41 XVPWG

Tianjin Daxue Xuebao (Ziran Kexue yu Gongcheng Jishu Ban)/
Journal of Tianjin University Science and Technology

ISSN (Online): 0493-2137
E-Publication: Online Open Access
Vol: 55 Issue: 06:2022
DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/XVPWG
THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF AFRICAN AND FILIPINO CONTEMPORARY

POEMS
LOUIE B. VILLANUEVA, Ph.D.,

Assistant Professor, Mariano Marcos State University
BERT A. GAMIAO, Ph.D.,

Associate Professor, Mariano Marcos State University
Abstract
Being one of a country’s foundation, history and culture are irrefutable windows of truth through which the
injustices and unfairness of human tendencies are narrated, and the cold multifaceted realities of life are
uncovered. Given these indicators and variables, which are passed down from one generation to the other
through literature, ignited the onset of a community's nationalistic spirit and the rights and responsibilities
that come with it in the poems of Dry your tears, Africa! and From Saudi with Love. On the surface, these
two poems that both drive home the point in themes of patriotism, love of family, and immigration- people
leaving their home or their own country in hopes of a better life and of alleviating poverty. Through the use
of Marxism as a springboard and literary approach in this article, it is easier to read, analyze and appreciate
these poems as something relatable and sentimental, all with their realistic characters and touching
imagery. Still, it is also an interrogation of the distinctions of these themes embedded in the poems.
Keywords: Injustice, Marxism, Overseas Filipino Workers, Poverty, Thematic Analysis
INTRODUCTION
One of the mirrors of society is literature as it serves as an exhibit where people could
imply and revitalize individuals' experiences and feelings, which are left unspoken.
Keerthika (2018) believes that literature plays a critical role right from history, for it reflects
human activity in a target society. Thus, literature helps to expose societal realities,
wherein most of the works deal with the social issues in detail, which allows people to
realize the truth and think about it in a different view than those people who don't have
any interest in literature.
Literature records the real-life events from society, converts these mundane activities into
fiction, and presents them to society as a mirror where people may look at their images
and make amendments. Literature according to Villanueva (2016) is an avenue for
students and people to learn worthwhile life’s lessons necessary for their existence.
In connection with this, these literary pieces' human behaviors and drastic changes in
societies typically serve as themes. Essentially, the human race has its nature of
achieving and aiming for stance and possibilities of surviving, surviving in a sense that
people tend to indulge themselves to grasp for wealth, to uplift and raise the status quo,
the comfortability and assurance of experiencing a well-defined life. In these days’
generation, many people choose to move overseas for various reasons such as lack of
job opportunities, hunger, poverty, and hope for a better quality of life, family, and peer
pressure.
Historically speaking, Africa holds another story about people who have decided to fly out
of their home countries. Ocheni (2012) asserts that Africans were forced to work in the
colonial plantations and industries in European countries during the peak of the
colonization. They worked under the sun's heat with heavy hearts, having the thought of
being killed if they opposed the Europeans. Africans were treated as robot-likes
recognizing the commands of the Europeans in the industrial types of machinery,
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croplands and to mine the land for gold, copper, diamonds, asbestos, tin, iron, and zinc,
or to farm it for wool, sisal, palm-oil and kernels, cotton, cocoa, rubber and groundnuts
without proper breaks and ample wages that were greatly overlook and neglected.
Colonization and slavery shaped Africa as a nation which manipulated its people to leave
their homeland.
When it comes to colonization, the Philippines also has a varied story to tell since the
country has faced three dominant forces for more than 300 years, specifically Spain, the
United States of America, and Japan. Filipinos have experienced the worst in history,
wherein people from the past started from scratch having the urgency of fighting for their
freedom against the colonizers because of slavery and discrimination, poverty, and
degradation.
Given the situation from the past, Filipinos started to look for opportunities, which led the
government to provide avenues to address the problem, one of which is through migration
or working abroad. Whaley (2013) claims that the Philippine government recognized the
chance by helping workers go abroad as a stopgap measure to address high
unemployment in the 1970s. The role of the Philippines in the supply of foreign labor is
briefly considered. Per Philippine Statistics Authority, OFWs working in Asia accounted
for 83.6 percent of the country's total OFWs. About 26.6 percent of the total 1.77 million
OFWs worked in Saudi Arabia. The scarcity of income and job opportunity sources lead
to poverty, which results in migration, specifically seeking jobs abroad that provide higher
income and benefits for individuals grasping for greater opportunities and a more defined
lifestyle.
Essentially, these social and historical realities of the countries are evidently reflected
through literature. Literature reflects society, both its good and bad aspects. It serves as
a model for people to emulate the virtues or positive qualities in reality. People find stories
in the literature that are intended to depict human life and action through the words and
deeds of some characters who deliver specific messages for education, information, or
enjoyment. It is impossible to find a work of literature that excludes society's attitudes,
morale, and values.
Duhan (2019) reiterates that literature writers transport real-life events as observed into
fiction and present it as a mirror with which people can look at themselves and make
amends when necessary. Provided the stance that literature reflects social reality, this
study, specifically in the form of comparative analysis, aims to provide in-depth scrutiny
to expose the social issues and realities present in the two poems, Dry your tears, Africa!
and From Saudi with Love. Accounts of individuals who have experienced the challenges
