*Note this poem is in Ilocano
Maysa a kuko manipud kenni Tara, agay-ay-ayam idiay paraangan,
Dua a kuko manipud kenni Kevin, napukaw iti kasipngetan,
Tallo a kuko manipud kenni Leo, nabati idiay pagtaengan,
Uppat a kuko manipud kenni Audrey, nasinga iti pagtawagan,
Lima a kuko manipud kenni Habi, rimuar a mapan mangan,
Innem a kuko manipud kenni Mike, tumartaray idiay dalan,
Pito a kuko manipud kenni Denise, agsapsapul iti aso,
Walo a kuko manipud kenni Migz, matmaturog a kasla troso,
Siam a kuko manipud kenni Camille, nakasubsob ti rupana iti libro,
Sangapulo a kuko manipud kenni Erik, saan a makaperreng iti adayo,
Adu pay a kuko para iti Kumao, dagiti met koma ubbing ket agridam
Ta masapul a padaraendaka no ramananda ti kinaawan namnamam.
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English Version
One fingernail from Tara, playing in the park
Two fingernails from Kevin, caught after dark
Three fingernails from Leo, left home alone
Four fingernails from Audrey, distracted by her phone
Five fingernails from Habi, going out to eat
Six fingernails from Mike, running down the street
Seven fingernails from Denise, looking for her dog
Eight fingernails from Migs, sleeping like a log
Nine fingernails from Camille, her face buried in a book
Ten fingernails from Erik, who didn’t think to look
More fingernails for the Kumao, and children beware
It takes them to bleed you and taste your despair
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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
Ilocano translation by Deo M. Ramos
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Deo M. Ramos
Inspired by Kumao entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.
Kumao Illustration by Leandro Geniston
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Watercolor by Catherine Chiu
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