*Note this story is in Cuyonon
“Ingaadlekan ako.”
“Ayaw ikaadlek, bata. Ang bet i’ ang mga diwata maman ang matotoman.”
“Anono ang matatabo kanaken?”
“Magapakon kitang darwa sa pono ‘ang Baliti ig doto ta ka ren sasalan. Magagorang kaw sa idalem ‘ang pono ig dadaraen kaw sa mga langit ig sa kaidaleman.”
“Ayamo kabay?”
“Agod mabata ka i’ oman.”
“Dato kabay masarakit?”
“Indi… ko ron mademdeman. Dinagon den da ang aglelebas datong ingboat ko dia. Indi kaw agadlek, ipapakita nanda kanimo ang isarang bagong kalibotan.”
“Animan gali kalelepad kaw?”
“Een, bata. Dato ig matama pang mga betang. Nasegkadan ko ron ang kadadalemen i’ ang dagat ig akaseled ako ron sa lawas ‘ang tao. Nakaampang ko ron ang mga diwata digi ig sa loyong kalibotan. Akapakon ako ron sa mga logar nga indi enged ikitaen i’ tao. Ig dadi ingpipilayan ako ron.”
“Digi kita ren.”
“Pagpamati sa mga diwata. Sanda ang magagia kanimo tolad ang ingboat nandang paggia kanaken.”
“Makikita ta ka pa kabay?”
“Indi ta maelaman ang bet i’ ang mga diwata. Ta! Ako maalin den, bata. Bala ka ren lamang sa mga tao.”
“Adios, lola.”
Ingbayo i’ ang angin ang batang babai maintras akagorang tana sa idalem ‘ang baliti. Aglelebas ang mga adlaw nga naimong mga dominggo apang ara tana enged ikaliek. Naelaman i’ ang mga taong agaaragi nga indi sanda dapat agpasamber sa anang biahi. Agmora ang kasasanagen pagkatapos i’ ang kaoriang gabi, agtindeg tana ig aganiani i’ pasalamat sa mga diwata.
Naboskad anang mga mata nga dadi kakikita ren sa tinagong kalibotan nga agaeleb sa anang kaboi kanodaya. Ara tana ingirit.
Mi katengdanan tana reng dapat boaten.
English Back Translation
“I am afraid.”
“Do not be afraid, child. The will of the spirits will prevail.”
“What will happen to me?”
“We will go to the Balete tree and I will leave you there. You will sit underneath the tree and you’ll be taken to the heavens and into the deep.”
“Why?”
“So you will be born again.”
“Is it painful?”
“I don’t remember. It has been years since I’ve done this. Do not be scared, they will show you a new world.”
“That’s the reason why you can fly?”
“Yes, child. That and a lot of things more. I’ve dived into the depths of the sea and entered human body. I have spoken to the spirits in this world and the next. I have been to places that no man will ever see. And now I am tired.”
“We are here.”
“Listen to the spirits. They will guide you like how they have guided me.”
“Will I ever see you again?”
“We don’t know the will of the spirits. So, I will go now, child. I will leave the people to you.”
“Goodbye, lola.”
The girl was pounded by the wind as she sat beneath the Balete. Days have passed and turned into weeks but she didn’t move. The people passing by knew that they shouldn’t interfere in her journey. The morning has broken after the last night, she stood up and whispered her gratitude to the spirits.
Her eyes were open and now she can see the hidden world that surrounds her past life. She didn’t smile.
She has a duty to fulfil now.
*Cuyonon is a regional Visayan language spoken on the coast of Palawan, and the Cuyo Islands in the Philippines.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Cuyonon Translation provided by Ryan D. Ibañez and Elyn Grace Bagalay
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Ryan D. Ibañez and Elyn Grace Bagalay
Inspired by the Baylan initiation ritual as described in The Soul Book. Demetrio & Cordero-Fernando 1991.
Babaylan Illustration by emirajuju
IG: https://www.instagram.com/emirajuju/
Watercolor by Catherine Chiu
FB: Wildling Child
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