of being an OFW were gathered to provide a solid foundation for the study's premise of
analyzing the various underpinnings presented in the two poems.
The Literary Pieces
The poem Dry your tears, Africa! by Bernard Dadié was published in 1967. It symbolizes
the sons and daughters of Africa returning home. It focused on healing the cultural
wounds caused by slavery and colonialism.
The author of the poem, Bernard Dadié, was an Ivorian poet, dramatist, novelist, and
administrator whose works were inspired by traditional themes from Africa’s past and a
need to assert the modern African’s desire for equality, dignity, and freedom. The poet
employs apostrophes and personification in the poem to get his point across. The speaker
speaks to Africa as if it were alive and can hear one of her children who has returned
home. Slavery and colonization have caused Africa to “weep.” As a result, the poet gives
Africa a persona, a mother whose children have been stolen from her. The poem's
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speaker encourages Africans to overcome their feelings of rage toward their enslavers.
Only by overcoming these feelings will the African people be truly free.
“From Saudi with Love” on the other hand is a poem by Ariel Borlongan, a multi-awarded
Filipino poet and a journalist, which talks about an OFW who reconnects and amplifies
how much the speaker misses home. “Distance has always been a constant” – a typical
remark by an OFW- symbolizes longing in a sense that it specifies the feelings of an
OFW, struggling for adjustments such as being away from their loved ones and the
warmth and culture of his nation and comfort.
The poem begins with the narrator saying the line, “Kumusta na minamahal kong kabiyak,
Okey ba ang grades ng ating mga anak?… (How are you my better-half who I really
love….) reminiscing heartwarming memories and sending regards to his family being left
behind. It appears to be a sentimental letter of “pangungumusta” of an OFW from Saudi
afflicted by the recollection of home, family, and his wife. Thus, the poem reiterates the
tone shifts, emanating a sense of dread. Despite the subtle choice of words, the lines
paint the dramatic conflict of a father who misses his family wherein the head of the family
provides the needs and satisfaction of his loved ones, regardless of the distance.
Homesickness, adjustments in culture, and the struggle of having a difficult employer are
just some of the difficulties that the narrator pinpoints. The line “Pero iba talaga ang
Pilipinas” (“But Philippines is really different”), symbolizes a sense of patriotism, providing
both the pleasure and pressure that the other countries are giving - nothing beats the
comfort one’s own country is giving.
At the end of the poem, it reiterates the father’s love and reconnection, wherein serves
as a final goodbye where no flights could take the persona back home. In connection with
this, Filipino immigrants endure the ordeals that a valiant overseas worker signed up and
dealt with, such as work troubles while at the mercy of their employer and foreign laws.
The main point here is that the normalcy of the issues in today’s society which is the
struggles and sacrifices of every overseas worker is sometimes above everything. The
disheartening length of years Filipinos have to go to raise their family out of poverty can
lead to an outrage of the rise in status quo yet difficulties in enduring the experiences.
Nothing is much more invaluable than a person’s life and safety.
1. Theoretical background
In exploring intertextual connections of the two literary pieces and at the same time
considering the different perspectives, Marxism is utilized in this study as a literary
approach. This literary approach acknowledges the implications of capitalistic classes on
human behavior and the existence of injustice and inequality that saturate the realities of
men's experiences in a specific circumstance. Moreover, Abrams (1999) asserts that
literature is not a work crafted by timeless artistic criteria but as a result of the economic
and sociopolitical variables present in a certain era; thus, these two literary pieces, Dry
Your Tears Africa! and From Saudi with Love are penned down and perceived, on these
grounds, to reveal the spirit of their times and create a picture of class struggle.
2. Research Methods
Bhandari (2022) as cited by Villanueva (2022) stated that qualitative study collects and
interprets information to synthesize in order to bring about the most reflective meanings
which can be unveiled in a text or data. Moreover, Kumar (2011) and Villanueva and
Gamiao (2022) stated that descriptive-qualitative design describes and decodes data in
order to arrive at an intended meaning and result. Thus, this qualitative-descriptive study
utilized thematic synthesis methodology (Thomas and Harden, 2008); Terry et. al.,
(2017); Clarke and Braun (2017); and Aziz, J. and Hashim F. (2022) in singling out the
most predominant themes in the poems and as its avenue in orchestrating the arguments
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made by the researchers. Further, thematic analysis is used in defining and shaping
different variables present in the poems. This method seeks to evaluate qualitative
information that has become widely employed in the fields of psychology, medical and
social sciences (Terry et al, 2017). Further, Thematic analysis according to Clarke and
Braun (2017) and Staller (2015) is a method used to determine and synthesize various
semantics and themes embedded in a text specifically a literary piece.
The two contemporary poems “Dry Your Tears, Africa” by Bernard Dadie and “From Saudi
with Love” by Ariel Borlongan were compared and contrasted in terms of their most
dominant themes which were thoroughly discussed, analyzed and arguably
supplemented by the narrations of six (6) Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW’s) from Asia
and the Middle East. These OFW’s served as the researchers’ respondents. Four of them
are still abroad while the other two are already in the Philippines. Further, Marxism as a
literary approach was used as a springboard in order to decipher the different thematic
variables embedded in the literary pieces being compared. As cited in The Nature of
Writing (2020), a Marxist interpretation reads the text as an expression of contemporary
class struggle in literary theory.
3. Results and Discussion
The most dominant themes of the two poems are compared and contrasted below with
