Marga Ortigas has worked with CNN in London, covered the Iraq war, and was a senior correspondent for Al Jazeera. In a fast-paced world where stories often get distilled into two-minute sound bites, Ortiga’s work as a journalist has always offered a refreshing perspective. âThereâs always so much more to a place than what you see on the news,â she said, âItâs about finding those moments that stay with you.â
She was a British Council Chevening Scholar with an MA from the University of Greenwich, has reported on climate change and conflict globally. A seasoned journalist and storyteller, she has dedicated her career to uncovering the human side of conflict, migration, and culture. She also edits I, Migrant, an online platform promoting diaspora writing.
Her latest novel, Godâs Ashes by Penguin Random House SEA, is a compelling novel that delves into themes of migration and identity, set against the backdrop of the Pacific islands.
Irresistible caught up with Marga in Manila, ahead of her talks and panels at Ubud Readers and Writers Festival 2024 where she talked about God’s Ashes as well as her other books There are No Falling Stars in China, and The House on Calle Sombra- A Parable. She spoke on panels discussing Maritime Novels, Women’s Rights in Conflicts and Speculative Fiction.
Beyond the Headlines: Covering the Middle Eastern Crises with Al JazeeraÂ
Ortigaâs early career at Al Jazeera was built on covering hard-hitting stories from some of the most volatile regions in the world. Yet, beyond the official reports and headlines, she found herself gravitating toward the untold narrativesâthe ones that revealed the humanity behind the chaos.Â
âWhen you work in news, youâre expected to deliver concise, digestible content. But the real story often lies beyond what we air,â she said, “Whether it was a cafĂŠ encounter in a war zone or a quiet moment with a local, I would capture these experiences in my personal journal. They were my way of holding onto the soul of the places I travelled to.”Â
This compulsion to record the unspoken, and inspired by the countless stories she encountered but couldnât broadcast, Ortiga started her own blog, I-Migrant, a digital space where she could share the stories that mainstream media often overlooked. âI wanted to document these moments that felt so real, so true, but didnât fit into the news cycle,â she said.
The Chocolate Shop in GazaÂ
One of the most poignant stories Ortiga recounts is her visit to a chocolate shop in Gaza. Amidst the bombed-out streets and crumbling buildings, she stumbled upon a small store, filled with balloons and the smell of freshly made chocolate. âIt was like stepping into another world,â she said. âThe children were beaming, the families gatheredâit was a moment of pure joy in the middle of chaos.âÂ
For Ortiga, the chocolate shop was more than a curiosity; it was a metaphor of how the small things matter and are vital to survival. It showed that even in the darkest of circumstances, people cling to small pleasures and moments of normalcy. âThereâs a universal truth in that,â she says. âLife continues, and people find joy where they can.â Â
From News to Personal NarrativesÂ
I-Migrant became not only Ortiga’s passion project, but an online map of the world, each pin representing a place and a story. âItâs a way to show the depth and complexity of these places, beyond the headlines,â she said.Â
I-Migrant doesnât just feature her own writing; she invites others to contribute their stories too. âItâs a global conversation,â she said. âI wanted a platform where voices from different backgrounds could come together and share their experiences.âÂ
Navigating Journalismâs Crossroads: The Battle Against MisinformationÂ
Despite her love for storytelling, Ortiga remains critical of the modern journalism landscape. She observes the shift from in-depth reporting to click-driven content, where context is often sacrificed for speed. âItâs a tough industry,â she said. âYounger journalists today face a lot of pressure. Itâs all about the numbersâhow many clicks, how many eyes on the story.âÂ
She highlights the tension between delivering quality content and the economic realities of media companies. âIf a story doesnât attract views, it doesnât get covered. Itâs as simple as that.â For Ortiga, this shift, undermines the core values of journalism.
Yet, Ortiga continues to mentor young reporters, urging them to prioritise context and depth despite the commercial pressures. âJournalism should be about telling the truth, not just getting the most attention,â she said. Itâs a message she hopes to keep alive, even as the industry evolves.Â
We are all MigrantsÂ
At the core of Ortigaâs work is the idea that we are all travellers and migrants, navigating different landscapes, cultures, and experiences. Whether sheâs reporting from conflict zones or writing her novels, she believes in the universality of human stories. âWhen you travel, you realise that people everywhere have the same struggles, the same hopes,â she said. âItâs these connections that make storytelling so powerful.âÂ
Ortiga’s earlier work There Are No Falling Stars in China, explores themes drawn from her experience as a journalist, blending her personal reflections with broader social and cultural insights. In the book, she shares life lessons and stories from her career covering various global conflicts and cultural narratives, offering readers a deep dive into the human elements behind the headlines.Â
Ortigaâs books, like her blog, explore themes of displacement and identity. They offer a more intimate look at migration, a topic sheâs passionate about. For her, the act of storytelling is an act of empathy, a way of connecting audiences with experiences beyond their own.
