Poetry book revives Asia’s only Spanish creole
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Ten authors from the Philippines contributed 23 poems to a new anthology, “Sombra y Luz,” which promotes Chabacano, a Spanish-based creole language spoken in Zamboanga City.
The language arose during the more than three centuries Spain colonised the Philippines, but unlike standard Spanish, it developed among the general population rather than the elite. Jerome Herrera initiated the book project this year, seeking submissions to highlight the language’s continued use in literary forms.
The poems explore themes of love, family, and Zamboangueño identity, and Herrera hopes the book will encourage broader acceptance of different Chabacano writing styles. The anthology acknowledges the debate surrounding the use of Spanish words in Chabacano poetry, with many contributors leaning towards more formal, Spanish-infused language. Herrera also noted the difficulty of finding Chabacano writers, and intends the book to inspire further literary projects.
The book’s cover references Zamboanga City’s past as the “City of Flowers,” evoking nostalgia for the region’s history and culture. The title itself uses both spellings of the language, Chabacano and Chavacano, to show its diversity.
