*Note this story is in Chavacano Zamboanga
Hora ya tambien.
Mas de maga gente ta desaleha kun el maga sementeryo. Nukere sila acorda kay el mga muerto tali lang are-redor na priyo, eskuru parte del mundo. Pero hinde sila debe mas man lingasa, kay el maga muerto hinde ya ta tarda na maga sepultura. El sunor del drums ta trabesa na maga lapida. El sunor hinde suena como kosa expectao na maga selebrasyon, kay el maga kalabera hinde man para ase sunor. Pero ya buska sila manera.
Baka ta estranya ustedes porque iyo taqui. Que porke un respetado mojer, igwal kumigo taki na sementeryo ta sigui el sunor para alya kanila. Ya prinsipya este na kuryusidad, como mas de maga kwento. El mi mayores ya abla kumigo nomas anda na sementeryo pero ya anda yo syempre, ansina de simple.
El primer notche iyo ya uyi kunel maga drums, ya mira yo kunel maga kabug y pero y insecto ya kambya. Ya pwede sila kumigo mira kwando ya bira sila, entonses nusabe yo kosa ase. Ya insinya sila kunel grande ojas de saging, y talya na ojas si Pay Tonio. Un mes antes, talya iyo na disuyu inchero.
Ya guia sila kumigo na kuerpo, y el kosa yo ta pwede mira, ta selebra sila. Makamyedo klase de Pyesta. Chene sila maga kutsilyo y armas de bukug. Pero ta sinti yo paz. Nuay sintimiento de myedo como mas de maga gente si sila el na miyo pwesto. Maskin kuwando ya oprese sila un pedazo karne del di ila kumida.
Hora ya tambien. Y ta puede iyo uyi ta keda mas suena el sunor del drums.
Este tyempo ta pensa yo, kien gaha el nuebo kumida?
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English Version
It’s time again.
Most people like to keep graveyards at a safe distance. They don’t like to be reminded that the dead still linger somewhere in the cold, dark earth, but they shouldn’t worry, the dead never stay in the grave for long. The drums ring across the gravestones. The sound isn’t as loud as you would expect from the celebrations, but human skulls weren’t made for noise. They had to be resourceful.
You would ask why I’m here. Why a respectable girl like me would be in a cemetery following the sound towards them. It all started with curiosity, like most stories do. My parents told me not to go to the graveyard, and I went. It was as simple as that.
The first night I heard the drums. I saw the bats and dogs and bugs turn into them. They looked at me as soon as they turned, and I didn’t know what to do. They pointed towards a huge banana leaf and on it was Manong Tonio. A month before I was at his funeral.
They led me to the body and I could see they were celebrating. It was a macabre fiesta. They had knives and clubs made out of bones and somehow, I felt at peace. I wasn’t scared as most people would be. Not even when they offered me a piece of their meal.
It’s time again and I can hear the drumbeats get louder.
I wonder who will be the feast this time.
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*Chavacano or Chabacano refers to a number 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. Chavacano is the only Spanish-based creole in Asia.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Chavacano-Zamboangueño Translation by JC Duterte
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © JC Duterte
Inspired by the Kagkag entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.
Kagkag Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
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