*Note this story is in Waray
Ha akon hinigugma nga anak,
Diri ako maaram kun hain ka yana nahihimumutang. Kunta maaram ako. Kunta makit-an ko ikaw bisan makausa nala. Diri ako maaram kun kaya ko iyakan ngatanan kun ano ako kahidlaw ha imo.
Mahusay ka hin duro hadto nga imo busag nga bestida. Nahinumdom pa ako nga ikaw mismo an pumili hadto. Malipayon ka hin duro. Ginhimos mo gud hin maupay an imo itom ngan hilaba nga buhok ngan an imo hiyom nagdadara hin kalamragan han bugos nga kuwarto. Nahinumdom pa ako han imo mga ngisi. Amo adto an pinakasyahan mo nga pag atendir hin okasyon nga ikaw la, ngan imo guin papakita gud ha ngatanan nga ikaw daraga na. Kunta waray ka nagdako hin mapaspas.
Mahusay ka nga nagdaraga, pero an akon nakikita la gihapon kay an akon anak nga puya. An akon gutiayay nga anak nga nagmiminulay han iya mga mulayan upat ka oras kada adlaw, an akon anak nga diri makaon hin utan kun diri namon kakantahon an iya paborito nga kanta. An akon minayuyo nga anak.
Naiha ka gud pag inandamon nga waray mo makita na atrasado na an oras. Nalilisang ka na hin duro nga kami han imo Amay nakakatawa na ha imo. An imo huna matitima na tim kalibutan kun diri ka makaabot hito na okasyon.
Pasaylua ako. Kunta nakadto ako. Nakadto kunta ako han ginbayaan ka hito na imo hinigugma. Han imo kasakit tumalabok ka ha kadalanan nga waray lingi-lingi, waray panginano. Diri ko mapapasaylo tak kalugaringon han natabo ha imo.
Ako an imo Iroy. Ako dapat an syahan nga magproprotektar ha imo ha bugos na kalibutan. Ginsalbar ko kunta ikaw.
Ginmimingaw ako ha hin duro ha imo. Nagtatangis ako adlaw-adlaw nga waray ka na dinhi. Gusto ko ikaw hangkupan ngan diri na bul-iwan pa. Waray pulos inin nga kalibutan kun waray ka.
Magkikita gihapon kita utro.
Hulta ako.
English Version
To my lovely daughter,
I don’t know where you are right now. I wish I did. I wish I could see you one last time. I don’t know if I can put into words how much I miss you.
You looked so beautiful in that dress. I remember you picked it out yourself. You were so proud. You styled your long, black hair so wonderfully and your smile lit up the entire room. I still remember your smile. It was your first grown-up party, and you tried so hard to act like an adult. I just wished you didn’t grow up so fast.
You were a beautiful young woman, but all I could see was my baby girl. The girl that played with her beanie babies for four hours a day, the little girl that refused to eat her vegetables until we sang her a song. My baby girl.
You spent so much time getting ready that you didn’t notice you were late for the party. You were panicking so much that your daddy and I couldn’t help but laugh. You thought your whole world was going to end.
I’m sorry. I should have been there. I should have been there when that boy broke your heart. When you were so heartbroken you ran across the street without even looking. I will never forgive myself for what happened to you.
I was your mother. I was supposed to be the one who protected you from the world. I should have saved you.
I miss you so much. I cry every day because living without you is so empty. I want to hold you in my arms and never let you go. This world doesn’t mean anything if I can’t have you with me.
I will see you again.
Please wait for me.
*Waray is the fifth-most-spoken native regional language of the Philippines, native to Eastern Visayas. It is the native language of the Waray people and second language of the Abaknon people of Capul, Northern Samar and some Cebuano-speaking peoples of eastern and southern parts of Leyte island. It is the third most spoken language among the Visayan languages, only behind Hiligaynon and Cebuano
Written by Karl Gaverza
Waray Translation by Mikka Angela Mendoza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Mikka Angela Mendoza
Story inspired by the White Lady legends
White Lady Illustration and Watercolor by Yanna Gemora
FB Page: Yannami