The 1999 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts

RESPONSE of Lin Hwai-Min

Your Excellency, President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, First Lady, Dr. Luisa Ejercito Estrada, Members of the Magsaysay family, distinguished guests, trustees, fellow awardees, ladies and gentlemen:

It is a great honor for me to follow in the footsteps of so many of the giants of Asia in accepting this prestigious award.

Tzung Tze, the great Chinese philosopher, once told the story of a tree. People were complaining that the tree was twisted and gnarled, unsuitable for building a house or making furniture with. Tzung Tze said, why not leave that tree alone in the wild field, to give shade and comfort to tired travelers? As dancers, we are unable to stop a war, influence the stock market, or even
improve the living conditions of the poor. We provide spiritual space with the holy instrument that is our body. I identify with that twisted and useless tree.

If I were given an opportunity to make one wish for the next millennium, it would be thus: At the end of the next century, despite all the new technological developments, I hope that all the beautiful folk songs and folk dances from around the world will remain intact and alive. As we are entering the new millennium, the internet has enabled people on different continents to communicate with great convenience. But people are hooked to their computers; neighbors can be living as people on different continents. Dance should become more important, as people need to switch off and come to the dance gatherings, to share body warmth, energy and spirit with others. With further developments that are sure to come, however, people will be able to see scores of dance performances at home on internet theatre. This will make it even harder for professional dancers to survive.

The encouragement of the Magsaysay Award came at a moment when I was full of anxiety and self-doubt. It came as a reaffirmation and as a big push.

Respected trustees, thank you very much for recognizing this useless tree. It will grow stronger and better. It has to. Thank you.