# Luis Dato > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Luis_Dato > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Luis_Dato.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Dato > Source revision: 1344306606 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Filipino poet and writer (1906–1985)}} {{Philippine name|Guevara|Dato}} {{Infobox writer | name = Luis Dato | image = Luis G. Dato picture.jpg | image_size = 220px | birth_name = Luis Guevarra Dato | birth_date = {{Birth date|1906|7|4}} | birth_place = [Baao, Camarines Sur](/source/Baao%2C_Camarines_Sur), [Insular Government of the Philippine Islands](/source/Insular_Government_of_the_Philippine_Islands) | death_date = {{Death date and age|1985|1|29|1906|7|4}} | death_place = [Naga, Camarines Sur](/source/Naga%2C_Camarines_Sur), Philippines | occupation = [Poet](/source/Poet) | spouse = Cristeta B. Imperial | children = Vicente, Reynaldo, Myrna, Greta, Eugenio, Yolanda, Armi and Barbara | notableworks = Manila A Collection of Verse, My Book of Verses, Land of Mai | website = {{URL|https://luisgdato.com}} | awards = Outstanding Catholic Poet 1965, Lifetime Achievement Award in the Premio Tomas Arejola para sa Literaturang Bikolnon 2006. | period = 1926–1975 }} '''Luis Guevara Dato''' (4 July 1906 – 29 January 1985) was a [Filipino](/source/Filipinos) [poet](/source/poet), writer, educator, genealogist and politician from [Baao, Camarines Sur](/source/Baao%2C_Camarines_Sur). He was one of the first Filipinos to write and publish works in English. Among his [poems](/source/Poetry) are "The Spouse", "Day on the Farm" and "Among the Hills".{{Cite book|title=German-English Anthology of Filipino Poets|last=Laslo|first=Pablo|publisher=Libreria Manila Filatelica|year=1934|location=Carriedo, Manila|pages=22–24}} In 1927, his "Mi Ultimo Pensamiento" was the first good English translation, in rhymes, of [José Rizal](/source/Jos%C3%A9_Rizal)'s "[Mi último adiós](/source/Mi_%C3%BAltimo_adi%C3%B3s)". == Family == Luis was the third child of Eugenio Dato y Esplana and Barbara Guevara y Imperial. His siblings were: Francisca Dato Flores; [Rodolfo Dato](/source/Rodolfo_Dato) (former Dean of the University of Nueva Caceres and edited the anthology  ''[Filipino Poetry](/source/Filipino_Poetry)'' in 1924); Soledad "''Choleng''" Dato Hidalgo (one of the senior editors of ''Bikolana'' magazine published in Naga City in the late 70s; and Pablo Dato. He married Cristeta Imperial y Bañaga. They had eight children: Vicente, Reynaldo, Myrna, Greta, Eugenio, Yolanda, Armi and Barbara.{{Cite web|url=https://luisgdato.com/an-autobiographical-sketch/|title=An Autobiographical Sketch|last=Dato|first=Luis|date=September 1, 2019|website=Luis G. Dato|access-date=September 1, 2019}} == Education == Dato attended high school from 1923 to 1924; studied liberal arts from 1924 to 1928; and law (1928–1933) at the newly founded [University of the Philippines](/source/University_of_the_Philippines_Manila) in [Manila](/source/Manila). Some of his contemporaries were [Jose Garcia Villa](/source/Jos%C3%A9_Garc%C3%ADa_Villa), Alvaro Martinez, Hose Hernandez, Eugenio Santos and [Angela Manalang-Gloria](/source/Angela_Manalang-Gloria).{{Cite book |last=Fernandez |first=Doreen |title=The Writer and His Milieu |publisher=De La Salle University Press |year=1983 |isbn=9711180200 |location=Manila}} He continued his law degree at the [University of Nueva Caceres](/source/University_of_Nueva_Caceres) in 1951. He also took up his master's Education degree in liberal arts at the [University of Saint Anthony](/source/University_of_Saint_Anthony) from 1971 to 1972. == Works and career == thumb|Luis Dato ''Sonnet to Janina'' Dato never took up creative writing courses, but began writing before he enrolled in college. His first poems were published in [The Philippine Collegian](/source/The_Philippine_Collegian). In 1926, at the age of 20, he published his book ''[Manila, A Collection of Verse](/source/Manila%2C_A_Collection_of_Verse)''.{{Cite book |last=Dato |first=Luis |url=http://name.umdl.umich.edu/afm5339.0001.001 |title=Manila: A Collection of Verse |date=1926 |publisher=Imp. Paredes |location=Manila |language=en |via=University of Michigan Library Digital Collections}} The book's foreword states:
And yet, although the author of the following poems has not mastered the idiom of English, and is not perfectly at ease in metre and rhyme, he thinks as a poet thinks; and there are many lines here, and some complete poems which show that he possesses poetic fervor of unusual intensity. Therefore he merits attention and encouragement.
