“Redondo ya’l luna
Que ta brilla-brilla
Y este dia, ahora ya el tiempo
Para hace complace este rabio”
Ta tose-tose si Aileen. Ya saca ya tambien ele medicina estaba na mesa cerca na su cama y ya traga con este sin agua. Cuantos dias ya ya tarda el calor de suyo y ta reza gayod ele que perde ya el de suyo enfermedad, pero bien mucho pa ele cosa debe hace y enfrenta.
“Segui na camino del bata
Un paso cada una vez
Colecta tierra para tapa
Con el crimen que ya hace”
Ya subi na 40° Celcius el calor. Ta’n lingasa ya el hermana de Aileen. Ya llama ya ele hospital pero makasufri el esperada. Ta’n viendo ya lang el hermana mayor con el de suyo menor ta llora na dolor y no hay mas ya gayod ‘le cosa puede hace. Ta reza ya lang gayod ‘le que llega ya el ambulancia mas temprano.
“El caldero, calienta
Na tierra, hace este mezcla
H’nde man ‘le sufri tarda
Para na valor man de ‘ste cosa.”
No hay sonada de resollada o señales de pulso el ta sale estaba na paciente. Ta’n alingasa ya el EMT. No hay pa el maga medico mira ansina clase de calor bien alto na de ila vida, y dol ta quema ya el adentroy laman del paciente. Ta puede senti el maga medico con el calor na maga guantes de ila mientras ta hace CPR. Cada compresion ta hace, dol ta semeja el calor na plancha caliente, pero no puede mas ya el maga medico para, y debe sila hace todo del de ila fuerza para lang hace revivi con el paciente.
“El ultimo del maga dejao tierra
Quebrao-quebrao ya y secao
Na final ‘cendida del fuego
Aquel ya el tiempo ele’y mori.”
Ya’n ngisi el vieja. Sirve ya este como leccion para con aquel bata ingrata que ansina el sucede si hende ta respeta na maga quien mas mayor y viejo contra contigo.
=————-=
“The moon is full
The moon is bright
The time is now
To feed my spite”
Aileen coughed. She grabbed another pill from her bedside and swallowed it without any water. It had been a few days since her fever started and she hoped it would be gone by now. There was so much work she still had to do.
“Walk in her footsteps
One at a time
Gather the dirt
A victimless crime”
40 degrees. Aileen’s sister was worried. She called the hospital but the waiting was torture. She could see her baby sister cry out in pain and there was nothing she could do about it. She prayed that the ambulance would be there soon.
“Heat up the pot
Mix in the earth
She won’t suffer long
For whatever that’s worth”
No breath sounds or pulse coming from the patient. The EMT was worried. He had never seen a fever this high before, it was as if the patient was burning up from the inside. He could feel the heat through his gloves while he was giving CPR. Each compression felt like he was pressing his hands against a hot iron, but he couldn’t stop now, he had to do what he could.
“The last of the dirt
Broken and dry
One final lick of flame
And thus she will die”
The old woman smiled. This would teach that ungrateful girl what happens when you don’t respect your elders.
=—————————-=
*Chavacano or Chabacano refers to a number of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speakers. Chavacano is the only Spanish-based creole in Asia.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Chavacano-Zamboangueño Translation Rozel Ma Miranda
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Rozel Ma Miranda
Inspired by the Mangangamod description in Myth Museum. Medina. 2015.
Mangangamod Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
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