Joaquin Tuason

Background

Joaquin Tuason was born on August 19, 1843, in Pateros, then the province of Rizal, Philippines. He was the third kid among six children of Pedro Tuason and Hilaria Enriquez.

Education

In his early years, Joaquin Tuason was sent to Manila and studied at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila (now Ateneo de Manila University), but he never finished his studies because of his weak constitution. It was at the university, that he befriended some Jesuits, who had just been allowed to return to their missions in the Islands and who interested him in translating religious works in Spanish into Tagalog.

Career

Joaquin Tuason began his writing career in his early twenties. His earliest known work, Manga Pag dalao sa Santisimo Sacramento, was published in 1865, when he was just twenty-two years old. After his marriage, he moved to his wife's town, Pasig, where he established a wine-shop in Kapasigan near the river, following his father's occupation. But he soon found out, that this business caused a lot of trouble and he did not like to be bothered by rowdy customers. He, therefore, left the enterprise for his wife to manage, for he wanted to be left alone, sitting at home, reading or writing. He was at one time groomed for the headship of the town, but he refused to become a municipal governor.

With his wife, taking charge of the family's business enterprises, Tuason was provided with all the time and leisure he needed to devote to literary activity. If he was not at home reading, writing or translating, he was in Manila with some friars, or at some press - the Amigos del Pais, the University of Santo Tomas Press, Esteban Balbas or at the Asilo de Huerfanos in Guadalupe, etc. His works bore the imprint of these presses and several more in later years. As there was no more convenient means of transportationб than by way of the Pasig River, he must have been a well-known personality among boatmen both in Manila and in Pasig.

Tuason's writings may be divided into prose and poetry. To the first class belong prayer books, novenas, lives of saints, morality tracts - pieces, that do not show any originality as they were either translations or adaptations from Spanish works or versions. A book, that, since 1869, has undergone more than ten editions is Matuid na Landas na Patungo sa Langit, a straight-path-to-heaven type, which brought him and his heirs more royalty or income, than anything, that he ever wrote.

His other prose work, which is historically important from the point of view of its vague association with the beginnings of the Tagalog novel, is his Ang Bagong Robinson. This is a translation in the dramatized form of Joachim Heinrich von Campe's adventure story, rendered into Spanish by Tomas de Iriarte. Published in two volumes in 1879, the work was only preceded by Libro nang Martir sa Golgota (1872), translated by Juan Evangelista. The translator expressed his purpose in rendering this work into Tagalog, and that is, in order that "boys and girls may pick up the good moral lessons, scattered throughout the book." While the two works are not novels at all and are far removed than Rizal's novels in Spanish in ushering the birth of the Tagalog novel, Tuason's work was something to depart from.

The poetical works of Tuason may be found in three main places. First, in his prose writings or translations of a religious character, which are usually prefaced or interlarded with dedicatory poems, hymns, dalits, awits, gozos, etc., some of which are of foreign extraction or inspiration, and others of his own making. Second, his awits, mostly religious, which contain his longer verses. And third, those, published in periodicals, which have both religious and profane themes. Unfortunately, the third group has never been collected.

Two awits influenced Tuason most: these were Florante at Laura by Francisco Balagtas and Buhay ni Sigesmundo. He was simply fired by the first and he read and read it again, the lines, affecting him deeply to maudlin sentimentality. It was this work, that inspired him to write his own awit, Eliseo at Hortencio (1872). Another long poetical work, written in the awit form, which should be mentioned because it approaches the theme and structure of the religious epics of the Golden Age of Spanish literature is Maicling Casaysayan nang Santa Religion in six or more parts. The story is not original to be sure, for it is lifted from Historia Sagrada. But the author deserves credit for molding his verses from prose and infusing into it the grandeur and spirit in a sustained manner.

Tuason contributed to the periodicals of his time. He was in the staff of Patnubay nang Catolico, edited by Fr. Mariano Gil and published by Pascual H. Poblete, and in Apostolado de la Prensa, the Tagalog edition of which was edited by Padre Mariano Sevilla. During the American period, his verses appeared in Ang Anak ng Bayan because Poblete was editing it and was his friend. He sometimes used the pen name Agapito. Tuason devoted his whole life to writing and died of a heart disease.

Achievements

• Joaquin Tuason was a prolific author and translator of nineteenth-century Tagalog literature. Though most of his works are religious in nature, he produced notable works in both prose and poetry. His secular works on awit and corrido had been so popular, that they were printed even after his death. His published works are outstanding in number and bulk among Tagalog writers of the period. Joaquin gained most recognition for his book Matuid na Landas na Patungo sa Langit, which was one of his most important religious works, because it has become a classic to Roman Catholic believers and has set a standard of prayers and morality among the Tagalog people.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Patnubay nang Cabataan ó Talinhagang Buhay ni Eliseo at ni Hortenсio 1872

Personality

Joaquin Tuason's only diversion was shooting birds.

Connections

Joaquin Tuason was married to Gregoria Javier. The marriage produced ten children.

Father:

Pedro Tuason

Pedro Tuason was a landowner and cultivated a betel plant field. He was also engaged in the wine industry and manufactured candles.

Mother:

Hilaria Enriquez

Wife:

Gregoria Javier

References

• Dictionary of Philippine Biography A book by E. Arsenio Manuel.
  1970