*Note this story is in Ilocano
“Agsaganaka, masapul a pumanawtayo sakbay a sumingising ti init.”
Riniingnak ni Papa iti napintas a tagtagainep. Agtaytayabak idi iti rabaw dagiti bantay ken lumasat iti kabakiran a kasla superhero. Ngem kanayon nga addaan ti patinggana dagiti tagtagainep, ita, masapul a sanguen ti baro nga aldaw. Rugiak ti kadawyan nga araramidek a mangala iti taraon ken mangisagana iti amin nga abasto para ita nga aldaw. Nagkullayaw manen dagiti imak kadagiti iket gapu kinabannayad ko, binabalawnak ni Papa. Kas met laeng idi kalman.
“Mapantayo iti baybay ita nga aldaw.”
Karkarna dayta. Kanayon a liklikan da Papa ken amin a natataengan a mangngalap ti umasideg iti baybay. Kunada a napeggad dayta yantangay ta haan nga mapakpakadaan ti ayos didiay a lugar. Ngem ammok nga awan met lang maaramidanmi. Bumasbassit nga bumasbassit ti makalkalap inaldaw ket madik ammo no kasano kabayag ti panagbiagmi pay iti taaw. Ibagak ngata ken ni Papa a mapanak langen idiay siudad tapno agbirok iti trabaho. Nasaysayaat kaysa panangpanunot no makatiliwkami iti umdas nga ikan a mangpakan iti bagimi.
“Agannadka ken siguraduem a saanmo a suroten dagiti silaw.”
Daytati pakdaar nga ibagbagami a mangngalap sakbay kami mapan idiay danum. Diak ammo no ania ti kayatna a sawen daydiay ngem kanayon a makaliwliwa nga denggen. Panagkunak, inaldaw ko a mangngegan dayta sipud pay idi nataenganakon a makalugan iti bangka. Kasla nalaglag-an dagiti iket ita, maysa a pagilasinan a pumigpigsaakon. Baka makasarakak iti trabaho iti maysa a construction site idiay siudad.
“Kaluban dagiti lapayagmo!”
Nabutengannak iti bugkaw ni Papa. Madik ammo no apay nga ababbonganna dagiti lapayagna. Napintas unay ti musika nga mangmangngegko. Kasla koro dagiti anghel nga agtaytayab iti aglawlawko. Nawaya unay iti pangritnak, kasta unay ti pannakilangenko iti lubong. Kayatko ti mapan idiay aniaman a paggapwan iti kasta a napintas nga uni.
“Saanka a mapan dita danum!”
Kastan sa ti kinuna ni papa, ngem diak unay nangngegen. Pinadasna nga ginuyod dagiti takiagko ngem kayat ko nga sapulen ti agkankanta iti daytoy nakaskasdaaw a kanta. Masapul nga isardengnan iti kanayon nga pananglappedna kanyak. Dina ammo no kasano ti kinarigatna iti masakbayan. Awanen ti nabati kadakami ditoy. Madin agtultuloy a mangted kadakami iti ikan, saanen. Masapulmi iti mapan iti sabali a lugar a mabalinmi nga pagnamnamaan.
“Dayta silaw! Saanmo a suroten dagiti silaw!”
Makitak ida itan, nagpipintasda. Daydiay silnag manipud iti uneg ti danum ket mangaw-awag kaniak. Madi nga maawatan ni Papa. Lakay unay isunan a mangkita ti masakbayan. Saan a kas iti kabaelak. Surotek ti lawag ket isu mangisalakan kanyami amin. Makaurnong nak iti umdas a kuarta nga pangbiag iti pamiliami. Makitananto. Makitadanto amin.
=—————–=
English Version
“Get ready, we have to leave before sunrise.”
Papa woke me up from a nice dream. I was flying over the mountains and going through the woods like a superhero. But dreams always have to end, now it’s time to face another day. I start my routine, grabbing a meal and preparing all the supplies for the day. My hands got tangled in the nets again and Papa scolded me for being slow. Just like yesterday.
“We’re going by the cove today.”
That was strange. Papa and all the older fishermen would always avoid going near the cove. They say it’s dangerous since the current is unpredictable in that area. But I know we don’t really have much of a choice. The catch of the day has been getting smaller and smaller and I don’t know how long we can live off the ocean. I think I’m going to tell Papa that I should go to the city to find work. It’s better than wondering if we can catch enough fish to feed ourselves.
“Be careful and make sure you don’t follow the lights.”
It’s the warning that we fisherman say before we go out on the water. I don’t know what it’s supposed to mean but it’s always comforting to hear. I think I’ve heard it every day since I was old enough to be on a boat. The nets seem lighter today, a sign that I’m getting stronger. Maybe I can find work in a construction site in the city.
“Cover your ears!”
Papa’s shout scared me. I don’t know why he was covering his ears. The music was so beautiful. It was like a chorus of angels floating all around me. I feel so free, so in touch with the world. I want to go to whatever’s making such a beautiful sound.
“Don’t go in the water!”
I think that’s what papa said, but I didn’t hear him so well. He tried to pull me back by the arm but I need to go find the singer of this wonderful song. He needs to stop doing that, always holding me back. He doesn’t know how hard it’s going to be in the future. We don’t have anything left here. The sea isn’t going to keep giving us fish, not anymore. We need to go somewhere else somewhere where we can hope.
“The lights! Don’t follow the lights!”
I can see them now, they’re so beautiful. The glow under the water is calling me. Papa doesn’t understand. He’s too old to see the future. Not like I can. I’ll follow the light and it will save us all. I can make enough money to feed our family. He’ll see. They’ll all see.
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*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
Translation by Nelmar A. Mallari, MDC
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Nelmar A. Mallari, MDC
Story inspired by Kataw/Catao entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.
Kataw Illustration by Leandro Genisto from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen
Watercolor by Mykie Concepcion
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