*Note this story is in Bicol Sorsogon
Ako si bato.
Wara makapantay sa kusog ko.
Ako si kinab-an.
Ang tagariparo sang mga bagay sa ibaba.
Ang mga kuweba.
Ina ang mga balay ko.
Ako ang mga bulod.
Ang mga warang respeto saakon ay makamati sang totoong kulog.
Mga bag-ong mananakop saakong duta.
Hulat hulaton ta kung nano ang hihimuon ninda.
Sarong pades, isad na lalaki, isad na babayi.
Bagang nawawara sinda.
Wara sing pangbabastos na hinimo.
Wara pa maski papan-o.
Uminagi sinda sa puno ning Balete.
Pero lain ninda ing istorbo ang mga kalag didto.
Makangangalas, kadamuan sang tawo aatian na ang lugar ko sa niyan.
Nano ang inghahanap ninda?
Ahh
Tinawag ninda ang pangaran ko.
Hinanap ninda ako.
Buminutwa ako sainda.
Naghagad sinda sing grasya.
Aram ninda ang kusog ko.
Nang gagamiton ko ini para makabalos.
Aram ninda ang mga istorya.
Inghanda ninda ang sakripisyo.
Ang tuyo ninda, ang presenteng asawa ning babayi.
Sinabi ninda saakon ang istorya ninda.
Pero lain na idto importante.
Sinabi ko sa lalaki na darahon idto sa kahadean ko.
Pero lain ako mahiwag kung lain ninda babastuson ang bulod ko.
Sabi ninda nasasabutan ninda.
Maski may kulay ning pag dududa ang pagkita ninda.
Naghulat ako.
Naghulat ako.
Naghulat ako.
Pirang semana na ning nakita ko sinda.
Iniisip ko nano na kaya ang nangyari.
Paburubag-o ang mga tawo, pero ang kaipuhan lang himuon, pasiguraduhon ang sukot ko.
Ang mga bulod na tinawag kong balay.
Sa totoo lang, awat na akong lain nakapasakit sang tawo.
Kinukuwa ko ang mga tul-ang ninda nang inuupudan sa luyong buhay.
Napupung-aw ako sang mga adlaw na idto.
Ning ang mga tawo warang pakiaram.
Pero sa wakas.
Lain ini ang dapat na mangyari.
Ako si bato.
Ako si kinab-an.
Ako ang mga kuweba.
Ako ang bulod.
Aki si B’langa.
=——————————-=
English Version
I am stone.
Nothing can match my strength.
I am earth.
The regent of things below.
I am the caves.
That is my home.
I am the mountains.
Those that disrespect me will know true pain.
=———————————–=
New intruders in my territory.
Let us wait to see what they do.
A pair, a man and woman.
They seem lost.
No disrespect was done.
Not yet, at least.
They passed the Balete tree.
But they did not disturb the spirits there.
Strange, most humans would have defiled my domain by now.
What are they looking for?
Ahh
They have called my name.
They seek me.
I appeared before them.
And they asked for a boon.
They know my power.
And will use it for vengeance.
The tales were known by them.
They have prepared the sacrifice.
Their target, the woman’s current spouse.
They tell me their story.
But it doesn’t matter.
I tell him to bring him to my realm.
But I will not act if he does not disrespect my mountain.
They say they understand.
Though doubt colors their vision.
I wait.
I wait.
I wait.
It has been weeks since I saw them.
I wonder what happened.
Humans are fickle, but the only thing to do, is to protect my charge.
The mountains I call home.
To be honest I have not punished a human in a while.
I take their bones and usher them to the afterlife.
I miss those days.
When humans were reckless.
But alas,
It was not meant to be.
=———————————-=
I am stone.
I am earth.
I am the caves.
I am the mountain.
I am B’langa.
=———————————–=
*The Bikol languages or Bicolano languages are a group of Central Philippine languages spoken mostly in the Bicol Peninsula in the island of Luzon, the neighboring island province of Catanduanes and the island of Burias in Masbate. There is a dialect continuum between the Visayan languages and the Bikol languages; the two together are called the Bisakol languages.
The Tabaco-Legazpi-Sorsogon (TLS) dialect is spoken in the eastern coast of Albay and the northeastern part of Sorsogon. TLS is the dialect that has been most influenced by the Inland Bikol languages.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Rochelle Jarque
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Rochelle Jarque
Inspired by the an interview with Auntie Myrna Pula, a T’boli elder
B’langa Illustration by Agassi Karl Saballa
of Jump Jet Comics https://www.facebook.com/jumpjetcomics
