Taking off from Russell Molina’s talk last August 29 for Filipino Week, here is one line that refuses to leave: “Martial Law is not an event. It is an idea. Ideas can be resurrected.”
It is a reminder that history is not a closed book. What we choose to forget can return; what we choose to silence can echo louder. To read, to question, to remember, these acts become our guardrails against the resurrection of ideas that once brought fear and darkness. This week, our library, the BA Library will highlight books on Martial Law as an act of remembrance and courage.
In doing so, we affirm the importance of human rights as the foundation of a just society. Above all, we honor our shared humanity by keeping memory alive through stories.
Sayaw ng mga Ilaw (Dance of the Lights)
by Cheeno Marlo Sayuno, illustrated by Aaron Asis
Set in 1981, this touching story follows 9-year-old Laya who dreams of learning the Pandanggo-Oasiwas dance with her Ate Kala. But when her father fails to return home, their house grows dim—illuminating a journey of hope, love, and collective resilience amid the shadows of Martial Law.
Target Level: Early to middle grade readers but older readers can benefit from the historical basis of the story especially when examined using the lens of arts and anthropology.
TOK and Philo Connections:
How can children’s stories reveal truths about events that are too complex or painful to explain directly?
In what ways can dance and light be forms of knowledge about history and resilience?
How do different perspectives—child, parent, community—shape what we know about Martial Law?
Check the BA Library OPAC. Our Book List on Martial Law is publicly accessible.
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