The scent was carried by the western wind.

Deer? No not gamey enough.

Wait. I know this one.

The olfactory sense, the one she was most proud of was weak tonight. In normal days she could identify the musk of a carabao or even the scent of freshly cut undergrowth at a great distance.

Yes.

Humans.

Not the stringy kind, she thought, much more tender.

It had been a while since she had eaten juveniles. They were faster than the older ones, but the sweet taste of their flesh lingered on her tongue, long after that meal.

Three?

No. Two.
The wafting of the breeze emboldened her.

A great vintage. She said to no one in particular.

One male. Seven years old, very nervous. Sweating too much. A bit heavy set.

Another one. Female. Related to the boy. Old enough to have passed puberty. She seems to be the one leading them both through the forest.

Leading them to her first meal in a while.

Small game was what the giantess had been subsisting on for the past few weeks. She brought them to her cave, the soft light of the small fire exuding some form of comfort in her bleak existence.

She was an outcast even among the giants. She was not the strong Bungisngis, the fearsome Dambuhala or the oath sworn Sarimao.

She was Bekat, the giantess who could smell.

And today she was hungry.

The humans were in the part of the forest where the river ran.

Perfect. She could wash the meat without having to inconvenience herself.

She took a large log, felled from a narra tree and started her hunt.

That smell again.

She could tell by the scent that both of them were sweating, their adrenaline seeping out of their bodies.

Her belly growled. All she had to do was get close enough for one swipe. Just one.

The girl screamed, giving ample time for the boy to run away.

Bekat grabbed her quarry, the girl struggling to escape her grasp.

She smelled something on the girl, a kind of perfume or a lip balm? Bekat never liked eating those, they tasted like chemicals and preservatives.

It was time to drown her prey. The cold waters of the river would rush away any unwanted flavors.

“Wait!” The girl said. “Do not drown me giant, my flesh will be tough!”

Bekat reflected, had all her drowned prey been tough to chew? That may have been the case.

The giantess sat down, the girl still struggling against her grip.

“Hmmm.. How should I deal with you, child?”

“You could release me, giant. I can bring you many more humans.”

“I could not eat all of you given the chance. I only want a light meal.”

“then what kind of meal do you want to have?”

“Something plump and juicy.”
“I can get you my brother! All you need is to let me go and I can bring him!”
“What if you run away?”
“I will not, I promise.”
So Bekat let her go and waited.

The sun set and she waited.

Twilight passed and she waited.

“Damn, fooled again,” she said.

It was not the first time she was tricked like this and it wouldn’t be the last. Her strength equaled her ignorance.

She smelled a whiff of deer in the air.

And resumed her hunt.

=———————————-=

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the Bekat description in The Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology, Maximo Ramos, Phoenix Publishing, 1990.

Bekat Illustration by emirajuju
IG: https://www.instagram.com/emirajuju/

The post Bekat appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Ilocano

Idi un-unana a panawen, kas insarita dagiti panglakayen, adda agnaed a maysa a nakabutbuteng nga ayup iti Amianan. Daytoy dakkel nga animal ket nailadawan a maysa nga uleg nga addaan payak nga agtaytayab iti ngato dagiti ulep. No aggaraw,makaluban ti dakkel nga anniniwanna ti lubong a mangipakdaar kadagiti tattao ditoy baba nga umadanin ti peggad.

Awan ti makadangran iti dragon. Saan a matudok dagiti siksikna babaen kadagiti igam ti tao ket dagiti maag, wenno dagiti natutured a manggandat a mangkarit iti animal.

Naglabas ti panawen ket sagpaminsan laengen a makita dagiti tattao ti animal.  Babaen laengen kadagiti sarsarita nga insalaysay dagiti naglabas a kaputotan a napagtalinaed a sibibiag ti estoriana.

Awan ti makaammo no ania ti nagbalinan ti dragon, ken adda pay ketdi dagidiay arasaas nga adda natured a bannuar a nangpapatay kadaytoy, nupay pulos a di mapaneknekan.

Ket ngarud, naglabas ti panawen ket nagtultuloy ti biag dagiti tattao. Adu a panagbalbaliw ken riribuk ti inyeg dagiti siglo iti Amianan. Ti baro a pammati ket nangiyeg kadagiti templo a bato. Dagiti obra ti asero ken alambre ti nagkukuros iti daga.

Dimmakkel ken immadu dagiti tattao. Iti baet dagitoy, nagulimek ti dragon.

Agingga a dagiti ginggined ti nangyugyugyog iti Amianan a nangrippuog kadagiti pasdek,  nangdadel kadagiti ili ken nangbingay iti daga. Adu ti naipadamag a nasugatan ket nagtalinaed dayta a trahedia iti panunot dagiti tattao kadagiti sumaganad a tawen.

Kalpasanna adda dagidiay mamati a daytoy a pasamak ket pakdaar manipud iti Mannakabalin-amin. Narebba ti maysa a lugar a pagdaydayawan ket nagsurat dagiti agbabawi  iti Apoda nga agpakpakaasi iti pammakawan.

Maysa kadagitoy ket ti agtutubo nga agnagan Mariano. Minatmatanna dagiti narba iti sanguananna ket nagkararag tii rosario bayat ti panangidatagna iti insuratna a nota a mangipakpakaasi iti panangibabaet kadagitoy a narikut a panawen.

Bayat ti panangikararagna  iti maika-20 nga Ave Maria, nakigtot iti panagdisso ti maysa nga ima iti abagana. Dayta ti maysa a baket a dina am-ammo.

“Hello lola, ania kadi ti maitulongko?” sinaludsod ni Mariano.

Blangko laeng ti pinangmatmat ti babai kenkuana.

Napukawka kadi? Addaka kadi ditoy a kaduam ti pamiliam? Makatulongak kenka a mangsapul kadakuada.”

Bigla nga iniggaman ti baket ti takiag ni Mariano ket pinerrengna dagiti matana.

“Nagsubli,” kinunana.

“Ania ti nagsubli?” Mariro ni Mariano, awan ti maawatanna nga ibagbaga ti baket.“

Ti dakkel a phantom. Ti higante nga espiritu. Ti nakabutbuteng.”

Nagtuang ti baket iti takiag ni Mariano. Narabaw ti panagangesna, ken nakapsut ti pulsona.

Nagpukkaw ni Mariano ti tulong ket naayaban ti ambulansia.

Kabayatan ti panagdengngegna iti angesna, nabaelan daytoy iti nangiarasaas, “Olimaw.”

Inserrek dagiti paramedics ti baket iti ambulansia ket nabang-aran ni Mariano. Impagarupna a nalpasen.

Iniggamanna ti rosariona ket intuloyna ti panagbantayna. Sumagmamano pay la a minuto idi nadlawna nga adda naiduma. Sabali ti narikna dagiti ramayna. Kinita ni Mariano ti rosariona ket nadlawna a nabaliwan dagiti nalinis a kuentas iti nakersang a kakasla bato. Minatmatanna ti rosario ket pinampanunotna no kasano koma a napasamak dayta.

Iti dayta a kanito adda anniniwan a nangsallukob kenkuana. Kimmita iti langit ket awan met ti nakitana no di laeng maysa a grupo dagiti ulep nga apagapaman a nangkalob iti init.

Pinampanunotna ti maipapan iti baket ken no ania ti imbagana.

Nalagipna iti kinaubingna idi intugot da lolo ken lolana iti parola idiay Cape Bojeador.

Ti langit ket maysa a tapestry a naabel manipud iti lawag ti bituen. Di pay nakakitkita ni Mariano ti kastoy iti napalabas.  Intudona ti nagduduma a konstelasion ket isalaysay ti lolona ti tunggal estoriada.

Iti ngudo ti isasarungkarda, idi naladaw unayen a siririing ti maysa nga agtawen iti innem, intudo ni Mariano ti bulan ket kiniddawna iti lolo-na nga isalaysayna kenkuana ti pakaestoriaan daytoy.

Immannugott ti lolona ket sinaklotna ni Mariano iti luppona. Isun ti damo a pannakangngeg ni Mariano ti sao nga ‘Olimaw’  ket kabayatan ti pannakailibayna, imbaga kenkuana ti lolona nga awan ti nakakita iti uleg iti adu a siglo. Natalged ti bulan ken dagiti tattao ti Amianan manipud kadagiti pangana.

Idi dayta.

Kadagiti simmaruno a lawas kasla lallalo nga ngimmisit ti langit iti rabii. Kasla aglemlemmeng dagiti mismo a bituen iti di makita a mangraut. Ti lawag ti bulan ket saan a marikna dagidiay immay a mangnamnama kadagiti lumamiis a sinamarna.

Iti las-ud dagitoy, umaw-aweng iti lapayag ni Mariano amin a balikas ti baket.

“Olimaw.”

Iti panaglabas ti ginggined, naglukat ti higante a rengngat iti asideg ti Simbaan ti Paoay. Yamanpay  ta nailasat ti simbaan iti pannakadadael a napasamak iti dadduma pay nga estruktura, ket nangted kenni Mariano iti gundaway a mapan sadiay tapno agkararag.

Makunkuna a naisadya a naaramid ti simbaan tapno makibagay iti ginggined a mapaspasamak iti Pilipinas. Makita daytoy kadagiti nakadkadlaw a buttress iti aglawlaw ti simbaan

Iti sabali a kanito,agsidsiddaw koma ni Mariano iti arkitektura, ngem iti daytoy a gundaway adda sabali a rason ti kaaddana ditoy.

Siaannad nga immasideg iti higante a regkang a dina ammo no ania ti masarakanna. Minarkaan dagiti opisial ti lugar kas napeggad a disso ken imbagada iti publiko nga umadayoda, nupay saan a nainget a naipatungpal daytoy.

Awan ti tao iti aglawlaw idi intuloy ni Mariano ti panagsukisokna. Iti uneg ti 50 metros nasarakanna ti sapsapulenna. Dakkel a nangisit a siksik a kas kadakkel ti bagina. Simmilap daytoy iti panagdisso ti rimat ti init. Napanganga ni Mariano ket inruarna ti rosariona. Nagkararag tapno kumalma ti nerbiyosna ket iti panagpampanunotna, saannan a nadlaw nga nagdara dagiti dakulapna.

Bayat ti panagtinnag dagiti tedted ti dara iti daga maysa daranudor ti  naggapu iti regkang. Insardeng ni Mariano ti kararagna, nagparintumeng sa inabbonganna ti ulona. Inkidemna dagiti matana ket ninamnamana a bassit laeng daytoy nga aftershock.