supplementations from the interview that was conducted among chosen Overseas
Filipino Workers (OFWs).
The Need to Leave the Country
Life necessitates action; thus, wishful thinking is ineffective in life; and this is the bitter
reality. Hence, when confronted with the stark realities of everyday life, one creates
ambitions for a better, more fulfilling life. These human conditions coexist in various
literary works in different ways. Such realities were then revealed in the distinct poems,
which were written from the perspective of Africa's and the Philippines' historical and
cultural narratives, subjecting its characters to what it's like to leave their home country in
pursuit of a greener pasture and alleviate poverty.
Dadié's Dry Your Tears, Africa! denotes Africa as an archetype of a loving mother who
has witnessed her children's dilemma caused by the nation's tragic history of slavery and
colonialism. In the past, slavery has been used as a powerful tool for human resource
exploitation (Anyanwu & Ani, 2020). Further, Bertocchi (2016) pointed out that the slave
trades out of Africa represent one of the most significant forced migration experiences in
history. The study of Ocheni and Nwankwo (2012) about the impact of Colonialism in
Africa also revealed that colonialism brought about disarticulation of the African economy,
education, trade, market, transport, and other industries.
Essentially, the said study asserts that colonialism imposed a monocultural economy on
African colonies, making them dependent. It also dehumanized African laborers, forced
them to work on colonial plantations for pitiful wages, and evicted them. Colonialism,
therefore, in all intents and purposes, was a disservice to Africa (Ocheni and Nwankwo,
2012). Although these woes are not spelled out in the poem, it conveys a wide range of
issues such as racial prejudices and the pervasive exploitation that resulted from the
slave trade and colonization, which have left a deep scar on the people of Africa
compelling them to flee their home country. Seemingly, these wounds and trauma appear
as the sole reason for the children of Africa's departure. The following lines can be used
as a premise to elaborate on the recurring theme:
(Lines,12)“.. We have drunk
(Line, 13) “From all the springs of ill-fortune and of glory”
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In these lines, the persona in the poem who sought greener pastures realizes that their
journey has two sides: ill fortune and glory. He/she came and then concluded that his/her
travels were "fruitless journeys" (Line, 3).
On the other hand, while colonization and slavery are one of the primary reasons Africans
leave their motherland, Borlongan's poem From Saudi with Love captures the reality of
OFWs and the driving forces that opt them to flee the country. This depicts a portrait of
realism set against the backdrop of the Philippines, reflecting the plight of individuals who
experience poverty, low salary wages, and the lack of job opportunities, which is also
subjected to the persona in the said poem.
The desire for a greener pasture is one of the prime reasons why many Filipinos leave
their families in the Philippines to work abroad. Poverty in the country is a major driving
force for this aspiration. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the number
of Filipinos living in poverty increased in 2021, with 3.9 million more Filipinos living below
the poverty line. This issue may be best resolved if the country provides more job
opportunities and reasonable compensation to the working class, but this scenario is
unlikely. These conditions, which have persisted for decades, have pushed Filipinos to
find work abroad and become OFWs who seek better job opportunities abroad to earn
more money for their families and for the hope of somehow combatting poverty.
No mother wants to be apart from her child and husband—but in the case of Mrs.
Respondent 1, 29 years old, a borne Pangasinense, she spent the next three years
working in Saudi and Taiwan, taking care of another mother's child, to earn income and
support her family.
In an interview, she revealed that the reason she decided to work overseas was to fulfill
her and her husband's dream: to overcome poverty and, in her words, "at mabigyan sana
ng magandang buhay ang mga bata" (and to provide a better life for the children). This
was her intention, but it appears that her expectations are far from reality, as she stated,
"expect ko sana matupad 'yun (their dreams), pero hindi nangyari, iba yung nangyari." ("I
expected that it (their dreams) will be fulfilled, but it did not happen something else
happened.").
Mrs. Respondent 2, from Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte; a mother, a spouse, and an OFW in
Hong Kong for 18 years and six months, shares similar aspirations as Respondent 1, who
also left the country to find a greener pasture for her loved ones. To her, going abroad
and becoming an OFW has something to do with her loved ones— her family. She said,
"I have decided to become an OFW because I want to help my husband earn a living for
our family, especially for the schooling of my children." When asked what were her initial
expectations upon continuing her career there, her answer was full of passion. "For my
benefits," she said. "Although I leave my family, my heart is full of courage that all my
plans and goals in life for the betterment of my children will be achieved through hard
work. That my 3 children will finish their studies and have their own stable job. So, I can
say that my work being an OFW is not wasted but WORTH IT through the patience of
being far from my family." These modern-day heroes, anticipating an abundance of riches
in other lands, travel long distances, often under hardships, carrying tons of
responsibilities to sustain the wishes and hopes of those they have left behind in their
motherland. Even as they go with the flow of their existence, they are riddled with
homesickness, longing to return, yearning to be one with their roots. Nonetheless, they
chose to leave, choosing to endure, exerting much effort, and seeking opportunities in
hopes of a greener pasture than to see their loved ones' futures wither away. Indeed, they
are heroes for their devotion, sacrifices, sheer determination, and grit in creating a better
life for their loved ones, placing themselves in the arena of adversity to overcome the
pragmatic realities of life.
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The representation of all injustices and realities in both poems—through the

