*Note this story is in Pangasinan
Manprepara kaya ta umalis tayon masapbay pano agtayo masinagya agew.
Balibali so katkaogip ko non bangonen to ak nen tatay ko, siak kono so nindidpa ed tapew na palendey tan undadalan ed sanay kakewan ya singa siak so Super Hero ed amin ya kawkaogip ko so angapoy sanipot to. Baton agew lalamet so arapen ko.
No kabuasan pinipriparak so kanen tan gamit ya nakaokolan ko. Asabik so liuak la lame ted lambat, nanpasnok si tatay ta mabaybayag ak singa nan karoman.
Unla tayo ed dayat natan.
Makapakelaw nen saman agto labay nen tatay tan saramay kaiba ton managsira ya onlad man ta delikado diman lapud ibaiba so kasil na daloyon na danom diman balet nagawaan mi. Padaisit lon padaisit so nanala da agko anta. Anggad kapigan kami manayam diya ed abay na dayat.
Ibagak kendi tatay ya labay koy unla ed ciudad tan mananap na trabajo maong diman nen say agew-agew ya nonoten. No walay nanala me ya sira para ed kanen min inagew-agew.
Asikasom tan agmo tontonen so sinag.
Onya so ibabaga da nay manag sira na onyan onla kami ed dayat. Agbo anta no antoy labay tan ibaga balet balibali dengelen aya dedengelin kon inagew-agew nanlapo la nayari ak lan onlogan ed baloto.
Alimey may lambat on kakasid ak la nayari ak lon nantrabaho ed construction.
Pepot moy layag mo.
Atat-takot a ked eyog nen tatay agko anta ko ant oaken et pinipet toy layag to walay arengel ton bali-balin kansion singa boses na angel ya ondedepa ed liberliber ko balibali so laman ko senga ak wala a ked marereen oaren labay kon laen so nanlapuan to may togtog.
Agka unla ladtad ed danum.
Senga sa may ibaga non tatay agko masyadong nanangel sinibukuan ton ginuyon non tatay may brasok bolet labay kon unla mo iner so panlalapuan to may tugtog.
No nayari agto ak lapigilen ni tatay agto natatalosan no antoy erap na balay ya kakarapen sanggapoy nanenngneng mid ya. Digaed dayat agto kami napakan anggad bilay anggalapoy sira ed dayat labay milay umalis diya tan unla kami ed ibang lugar ya. Mangiter na balon pag-asa ed si came.
Say liwanag agmo tontonen tonton mo sa liwanag.
Nanenengneng ko la natan so balibali tinatawag da ak na sirog dra ed dalem na danum. Agto natatalosan ne tatay. Masiken la si tatay agto nanenengneng sa arapen siak nanenengneng ko la. Tomboken koy sirag ililigtas kami amin ng sinag makanengneng ak na amayamay ya kuarta tan napakan koy pamilya nanengneng mo tatay nanengneng dalan amin.
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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 will all see.
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*Pangasinan (Salitan Pangasinan) – sometimes called Pangasinense is one of the major languages of the Philippines. It is the language spoken in the province of Pangasinan, on the west-central seaboard of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, the northern portion of Tarlac and southwestern La Union, most of whom belong to the Pangasinan ethnic group. Pangasinan is also understood in some municipalities in Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, and by the Aeta or Aeta of Zambales.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by poypoypalaboy
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © poypoypalaboy
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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