Saan a nagbayag ti panagginggined ket idi linuktanna dagiti matana, ti nalamuyot a silnag ti nangpunno iti panagkitana.

Iti sanguananna ket kasla adda maysa a tao, numanpay naabungotan iti lawag. Intudo daytoy ti siksik.

“Aniaka?” sinaludsod ni Mariano.

Imisem ti lalaki ket intudona ti rosario ni Mariano. “Maysaak kadagita,” kinunana.

“Ania ti kayatmo a sawen?”

“Iti napalabas a panawen, maawaganak koma iti naindaklan nga espiritu, wenno uray—”

“Maysa a Dios.”

Immisem ti lalaki ket nagtung-ed.

“Dios met kadi ti Olimaw?”

“Kadagiti dadduma.”

“Adda ditoy saan kadi? Nakulong? Mabalin kadi a maikulong manen?”

Ti lalaki ket kimmita iti langit.“Mabalin,” kinunana.

“Saanto nga agsardeng, di ngata?”

Nagngilangil ti lalaki.

“Ania ti masapul nga aramidek?”

“Ti naaramidmon.” Intudo manen ti lalaki ti rosario.

“Agkararag?”

“Mapanka iti pagtulidan dagiti ulep ket aramidem ti inaramidmo.”

“Agurayka! Ania ti kayatmo a sawen—-”

Ket iti apagdarikmat, nagpukawen  ti lalaki.

Minatmatan ni Mariano ti rosario; namantsaan iti darana. Ammona no sadino ti masapul a papananna, ngem saanna nga ammo no  ania ti rumbeng nga aramidenna.

Kabigatanna, nagtakder ni Mariano iti igid ti rangtay Gilbert. Nayanninaw ti karayan Laoag ti natayengteng a kahel ti umad-adanin a ilelennek ti init. Manipud ditoy makitana ti kabambantayan ti Apayao ken ti baybay dagiti ulep nga agtaytayab iti nagbaetan dagiti pantok.

Inur-urayna ti panagtayengteng ti sipnget, inton rumkuas ti uleg iti nagbaetan dagiti ulep ket pagbalinenna a kasta unay ti kinasipnget ti rabii.

Nagpigerger dagiti ramay ni Mariano nga mangig-iggem ti rosariona.

Bayat ti panaglennek ti init iti baba dagiti bantay, rimmuar daytoy. Marikna ti natan-ok a talugading daytoy, maysa nga ari a dragon nga agtaytayab iti langit iti rabii, nga agsalsala iti nagbaetan dagiti ulep.

Oras nan.

Inrugi ni Mariano ti “‘Amami” a mangnamnama nga adda maaramidanna. Tudoken dagiti natadem a batbato ti rosario dagiti dakulapna bayat ti panangpetpetna kadagiti dakulapna.

Kaskasdi a nagsala ti dragon.

Nagparintumeng ni Mariano. Ania ti pagimbagan ti kararag ditoy? Awan ti mabalin a mangpasardeng iti uleg. Aglalo ti panagmaymaysana.

Kimmita iti bulan ket  nakitana ti sipnget  a nangabbong kadayta. Di agbayag awanton ti mabati, maysanto  laengen  a canvas a nangisit.

Idi kuan, adda nalagipna.

Saan laeng a ni Olimaw ti adda kadagiti sarita ni lolona.

Impukkawna iti nakapigpigsa, “Amman! Saguday! Cabuyaran! Revenador! Anianihan! Bulan!”

“Pangngaasiyo, denggendak!”

Nangrugi a nagparang ti nalamuyot a puraw a silnag iti aglawlawna. Kalpasan ti sumagmamano a kanito, nagparang ti maysa a babai iti sanguananna ket iniggamanna dagiti imana. Apaman nga inaramidna, immimbag dagiti dakulapna.

Iti dayta a kanito,  ammonan nga adda iti sanguanan dagiti didiosen.

Nakitana ida nga agtayab nga agturong iti dragon ken inusarda ti nalamuyot a silnag ti bulan a nangbalkot iti daytoy. Ti narungsot nga angin ken panagdaranudor ti gurruod ti nangiduron iti uleg a mangibbet iti bulan.

Natinnag ti uleg iti lubong ket nagkintayeg ti daga. Nagtalinaed ni Mariano ti ayanna ket inurayna ti panagtalna ti aglawlawna.

Pinunno ti lawag ti bulan ti tangatang ket nagdisso iti agyamyaman a rupa ni Mariano.

“Agyamanak,” kinunana iti langit.

Intakderna ti bagina ket inwagsakna ti dadagsen ti napalabas a sumagmamano a lawas manipud kadagiti abagana.

Saan a nabirukan ni Mariano ti rosariona ket iti maminsan, saan daytoy a napateg.

Ammona itan ti agkararag.

*Anianihan ti dios ti apit, Cabuyaran ti diosa ti panangagas, Saguday ti dios ti angin, Revenador ti dios ti gurruod ken kimat, Amman ti dios ti init (ti init ti matana) ket ni Bulan ti dios ti kappia.

=————————————=

English Version

Long ago, as the elders have said, there lived a monster in the North. This great beast was said to be a winged serpent that flew above the clouds. When it moved a huge shadow was cast on the earth giving warning to the people below that danger was looming.

Nothing could hurt the dragon. Its scales could not be pierced by human weapons and only the very foolish, or the very brave would even think of challenging the beast.

Time passed and the beast was seen less and less by the people of the North. It was only through the tales told by the fading generations that its story was kept alive.

No one knew what became of the dragon, and there were even those that whispered that some brave hero had slain it, though it could never be proven.

And so, time passed and people moved on. Centuries brought much change and upheaval to the North. A new faith brought with it temples of stone. Works of steel and wires crisscrossed the land. People grew and multiplied.
Through all of this the dragon remained silent.

Until shocks rocked the North destroying buildings, damaging towns and splitting the earth. Many casualties were reported and it was a tragedy that would stay in people’s minds for years to come.

In the aftermath there were those that believed this event was a warning from the Almighty. A place of worship was shattered and its penitents wrote letters to their Lord begging for forgiveness.

One of these was a young man named Mariano. He stared at the rubble before him and prayed the rosary as he set down a handwritten note pleading for intercession in these trying times.

As he said his 20th Hail Mary, he was startled by a hand that rested on is shoulder. It was that of an old woman that he did not know.

“Hello lola, can I help you?” Mariano asked.

The woman just stared blankly at him.

“Are you lost? Are you here with your family? I can help you look for them.”

Just then the old woman grabbed Mariano’s arm and stared into his eyes.

“It is back,” she said.

“What is back?” Mariano was confused, he didn’t understand anything the old woman was saying.

“The great phantom. The giant spirit. The terror.”

The old woman crumpled into Mariano’s arms. Her breathing was shallow, and her pulse was weak.

Mariano shouted for help and an ambulance was called.
As he listened for her breath, she managed to let out a whisper, “Olimaw.”

The paramedics ushered the old woman into the ambulance and Mariano breathed a sigh of relief. At least it was over.

He grasped his rosary and continued on with his vigil.

A few minutes in he noticed something was different. His fingers felt a different texture. Mariano looked at his rosary and noticed that the smooth beads had been changed to rough, almost rock-like ones. He stared at the rosary and wondered how that could have happened.

In that moment a shadow was cast over him. He looked towards the sky and saw nothing but a group of clouds temporarily blocking the sun.

He wondered about the old woman and what she said.

It took him back to his childhood when his grandparents brought him to the lighthouse at Cape Bojeador.

The sky was a tapestry weaved out of starlight. Mariano had never seen anything like it before. He pointed towards the different constellations and his lolo would tell each of their stories.

At the end of their visit, when it was getting far too late for a six-year-old to stay awake, Mariano pointed towards the moon and asked his lolo to tell him a story.
His lolo obliged and put Mariano on his lap. It was then that Mariano first heard of the word ‘Olimaw’ and as he drifted to sleep, his lolo told him that no one had seen the serpent in centuries. The moon and the people of the North were safe from its jaws.

That was then.

In the weeks that followed the night sky seemed to grow darker. It was as if the very stars were hiding from an unseen predator. The moon’s light was left unfelt by those that had come to expect its cooling rays.

And through it all the words of the old woman ringed in Mariano’s ears.

“Olimaw.”

In the wake of the earthquake a giant fissure opened near Paoay Church. Thankfully the church was spared the damage that had befallen so many other structures, and Mariano took the time to go there to pray.

It was said that the church was specifically made to adapt to the seismic conditions of the Philippines. This was obvious with the striking buttresses around the church.

At any other time, Mariano would have marveled at the architecture, but this time he was here for a reason.
He approached the gigantic fissure with care, not knowing what he was going to find. Officials called the area a safety hazard and had told the public to stay away, though this was not strongly enforced. There were no people around when Mariano went on with his reconnaissance.

50 meters in he found what he was looking for. A large black scale the size of his torso. There was a shine to it when the sunlight hit. Mariano gasped and took out his rosary. He prayed to calm his nerves and he was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t realize his palms were bleeding.

As the droplets of blood fell to the ground a tremor went through the fissure. Mariano stopped his prayers, knelt down and covered his head. He closed his eyes and hoped that this was just a small aftershock.

The tremor didn’t last long and when he opened his eyes a soft glow filled his vision.

Before him was what seemed to be a man, though he was covered in light. He pointed towards the scale.
“What are you?” Mariano asked.

The man smiled and pointed to Mariano’s rosary. “I am one of many,” he said.

“What do you mean?”

“In times long past, I would have been called a great spirit, or even—“

“A god.”

The man smiled and nodded.

“Was the Olimaw a god too?”

“To some.”

“It was here wasn’t it? Trapped? Can it be trapped again?”

The man looked towards the sky. “Maybe,” he said.

“It won’t stop will it?”

The man shook his head.

“What must I do?”

“What you have already done.” The man pointed to the rosary again.

“Pray?”

“Go to where the clouds roll by and do as you have done.”

“Wait! What does that mean—-”

And in an instant the man vanished.

Mariano stared at the rosary, stained with his blood. He knew where he had to go, but not what he had to do.

The next afternoon Mariano stood at the edge of the Gilbert bridge. The Laoag river reflected the dark orange of the impending sunset. From here he could see the Apayao mountain range and the sea of clouds that floated between the peaks.

He waited for dusk to settle in, when the serpent would burst through the clouds and make the night just that much darker.

Mariano’s fingers quivered has they tried to grasp his rosary.

As the sun nestled itself below the mountains, it emerged. It had a certain sense of majesty about it, a regal dragon swooping across the night sky, dancing in between the clouds.

It was time.

