*Note this story is in Tagalog
“Maghanda ka, kailangan nating umalis bago pumutok ang araw.”
Ginising ako ni Tatay mula sa isang magandang panaginip. Lumilipad ako sa ibabaw ng bundok at dumaraan sa gitna ng kagubatan tulad ng isang tauhan na may katangiang higit sa pangkaraniwang tao. Ngunit ang panaginip ay laging may wakas, ngayon ay oras na upang harapin ang bagong araw. Sinimulan ko ang aking nakasanayan, kumuha ng pagkain at inihanda ang lahat ng gamit para ngayong araw. Ang aking mga kamay ay nagsala-salabid na naman sa lambat at si Tatay ay nagalit sa akin dahil sa aking pagiging makupad. Kagaya kahapon.
“Pupunta tayo sa look ngayon.”
Nakakapagtaka iyon. Si Tatay at ang lahat ng mga nakatatandang mangingisda ay laging iniiwasang mapalapit sa look. Ang sabi nila mapanganib ang alon sa lugar na iyon. Ngunit alam ko na wala kaming mapagpipilian. Paunti nang paunti ang nahuhuling isda kada araw at hindi ko alam hanggang kalian naming matatagalan manirahan sa dalampasigan. Sa palagay ko kailangan kong sabihin kay Tatay na dapat akong lumuwas sa lungsod upang makahanap ng ibang trabaho. Ito ay mas mainam kaysa sa magtaka kung makakahuli pa ba kami ng isda para mapakain ang aming mga sarili.
“Lagi kang mag-iingat at siguraduhin mong hindi mo susundan ang ilaw.”
Ito ang paalala na sinasabi ng mangingisda bago kami pumalaot sa tubig. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang ibig sabihin nito ngunit nakapapanatag marinig. Sa palagay ko araw-araw ko itong naririnig hanggang sa tumanda para pumalaot. Magaan na lamang ang lambat ngayon, tanda na ako’y mas naging malakas. Siguro’y makakakita ako ng trabaho sa isang construction site sa lungsod.
“Takpan mo ang iyong tainga!”
Natakot ako sa sigaw ni Tatay. Hindi ko alam kung bakit niya tinatakpan ang kanyang mga tainga. Napakaganda ng musika. Ito ay parang isang lupon ng mga anghel na nakapaligid sa akin. Naramdamdan kong maging malaya, na kabahagi ng daigdig. Nakakahalinang puntahan ang dahilan ng yaring marikit na awit.
“Huwag kang lumapit sa tubig!”
Sa palagay ko iyan ang sinabi ni tatay , ngunit hindi ko siya naririnig. Sinubukan niya akong hatakin pabalik ngunit kailangan kong hanapin ang mang-aawit nitong kahanga-hangang kanta. Kailangan niyang pigilan ang kanyang ginagawa, ang laging hindi pagtitiwala sa akin . Hindi niya alam kung gaano kahirap ito sa panahon na darating. Walang anomang bagay na naiwan dito. Ang dagat ay hindi na nagbibigay sa amin ng isda. Kailangan naming pumunta sa ibang lugar sa lugar kung saan mayroong pag-asa.
“Ang liwanag! Huwag mong sundan ang liwanag!”
Nakikita ko na sila ngayon, ang ganda nila. Nang-aakit ang andap ng liwanag sa ilalim ng tubig. Hindi naiintindihan ni Papa. Matanda na siya para makita ang kinabukasan. Hindi katulad ko. Susundan ko ang liwanag na magliligtas sa ating lahat. Maaari akong makakuha ng sapat na pera upang matustusan ang aming pamilya. Makikita niya. Makikita nilang lahat.
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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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*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
Tagalog Translation by Michael Thomas Nelmida
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Michael Thomas Nelmida
Story inspired by Kataw/Catao entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.
Kataw Illustration by Leandro Genisto from Aklat ng mga Anito
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Watercolor by Mykie Concepcion
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