characterization of the speakers who were born with differences in homeland, principles,
and era, as well as their authors, were able to bond a window of seeing life's twists and
turns, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Appreciation of Home’s Richness
Each country in the world has a richness to offer. Astonishing is evidence of how each
country is unique, as each country possesses some things or aspects that define its nation
and its homeland. Richness is a characteristic of being plentiful or abundant; however,
this comes in many ways and could be viewed differently. Richness does not only fit one
meaning but many stands. One country could show abundance with its destinations; one
could show it with its culture, one with how its people work, one with its food, and many
more. This richness has become the trademark of these countries, and they are being
duly appreciated, and among them are the two poems that creatively depict its
appreciation.
Dry your Tears Africa shows the richness of Africa when it comes to its resources. Despite
the poem focusing on healing the cultural wounds caused by slavery and colonialism, it
is also dominant in the way it showcases the natural beauty and mineral riches of this
continent, which is evident in the stanza two, particularly in lines 4-8:
Through the crest of the waves and the bubbling of the breeze, Over the gold of the
East and the Purple of the setting Sun, the peaks of the proud mountains and the
grasslands drenched with light
Aside from this natural or mineral richness, the beauty of Africa is also emphasized in the
stanza four, particularly in lines 15-20:
To the splendour of your beauty
To the smell of your forests
To the charm of your waters
To the clearness of your skies
To the cares of your sun
And to the charm of your foliage pearled by the dew
As seen between the lines, Africa's richness of nature is valued and showcased through
the poem. These stanzas describe the natural beauties that Africa can offer and serve as
the pride of the country's people. From forests, water, sky, and even the sun, these
perceptions can be drawn that Africa is indeed breath-taking and owns such beauty.
Indeed, each country has something to brag about. In the Philippines, the poem, From
Saudi with Love, focuses more on cultural richness, using an Overseas Filipino Worker
(OFW) as the speaker. It presents the vibrant culture and the traditions of the Filipino
people, which is observed, for example, in lines 4-5:
“Si Anna, tiyak na siya ang Reyna Elena
At hinangaan noong Flores de Mayo.”
Flores De Mayo is among the festivals carved in Philippine history, and it has become
one of the national symbols in the country. In honor of the Virgin Mary, this is held by
Catholic Christians annually in May. Reyna Elena is the last member of this procession.
She characterizes Saint Helena herself. The poem also talks about the hardship the
speaker experiences as an OFW in Saudi that makes him long more for his homeland,
which can be seen in lines 21-24:Alam mo naman ang hirap ng buhay dito….
Nakasosora na ang manok na elado,
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Oo, may ubas, kahel, at mansanas.