Mariano started with an ‘Our Father’ hoping that it might do something. The sharp stones of his rosary were digging into his palms as he clenched his fists.

Still the dragon danced.

Mariano fell on his knees. What good was prayer here? There was no way to stop the serpent. Not when he was alone.

He looked to the moon and saw that darkness was covering it. Soon there would be nothing left, only a canvas of black.

And then he remembered.

The Olimaw was not the only being in his lolo’s stories.

He shouted at the top of his lungs, “Amman! Saguday! Cabuyaran! Revenador! Anianihan! Bulan!”

“Please, hear me!”

A soft white glow started to appear around him. After a few moments a woman appeared in front of him and grasped his hands. As soon as she did his bloody palms healed.

In that instant he knew he was in the presence of the gods.

He saw them fly towards the dragon and use the soft glow of the moon to envelop it. A fierce gust of wind and peals of thunder led the serpent to release its grip on the moon.

The serpent fell towards the earth and the land shook. Mariano held his ground and waited until he was sure it was over.

Moonlight filled the sky and settled on Mariano’s grateful face.

“Thank you,” he said to the sky.

He picked himself back up and shrugged the weight of the past few weeks off his shoulders. Mariano couldn’t find his rosary and for once it didn’t matter.

He knew now how to pray.

——————————————————

*Anianihan is the god of the harvest, Cabuyaran is the goddess of healing, Saguday is the god of wind, Revenador is the god of thunder and lightning, Amman is the god of the sun (the sun is his eye) and Bulan is the god of peace.

*Ilocano is the third most-spoken local language of the Philippines.An Austronesian language, it is related to such languages as Malay (Indonesian and Malaysian), Tetum, Chamorro, Fijian, Maori, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Paiwan and Malagasy. It is closely related to some of the other Austronesian languages of Northern Luzon, and has slight mutual intelligibility with the Balangao language and the eastern dialects of the Bontoc language.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Ilocano translation by Maria Jesusa Villaruz
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Maria Jesusa Villaruz

Story inspired by the Oilmaw description in
Gelade, George P. I993. Ilokano-English dictionary. Quezon City, Philippines: CICM Missionaries, Inc.

Olimaw Illustration by Manuel Liwanag
FB: Meowinism
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The post Olimaw – Ilocano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Cebuano

Ang yuta nga iyang gibarugan miawit kaniya sa tanang himaya niini.

Sama na niini sukad pa sa iyang mahinumduman, kung iyang hikapon ang yuta gamit ang iyang panit nga wala’y bisti, mahibal-an niya kung diin ug sa unsang paagi kini mitumaw.

Sa pagkakaron ang iyang mga tiil nahimutang sa isla sa Panay.

Kadiyot lang nga higayon dihang midagayday kaniya ang kaamgo.

Makita niya ang langit nga natabonan sa dagkong mga pako ug ang bantogang bayani nga mitunga alang sa hagit.

Mabati niya ang lanog sa mga pwersa nga naggikan sa duha ka manggugubat.

Madungog niya ang mga lanog nga abot sa lagyong dapit, ang kaisog ug determinasyon sa usa ka bahin ug ang nagsumpaking kasaba sa yawyaw sa pikas.
Masimhot niya ang anghit nga baho sa dugo ngadto sa hangin.

Matilawan niya ang iyang kadaugan. Ang mga sensasyon mas tin-aw niining higayona, halos wala siyay higayon sa pagpahuway. Iyang gigunitan ang yuta sa iyang mga kamot ug naghulat sa laing panan-awon.

Ug ang yuta mitubag sa matang.

Ang bayani ginganlang si Dumalapdap, ang mangtas, si Ayutang.

Nilanat og pito ka buwan ang ilang panagsangka tungod kay daw managsama ra ang ilang gahom ug kusog. Apan nadiskobrehan sa bayani ang kahuyang sa mangtas.

Pinaagi sa iyang sundang nga adunay salamanangka, nga gitawag og Daniwan, iyang giduslak sa tibuok niyang kusog ang ilok ni Ayutang.
Sa dihang nahulog kini, ni-abli ang yuta ug gilamoy ang daw kabog nga mananap.

Aduna’y kabag-ohan sa yuta.

Ang mga bato sa maong dapit naunlod ngadto sa bag-ong naporma nga dagat, apan mitubo sa ibabaw ang duha ka bag-ong isla, simbolo sa kadaugan sa bayani.

Ug sa ingon, dili lang ang isla sa Panay ang nahimugso kon dili lakip sab ang Negros.

Nanghupaw siya ug gipapahuway ang gikapoy niyang hunahuna.

Laing istorya nga nahibal-an, laing adlaw nahuman.

=——————————————-=

English Version

The ground she had trodden on sang to her in all its glory.

It had been like this ever since she could remember, as soon as she touched the earth with her bare skin she would know where and how it came to be.

Today her feet rested on the island of Panay.

It only took a moment for a torrent of senses to come grasping at her.

She could see the sky being covered by gigantic wings and the great hero that came up to the challenge.

She could feel the reverberation of the blows coming from both combatants.

She could hear echoes that reached great distances, of grit and determination on one side and a cacophony of feral gibbering on the other.

She could smell the stench of blood in the air.

She could taste his victory.

The sensations were more vivid this time, barely giving her room to rest. She gripped the soil in her hands and waited for another vision.

And the earth responded in kind.

The hero’s name was Dumalapdap, the monster, Ayutang.

Their fight took seven long months as their power and prowess seemed to be equal. But the hero was able to discover the weakness of the monster.

With his magic dagger called Daniwan, he struck with all his might, the armpit of Ayutang.

When it fell the earth opened and swallowed the bat-like creature whole.

The ground shifted.

The rocks in the area sank into the newly formed sea, but jutting out to the surface were two new islands, a symbol of the hero’s victory.

And thus, it was not only the island of Panay that reached its genesis but also of Negros.

She sighed and laid her weary head to rest.

Another story known, another day finished.

=——————————————–=

*The Cebuano language, alternatively called Cebuan and also often colloquially albeit informally referred to by most of its speakers simply as Bisaya (“Visayan”, not to be confused with other Visayan languages nor Brunei Bisaya language), is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 21 million people, mostly in Central Visayas, western parts of Eastern Visayas and most parts of Mindanao, most of whom belong to various Visayan ethnolingusitic groups, mainly the Cebuanos. It is the by far the most widely spoken of the Visayan languages, which are in turn part of wider the Philippine languages. The reference to the language as Bisaya is not encouraged anymore by linguists due to the many languages within the Visayan language group that may be confused with the term.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Cebuano Translation by Arcy Salvacion
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Arcy Salvacion

Inspired by the The Hinilawod. Clavel (1972)

Ayutang Illustration by Joel Bulagnir

The post Ayutang – Cebuano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Chabacano / Chavacano Caviteño

Entre na mana cenizas del monte Bita, Sulayman tá de pie firmament, ele ya pasa todo de mana casas vacíos na su camino y su corazón ya queda lleno con tristeza. Había mana juguetes pero no mana criaturas. Había mana campos pero nadie para man hace caso, había mana familias allá guna vez , pero no agora.

Sulayman ya maldecí na cielo, “ Di pagá cosa man bestea que ya hacé esto ! ” ya quedá oscuro el cielo , y ya parecí concedido su deseo.

Y el pájaro ya queda llamao Pah. Por casa na enorme figura del gran pájaro ya queda oscuro el cielo, no ansina que ya vé de nadie antes. Con rapidez ya sacá Sulayman su espada y  ya lográ corta ele uno de mana alas del bestea. El gran pájaro ya girá hacia Sulayman, y ele ya esquivá el enorme cuerpo del bestia pero ya olvida ele, el ala que ya cortá ele, aquel parte del bestia ya plastá Sulayman, este ya sana el que ta cabá su aventura, pero hay un otro.

Datu Indarapatra ya mira con agonia , cuando un pimpollo na lado de su ventana ya secá y morir, ya reculdá ele cuando su hermano Sulayman ya embarcá na su adventura na Mindanao. Ele ya articulá el mana palabras que ele ya bisa cuando ya salí Sulayman. “ Na este ponu ta sabe yo vos destino, si vos viví , si vos morí. Si vos di viví, el ponu tambien di viví, si vos di morí di morí tambien ese.

El corazón de Datu Indarapatra ya queda llenung llenu de venganza, y ele ya recogí todo de sus mana pertenencias , incluido su espada más confiable, y ele ya embarcá na un búsqueda para di buscá su hermano.

Como su hermano Sulayman , Datu Indarapatra ya viajá a través del aire , y ya buscá su mismo na montaña si onde ta crecí el mana rattán.ya vé ele el evidencia del victoria de su hermano na batalla contra na mana Kurita. El mana huesos de maná monstruo  tá llenao el suelo, y ele ya queda llenung llenu de orgullo

El seguida queda monte Matutana, el mana cadavers de mana Tarabusao podrido na suelo ta bisá con ele cosa ele nescesita di sabí. El maná lado lado , tá desprovisto pa del vida , pero el maná monstruos no ya podí man lastimar con alguien otra vez. Datu Indarapatra ya continuá na su búsqueda con maná pensamientos de maná monstruos, ta plagando su mente.

El grand muerte que ya causá de este mana criaturas queda sabido na mana tierras lejanos, incluso na su corte na tierra de puesta del sol dorada. Datu Indarapata es el que ya pedí con su hermano Sulayman para di cruzá el mar pa anda na tierra de Mindanao y hace vencé este mana gran bestias. Raja Sulayman ya andá na mindanao con su propio voluntad, para di vengá sus habitantes, si este es verdad, pero Datu Indarapatra ta sentí un punzada de la culpa, na hecho que ele es responsable na pag morí de su hermano. Ya sacudí ele esos mana pensamientos de su mente, a medida ele ta cercá na monte Bita.

El cuerpo del gran pájaro Pah ta acostá na suelo, ele ya fijá el grande ala cortada del pájaro, y ele ya alzá la,  y tallá ele ya buscá el mana huesos de su hermano. Datu Indarapatra ya llora por el sangre de su sangre, y ya queda ele consumido por el dolor.

El Cielo ya dale respuesta na su oración silenciosa. Mientras ele ya mira hacia arriba ele ya ví un bote chiquiting lleno de agua. Sabiendo cosa ele debe di hacé, ya verté ele el agua sobre na mana huesos de Sulayman, y su hermano ya queda vivo otra vez.

El monte ya queda lleno de alegria, cuando se reuní el man hermanos. Sulayman ya explicá, no ele ya murí completamente, sino durmiendo nomas. Datu indarapatra no le importaba, su corazón ya queda llenung llenu de feliz, por casa su hermano ya queda vivo y bien.

