Collection inventory

Special Collections home page

Alejandrino G. Hufana Papers

A description of his papers at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: MRC
Date: 6 Apr 2010

Biographical History

Alejandrino G. Hufana (1926-2003) was a Filipino poet and author.

Born in San Fernando, La Union, Philippines, on 22 Oct 1926, Hufana earned his A.B. in English from the University of the Philippines, Quezon City in 1952. In 1957 he married Julita Quiming, with whom he had four daughters. He went on to received graduate degrees in comparative literature (MA, 1961) and library science (MS, 1969).

Hufana spent most of his professional career as a professor of English, comparative literature, and creative writing at the University of the Philippines, where he also served as director of the library and the Creative Writing Center. He was founder, editor, and/or co-editor of numerous literary magazines and journals at UP and elsewhere, including Pamana, Lahi, Signatures, Comment, University College Journal (later General Education Journal), and Heritage, and briefly served as managing editor of the University of the Philippines Press.

Hufana was a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow at the University of California at Berkeley (1961) and received a John D. Roosevelt III Fellowship in Art Librarianship at Columbia University (1969-1970) and a Research Fellowship of the National Library's Special Research Project (1974-1978). Other awards and recognitions include an outstanding Ilocano Writers and Journalists Award from the National Press Club (1980), the Tawid Awards for Arts and Letters from the Ilocano Heritage Foundation (1981) and the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas from the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (1995).

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Alejandrino G. Hufana Papers consists of artwork, correspondence, galleys, manuscripts and printed material. Hufana's work, both literary and artistic, is heavily influenced by his travels, with New York City receiving especial attention as the site of his graduate studies at Columbia University. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the creative work tends to be quite autobiographical with the recurring character of "the poet" appearing across several works.

Artwork contains a variety of mostly letter-sized works in a number of different media. Subjects are occasionally abstract while others are figurative and, in some instances, portray real-life locations visited by Hufana. Of particular note is Hufana's drawings of the New York City subway. Media used include pen and ink, crayon, watercolor, and acrylic. Many of the works are untitled and undated. Also included here are several three-prong cardstock binders, originally containing correspondence, which are highly-decorated with a variety of abstract sketches, drawings, and designs.

Correspondence includes both handwritten and typed correspondence between Hufana and his colleagues, friends, and family. Much of it centers on Hufana's travels to academic and cultural heritage institutions in the United States and Europe on behalf of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Correspondents include F. Sionil Jose, Filipino author and owner of Solidaridad Publishing; author Harold Heifetz; and Benito Lim, influential scholar and professor at the University of the Philippines and the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, and at the Confucius Institute in Makati. The correspondence was originally in three-prong covers which were heavily decorated, presumably by Hufana; these covers have been removed and filed under Artwork (above).

Galley proofs include first and second galley proofs of works that were subsequently published by Hufana. One of the galley proofs includes original drawings by Hufana.

Manuscripts contains original manuscripts of both unpublished and published works. Works represented include plays, poetry, and an introduction written by Hufana for a chapbook of poems by fellow poet Celedonio G. Aguilar.

Printed material contains a published edition of the chapbook, entitled This Season and Night.

Arrangement of the Collection

Artwork is arranged alphabetically by type. Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Galley proofs, manuscripts, and printed material are arranged alphabetically by title.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Subject Headings

Persons

Bonifacio, Manuel Flores.
Heifetz, Harold.
Hufana, Alejandrino G.
JoseĢ, F. Sionil (Francisco Sionil), 1924-
Lim, Benito.
Marcos, Imelda Romualdez, 1929-
Veneracion, Jaime B. (Jaime Balcos)

Corporate Bodies

Cultural Center of the Philippines.
JDR 3rd Fund.
University of the Philippines.

Subjects

Authors, Filipino.
Poets, Filipino.

Genres and Forms

Correspondence.
Drawings (visual works)
Galley proofs.
Manuscripts for publication.
Sketches.

Occupations

Authors.
Poets.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Alejandrino G. Hufana Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Alejandrino G. Hufana, 1970-1971.

Table of Contents

Artwork

Correspondence

Galley proofs

Manuscripts

Printed material

Inventory