Tinikling
Want to learn,
Tap, tap, slide.
Tap, tap, slide.
How I move?
Don’t get caught,
Tap, tap, slide.
Tap, tap, slide.
In the snare.
Trapped inside,
In, in, out.
In, in, out.
No-man’s-land.
Cultures clash,
In, in, out.
In, in, out.
Worlds collide.
Don’t forget,
Right, left, right.
Left, right, left.
Where I’m from.
Let us jump,
Right, left, right.
Left, right, left.
All at once.
Reflection
This first season, of Tinikling Between Two Wor(l)ds, will consist of 30 episodes that are divided into six sections, or main topics. The five poems within each segment will have some kind of common thread that will be discussed by a guest speaker (who will also share a poem inspired by one of the four prompts from that section.)
With that said, I wanted to end my last solo episode of this segment with a poem that inspired the title for the podcast. Very rarely does a poem just hit me all at once. I remember scribbling this on the back of a loose paper during a college class. My hand moved nonstop as I held the pen. There were no pauses nor time for thinking.
I don’t even remember how the structure or words came to me, but perhaps my subconscious tapped into several surrounding factors. At the time, I was taking a recreational/games class geared for elementary teachers who would have to lead PE activities, and we were tasked to research cultural games. I was also volunteering in a first grade classroom where there was a word wall. The beat of “We Will Rock You” was in my mind. Perhaps all of these influences came into the poem.
The written form of the poem is not an exact representation of how it was recited. Visually speaking, the poem emulates the dance. I wanted the steps to show the movement while the remaining lines were the guiding/bamboo sticks. Although the words are simple, the child is introducing the steps and explaining the objective. In the middle, the metaphor shows the complexity of the dance/identity until acceptance and understanding is gained by the end.
Prompt
For this week, I want you to focus on an important cultural aspect you want others to learn or better understand. It can center around a particular food, custom, celebration, dance, etc. Is the item or ritual symbolic of something else? Are there any misconceptions? How will you carry this tradition to future generations?