Sulayman ya volví na tierra del puesta del sol dorada, pero Datu Indarapatra ya queda. Quiere ele di cabá el que ya empezá su hermano. Tiene pa el cuarta gran bestia na monte Guryan. Datu Indarapatra ya saludá su hermano adios y ya afilá su espada. Indarapatra ya jurá ele el mismo juramento que ya hace Sulayman na su Reino. Y di ví ele ese cumplido.

=——————=

English Version

Among the ashes of Mount Bita, Sulayman stood resolute. He passed the empty homes and his heart was filled with sadness. There were toys but no children, there were farms, but no one to tend them, there were families here once.

But no more.

Sulayman cursed at the sky. Whatever beast did this would pay. The sky darkened and seemed to grant his wish.

The third was Pah.

The sky was blotted out by the enormous frame of a great bird, like nothing that was ever seen before. Sulayman was quick, he drew his sword and managed to hit its wing. The great bird spiraled towards Sulayman, and he was able to dodge its massive body, but forgot about the wing he had cut off. That part of the beast crushed Sulayman and would have ended his journey.

But there was another.

King Indarapatra watched in agony as the sapling by his window withered and died. He recalled the day his brother, Sulayman, set forth on his journey to Mindanao. He mouthed the words that he said when Sulayman left: “By this tree I will know of your fate. If you will live, it will live, and if you die, it will die also.”

King Indarapatra’s heart was filled with revenge. He gathered his belongings, including his most trusted sword and went on a quest to find his brother.

Like Sulayman, he traveled through the air and found himself on the mountain where the rattan grew. He saw evidence of his brother’s victory against the Kurita. The bones of the monster littered the area and he was filled with pride.

Next was Mount Matutun. The rotting corpse of the Tarabusaw told him all he needed to know. The surrounding areas were still barren of life, but the monster would never be able to hurt anyone again. King Indarapatra continued on his journey and thoughts of the monsters plagued his mind.

The great deaths caused by these creatures were told of in faraway lands, even reaching his court in the land of the golden sunset. It was King Indarapatra that pleaded with Sulayman to cross the seas and rid the land of Mindanao of these great beasts.

It was Sulayman’s choice to go to the distant land and avenge her people, that much was true. But King Indarapatra felt a pang of guilt that he had lead his brother to certain death.

He shook those thoughts away as he approached mount Bita.
The body of the great bird Pah lay on the ground. He noticed the severed wing of the bird and lifted it up, revealing the bones of his brother. King Indarapatra wept for the blood of his blood, so consumed with grief was he.

The heavens replied with an answer to his silent prayer. As he looked up, he saw a small jar filled with water. Knowing what he must do, he poured the water over Sulayman’s bones and his brother lived again.

Joy filled the mountain as the brothers reunited. Sulayman explained that he was not completely dead, but sleeping. King Indarapatra didn’t care, he heart was filled with great happiness that his brother was alive and well.

Sulayman returned to their home in the land of the golden sunset, but King Indarapatra stayed. He wanted to finish what his brother started. There was still the matter of the fourth great beast on Mount Gurayn.

King Indarapatra bade his brother farewell and sharpened his sword. He swore the same oath that Sulayman did and upon his kingdom, he would see it fulfilled.

————————–————————–————————-

*Chavacano or Chabacano is a group of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speakers.  Currently existing varieties are found in Cavite City and Ternate, located in the Cavite province on the island of Luzon. Chavacano is the only Spanish-based creole in Asia.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Stacy Paredes Foote
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Stacy Paredes Foote

Continued from the Tarabusaw’s tale

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Adapted from “Mythology of Mindanao” in Philippine Folklore Stories. Cole. 1916. (Full text can be accessed at http://www.sacred-texts.com/asia/pft/index.htm

The post Pah – Chabacano / Chavacano Caviteño appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Tagalog

Ilang taon na akong hindi nakapunta sa bahaging ito ng kagubatan.

Hindi na magmula noong nangyari ang…

Gumagalaw ang lupa habang binubuo ng tagapagsilbi ang katawan nito. Sinabi sa akin na maraming engkanto ang gumagamit nitong mga elemental na nilalang bilang mga bantay at sa tuwing nakakakita ako ng isa, inilalapit ko ang aking rosaryo at iniintindi ang babala.

Itong bahagi ng probinsiya ay nagtataglay ng mga mahahalagang alaala para sa akin.

Naalala ko noong una ko siyang nakilala, napakagwapo niya, tulad ng kanyang uri.

Dinala niya ako sa kanyang mundo at wala akong naranasan na ganoong kaligayahan noon, o kailanman.

Hindi nga lang ako simpleng kabataan. Alam ko ang mga kuwento—kung paano ang pagkain ng itim na bigas sa kanilang lugar ay magkukulong sa akin doon magpakailanman o kung paano ang pagdarasal sa nag-iisang Diyos ay magpapawala ng kanilang mahika.

Masyado akong maraming nalalaman, at napakakaunti din.

Pagkatapos, ako ay umibig.

Isang batang-isip na pagkakamali.

Kapag ang engkanto ay umibig sa tao, magsisimula itong magpakita ng pisikal na kaanyuan. Ang taong biktima (o dapat bang sabihing iniibig?) ay magkakasakit. Kapag nanligaw ang engkanto, unti-unting humihina ang katawan ng tao, hanggang sa puntong mawalan siya ng malay

Sinasabing kung ang taong iniibig ng engkanto ay namatay, ang ibig sabihin nito ay  tumawid na siya sa mundo ng engkanto.

Mas malugod kong tinanggap ang kamatayan kung siya ang katabi ko.

Kami lang, magkasama.

Pero natakot ako. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin kaya ang likas kong reaksiyon ay magdasal.

Dahil doon, ang mahika ng kanilang kaharian ay nawala.

Ang tanging alaala ng kanyang mundo, ang bato-bato, ay tumingin sa akin. Ang mukha nitong hindi gumagalaw ay tila nakaukit ang bahid ng kalungkutan.

Tila kabaliwan na mag-iwan ng bulaklak sa isang alaala, ngunit nandito ako.

Siya iyon. Palaging siya iyon. Hindi ko kayang makasama ang sinuman pagkatapos ng mga araw ng pag-ibig at panganib na kasama ang engkanto.

Ang mga hindi nagtagumpay kong relasyon ay patunay ng pag-ibig na iyon.

Michael, Jaime, Simon, James…

Patuloy ang listahan.

Kailanman ay hindi nila matutumbasan ang karanasan ko sa kanya.

Kung kaya, itinapon ko ang aking rosaryo, isinuot ang aking pinakamagandang damit, at nagtungo sa kagubatan.

Nandoon ang bato-bato, ang piping saksi sa aking pagkatalo.

Nagsimula akong pumasok sa kuweba. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat asahan. Isinigaw ko ang kanyang pangalan.

At pagkatapos, wala.

Ilang oras kong sinubukan na hanapin ang daan papasok sa kanyang mundo. Namaga na ang aking lalamunan, duguan ang mga kamao, lahat para sa pagkakataong masilayan ang nawala kong pag-ibig.

Hindi pa ako nakaramdam ng ganitong katinding pag-iisa.

Pagkatapos ng ilang oras, kinulayan ng araw ang kagubatan ng pula at alam kong oras na para umalis.

Nagtataka pa rin ako

Iniisip niya pa kaya ako?

Ibig bang sabihin na hindi na niya ako iniibig dahil ako ay malusog pa?

Bakit hindi niya ako bigyan ng isa pang pagkakataon?

Alam ko na ang daang papasok sa kanyang mundo ay nandoon pa din sa kuweba.

Kung hindi, bakit nandoon pa din ang bato-bato?

Babalik ako, sa ilalim ng liwanag ng bilog na buwan.

Kasama ang mga dasal at agimat.

Kailanman ay hindi ko susukuan ang aking pag-ibig.

=————————–=

English Version

I haven’t been in this part of the forest in years.

Not since what happened with…

The ground moves as the servant builds its body. I was told that many engkanto use these elemental creatures as guards and every time I chance upon one, I take my rosary close and heed the warning.

This part of the province holds so many dear memories for me.

I think back at the time I first met him, he was too beautiful, as his kind always was.

He took me to his world and I had never had such pleasure before, or since.

I was no mere youth though, I knew the stories, about how eating black rice in their domain would trap me there forever or how praying to the one God would dissipate their magic.

I knew too much, and also too little.

Then I fell in love.

Such a childish mistake.

When an engkanto falls in love with a human, it will start to show physically. The human victim (or should I say lover?) will fall ill. When an engkanto courts, the human’s body becomes progressively weaker, up to the point of the human becoming unconscious.

It is said that if the subject of the engkanto’s love dies then that means he has crossed over to the engkanto’s world.

I would have welcomed death had he been by my side.

Only us, together.

But I was scared. I didn’t know what to do so by instinct I prayed.

And thus, the magic of their realm disappeared.

The only remnant of his world, the bato-bato, looked at me. Its unmoving face etched with what looked to be a twinge of sadness.

It seems crazy to leave a flower on a memory, yet here I am.

It was him, it was always him. I could never be with anyone after spending the days of love and danger with the engkanto.

My failed relationships are a testament to that love.

Michael, Jaime, Simon, James…

The list goes on.

They could never come close to giving me what I had with him.

And so, I tossed my rosary, wore my best clothes and ventured into the forest.

The Bato-bato was there, a silent witness to my lost cause.

I take the first steps into the cave. I didn’t know what to expect. I shouted his name.

And then, nothing.

I spent hours trying to look for an entrance o his world. My throat was sore, my knuckles bloody, all for the chance to see a glimpse of the lover I lost.

I had never felt so alone.

After a few hours the sun painted the forest red and I knew it was time to go.

I still wonder:

Does he think of me?

Is the fact that I’m healthy means that he stopped loving me?

Why won’t he give me another chance?

I know the portal to his world is still there by the cave.

If it wasn’t why was the bato-bato there?

I will return, by the light of the full moon.

With incantations and agimats.

I will never surrender my love.

=———————————–=

Story inspired by the Engkanto Myths

Bato-bato Illustration by Michael Sean B. Talavera
IG: @maykelshan
Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/isaneleach13

The post Bato bato – Tagalog Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Tagalog

Ang buwan, na natatakot pasikatin ang sariling liwanag, ay tuluyan nang nagtago sa likod ng mga ulap. “Magaling!” Siyang naisip ni Sonja. “Sana naman ay hindi sila nagsimula ng wala pa ako.”

