Thank you Sining Baybayin advocates

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First thing first, I would like to thank Sining Baybayin in facebook/messenger for spending a portion of your advocate's time in spreading one of our ancient syllabic writing system and for having me as one of your tutees.

Further readings on the subject of ancient Phillippine writing, one can be led to four scripts in the UNESCO as regards Philippine Paleographic Hanunuo, Tagbanwa, Buhid, and Ibalnan. Now four digital keyboards are available, the Ibalnan Baybayin, Hanunuo, Buhid and Tagbanwa.

But while reading on the subject which did not even make it into the footnotes in our Philippine history during elementary and high school, I felt robbed. Wikipedia entry on Suyat made my eyes well. The Philippine ancient scripts abound and they are Kurdita, kulitan, baybayin, hanunuo, buhid, basahan, tagbanwa, badlit, kirim and Jawi. And I went, what? Why are we not introduced to these early on in our history classes? Why does our history have to start in 1521? I believe that the reason why we are not united as a people now starts with this ignorance of what we were before 1521. 

I bought this book by Bonifacio Comandante, Jr. On Baybayin through Jose Jaime Enage, founding chairman of Baybayin Buhayin. I am currently happily reading the book. It is a compilation of related readings on the topic. For me, while reading, the feeling inside me is that happiness worth sharing because it is like a jigsaw puzzle piece on Philippine history before 1521 happened. (While in my elementary years, I read the college books of my parents and the name Otley Bayer sounds a ring for me. I wished I still had that book. Oh, 80s through 90s those years when books and info sharing are still sporadic.)

After a few hours and some fun tasks, I completed my online baybayin tutorial given by Sining Baybayin. I am not interested in using this in making some tatoo or signs aroundcmy garden but it sure will come handy while reading scripts from museum pieces in person or in catalogues.

My friends downloaded the Baybayin keyboard now available as part of gboard in the playstore and IOS Baybayin app. 

This blog entry is my invitation for you to explore our ancient writing, even just the tip of the iceberg. Let us know ourselves before 1521. 

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