“Kayu-kayu, madayu kayu.”
“Now say it with me.”
“Kayu-kayu, madayu kayu.”
“Good. Now remember, we always have to say that whenever we pass this place.”
“We also can’t sweep here right mama?”
“Yes, it’s good you remembered. I have such a smart boy!”
“But why do we have to follow these rules mama? I thought this was our house?”
“It is, it’s our place with all our things, but what is the house on?”
“….the ground?”
“Good job! Now the ground and all the earth, doesn’t belong to us.”
“But I thought this was our land? Isn’t this our farm? And isn’t this where I play?”
“Yes, yes, we bought this land, and we have all the papers to prove it, but then it gets complicated. See the land belonged to some other… people, long before we came here, before any humans started a town in this area.”
“But can’t we just buy it from those people?”
“There are just some things you can’t buy with money. This place is their home and always will be, long after you and I are gone. We have to learn to live with them.”
“What if I don’t want to? They seem mean. If we don’t say these things and if we just clean around our house we get sick. How is that fair?”
“How is it fair that they have to share their home with us?”
“…”
“It isn’t an ideal situation for either of us, but we have to learn to be kind to one another. If we are kind to them, they will be kind to us. Now what do we say?”
“Kayu-kayu, madayu kayu.”
“Good boy.”
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*Kayu-kayu, madayu kayu is Ilokano for “You there please go away.” (Kayo-kayo, malayo kayo)
Story inspired by Ansisit description in 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang. Samar. 2015
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Ansisit Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
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Watercolor by Catherine Chiu
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