Ang mga impit na boses na nagmumula sa loob ng sisidlang sako ay nagsisimula nang lumakas nguni’t isang mabilis na sipa lamang ang solusyon dito. Alam niyang mayroong kulam siyang maaring gamitin ngunit hindi na lamang niya inaksaya ito. Naisip niya na ang kaunting takot ay minsan nakadadagdag sa kasiyahan. Ang tagpuan ay nasa isang gubat sa labas ng lungsod. Mula pa noong panahon ng mga lumang kaharian, gawi nilang magkita-kita at makibahagi sa kapistahan.

Nakatatawang isipin na ang kapistahang ito ay nagaganap sa mismong araw ng kapanganakan ng Anak ng Mahal na Birhen.

Kinaladkad ni Sonja ang sako sa bukana ng kakahuyan. Ang kapistahan ay magtatagal ng buong gabi at ayaw niyang makipagsapalaran. IIwanan niya ang kanyang mga paasa loob ng kakahuyan at makikipagdiwang sha magdamag.

Ang kasalukuyang nagbabantay sa bukana ng gubat ay isang ‘mangingilaw’
”Tila malayo ka sa iyong tahana.” wika ni Sonja.
”Puumupunta lang ako sa kung saan ako ay iniimbitahan.”sagot nito. “Anong dinala mo?”

Hinagis ni Sonja ang dala niyang sako at winika: “May dala akong tiyak na gusto mo ant ng iyong mga kauri.Huli na ba ako? ”

“Pumasok ka na , mananaggal, hindi pa tayo nagsisimula.”

Nakahinga ng maluwag si Sonja.

Pinakamaganda ang paunang bahagi ng ritwal. Iniwan niya ang kanyang mga paa sa isang malapit na puno at pumailanglang pataas. Doon niya kinatagpo at sinamahan ang kanyang kawan na kasalukuyang umiikot sa itaas ng mga puno.

Hindi mabilang na mga alibadut, abat, kubot, alan, bannog, magkukutud, kalibadut at iba pang nakahihindik na lumilipad na mga nilalang ang nagkakaisang lumilipad. At dahil nga walang liwanag ng buwan, tanging intuwisyon lamang nila ang kanilang gabay sa pagpaptuloy ng  kanilang sayaw na nababalutan ng kasamaan.  Kasabay nito ay ang malakas na dagundong ng mga lamang lupang panauhin ng gabing iyon.

Ang mga bungisngis, kiwig , kulukupap at marami pang iba ay nagpahiram ng kanilang mga tunog at boses sa naturang piging. Ang seremonya ay natapos nang dumating ang Hari ng mga Mangkukulam at naupo sa trono ng buto at dugo.

Nagulat si Sonjya sa kung gaano kaayos ang lahat; bawat pangkat ay may kanya kanyang lugar sa kakahuyan upang mangalap ng mga karne para sa handaan. Nais sana niyang tikman ang iba’t-ibang mga inihandog nguni’t hindi niya alam kung alin ang uunahin.  Naglaway siya sa amoy ng dugo sa isang sulok kung saan naroon ang mgamandurugo;  ang kalembang ng kawa ng mga pirotso ay nangahulugan na mayroon ding mga sariwang bataw; mayroon ding mga ulong nakadikit pa ang mga laman na ambag naman ng mga saga-ih. Mayroon ding mag makabagong putahe: malutong na dinuguan na may piniritong lamang loob, daliri, matang bulalo, sinangkutsang puso at sarsang utak. Pagutom na ng pagutom si Sonja kada minutong lumilipas kaya’t pinili nyang tumayo sa tabi ng isang tigabulak. Ang tigabulak ay nakatayo sa harapan ng isang  tagaan at malaking pang-itak.

Mga hiyaw na humihingi ng saklolo ang umaalingawngaw mula sa sako sa likod niya na siya namang nagpaligaya ng lubos kay Sonja. Ang sariwang karne na inihanda ng isang tigabulak ay paniguradong sadyang napakasarap ; hinayaan pa niya si Sonya ang pumili ng bata.

Habang tinuturo ni Sonja ang napiling bata, mga limang taong  gulang ang edad, isang kaguluhan ang biglang naganap malapit sa kanya.

Ang tigabulak, na halatang inis, ay nagwika, “Sino nag-imbita niyan dito?”

Lumipad si Sonja upang makita kung ano angnagnyayari at kaagad niyang nakilala ang Mamam, na sapilitang  itinutulak ang sarili papasok sa kapistahan.

Mula ng maganap ang insidente maraming buwan na ang nakalilipas, lahat ng mga maligno ay nagpasya na itago na nila sa Mamam ang mga susunod na mga pagtitipon kundi ay mauuwi lamang sa kapahamakan ang pagdiriwang.

Ang ibang mga higante gaya ng mga mangingilaw at timu-timu ay sinubukang pigilan ang nilalang na makapasok   nguni’t  wala silang magawa lalo’t may pagkain  nang nakaharap dito. Hindi man lang ito titigil kahit sabhan ng kapwa niya halimaw.

Nakita ni Sonja na karamihan ay ngsimula nang magsitakas habang bitbit ang kanilang bahagi sa kapistahan.  May isang alam pang dumaan sa harapan niya na may kargang maliit na bata.

May kutob na din si Sonja na dapat ay tumakbo na din sha ng mabilis papalayo nguni’t hindi niya mapigilan angpanonood sa kagimbal-gimbal na panoorin.

Isang oras na ang nakalipas ng magsimulang manggulo ang Mammam. Ang mga duguang bangkay ngmga bungisngis at ogro ay pumapalamuti sa patayang naganap. Ang mga nanatili upang bantayan ang kanilang mga pagkain ay mistulang lumalaban na papunta sa pagkatalo.

Hindi kinikilala ng Mammam ang katapatan maliban lamang sa gutom. Aswang o tao, pareho niyang kinain ang mga ito. Nakakita pa si Sonja ng mga matatalinong tao na sinamatala ang kaguluhan at tuluyan nang tumakbo para sa kanilang buhay. Mayroon pang isang buntis na nakatakas papasok ng gubat habang ang nanghuli sa kanya ay nakalingat.

Walang kapangyarihan o mahikaang makapipigil dito. Ang mga galamay ng Hari ng mga Mangkukulam ay sumubok na saktan ang Mammam ngunit parang lalo lamang nagutom ito. Dalawang mangkukulam pa nga ang nasawi matapos silang lunukin ng buo ng Mammam.

Matapos ng lahat ang Mammam ay tumayo. Walang mga bangkay, walang mga buto bilang tanda sa mga landas na dinaanan nito.

Pinagmasdan ni Sonja ang lahat ng patayan at tumakas siya papabalik sa kanyang mga binti nang walang laman ang kanyang tiyan sa gabi ng kapistahan.

=————————————=

English Version

The moon, afraid to shine its light, retreated behind the clouds.

Perfect. Sonja thought. I hope they didn’t start without me

The muffled voices inside the bag were starting to get louder, but nothing a swift kick wouldn’t fix. She knew there was magic that she could use to put them to sleep, she decided against it though. Sonja always thought that a little fear did wonders for flavor.

The meeting spot was in a grove in the outskirts of the city. Since the days of the old kingdoms they would meet and share in the feast. It was an amusing irony that the feast was on the same day as the birth of the virgin’s child.

Sonja dragged the sack to the entrance of the grove. The feast would take all night and she didn’t want to take any risks. She would leave her legs inside the grove and celebrate throughout the night.

Guarding the grove this time was a mangingilaw. “You’re far from home,” Sonja said.
“I go where I am invited,” he replied.

“What did you bring?” Sonja tossed the bag to the giant’s feet.

“Something raw.”

“Of course, that’s what your kind likes. Am I late?”

“Enter, mananaggal, we have not yet started.”

Sonja sighed with relief. The opening ceremony was the best part. She left her legs by a nearby tree and soared upwards.

There she joined the flock, swirling above the trees.

Countless alibadut, abat, kubot, alan, bannog, magkukutud, kalibadut and other flying horrors moved in tandem. Without moonlight they only had their intuition to guide their sinister dance.

Accompanying this was the raucous roar of the terrestrial guests of the night. The bungisngis, kiwig and kulukupap, among many others, lent their voices to the celebration.

The ceremony ended as the king of the mangkukulam took his place on the throne of bones and blood.

Sonja was surprised how orderly everything was, each group had their own space in the grove to gather meat for the feast.

She wanted to try the different offerings and didn’t know where to start. The scent of blood from the mandurugo corner made her salivate, the clang from the pirotso’s pot signaled fresh children, there was a collection of heads by the saga-ih complete with the flesh intact.

There were also more ‘modern’ takes on the classics: Crispy dinuguan with deep fried lamang-loob, finger and eyeball bulalo and sizzling hearts with brain sauce.

Sonja was getting hungrier by the minute and she chose the spot beside her where a tigabulak stood. He was standing in front of a table with a large cutting board and a cleaver. Cries of help were echoing from the sack behind him, filling Sonja with glee. Such fresh meat prepared by a tigabulak would be quite a delicacy, he even let Sonja choose which child.

As Sonja was pointing to a small girl, about five years old, a commotion was thundering near her.

The tigabulak, visibly annoyed, said, “Who invited that here?”

Sonja flew up to see what was happening and she immediately recognized the mamam, pushing its way through the feast.

Ever since the incident many moons ago, all of the horrors decided to hide the feast from the mamam, lest the celebration turn into disaster.

The other giants like the mangingilaw and timu-timu were trying to hold it off, but the creature was unstoppable once food was placed in front of him. It would not even stop against a fellow halimaw.

Sonja could see that most were already trying to escape, taking their share of the feast with them. An alan even darted past her, carrying a small child.

Instinct told Sonja that she should run far and run fast, but she couldn’t take her eyes away from the spectacle.

It had been an hour since the mamam started its rampage. The bloodied corpses of the bungisngis and ogro decorating the slaughter. Those that stayed to guard their food were fighting a losing battle.

The mamam knew no allegiance apart from hunger.

Aswang or human, it ate them all the same.

Sonja could see clever humans taking advantage of the chaos and running for their lives. A pregnant woman even managed to slip into the forest while her wak-wak captor was distracted.

No might or magic could stop it. The king of the mangkukulam had his witches try inflicting pain on the creature but that only seemed to make it even hungrier. Two mangkukulam met their end when the mamam swallowed them whole.

In the aftermath the mamam stood. No corpses, no bones to mark the trail of its passing.

Sonja took in the carnage and fled to her legs, her stomach empty on the night of the feast.

*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Sheila Rose Vidanes Santiago
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Sheila Rose Vidanes Santiago

Inspired by the Mamam description in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010.