The foreword was written by H. P. Scott, the Head of the Department of English at the College of Liberal Arts in the University of the Philippines. In 1936, he published his second book, ''[My Book of Verses](/source/My_Book_of_Verses)''. Dato's poems were anthologized in several published books, such as the ''Filipino Poetry'',{{Cite book|title=Filipino Poetry|last=Dato|first=Rodolfo|publisher=J.S. Agustin & Sons|year=1924|location=Manila}} Rodolfo Dato; ''Philippine Prose and Poetry'', Jose Garcia Villa; ''German-English Anthology of Filipino Poets'', Pablo Laslo, etc. alt=|thumb|Luis G. Dato Dato wrote several books in his native tongue, [Bicol](/source/Central_Bikol), and contributed to several newspapers and magazines; articles such as ''Kantahon na Bikol'' (1969), ''Morfologia kan Tataramon na Bikol'' (serialized in Naga Times), ''Patotodon sa Bikol'' (Bikol Mail), ''Sarabihon sa Bikol'' and his translation of the ''Pasyon'', which he entitled, ''Life of Christ'', which is his favorite among his poems. In 1972, while teaching at the [University of St. Anthony](/source/University_of_St._Anthony) in Iriga City, he published the ''Vocabulariong Ingles, Bikol, Castila.''{{Cite book |last=Dato |first=Luis G. |title=Vocabulariong Ingles, Bikol, Castila |date=1972 |publisher=Cecilio Publications |location=Naga City |oclc=6714423}} In 1975, he wrote the epic ''The Land of Mai''. It is written in a [blank verse](/source/blank_verse) form numbering nearly 400 pages of typewritten [manuscript](/source/Manuscript_(publishing)).{{Cite web |last=Talla |first=Stephen Cenon Dato |title=The Land of Mai: History of the Philippines in a Blank Verse Device |url=https://luisgdato.com/2020/03/the-land-of-mai/ |access-date=2020-03-17 |website=Luis G. Dato |language=en-US}} It narrates the detailed history of the Philippines up to the [Marcos](/source/Ferdinand_Marcos)' era.{{Cite book|title=Land of Mai|last=Dato|first=Luis|year=1975|location=Iriga City}} He became the municipal mayor of [Baao](/source/Baao%2C_Camarines_Sur), Camarines Sur, from 1941 to 1947 and co-authored research on Baao local history and pioneered studies on the genealogy of huge families in Baao such as the Imperials, Palencias, etc.{{Cite web|url=http://baaohistoricalsociety.blogspot.com/2009/04/finding-my-roots-genealogical-research.html|title=Finding My Roots|last=Ramirez|first=Felipe Fruto|date=April 26, 2009|website=Baao Historical and Cultural Society|access-date=October 15, 2019}} He was a member of the faculty at the Naga College (1953–1954), [University of Nueva Caceres](/source/University_of_Nueva_Caceres) (1955–1967) and St. Anthony College (now University of Saint Anthony) (1947–1951; 1967–1978). Upon his death, he had an unpublished manuscript that he called ''[The Instant Lyre](/source/The_Instant_Lyre)''. It is a collection of almost 500 of his poems and sonnets that spans the period from the 1920s to the 1970s. == Journalism and awards == Dato was the first editor of the Bicol Star from 1933 to 1934. He was the editor of ''Tingog nin Banwaan'' from 1939 to 1940; and was affiliated with other press outfits in [Naga City](/source/Naga%2C_Camarines_Sur) like ''Bicolandia, Juan dela Cruz, Bicol Examiner, Naga Times'' and ''Balalong'' (1973–1975). He