White wings.
A woman’s face.
A horse’s body.
The radiance that emanated from her flashed upon the walls of the house like dancers of flame turning towards their audience.
Her mother told her not to look, but Rai couldn’t help but peek through her fingers. She knew the stories of the creature of course, every child did, but to see one in person was more than she had ever expected.
“If I am the legitimate daughter of my parents, I wish for the following gift from Allah, the Most High: ‘May my Kura Sambalani with her silver and gold bracelet, show up and come from outer space to this world seven times. May she bring me the clothes that my parents wore on their wedding day so that I could wear them.’”
That was what Tuwan Putli’ asked in the kata-kata*of Manik Buwangsi’, a tale she knew by heart. Tuwan Putli’ would ride the Kura’ Sambalani and the light from the creature in addition to Tuwan Putli’s beauty were so great that they distracted those that were slaughtering cows for the feast causing them to cut their fingers.
Rai could only stand dumfounded at the sight that she beheld. The Kura’ Sambalani carried the deceased imam on her back and she began to fly towards heaven.
The imam was an especially pious man and it was no surprise that the Most High would send one of these celestial creatures to carry him to heaven.
Rai didn’t know what possessed her to speak, but the words flowed from her mouth. “Holy One! Please answer my question!”
Breaths stopped as those gathered waited for a response. Rai tried to see if there was any trace of emotion on her face, but the light hurt her eyes.
The Kura’ Sambalani stopped her ascent and floated in front of the child.
Rai didn’t hesitate “Can you take me to see my father?”
From behind her mother let out a gasp.
The Kura’ Sambalani shook her head and turned away.
Rai let out one final “Thank you” as she and the imam flew towards heaven.
Rai smiled the smile of someone that knew that taking a chance is sometimes its own reward.
*Tausug folktale
**The Kura Sambalani is usually described as a white/ wondrous horse that brings the spirits of venerated persons to heaven/ the afterlife. In some folktales the Kura Sambalani is described as a white winged being, half horse and half human with a woman’s face (as described in the original Tausug folktale this story is inspired by. This version of the Kura Sambalani is heavily influenced by the Buraq/Burak, a creature in Islamic tradition that transported prophets.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Inspired by the Kura Sambalani description in Manik Buwangsi’. Narrated by Mullung. in Voices from Sulu A Collection of Tausug Oral Traditions. Rixhon. 2010.
Kura’ Sambalani Illustration by Rai Hamid
FB: Wombatrai