Mamam Illustration by Jesus Miguel Ofalsa

FB: https://www.facebook.com/artsofperdiyo/

The post Mamam – Tagalog Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Kapampangan

Case # KGMJ4852

Ating mengabating a anak anyang July 17, 1961, ala una na ning ugtu. Miglawe la reng Rangers king Orang National Park oneng pilang oras na ing milabas bayu da abalu nung nanu ing milyari karela.

Dapat normal a field trip yamu naman ita. Pipilang gradeschool titser ampong estudyante a papuntang park para gawang paper tungkul king park. Atin lang abeng atlung bante detang anak.

Itang mumunang bangke, metung ya karetang titser. Balamu mete ya king sakal. E pa balu nung nanu ing kemate na oneng ating pruebang mete ya dail king “violent compression on the neck as well as presence of bruising.” Balamu pilan mung minutu ing kemate na oneng ala naman meg-aliwa king itsura na o king katawan.

Detang mitagan, ikit dala ketang metung tanaman. Ketang “rainbow eucalyptus grove”. Balang metung, atin lang pasa kalupa na nitang minunang bangke a atin pasa a balamu sekal. Atin din buak-buak a ikit da king batal da. Linto naman king post-mortem, atin lang balamu pile o “fracture” detang anak. Sabi king Autopsy, pilang minute mu, mete la agad deng biktima.

Suma total, disisyete la deng mete. Siyam anak a lalaki, limang anak a babai, ampong atlung babaing titser.

Ni-lock-down de ing park saka dala ininspeksyun deng egana-ganang kotse a lulwal oneng ala lang ikit na magpatune na atin ginamit ”murder weapon”. Alang migtugma a buak kareng bangke saka kareng “visitors” a linub king park.

Angga ngeni, ali ya pa din “solved” in kasu.

=—————————————–=

English Version

Case # KGMJ4852

The children went missing July 17, 1961 at about 1pm. Rangers searched the Orang National Park for hours before they discovered what had happened to them.

It was supposed to be a routine field trip, a bunch of grade schoolers and their teachers going through a park and making papers about it after. The children were lead by 3 chaperons.

The first body was of one of the teachers, she looked like she had died from strangulation. The cause was unknown, but there was evidence of violent compression on the neck as well as presence of bruising. It seemed that death was within minutes with no disfiguring physical findings. Strands of soft hair were found on the victims neck, mirroring later findings.

The rest of the victims were found all in the same place, a rainbow eucalyptus grove. Each victim had the same marks as the first body and all showing signs of strangulation, with the presence of the hair on their necks. The child victims show fractures and bruising that were found to be postmortem. Autopsy showed the times of death of all the victims were within minutes of each other.

In total there were 17 victims. 9 boys, 5 girls and 3 female teachers.

The park was put on lockdown and all exiting vehicles were searched but nothing was ever found that would match the presumed murder weapon. No hairs that matched the ones found were present on any of the other park visitors.

The case remains unsolved to this day.

————————–————————–———————

Story inspired by Ikugan entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Ikugan Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

The post Ikugan – Kapampangan Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Waray

An bulan, hadlok idayag an iya lamrag, umatras ha luyo han mga dampog.

Kaupay. Pinsar ni Sonja. Hinaot unta waray pa hira magtikang samtang waray pa ako.

Natikakusog an mga natahuban nga tingog ha sakob han bag, kundi waray bisan ano an diri maaayad han usa nga malaksi nga banyak. Maaram hiya nga poyde hiya gumamit hin mahika agud pakaturugon an mga adto ha sulod han bag kundi waray niya ini gamiton. Pirme napipinsar ni Sonja nga an guti nga kahadlok, nakakaupay gud han nanam.

An kiritaan amo an kagurangan ha ligid han syudad. Tikang han panahon han mga kadaan nga kahadian, nagkikirigta hira ngan nagsasaro ha pista. Usa nga makatarawa nga butang nga an pista kadungan han kaadlawan han anak han birhen.

Gindanas ni Sonja an sako ngadto ha sarakban han kagurangan. Bug-os nga gab-i an pista ngan nadiri hiya nga sumugal ha anuman nga risgo. Ginbilin niya an iya mga tiil ha kagurangan ngan nagselebrar bug-os nga gab-i

Usa nga mangingilaw an bantay yana ha kagurangan. “Kahirayo mo ha im urukyan,” sering ni Sonja.

“Napakadto ako kun hain ak gin-imbitar,” baton niya.

“Ano an im dara?” Ginlabay ni Sonja an bag ngadto ha tiil han higante.

“Mga hilaw.”

“Syempre, mao an karuyag han mga sugad ha imo. Urhi na ba ako?”

“Sulod, manananggal, waray pa kami magtikang.”

Nakaginhawa hi Sonja. An pangabre nga seremonya amo an pinakamaupay nga parte. Ginbilin niya an iya mga tiil ha hirani nga puno ngan linupad.

Inupod hiya ha iba pa, naglinupad-lupad ha bawbaw han mga puno.

Diri maihap an alibadut, abat, kubot, alan, bannog, magkukutud, kalibadut ngan iba pa nga makaharadlok nga mananap an inapi. Ha kawaray han lamrag tikang ha bulan, pangabat la an ira giya ha ira malain nga sayaw.

Kadungan hini an makusog ngan malain nga kulaog han mga halimaw nga bisita han gab-i. Nakiduyog an mga tingog han bungisngis, kiwig ngan kulukupap, kaupod an damo nga iba pa ha selebrasyon.

Nahuman an seremonya han liningkod an hadi han mga mambabarang ha trono han mga tul-an ngan dugo.

Nasorpresa hi Sonja ha kun ano kaorganisado an tanan, kada grupo mayda kalugaringon nga espasyo ha kagurangan agud magtirok han karne para ha pista.

Karuyag niya tilawan an magkadirudilain nga mga halad ngan diri maaram kun diin magtitikang. Naglaway hiya tungod ha baho han dugo tikang ha parte han mandurugo, an tunog nga tikang ha palayok han pirotso nga amo an pangilal-an han lab-as nga kabataan, mayda koleksyon han mga ulo an mga saga-ih nga bug-os pa an mga unod.

Mayda liwat mga ‘moderno’ nga paghaum ha mga kadaan: Maragumo nga dinuguan nga mayda pinirito nga tinae, tudlo, bulalo han mga mata ngan nakaladkad nga mga puso nga mayda utak nga sabaw.

Ha kada minuto nga nalabay, dugang nga nagugutom hi Sonja ngan ginpili niya an puwesto ha sapit niya kun diin natindog an usa nga tigabulak. Natindog ini ha atubangan han usa nga lamesa nga mayda dako nga tadtaran ngan puthaw nga kutsilyo. Naaningal tikang ha sako ha luyo han tigabulak an mga tangis nga naaro hin bulig, nga nagdurot hin sobra nga karayhak kan Sonja. Marasa gud an sugad kalab-as nga karne nga gin-andam han tibulak, ginpapili pa gud niya hi Sonja kun hain nga bata an iya karuyag.

Han natudlok hiya ha usa nga guti nga bata nga haros lima katuig, usa nga kasamukan an binuto hirani ha iya.

Nagsering an tigabulak, nga klaro ha nawong an kauyam, “Hin-o an nag-imbitar ha iya ngadi?”

Linupad hi Sonja agud makit-an kun ano an nahitatabo ngan dagmit niya nga nakilal-an an mamam, nga pirit nga nasulod ha pista.

Tikang han panhitabo pira kabulan na an naglabay, nagdesisyon an ngatanan nga madarahug nga igtago an mga pista ha mamam, ha kahadlok nga mahimo nga kasamukan an selebrasyon.

Gin-atentaran han iba nga higante sugad han mangingilaw ngan timu-timu nga pugngan ini, kundi diri napaulang an mamam labina kun aada na ha iya atubangan an pagkaon. Diri iton maundang bisan kun an kontra igkasi halimaw.

Nakit-an ni Sonja nga haros ngatanan naeskapo na, dara an bahin nira ha pista. Ngan bisan hi Alan, nagdadagmit nga gumikan dara an usa nga guti nga bata.

Subay ha pangabat ni Sonja kinahanglan na niya dumalagan ngadto ha hirayo ngan dumalagan hin dagmit, kundi waray niya mahimo nga diri tumukod ha nalalain nga halimaw.

Usa kaoras na tikang han pagtikang han pananamok han mamam. An mga duguon nga patay nga lawas han bungisngis ngan ogro an pamatuod han panmatay. Naato ha tikaperdi nga agway iton mga nagpabilin agud depensahan an ira mga pagkaon.

Waray ginkikilala nga kaugop an mamam labot ha kagutom.

Aswang man o tawo, ginkaon la niya ngatanan.

Nakit-an ni Sonja an mga wais nga mga tawo nga ginsingabot an kasamukan agud talwason an kalugaringon. Usa nga burod an nakakadto ha guba samtang nalilibang an wak-wak nga nagdakop ha iya.

Waray kusog o mahika an makakapugong ha mamam. Ginsugo han hadi han mga mambabarang nga pasul-an an halimaw kundi baga dugang la iton nga nagutom. Duha nga mambabarang an namatay han gintulon hira han mamam.

Ha katapusan, natindog an mamam. Waray patay nga lawas, waray tul-an nga nagbilin hin pangilal-an han iya ginbuhat.

Waray na mahimo hi Sonja sanglit ginkarawat nala niya an panhitabo ngan linupad ngadto ha iya mga tiil, waray sulod an iya tiyan ha gab-i han pista.

=————————-=

English Version

The moon, afraid to shine its light, retreated behind the clouds.

Perfect. Sonja thought. I hope they didn’t start without me.

The muffled voices inside the bag were starting to get louder, but nothing a swift kick wouldn’t fix. She knew there was magic that she could use to put them to sleep, she decided against it though. Sonja always thought that a little fear did wonders for flavor.

The meeting spot was in a grove in the outskirts of the city. Since the days of the old kingdoms they would meet and share in the feast. It was an amusing irony that the feast was on the same day as the birth of the virgin’s child.

Sonja dragged the sack to the entrance of the grove. The feast would take all night and she didn’t want to take any risks. She would leave her legs inside the grove and celebrate throughout the night.

Guarding the grove this time was a mangingilaw. “You’re far from home,” Sonja said.
“I go where I am invited,” he replied.

“What did you bring?” Sonja tossed the bag to the giant’s feet.

“Something raw.”

“Of course, that’s what your kind likes. Am I late?”

“Enter, mananaggal, we have not yet started.”

Sonja sighed with relief. The opening ceremony was the best part. She left her legs by a nearby tree and soared upwards.

