*Note this story is in Maguindanaon
“Kaka, mapakay a idual engka i sabun a nan?”
“Uway mambu.”
Di ku katawan entertain i pedtindeg a nan a babay sa sangulan ku, ugaid katawan ku a benal a kena i nan i suled ku a babay. Tu pan i kinailay ku sa lekanin sa pangagian sa nakalepas a kutika endu di manggula i magagan a benal i kinambalingan nin. Wagib a katantu ku a di ku sekanin mapaangel a benal, entain i pakakataw sa ngin a balangan na manginggilek i makasulut sa palas na katiwalayan ku.
“Pina, enduken ka sangat i kalimeng engka? Masu kena den benal a pedtalu.”
“Padtaday ka den, pagitungen ku bu i pantag sa nganin-nganin.”
“Na uway pabila pidtalu nengka.”
Da madakel a kapamilian a kana laki sia. Masu katawan ku ngin inia. Tatap a pedtaluan kami ni tua babay sa manga tudtulan na encanto sa dalem a kayu na Bantungon. Napagitung ku na su mapamili ku bu na i kaawa.
“Balapantag ku den a lemu.”
“Tantu ka Pina? Wagi a labi ta embitiala, Ka masu di ta den pakadtanggunuta dua.”
“Labi a madakel i penggulan ku sa walay.”
“Pedsanggilan aku nengka.”
Su engkanto minebpun a midtulik sa buntal nin endu sa manga buk sa taligkudan ku na midtindeg. Midsambi bun su suara nin endu di den sekanin pamamantag sa kapagakal nin sa laki. Inawan ku den i pamipian sa lagilayan endu midtalaguy sa malengkas sampay sa walay.
Masu di aku nin pedtundugen, a mapia a tanda i nan. Midtulik aku sa langit endu magan den i kapedsedep nu senang, Ya temu da ku den pamamantag i kutika a lu pan sa engkanto.
“Kaka, kaka mebpun aku den keman saguna?”
Kimapet aku sa laleb ku, ugaid na napagitung ku na sa kutika na kauma na suled ku a babay. Su tidtu ku a suled a babay. Mingginawa aku endu mingemen-gemen. Napasad den su batalu.
“Oh Uping, di aku nengka palityalan sa ngin i nanggula.”
“Ngin i nanggula kaka?”
“Lu aku sa lagilayan endu aden nailay ku a kabuntal engka”
“Katawan ku.”
“….Ngin?”
“Di mapia i kaawa sa da pagetaw nin.”
=——————-=
English Version
“Ate, could you hand me the soap please?”
“Sure.”
I don’t know who the woman standing in front of me is, but I sure as hell know it isn’t my sister. I just saw her off to school a few hours ago and there’s no way she could have come back this fast. I have to make sure that I don’t upset her too much, who knows what kind of monster can wear the guise of my family.
“Pina, why are you so serious? You don’t seem to be talking much.”
“It’s fine, just thinking about things.”
“Okay if you say so.”
There aren’t many choices for me here. I think I know what this is. Lola always told us stories of encanto in the woods of Bantungon. I think that the only choice I have is to leave.
“I think I need to go.”
“Are you sure Pina? We should talk more, I don’t think we spend enough time together.”
“There are more errands that I have to do at home.”
“Are you trying to avoid me.”
The engkanto starts to get a look on her face and the hairs on my back stand on end. Her voice changes as well and I don’t think she’s concerned about tricking me anymore. I leave the laundry by the brook and run as fast as I can back home.
She doesn’t seem to be following me, which is a good sign. I look up and it’s almost sunset, I must not have paid attention to the time while with the engkanto.
“Ate, ate should I start with dinner now?”
I clutch my chest, but then I remember it’s around the time my sister comes home. My real sister. I breathe and smile. The ordeal is finally over.
“Oh Uping, you won’t believe what happened to me.”
“What’s wrong ate?”
“I was by the brook and I saw someone that looked exactly like you”
“I know.”
“….What?”
“It isn’t nice to leave without saying goodbye.”
=-===================—-
**Maguindanao or Maguindanaon is an Austronesian language spoken by majority of the population of Maguindanao province in the Philippines. It is also spoken by sizable minorities in different parts of Mindanao such as the cities of Zamboanga, Davao, and General Santos, and the provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, as well as Metro Manila. This was the language of the historic Sultanate of Maguindanao, which existed before and during the Spanish colonial period from 1500–1888.
*This story is not “word for word” or “translated literally” since there are English words that has no exact equivalent in Maguindanaon language. It was translated as to how an old Maguindanaon would re-tell the story. But nonetheless, the content and dialogue in the original and the translated version are all the same.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Traslation by Datu Hashim
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Datu Hashim
Inspired by “The Encanto at Baguntod” in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.
Engkantada Illustration by Ysa Peñas
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