asked a colleague what traits of Marj she remembered most, she immediately responded: "Gentle and kind."
More than her poetry, Marj's skills as an editor are outstanding, especially in her contributions to the work of the DLSU's Social Development Research Center (SDRC). I am particularly grateful for her thoughtful editing of our research books, including one that delves into Indigenous culture and healing practices: "Community Participation in the Delivery of Basic Health Services: The Case of the Hanunuo Mangyans of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines." Her edits were not simply technical; she showed genuine interest in our subject matter, a testimony to her intellectual curiosity and commitment to culturally relevant work.
Marj's contributions extended beyond editing. I recall her advice to send a professional photographer to Nueva Vizcaya, which resulted in captivating images of the province's participatory governance initiatives. These photos enriched our book "Celebrating Participatory Governance in Nueva Vizcaya," which I co-authored for the SDRC's 25th anniversary. This book, which highlighted local governance and community involvement, was a finalist at the 24th National Book Awards.
What I find most exhilarating is Marj's ability to write not only in English but also in Cebuano, a language that resonates deeply with me, as it is my mother tongue. Her Cebuano, however, is far more nuanced and sophisticated than mine, reflecting the richness of her heritage in the Visayas. Her poems often explore themes of nature, environment, poverty, community and family, capturing both beauty and social realities in every line.
Beyond her literary achievements, Marj is a champion for women writers. She has been an active advocate in creating organizations that support female writers, and her poetry often integrates women's issues. One of her earlier works, "Caravan of the Waterbearers," written more than three decades ago, continues to move readers globally with its powerful portrayal of violence against women and children (VAWC). Interpreting this poem through my lens as a social scientist and advocate for gender and reproductive health, I see its relevance with the lived experiences of women who suffer in silence to protect their children from harm.
In the first stanza of "Caravan of the Waterbearers," Marj poignantly captures the silent suffering of women under patriarchal violence. But as the poem progresses, there is a shift — gathering and mobilizing women transforms them into agents of change, bringing deliverance not only to themselves but to their communities. This message, though embedded in a poetic form, echoes the feminist movement's call for collective action.
Marj wrote this poem at a time when VAWC was still a largely private issue in the Philippines. It was considered taboo to discuss domestic violence openly, and there were no specific laws protecting women and children from abuse. Yet, through her art, Marj was already pushing boundaries, integrating this crucial social issue into her poetry before it became a mainstream concern.
While Marj was integrating these themes into her work, we in the BSD and SDRC were also starting to advocate for domestic violence prevention. In the early 1990s, we formed the Task Force on Social Science and Reproductive Health, a small group composed of medical doctors, women NGO leaders, a lawyer and social scientists with support from the Ford Foundation, aimed at addressing reproductive health and gender issues, including domestic violence. Our work paralleled the global conversations happening at the time —particularly the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo and the 1995 Beijing World Conference on Women — events that catalyzed a wave of policy changes around gender, reproductive health, and human rights.
The efforts of our task force reflected a growing awareness of domestic violence as a public health issue. Through partnerships with various sectors, we were able to influence both policy and practice. The passage of Republic Act 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act, in 2004 marked a significant step forward. This law has since provided a crucial framework for protecting women and children from abuse, a realization of the deliverance hinted at in Marj's poem.
Even after she retired from teaching, Marj continues to inspire through her poetry. Her work speaks not only to Filipinos but also to the world, transcending geographical and linguistic boundaries. A poet like Marjorie Evasco, with her enduring legacy of advocating for women and giving voice to the voiceless, will never truly retire. She will continue to flourish, her words echoing through time, reminding us of the power of art and activism intertwined.