There she joined the flock, swirling above the trees.

Countless alibadut, abat, kubot, alan, bannog, magkukutud, kalibadut and other flying horrors moved in tandem. Without moonlight they only had their intuition to guide their sinister dance.

Accompanying this was the raucous roar of the terrestrial guests of the night. The bungisngis, kiwig and kulukupap, among many others, lent their voices to the celebration.

The ceremony ended as the king of the mangkukulam took his place on the throne of bones and blood.

Sonja was surprised how orderly everything was, each group had their own space in the grove to gather meat for the feast.

She wanted to try the different offerings and didn’t know where to start. The scent of blood from the mandurugo corner made her salivate, the clang from the pirotso’s pot signaled fresh children, there was a collection of heads by the saga-ih complete with the flesh intact.

There were also more ‘modern’ takes on the classics: Crispy dinuguan with deep fried lamang-loob, finger and eyeball bulalo and sizzling hearts with brain sauce.

Sonja was getting hungrier by the minute and she chose the spot beside her where a tigabulak stood. He was standing in front of a table with a large cutting board and a cleaver. Cries of help were echoing from the sack behind him, filling Sonja with glee. Such fresh meat prepared by a tigabulak would be quite a delicacy, he even let Sonja choose which child.

As Sonja was pointing to a small girl, about five years old, a commotion was thundering near her.

The tigabulak, visibly annoyed, said, “Who invited that here?”

Sonja flew up to see what was happening and she immediately recognized the mamam, pushing its way through the feast.

Ever since the incident many moons ago, all of the horrors decided to hide the feast from the mamam, lest the celebration turn into disaster.

The other giants like the mangingilaw and timu-timu were trying to hold it off, but the creature was unstoppable once food was placed in front of him. It would not even stop against a fellow halimaw.

Sonja could see that most were already trying to escape, taking their share of the feast with them. An alan even darted past her, carrying a small child.

Instinct told Sonja that she should run far and run fast, but she couldn’t take her eyes away from the spectacle.

It had been an hour since the mamam started its rampage. The bloodied corpses of the bungisngis and ogro decorating the slaughter. Those that stayed to guard their food were fighting a losing battle.

The mamam knew no allegiance apart from hunger.

Aswang or human, it ate them all the same.

Sonja could see clever humans taking advantage of the chaos and running for their lives. A pregnant woman even managed to slip into the forest while her wak-wak captor was distracted.

No might or magic could stop it. The king of the mangkukulam had his witches try inflicting pain on the creature but that only seemed to make it even hungrier. Two mangkukulam met their end when the mamam swallowed them whole.

In the aftermath the mamam stood. No corpses, no bones to mark the trail of its passing.

Sonja took in the carnage and fled to her legs, her stomach empty on the night of the feast.

*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 Joan Sebastian
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Joan Sebastian

Inspired by the Mamam description in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010.

Mamam Illustration by Jesus Miguel Ofalsa

FB: https://www.facebook.com/artsofperdiyo/

The post Mamam – Waray Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Cebuano

Sa ibabaw sa langit ug sa kawanangan, ang mga bitoon makadungog sa imong mga pag-ampo.

Nagpabilin sila ingon nga hilom nga mga saksi sa pagbusikad sa kasaysayan apan bisan sila, kinahanglan nga mobarug sa daplin sa diha nga ang Makagagahum magpakita sa Iyang gahum.

Ang mga bitoon wala magtagad. Sila nagpatigbabaw sukad sa kabatan-onan sa kalibutan ug ang katawhan usa lamang ka silaw sa mata sa Makagagahum.

Ang mga bitoon nagpabilin ug sila molahutay.

Nagsugod ang atong istorya sa usa ka gitubag nga pag-ampo.

Ang naga kay hakog. Wala kiniy kalooy sa mga tawo nga nagpuyo sa iyang teritoryo. Adunay mga haligi nga gasiga nga mogawas sa iyang mga mata, nga mosunog sa tanan nga iyang tukbonon. Ang hilo nga nag-agas gikan sa siyam ka sanga nga dila niini mikaylap sa walay kaluoy sa iyang mga biktima.

Tulo na lang ka mga kalag ang nahabilin human gilamoy sa mangtas ang dautan, usa ka inahan, amahan ug anak.

Ug ang ilahang pag-ampo ang gidungog sa mga bitoon.

“Labawng Makagagahum luwasa kami gikan niining dakong naga, ikaw lamang ang adunay gahom sa pagpahunong niini,” hangyo sa amahan.

Gitubag ang ilang pag-ampo apan dili sa Labawng Makagagahum.

Ang mga bitoon nagtan-aw samtang ang dakong naga nagtabyogtabyog sa iyang ikog ug nagpadala og usa ka makalilisang nga unos ngadto sa magtiayon.Ilang nakita ang kabukiran nga nangurog sa kahadlok sa gahom sa mananap. Dili kini motugot nga mabuhi ang mga tawo, ang kabangis sa naga dili motugot niini.

Gilibotan sa kapungot ug kalayo ang pamilya, bisan ang yuta daw naghilak sa kasakit. Nagsubay ang kaalaot ug pag-antos sa agianan sa naga, ang nangadugmok nga mga lawas sa iyang mga biktima nagpasad sa agianan sa mangtas hangtod nga ang dakong mananap niatubang sa iyang katapusang biktima.

“Kung mao kini ang kabubut-on sa Labawng Makagagahum, ato kining pagadawaton,” pagbakho sa inahan. Hugot niyang gigakos ang iyang pamilya, ang bugtong kahupayan nga nahabilin sa ilang kahimtang.

Ang naga nilukso ngadto sa langit ug niabri iyang dakong baba.

Ang pamilya nipiyong sa ilang mga mata ug gihuwat ang dili kalikayan, pero ang Labawng Makagagahum nakadungog sa ilang mga pangamuyo ug nagpakita sa iyang kaayo.

Nilukso ang bakunawa, pero wala kini makaabot sa iyang puntarya. Nisaka kini sa kalangitan, lapas sa mga panganod ug didto sa ginsakpan sa mga bitoon, mga dagkong alisngaw ug aso ang nagsunod niini.

Sa diha nga ang naga daw dili na makapadayon og saka, mihunong kini, gisuspinde sa taliwala sa mga bitoon ug gilibutan sa kalayo niini.

Nagpasalamat ang pamilya sa Makagagahum sa Iyang kaluoy, sa kahangturan gihinumduman ang adlaw nga naluwas sila sa kabangis sa mananap.

Ug kumusta ang mga bitoon?

Ilang gitugyan ang tanan sa Labawng Makagagahum, gidawat ang bag-ong dapit sa naga taliwala sa ilang gingharian.

Apan bisan sila nahibalo nga kini dili molungtad.

Kay ang mga bituon makadungog sa mga hunghong sa naga. Naghulat sila sa katapusan sa mga adlaw nga ang dragon mosibat ngadto sa yuta ug lamyon ang tanan nga daotan nga mga kalag nga wala motuman sa Labawng Makagagahum.

Ug busa ang mga bitoon nagpabilin nga mapailubon hangtud nga ang mga langit ilaha na usab.

• Sa mito nga Samal ang milky way nakita nga usa ka higante nga dragon nga natanggong.

=—————————————-=

English Version

Over the sky and in the firmament, the stars hear your prayers.

They stay as silent witnesses to the unfolding of history, but even they must stand aside when the Almighty displays His power.

The stars do not mind. They have prevailed since the world was young and humanity was but a glimmer in the Almighty’s eye.

The stars remain and they endure.

Our story begins with an answered prayer.

The naga was ravenous. It did not show mercy to the humans living in its territory. From its eyes shot pillars of flame, incinerating all those that it considered prey. The poison flowing from its nine forked tongue spread through its victims without pity.

There were only three souls left after the monster had devoured the wicked, a mother, a father and a son.

And it was their prayer that the stars overheard.

“Almighty deliver us from this great naga, only you have the power to stop it,” the father implored.

Their prayer was answered but not by the Almighty.

The stars watched as the great naga swung its tail and sent a terrible gale towards the couple. They saw the mountains shiver in fear at the beast’s power. It would not allow the humans to survive, the naga’s cruelty would not allow it.

Fury and flames surrounded the family, even the earth seemed to cry out in pain. In the naga’s path trailed misery and suffering, the broken bodies of its victims littered the monster’s passage until the great beast came face to face with its final prey.

“If this is the Almighty’s will then let it be so,” the mother sobbed. She held tight her family, the only comfort left in their plight.

The naga leapt into the sky and opened its titanic maw.
The family closed their eyes and waited for the inevitable, but the Almighty heard their pleas and showed his benevolence.

The dragon leapt, but it did not meet its target. It rose high into the heavens, past the clouds and into the realm of the stars, gigantic gouts of flame and smoke trailing in its wake.

When it seemed the naga could not go higher it stopped, suspended between the stars and surrounded by its blaze.

The family thanked the Almighty for His mercy, forever remembering the day they were saved from the savagery of the beast.

And what of the stars?

They surrendered to the will of the Almighty, accepting the naga’s new place betwixt their realm.

But even they know it will not last.

For the stars hear the naga’s whispers. They await the end of days when the dragon will sweep towards the earth and devour all those wicked souls that do not obey the Almighty.

And so the stars remain patiently until the heavens are theirs once again.

————————–————————–————————

• In Samal myth the milky way is seen as a gigantic trapped dragon.

*The Cebuano language, alternatively called Cebuan and also often colloquially albeit informally referred to by most of its speakers simply as Bisaya (“Visayan”, not to be confused with other Visayan languages nor Brunei Bisaya language), is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 21 million people, mostly in Central Visayas, western parts of Eastern Visayas and most parts of Mindanao, most of whom belong to various Visayan ethnolingusitic groups, mainly the Cebuanos. It is the by far the most widely spoken of the Visayan languages, which are in turn part of wider the Philippine languages. The reference to the language as Bisaya is not encouraged anymore by linguists due to the many languages within the Visayan language group that may be confused with the term.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Cebuano Translation by Joy Gabales
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Joy Gabales

Adapted from ‘The Dragon’ in Sulu Studies 2. Rixhon ed. 1973.

The Imprisoned Naga Illustration by Julius Arboleda

The post The Imprisoned Naga – Cebuano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Bahasa Sug

In tagainüp nangdüngdüngi kākü’ sin giyatusan mata niya ampa in aku amura in kapamanhüd ku ha kulangan ku.