was also a member of the Board of Editors of the ''Bicol Mail''. thumb|Luis G. Dato memorial marker at the Baao Town Plaza He won several awards in English composition, oratorical and literary contests from 1922 to 1926. In 1965, he was named ''Outstanding Catholic Poe''t by United Poets Laureate International. On July 4, 2012, Burikbutikan Artists Collective Inc., a group of artists from Baao (Paulix B. Robosa, who sculpted the medallion, Julius B. Bicaldo, Fr. Nunilon Arnold F. Bancaso Jr., Jofrey I. Botor); [Iriga City](/source/Iriga) (Frank Penones Jr., Kristian S. Cordero, Al Oliva), [Buhi](/source/Buhi%2C_Camarines_Sur) (Cesar Gumba); and [Bula](/source/Bula%2C_Camarines_Sur) (Pano Carumba) led by Bernadette delos Santos (Baao), unveiled a Memorial Marker in the Baao Town Plaza to commemorate Dato's contribution to the [Philippine literature in English](/source/Philippine_literature_in_English), "local history, culture and archeological heritage".{{Cite web|url=http://burikbutikan-bidibidi.blogspot.com/2012/07/lgd-memorial-unveiling-event.html|title=the LGD memorial unveiling event|last=delos Santos|first=Bernadette|date=July 6, 2012|website=burikbutikan|access-date=October 6, 2019}} The Luis G. Dato memorial marker is located at the Baao Town Plaza. It reads:
Luis G. Dato was born in Baao on July 4, 1906 and attained notable distinction in Philippine Literary History with his poems in English. He wrote for and edited various Bikol newspapers and was actively involved in local cultural groups and wrote monographs and lexical works espousing the Bikol language. He served his town as mayor twice and pioneered seminal studies on Baao family genealogy, local history, culture and archeological heritage. His influence as literary artist, scholar and teacher remains to this day. This memorial erected by the Baao LGU led by Mayor Mel I. Gaite in partnership with the Burikbutikan Artists Collective Inc. in honor of a native son may serve as inspiration to future generations. Dedicated July 4, 2012
center|thumb|Luis G. Dato painting == References == {{reflist}} == External links == * [https://lgdato.com Luis G. Dato works] *[https://luisgdato.com Luis G. Dato Website] * [http://banuaan.tripod.com/features/turtles/turtle01.htm Of Turtles and Men] by Vicente Ll. Ramirez Jr. * [https://www.bicolmail.net/single-post/2020/02/06/How-Do-I-Write-About-Baao How Do I Write about Baao] by Tito Valiente *[https://books.luisgdato.com Luis G. Dato books] *[https://stephentalla.luisgdato.com Luis G. Dato Essays & Articles] *[https://stephentalla.luisgdato.com Makuapo ni Luis G. Dato] {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Dato, Luis}} Category:1906 births Category:1985 deaths Category:20th-century Filipino poets Category:Bikolano poets Category:20th-century Filipino educators Category:Filipino male poets Category:People from Baao Category:Writers from Camarines Sur Category:University of Nueva Caceres alumni Category:University of the Philippines Manila alumni --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Luis Dato](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Dato) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Dato?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.