*Note this story is in Tandaganon
“Pag-andam kamo, kinahanglan nato mupanaw adeser musubang ang adlaw.”
Gipukaw ako ni Papa sa dayawi na damgo. Naglupad kuno ako sa ibabaw sa mga bukid ug ngadto sa kakahoyan na amo da nan superhero. Pero ang mga damgo pirmi yaoy kahumanan, kinahanglan na sab magsukakod sa bag-o na adlaw. Gisugdan nako sa pagpamahaw ug pag-andam sa ako mga gamitonon kuman na adlaw. Nangasangit na isab ang ako mga kamot sa pukot. Gikasakitan na isab ako ni Papa kay arang kuno nako ka lamya. Haod kahapon.
“Mukadto kita kuman na adlaw sa langob.”
Yatinga ako. Maglikay sa pirmi sila Papa ug iban na mga mananagat na mukadto dapit sa langob. Laong nila kay delikado kuno ngadto dapit kay dili matagna ang tubig. Pero hibawo ako na wara sa isab amo lain na mahimo. Yagkagamay na ang amo kuha ug wara ako kahibawo kung hangtod kanus-a kami mabuhi sa pagpanagat. Lang-on ko dakan siguro si Papa na maghanap ako nan trabaho sa syudad. Mas madayaw pa yaon kaysa maghuna-huna kung sakto da ba ang amo kuha para makakaon kami.
“Pag-amping ug ayaw gayud pagkadto sa hayag.”
Amo yaon ang pasidaan na amo ilaong adeser kami molarga sa dagat. Wara gayud ako kasayod kung unoy buot ipasabot nan yaon pero dayaw siya pirmi pamation. Murag kada adlaw nako yaon mabatian hangtod sa yaon na ako sa saktong edad para managat. Nigan-ay ang mga pukot kuman, ilhanan na yadugangan ang ako kusog. Pwede na siguro ako makapanarbaho sa construction site ngadto sa syudad.
“Sampungi ang imo mga talinga!”
Yasawan ako sa pagsinggit ni Papa. Inday nanga tagtabunan niya ang iya mga talinga. Dayawi ang kanta. Amo da nan may mga anghel na gakanta sa ako palibot. Gan-ay ang ako pamati, abri ang ako huna-huna sa kalibutan. Gusto nako mukadto sa kung uno man galling yaon yagkanta nan dayawi.
“Ayaw pagsawom sa tubig!”
Amo bagan yadton laong ni Papa, pero dili nako mabati kadayaw. Gibira niya ang ako kamot pabalik pero kinahanglan nako hanapon kung sin-o ang gakanta. Hunungan na dapat niya yaon, ang pagpugong sa ako pirmaminti. Wara siya kasayod kung uno na kalisud ang umaabot. Wara nay bilin ngadi. Dili sa pirmi muhatag nan isda ang dagat, hain pa. Kinahanglan namo mukadto sa lugar na yaon makalaom kami.
“Ang hayag! Ayaw pagkadto sa hayag!”
Yakita ko na sila kuman, dayawi sila. May gahunghong sa ako na mokadto ilawom nan tubig. Wara kasabot si Papa. Tiguwang na siya para makita ang ako yakita. Mokadto ako kay para mahilwas kami tanan. Makakwarta na ako ug mapakaon na nan sakto ang ako pamilya. Makita da ni Papa. Makita da nila tanan.
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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’ll all see.
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*Tandaganon (also called Tinandag, Naturalis, Tagon-on) is a closely related variety of Surigaonon spoken in the central Surigao del Sur municipalities of Tandag City, San Miguel, Tago, Bayabas, Cagwait, Marihatag, San Agustin, and most of Lianga. It can be classified as a separate language or alternatively as a southern variety of Surigaonon. There are about 100,000 speakers.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Tandaganon Translation by Mark Anthony Ramos
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Mark Anthony Ramos
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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