Pero iba talaga ang Pilipinas.
As answered by Mrs. Respondent 3 from Batac City, Ilocos Norte, when she is asked if
she still appreciates the Philippines even after being exposed to the culture of others and
if she still wants to come back to her country, "just like what the old cliché says, 'there's
no place like home,' no matter how big the money you can earn from a foreign land, you
will still long for the way you have been raised and caressed by your native land."
Respondent 3 had served as a domestic helper in the State of Kuwait for two years and
a month at 26. As a former OFW, she proclaims that the State of Kuwait is different from
the Philippines in a lot of aspects, the surrounding is all sand and trees could be counted
through the finger, the conservative culture is suffocating, and the weather makes her
want to get sick every time it changes. On the flip side, streets in Kuwait are clean, there
are no tight traffic jams, and the people have financial support from their government
every month. And if comparing her homeland, the Philippines, to any other country, she
believes that the Filipino people, above all, make the country stand out. Filipino people
are lovely, always show respect, and their hospitality is incomparable.
Being an Overseas Filipino Worker is very much familiar in the Philippines. One of the
responses Filipinos could think of to socio-economic problems is to become an OFW. As
the latter stated, "there was this time in our lives when we were largely indebted to a lot
of people, and we couldn't think of other ways to pay for these, and so, I went abroad and
left my little child then just to earn a larger amount of money just to pay for these debts."
This situation is not surprising anymore for Filipinos seeking a job, especially for those
who could not get a Bachelor's Degree. It is also observed in the interviewees' responses
that different countries have different cultures. They have a rich culture. Initially, I had
expected the work to be brutal. Still, I struck gold on finding such amicable employers,
who treat us their helpers with kindness and compassion," Mrs. Respondent 4 answered.
Like respondent 3, respondent 4 from Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte is also a domestic helper
abroad. She serves in the United Arab Emirates and has served as an OFW for 17 years.
Working far from her loved ones is a sacrificial moment, but she tries to hold on because
she wants to provide a better future for her family.
Indeed, literature is a great approach in representing the richness of a country, may it be
natural or cultural. Like these poems, literature in a particular country mirrors the
situations the nation experiences, the culture of the people, the features of the country,
and many more. Each country is truly beautiful on its own and has the peculiar edge over
another.
Spiteful Experiences
Prejudice, stereotype, racism, and discrimination are nothing new to Africans and
Filipinos, particularly those from other parts of the world. They were treated unfairly and
differently simply because they were different. Many people wish to live abroad, but as
they say, "there's no place like home." When you move to another country, you will always
be a foreigner because, no matter what you do, you will never completely "fit in."
Therefore, living in your own country feels different, and sometimes even better, because
there is inclusiveness and a sense of belonging.
Slavery existed in Africa prior to the infamous Arabic and European slave trade, which
forever changed the slavery paradigm. The trade of captive human beings from opposing
tribes was widespread in early African society. Furthermore, ThoughtCo.com claims that
during the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Europeans lacked the power to invade African states
or kidnap enslaved Africans. As a result, between 15 and 20 million enslaved people were
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transported from Africa across the Atlantic Ocean and purchased from enslaved people
traders throughout Europe and the European colonies.
“Out of the storm and squalls of fruitless journeys”
“We have drunk”
“From all the springs of ill fortune and of glory”
These three lines from the poem "Dry your tears, Africa" describes Africans surviving
adversity, giving them a sense of appreciation for their strength, character, and legacy as
mighty survivors, which contradicts all flawed notions of the race. "Dry your tears, Africa!
We have drunk from all the springs of ill fortune and glory," for example, but the African
has survived those "springs of ill fortune and glory" to "return" home from "the storm and
squalls of fruitless journeys."
Likewise, Filipinos were also once considered enslaved people by the colonizers. Today,
Filipinos are still enslaved people by the mind. This colonial mindset motivates Filipinos
to work as OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers), as pursuing a career in another country
has an inherent appeal. They travel the world intending to bring prosperity to their family,
no matter where they are. This may or may not be successful, but it is still preferable to
working in the Philippines.
“Patawad. Huling liham ko na ito.
Sa Biyernes, pupugutan ako ng ulo.”
The bluntness of this line as opposed to the gravity of the crime committed— adultery.
This is because Saudi Arabia is known for harsh penalties for illegal possession and use
of drugs and alcohol, homosexuality, rape, murder, and terrorism offenses. These crimes
frequently result in the death penalty. This also refers to known cases of OFWs sentenced
to death, such as Flor Contemplacion's execution in Singapore for murdering a Filipina
maid and her employer's son, and Mary Jane Veloso's execution for drug smuggling.
