Fernando Buyser

Fernando Buyser, also known as Floripinas, was born in Kalunangan, Leyte on the 30th of May, 1879. He died in Mainit, Surigao on the 16th of November, 1946. He was known as a poet, fictionist and playwright. He worked as an elementary school teacher in San Isidro, Leyte, then as an interisland ship officer. In 1905 he was ordained as an Aglipayan priest and consequently served as parish priest in Cebu City. He went on to become bishop of Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar, Masbate, and Surigao, and was president of the Venerable Supreme Council of Bishops of the Philippine Independent Church.

Buyser published his first poem in Ang Suga in 1906. He was primarily a poet and produced six books of poetry, among them, Barasahon sa mgaBalak (Readings of Poems), 1936; Kasingkasing sa Magbabalak (Heart of a Poet), 1938; Kasakit ug Kalipay (Woes and Bliss), 1940; and Balangaw (Rainbow), 1941. His poetry is versatile, moral, and often mystical.

All in all, he authored more than 20 books and booklets in different genres. These include plays Si Christo Gikawat (Christ has been stolen) and Lucia, 1912 and Baile Oficial (Official Dance), 1913; the novellete Panimolus sa Isa Ka Aswang (Exploits of a Vampire), 1923; the short stories Mga Damgo sa Usa Ka Pari (Dreams of a Priest), 1913 and Dungog sa Kamatayon (Honor of Death), 1926.

Buyser was one of the pioneers in compiling and studying Visayan folklore, publishing Awit sa Kabukiran (Song of the Fields), 1912, Mga Sugilanong Karaan (Old Stories), 1913 and other folkloric texts. He owned a publishing house, wrote Aglipayan tracts and edited the Aglipayan periodicals Yutang Natawhan, founded in 1904, and Ang Salampati, 1920-1924.

 

Category: Special Collections