*Note this story is in Surigaonon
Mamatbatay nan bisan uno an ako uya. Nuuli sija sa amo lugar sa Surigao human nan ija pagretiro hampan nasin`atiman sa mga karaan na libro sa municipyo. Taghimu nija ini hangtud namatay sija nan nuagi na buyan.
Yay ako mahinumduman na mahamok kabahin sa ako uya. Halaju an amo taghuyaan na amoy hinungdan na igkita ko ra sija kada bakasyon, hanua may ija marajaw gajud karajaw na mga istorya. An isa sa ako gajud kahinumduman an kabahin sa bagtinganan nan busay.
“Jaon na an mga pirata.” Bagan mabati ko an ija paglaung. Amo jadto an kinaganahi kabahin sa istorya. Mahibayu si uya maglainlain nan tunada kun hai muangay dija ugsa amo ini an hinongdan na nahimu na magana an ija pagkaisturya. “Igmat sa mga pirata.” An ulahi na mga hanay sa ija mga higajon nan pagistorya. Di gajud ako ganahan na an mga mayaot amoy makadaug sa ija istorya pero paniid ko an kahumanan dili singud kaimportante sa tunga`tunga na bahin.
May ako pipila ka adlaw na bakasyon ugsa nuuli ako sa Dinagat sanan singod ra kun unoy naandan, hilom sanan hapsay, kinarajawi na lugar dakan maghuna`huna. Suroy libot sa lugar, mabati mo an nangagi na panhitabu na naglibot dimo. Bagan amo ra nan makatakuray na sakit.
Nudisider ako na mukadtu sa busay dakan igkita an bito gikan sa istorya ni uya. Mas gamay kaysa ako taghunahuna, pero amo gajuy mahitabu kun magtagbu na an imahinasyon sanan tinuod. Nagkuha ako nan kodak hampan tagdumdom ko si uya. Kabahin sa ija mga mata na musiga kun sija magsugod na kabahin sa pagkawat nan mga pirata sa bagtinganan nan kapilya hampan taghuyog sa bito, sanan kun taguno nila pagpatay nan way kaluoy an mga Dinagatnon pagkahuman. Ya nako mahunahuna`i kun uno kapait an istorya hangtud sa ini na higajon.
Nag`ampu ako dapit sa bito adiser ako nuhawa, pipila para kan uya sanan pipila para sa mga tawo sa ija istorya. Mahamok na panahon na nagprotektar an bagtinganan sa mga tawo. Tana ra, sa kinailadman nan adto na bito, makapahuway na adto sa dajon.
English Version
My lola is a historian of sorts. After her retirement she went back to our small town in Surigao and spent her days going through the old books in the town hall. She did this until she passed away a month ago.
I don’t remember much about my lola. We lived so far away that I would only see her on the holidays, but she would always have the best stories. The one I would always remember was about the bell of Busay.
“The pirates are coming.” I could almost hear her say. That was the best part about the story. Lola had the talent of being able to change her voice when it suited her and this made her storytelling much more vibrant. “Be careful of pirates.” Was the last line from her story sessions. I never liked that the bad guys won in her story but I guess the ending wasn’t as important as the middle.
I had a few days off work so I took the trip back to Dinagat island and it was the same as it always was, quiet and tranquil, the perfect place to think. Walking around the area, you could feel the sense of history around you. It was almost infectious.
I decided to go to Busay and see the bito from my lola’s story. It was smaller than I imagined, but that’s always what happens when imagination meets reality. I take a picture and I think about my lola. About how her eyes would light up when she started on the part where the pirates stole the bell of the chapel and tossed it down this bito, and how they mercilessly slaughtered the Dinagatnons after. I never realized how dark that story was until now.
I say a little prayer by the bito before I leave, partly for my lola and partly for the people in her story. The bell spent so many years protecting people. Hopefully, at the bottom of that Bito, it can finally rest in peace.
*A bito is a natural well
- Surigaonon is a Philippine regional language spoken by Surigaonon people in the province of Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Sur, and some portions of Agusan del Norte especially the towns near the Mainit Lake, Agusan del Sur and Davao Oriental.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Surigaonon Translation provided by Francis Tom A. Paredes
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Francis Tom A. Paredes
Story inspired by “The Bell of Busay” in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.
Magbalantay sa Linggaya sa Busay Illustration and Watercolor by Nightmaresyrup
Tumblr: http://nightmaresyrup.tumblr.com/