They confessed to the crimes in both cases, but only under duress.
Filipinos are known for being diligent and hardworking workers. However, they are
generally stereotyped to perform specific roles in different countries- most of which are
considered low-skilled or low-waged work or employment. Many people fantasize about
relocating to another country and earning enough money to support their families.
However, only a few expect to be exploited and forced to work in slave-like conditions.
Sadly, there are reports of labor violations affecting OFWs almost every day. Unpaid
wages, retained passports, excessive fees, food deprivation, long working hours, forced
confinement, discrimination, and physical and sexual abuse are all part of the harsh reality
that Filipino migrant workers face.
Paddock (2006) emphasized that more than 750,000 Philippine maids work in Kuwait,
Saudi Arabia, and other Middle Eastern countries, where they often face legalized
discrimination, beatings, and sexual abuse. The women frequently live in isolation,
forbidden even to telephone their families. If they file a legal claim against their employer,
they can be deported or imprisoned on trumped-up charges. "They are treated like
modern slaves," said Maita Santiago, secretary-general of Migrante International, a rights
group for Philippine workers.
In an interview, an OFW in the United Arab Emirates, Mr. Respondent 1, stated that he
was sometimes discriminated against. "I have on some instances, but that is life. No
matter what your nationality, skin color of your skin, or the language you speak, there will
always be some people who won't see you the way others can. "Whereas Mrs.
respondent 5, a former domestic helper from Kuwait, said that while she was abroad, she
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"experienced working overtime and extra work without pay.", a domestic helper in Hong
Kong also shared the same unfortunate experience, saying, "(I suffered) abuse in the
time of work, because I've tried having overtimes with no pay at all."
These modern-day heroes, the Overseas Filipino Workers, were all heroes because they
were determined to make the most difficult decision a person could make: abandoning
their family and homeland in search of greener pastures. Their sacrifices are not for
themselves alone but the family's benefit. They return home to their country and family
with the help they aimed at first and have conquered fears, doubts, and obstacles
overseas. Leaving home is never as easy as returning home. The most memorable
moment in anyone's life is being treated well while surrounded by people who genuinely
care about them. As we leave home, we encounter and interact with strangers, serve to
earn, persevere, and last to fulfill dreams and goals made in making this crucial decision.
When they return home, all of the pain they carried with them when they left will be
exchanged for happiness and hope.
Theme of Nostalgia: Sentimentally Recalling the Past
“I miss you”. “I miss home”.
Above are the common phrases usually being spoken and expressed by people working
miles away from their families and their homeland. These phrases manifest the feeling of
nostalgia that they felt towards the people and home they left.
Nostalgia is a common sentiment amongst citizens who sacrificed themselves to leave
their homeland and work abroad to provide for their families' needs and keep them in
good welfare. Day after day, they wrestle with nostalgia, recalling the routines they used
to do with their family, the food they used to eat and enjoy together, and the places in
their homeland they used to visit.
Leaving a place where life was spent the most is a significant change and a challenging
decision, especially when it means settling to a new location and setting a new life in it.
The poems, Dry your tears, Africa! by and From Saudi with Love both exemplify how
migrants grapple the challenge of nostalgia as they have sacrificed themselves to stay
somewhere in the world away from their loved ones—away from their home.
In the poem, Dry your tears Africa!, the Africans express their desire to be back in their
native land, to be home in Africa which is mainly driven by nostalgia. The eagerness to
return to their homeland is evident as the poem has repeatedly stated “Your children
come back to you”, which can be seen in lines 2 and 22. Nostalgia is also apparent in the
poem, especially in the second stanza, as it recalls how beautiful the homeland is,
particularly its natural resources. Hence, that proves that the Africans are thrilled to be
back home as they are excited to witness again how the beauty of their homeland unveils
as stated in the 2nd Stanza:
Through the crest of the waves and the
bubbling of the breeze,
Over the gold of the East
and the Purple of the setting Sun,
the peaks of the proud mountains
and the grasslands drenched with light
They return to you
out of the storm and squalls of fruitless journeys
On the other hand, the poem From Saudi with Love by Barlongan also exemplifies
nostalgia amongst Filipino citizens. They went abroad to work for their families they left
in the Philippines. The underlying feelings depicted throughout the poem are feelings of
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longing and nostalgia. Every line of the poem shows how an OFW longs for a life of
being in the Philippines. The nostalgic recalling has been particularly delineated from
the poem's first ten lines:
Kumusta na minamahal kong kabiyak,
Okey ba ang grades ng ating mga anak?
Ang aking Junior, nagba-basketball pa ba?
Si Anna, tiyak na siya ang Reyna Elena
At hinangaan noong Flores de Mayo,
Kumusta na si Kumpareng Serapio?
Kumagat siya sa kumalat na tsismis
Na kumaliwa ang kanyang misis
Kaya nagkunwari siyang tinotoyo
Sa araw-gabing pagsubo ng pako.
