May 13, 2020 | The Isabela City Tourism Office has awarded the top winners of the first ever Sakayan Festival Boat Making Contest and the My Boat Story: Essay Writing Contest.
Isabela City Mayor Sitti Djalia Dadah Turabin Hataman led the simple awarding ceremonies at the Isabela City Gymnasium.
As one of the judges of the My Boat Story: Essay Writing Contest, she highlighted how the essays did not just tell stories but also saw the symbolism of the boats in the lives of the writers. She also recited a personal reflection which drew inspiration from the essay and boat craft entries. And we are pleased to share it to everyone:
‘I am an islander
I know when to ride waves and when to conquer them
I know how to trust an unfathomable depth and know how to keep its secrets
I can sense a brewing rumbling beneath a calm surface and know when to challenge it and when to simply wait
I know how to keep my feet firm on a swaying floor, when to rise to claim my steering place and when to sit and submit in humility.
I navigate endless horizons but i have learned the language of the wind that directs me to my destination.
And though i may anchor on land so my roots may grow, the sea forever beckons, her restlessness, my peace.
I am an islander.
I cannot be contained.
I cannot be subdued.
I cannot be still.
My soul is made for boundless voyage.
-Sitti Djalia Dadah Turabin Hataman
Mayor, Isabela City de Basilan