Di’ ku kaingatan bang unu in kabaya’an niya, malayngkan di’ ku mapikil manga awn maksud niya kamudāratan. In mahaluk timikang harap mawn kākü’ iban sā’bu ku diyürüngdüngan in baran niya magpillaw-pillaw, kiyahātihan ku ra mayan. In pangdamat bükün mattan pangdamat. Hambuuk sadja pamānda’. In daligmata (Di’ ku kaingatan bang biya’ diin in kaingat ku sin ngān, simaygpat sadja pa lawm-uw ku) simusulay namayta’ kākü’ kalagihan ku pa’gangan in pagdatüng sin linug.

“Biya’ diin in kaagi ha yan?” Iyasubu ku in daligmata. Diyüngdüngan aku nagbalik, ampa kiyaingatan ku. Kalagihan ku madtu pa pag-aawnan ha manga linug. Subay ku sila kabayta’an manattapi wayruun kuhibal. “Mahi ta’ aku?” In sambung ha pangasubu ku dimatüng biya’ sahubbu ha pikilan ku. In daligmata himühüla’ ha lawm tagainüp, ampa makakuhibal sadja bang duun ha lawm hüla’-pārkawasahan. Wayrapat niya makakadtu pa kadunyahan sin manga baranan, labi wayrapat pa duruunan sin manga linug iban manga hunus bang  niya ri’ maparuun ha kīd niya in hambuuk mananagainüp.

Ampa nakakawa’ siya hambuuk mananagainüp.

In pagkadtu bükün sibu’ in anib iban sin ha napasandung ku. In daligmata, ha pikilan ku, nagpamayta’ sadja amura kalagihan ku in managainüp supāya aku makakadtu, ampa kiyahidāyatan aku marayaw. Biyayta’an aku papanagainüpün sin dunya, sagawa’ bükün biya’ sin kiyaingatan ku. Nagbissara siya pasal  siring-langit, in pagbü’lak sin dunya iban sin nārka’ iban sin manga simud sin manga mahaluk  himühüla’ didtu. Salupa sin manga hās nanglilibüri ha dunya, tiyatayak sin sangat-lagkü’ tuhan Magbabaya, nanglīgütan ha lawm uw ku. Tiyagainüp ku in siring-langit iban manga hās ni Magbabaya. Tiyagainüp ku in hüla’  amu in piyagpaawnan ha manga linug. Tiyagainüp ku in lupa’ sin manga hangin iban sin manga hunus.

Iban hangka küdjap da, didtu na aku.

“Uwya’ mānusiya’ magkamatay”. Nangasip kākü’ in tingüg babai. “Makakita’-makakita’ kami sin  pihak mu awn sadja pārsugpatan niya pa kahinangan ni Mangilala.” Hambuuk tingüg üsüg in simambung. Kiyahantapan ku sin imaatud aku ha manga uw sin duwa hās kalap-lagkü’, kaniya-kaniya labi malagkü’ dayng ha gibayan-dakula’ sangat-taas. Apit sa yadtu ku muga’, sagawa’ in kabassaran sin duwa nagpanananam kākü’ katahammulan labi-labihan.  Nimanam aku kasalamatan ha panghādiri nila.

Sīkmu’ aku sin daligmata dayng ha ulihan hangkan kiyatümtüman ku mahi aku miyadtu. “Manga Hās Salaggü’-laggü’…” Wala’ ku kiyaingatan bang biya’ diin in panawag kanila, sagawa’ nakira ku in pagpakita’ pag-addat di’  makamula. Biyayta’an ku sila sin pangdamat ku, in linug landu’ küsüg nangjuljana’ ha dāira ku iban nanglarak ha bāy ku.

“Amu ini in hüla’an sin manga linug, mānusiya’ asibi’,” Simambung in tingüg üsüg. “In pagjügjüg maawn bang kami humibal.”  In tingüg babai simambung. “In panghibal-hibal namü makahüküt ha dunya.” Laung sin tingüg üsüg. “Unu in kapunnyahan namü’ bang in dunya matigallam na?” Nangasubu in tingüg babai.

“Bang in pangdamat ku dumatüng, in dunya ku malawa’ na. Kalu baha’ tibahagi’an asibi’ da sin katiluagan dunya, sagawa’ in tibahagi’an manahut yadtu amu in kalunlunan dunya ku. In dāira yadtu hangka sibu’ in hālga’ kākü’ iban sin hālga’ sin manga ginlupa’an-langkus kaniyu.” Amu yadtu in sambung ku.

“Maisüg kaw.” Laung sin tingüg babai. “Wayruun pa mānusiya’ nakabissara kāmü’ iban katulusan.” Simambung in tingüg üsüg. “Kamataüran sin mānusiya’ pagsulayan kami dupangün hipalanggana’ in manga banta nila.” Namissara in tingüg babai. “Hambuuk ini  pamindahi  tatayma’ün.” Simambung in tingüg üsüg. “Naraak kami magpatütüg sin dunya ha kiyabübütangan.” Naglapal in tingüg babai. “Pa’gahan in pagtigallam sin dunya.” Simambung in tingüg üsüg. “Sagawa’ unu in hikarayaw bang matüpük in hambuuk dunya ha lawm sin dunya?” Nangasubu in tingüg babai.

“Hinangün namü’ biya’ sin piyangayu’ niyu. Tumattap kami wayruun hibal supāya in dunya niyu  kumakkal tibuuk.” In manga Intumbangul nagdüra’  simambung. “Kadtu na kaw, mānusiya’. In hüla’an sin manga linug bükün duruunan sin biya’ sin kajinis  mu.”

Simulay aku magsukul kanila, sagawa’ timagna’ na in hangin maküsüg dimüpüy. Diyā aku ampa itungan di’ aku makanapas.  In düpüy landu’ makajuljana’ pangannal ku biya’ aku sin pīrīt.  Nakapamahit aku.

Sakali nakabati’ aku.

In jāman-magbabanda’ ku kimatingüg. Lisag pitu na sin mahinaat.  Kiyaingatan ku makaikul aku pa iskul bang aku wala’ imüws. In pagsūkbanyul sin sasakatan adlaw ini makabuga’, biya’ sin dayng angay adlaw. Nangiyaban aku iban siyulayan ku tiyümtüm in panagainüp ku. Ha kira ku mataüd hās iban tiyumpukan mata imaatud kākü’, sagawa’ di’ ku na katümtüman puas ha yadtu.

In hambuuk pa jāman-babanda’ ku hikaruwa miyagting labi pa matanug dayng sin nakauna. Siminyal na sin panagna’an sin adlaw mataud ligap.

Naangan-angan ku bang aku nakahinang labi mataüd barāpa makaraüg-küwg.

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English Version

The dream stares at me with its hundred eyes and I stay frozen on my bed.

I don’t know what it wants, but I don’t think it means any harm. The creature walks over to me and as I stare at its blinking body, I finally understand. The nightmare wasn’t a nightmare at all. It was a warning. The daligmata (I don’t know how I know its name, it just popped in my head) was trying to tell me I needed to stop the earthquake from happening.

“How do I do that?” I asked the daligmata. It stared at me again, and I knew. I had to go to the place where earthquakes were born. I had to ask them to stay still. “Why me?” The answer to my question came in a flood of thoughts. The daligmata lives in dreams, and it can only move in that realm. It could never go in the physical world, much less the home of earthquakes and storms if it didn’t have a dreamer by its side.

And a dreamer it had.

The journey wasn’t as perilous as I imagined it to be. The daligmata was in my thoughts saying I only need to dream to be there and it guided me well. It told me to dream of the world, but not as I knew it. It spoke of the horizon, the split between the earth and the underworld and the mouths of the creatures that lived there. Images of the snakes wrapped around the world, held up by the great god Magbabaya, swirled in my head. I dreamt of the horizon, of the snakes, of Magbabaya. I dreamt of the place where earthquakes were born. I dreamt of the land of the winds and storms.

And in a flash, I was there.

“Hello mortal.” A feminine voice greeted me. “Whenever we see your kind Mangilala usually has something to do with it.” A male voice answered back. I realized I was staring at the heads of two gigantic snakes, each bigger than a skyscraper. I would have been scared, but the majesty of the two was making me feel so much awe. I felt safe in their presence.

The daligmata nudged me from behind and I remembered why I was there. “Great Serpents…” I didn’t know how to address them, but I figured showing respect wouldn’t hurt. I told them about the nightmare I had, the giant earthquake that ripped through my city and shattered my home.

“This is the home of earthquakes, little human.” The male voice answered. “The shakes are caused when we move.” The female voice replied. “Our movements keep the world tethered.” Said the male voice. “What use are we if the world is gone?” The female voice asked.

“If my nightmare happens, my world would be gone. It may be a small part of the entire earth, but that tiny bit is my whole world. That city is as important to me as the continents are to you.” Was my answer.

“You are brave.” The female voice said. “No mortal has ever spoken to us with such candor.” The male voice replied. “Most mortals try to trick us into destroying their enemies.” The female voice answered. “This is a welcome change.” The male voice replied. “We are tasked to keep the world in place.” The female voice said. “To keep the earth from falling away.” The male voice replied. “But what good is that if a world within the world is broken?” The female voice asked.

“We will do as you ask. We will stay still so your world may be kept intact.” The Intumbangol replied in unison. “Go now, mortal. The home of earthquakes is no place for your kind to be.”

I tried to thank them, but a strong wind started blowing. It picked me up and I almost couldn’t breathe. The gusts were so violent I thought I was being ripped apart. I screamed.

Then I woke up.

My alarm was going off. It was 7 AM. I knew I would be late for class if I didn’t hurry. The traffic would be terrible today, like every day. I yawned and tried to remember the dreams I had. I think there was a snake and a bunch of eyes looking at me, but I couldn’t recall much past that.

My backup alarm rang even louder than the first one. It signaled the start of a really long day.

I wish I did more exciting things.

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*Bahasa Sug or Tausug is an Austronesian language spoken in the province of Sulu in the Philippines and in the eastern area of the state of Sabah, Malaysia, by the Tausūg people. It is widely spoken in the Sulu Archipelago (Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Basilan), the Zamboanga Peninsula (Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga City), southern Palawan, and Malaysia (eastern Sabah).

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bahasa Sug translation by Benj Bangahan
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Benj Bangahan

Inspired by the Intumbangol description in The Soul Book. Demetrio, Cordero-Fernando &Zialcita 1991. And the Daligmata descriptions in Songs and Gifts at the Frontier : Person and Exchange in the Agusan Manobo Possession Ritual. Buenconsejo. 2002. & 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang. Samar. 2015.

Intumbangol Illustration by Nadine Cabe
Tumblr: http://nadinecabe.tumblr.com/

Watercolor by Alexa Garde
Website: www.Lexa.us

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