These lines of the poem show the extreme longingness of an Overseas Filipino Worker
towards everything about the Philippines – the family, culture, and pattern of living. Since
they went abroad to work and find a living, they missed a lot of gatherings, fiesta, and all
the celebrations with their families.
Also the poem started with the lines; Kumusta na minamahal kong kabiyak, Okey ba ang
grades ng ating mga anak? Ang aking Junior, nagba-basketball pa ba? Si Anna, tiyak na
siya ang Reyna Elena. These lines show that the OFW yearns to be kept informed about
what is happening to his family in the Philippines. This shows how he wanted to know
how his family’s life was going on without him, and this also shows how he wanted at
least to be updated on how his children grow, although he lives far away from them.
In the latter part of the poem, particularly in the 29th line, Sa homesick, natukso ako sa
beauty, the speaker courageously admitted that he suffered from homesickness. Due to
his longing, he diverted his attention to the things that could help him alleviate the
homesickness he was suffering from. It is true that if someone is separated from his home
and family, homesickness is too hard to be avoided. The memories with the loved ones
and the thought of missing a lot of celebrations, special occasions, and gatherings with
them indeed bring distress.
This is also being proven by another Overseas Filipino Worker. She is from Pangasinan
and spent 3 years of working abroad, 2 years in Saudi and 1 year in Taiwan. In an
interview, she was asked what are the things that she missed the most while she is away
from the Philippines and she answered “Syempre unang-una, yakap ng mga anak ko kasi
iba ‘yong nakikita ko sana sila lumalaki,pangalawa mga pagkain pinoy tapos sunod mga
pasyalan.” (Of course, the embrace of my children because it really feels different when I
could personally witness them grow, second will be the delicacies and last will be the
beautiful places that Philippines has to offer). Her answer shows how she longs to witness
her children grow, eat the foods she used to enjoy and visit the beautiful places of the
Philippines. This somehow brought distress to the person because no matter how much
she wanted to be near with her families and to live in their homeland, she is unable to do
it because she sacrificed herself to be separated from her family in pursuit of a greener
pasture.
Indeed, overseas workers are sacrificial lambs. Aside from being exhausted from hustling
abroad, they also suffer the distress brought by nostalgic recalling of everything they left
in their homeland. Nevertheless, this only shows that no matter how much people seek
greener pastures in the different regions of the world, they will always seek the place
where we used to live, everything about it, and everything that it offers. No matter how far
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our feet will bring us, we will always go back to our homeland as there is nothing feels
better than being in the comfort of our own home.
Assurance of Coming Back Home or Staying Abroad
Individuals who have experienced going abroad have a distinct perspective of staying or
leaving the country they once worked in. Some are caged to the kind of life they were
welcomed with, while some are pinned with the idea of going home. Going abroad is a
sacrificial decision to make, considering the burden that comes with the idea that there's
no assurance if you'll still afford to return or not.
In the poem Dry your Tears, Africa!, it's explicitly stated that the Africans are about to
come back to the country while the speaker of the poem From Saudi with Love bids her
unexpected goodbye. In the African poem, the persona is assuring that Africa's people
are coming back to their special place where no struggle and discrimination is ruining
their journey in the line: "Your Children come back to you." Africans long for the warm
embrace of their country, which is comforting to their souls, and were able to accept their
diversity.
While in the poem From Saudi with Love, the author put into words how she misses her
home country, the Philippines, but there's no way to go back already because she will be
gone by that time, stating, "Sa Biyernes, pupugutan ako ng ulo". Essentially, it can be
inferred that the author had illegally acted in Saudi's legal system.
The poem's ending reflects much of the reality of the poor treatment of Filipinos in other
countries. According to the responses of the six interviewees, all of the four present OFWs
have a plan to go back to the Philippines to finally spend their time with their family and
enjoy the fine culture of the country.
“I fully intend on going back, because I want to be with my family and spend my time with
them for all the years to come”, says respondent 1, a 54 years old domestic helper in UAE
for 17 years. (Yes, I am planning to go back the Philippines soon. The reason is that I am
getting old now so I need to go home and spend my remaining time to take care and
serve my family”, stated by Ms. Respondent 2, a 58 years old domestic helper in
Hongkong for 18 years.)
Yes. I want to be with my children and to take and have a vacation”, says by respondent
3, a 48 years old domestic helper in Saudi Arabia for 4 years.
Uuwi ako sa bansang pinagmulan ko,iba parin ung sariling kultura at tradisyon at iba kung
buo mong kasama yong pamilya mo naiwan mo sa pinas”, (I will go back to the country
where I came from, indeed, our culture and tradition are still different, and of course, being
united with your family who you left in the Philippines is still different.) said by respondent
4, a 29 years old domestic helper from Taiwan for a year now.
While two of the interviewees are already back to live in their beloved countries. One of
the interviewees who have been working in UAE for seventeen years stated, “I fully intend
on going back to be with my family and spend time with them for all the years to come”.
In her statement, it is evident that she longs for what the Philippines truly offers and goes
back to where she came from. Also, another interviewee, a former Domestic Helper in
Kuwait added, “My family magnets me, so I finally come home. I have paid my debts and
fulfilled my goals, so I decided to come back home”. The OFW, who worked from Kuwait,
finally found her peace after going back to the Philippines, in the comfort of an achieved
goal and her loving family.
As seen in both poems and argument of the respondents, the longing to come back from
the country they originated is very evident; it is just that the poem “From Saudi with Love”
is already bidding her goodbye, knowing that she would never again go back home
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because of the destiny that awaits her. The longing of the personas to feel the embrace
of the home is truly found in both poems, which is highlighted in the life of our OFWs,
where their experiences are validated by their passion for finding a greener pasture for
their family. The patriotism to stay in their country is fiery, but opportunity is lacking, which
pushes them to leave and face the ache of homesickness.
4. CONCLUSION
Two of the most prominent themes in the poems are injustice and remorse of immigrants,
which scrutinize how specific character troupes are pushed over the edge of identity loss
and how their role in the family places them on a pedestal of challenges. For instance,
injustices are called into question in the poem Dry your tears, Africa when it tackles
Africa's history of slavery and colonialism. Africa's spiteful experiences were very evident
as it talks about the regrets of Africans leaving the country; because of their skin color,
they were discriminated against and only had gotten illness on their fruitless journey. On
the other hand, From Saudi with Love tells how brutal it is to make a mistake in Saudi as
it may cause death for an OFW, an execution from beheading.
These are not rare occurrences in literature. For instance, the representation of Africa in
media and various literary pieces has always been centered on its pre- colonial period:
the racial prejudices ensuing from the slave trade and colonization to the country being
an impoverished nation. Something we don't talk about as much but is just as imperative
is the contribution of African cultures to the general progress of humanity and its natural
beauty. The ignorance and stigma associated with Africa may fade with a more accurate
and in-depth outlook in essential fields like literature. This is what Dadié's poem has
achieved when exploring the beauty of the nation of Africa.
Dry your tears, Africa not only touches on Africa's history by imposing slavery and
colonialism, which pushed Africans to emigrate, but it has also profoundly amplified
Africa's richness of natural resources, a rare case. Dadié's use of imagery perfectly
highlights the alluring scenery of Africa, which tells about its rich natural resources and
how much beauty it exudes from the waters, sky, and forests. An analysis of the poem
revealed recurring themes of nostalgia by the poem's characters, who expressed their
appreciation of the beauty of Africa itself, specifically the beautiful scenery that it
possesses, which amplified Africans' regret at leaving the country.
The desire to give and the willingness to make sacrifices for others can still be found
among specific individuals, such as OFWs, who, finding themselves unable to bear the
life of poverty and inequalities into which they were born, left the country in search of a
greener pasture. From Saudi With Love touches more on this realism, telling poverty in
the Philippines with unlimited supplies of labor but has the problem of creating avenues
of employment, thus resulting in the lack of job opportunities as the cause for immigration
among Filipinos in hopes for a better opportunity and better salary cost to somehow
alleviate poverty.
Like Dadié's poem, it also depicts nostalgia, but in this case amplifies missing one's family
and reconnecting with them from miles away just to get an update on how they are doing
and still to get in touch with home because the home will always be home, and where the
family is, is home however similar they may be. In contrast, to Dry your tears Africa's
profound appreciation of its natural beauty, From Saudi with Love tells more of the beauty
from the inside, the heart of the Philippines, which can be seen in their tradition and
culture. It mainly emphasizes the beauty of Filipinos and shows how religious they are.
Indeed, literature dramatically reconnects with societal issues, thus uplifting the notion of
people to set it as an avenue to incline literature with the current issues that people are
facing. In connection, the two literary pieces open the mind of every individual to revitalize
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the lived experiences of OFWs and the stance of the person who opts to return from their
nation
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Tianjin Daxue Xuebao (Ziran Kexue yu Gongcheng Jishu Ban)/

Journal of Tianjin University Science and Technology

THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF AFRICAN AND FILIPINO CONTEMPORARY

LOUIE B. VILLANUEVA, Ph.D.,

BERT A. GAMIAO, Ph.D.,

Keywords: Injustice, Marxism, Overseas Filipino Workers, Poverty, Thematic Analysis

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The representation of all injustices and realities in both poems—through the

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Oo, may ubas, kahel, at mansanas.

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