*Note this story is in Bahasa Sug

Iyutukan manuk-manuk yadtu.

Daran mag-urul kaku’ sakahaba’ aku mag-uwi’ dayn ha hinang dūm-dum.  Di’ ku pagkakitaan sa’ kaingatan ku yaun duun. Pagkarungugan ku sadja in katingug niya makahilu. Tik-tik-tik. Ugh. Marayaw tuud nakabī aku bagu headphones para aku di’ na masasat. Agun aku marupang sabab dūm dum yaun ha guwa’ sin tandawan ku. Amu in di’ ku hikatug marayaw pasal nanamun ku awn jimajaga kaku’. Kaingatan ku sattuwa sadja yaun sa’ awn tuud waktu di’ ku na katahanan.

Napuspus na tuud aku paranan ku tīlu’ sin batu kahapun. Di’ ra isab aku mabaya’ pasakitan yaun, bang man sadja muga’ iban makatūg aku misan dakuman hangka rūm wayruun sasaw, sa’ maray’ hati ku way sayu. Salta’ limagundak na pasal kiyuddanan ku ha bayhu’. In bunnal niya, bukun aku mapasu’ tau. Imus-us aku madtu supaya kitaun bang naunu sa’ di’ na misan maghibal.

Ampa aku nakakita’ biya’ sin manuk-manuk yaun pasal bukun siya biya’ sin kaibanan. Mangi’ tuud lupa niya. Di’ ku kaingatan bang biya’ diin papatahun. Biya’ sapantun manuk-manuk jiyahulaka’ sin tau. In mga mata niya… di’ ku misan maatud pasal sin pula dakuman—makagituk-gituk.

In makainu-inu tuud amu in liug sin manuk-manuk, pasal giyagallangan madtu. Hisiyu baha’ in dupang dupang magipat manuk manuk biya’ ha ini. “Aswang” in nakasulat, iban biya’ jimatu isab in ngān ha lupa ragbus sin manuk manuk yaun. Wayruun misan umbul atawa ngān sin lugal atawa misan unu na, hangkan na biyutang ku na sadja in manuk-manuk bang hain di’ siya masasaw.

Nasusa aku hangkan sulayan ku lawagun in tagdapu kaniya, iban mangayu’ aku kamaapan. Sa’ mahunit tuud pasal di’ ku misan kaingatan bang dayn diin aku magtagna’. Maray’ kaingatan sin tagdapu bang magpakain in ipatan niya sin mga limabay dūm ini.

Piyangayu’ ngayu’ ku tuud bang man kabatukan niya ra aku.

=———————–=

English Version

That damn bird.

It’s always following me every night on my walk back form work. I can’t always see it but I know it’s there. I can hear its annoying call. Tik-Tik-Tik. Ugh. I’m glad I bought new headphones to help me deal with that. Every night it’s outside my window and it’s driving me insane. I can’t sleep knowing that it’s there watching me. I know it’s just some dumb animal but there’s a point where I just can’t stand it.

I finally had enough and I threw a rock at it yesterday. I didn’t want to hurt it, just scare it enough so I could have one night without being bothered, but I guess it was slow. I hit it right in its face and it came crashing down. I’m not a violent person, I swear. I rushed to see if it was okay and it wasn’t even moving.

It wasn’t like any kind of bird I’ve ever seen before. It was ugly, really ugly. I don’t even know how to describe it. It was as if someone took a regular bird and distorted it. The eyes were… I couldn’t even look at the eyes, they were red and gave me the chills.

The strangest part was the bird’s neck. It had a collar on it. What kind of crazy person has a pet bird like this. It read “Aswang” and I guess that’s an appropriate name for a bird as ugly as this. There wasn’t a number or a return address or anything like that so I put the bird’s body somewhere it wouldn’t be bothered.

I feel bad so I’m going to try to find its owner and apologize. But it’s going to be hard, I don’t even know where to start. Maybe the owner knows where his pet has been going all these nights.

Hopefully he’ll be able to find me.

=—————————=

*Bahasa Sug or Tausug is an Austronesian language spoken in the province of Sulu in the Philippines and in the eastern area of the state of Sabah, Malaysia, by the Tausūg people. It is widely spoken in the Sulu Archipelago (Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Basilan), the Zamboanga Peninsula (Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga City), southern Palawan, and Malaysia (eastern Sabah).

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bahasa Sug translation by Nurtimhar Shahaji
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Nurtimhar Shahaji

Story inspired by the Tiktik description in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao. 2010.

Tiktik Illustration and Watercolor by Nightmaresyrup
Tumblr: http://nightmaresyrup.tumblr.com/

*Note this story is in Bahasa Sug

Hi Gregorio ini hambuuk tau patibaba’. Hambuuk siya barbiru himihinang sin hinang ha wayruun puhun. Naguusa siya tuput para ha asawa iban anak niya, iban masūb siya magdā magbissara ha mga tau magpapagunting kaniya, paranan siya makaingat sin hal hiwal nila. Marayaw da kuman ha parasahan niya sakahaba’ biya’ ha yadtu.

Hambuuk adlaw, simabi kaniya magpagunting in nakura sin dāira. Biyantug siya sin mga bagay niya pasal ha yadtu—na in mahinang barbiru sin hambuuk tau mahalga’ malaggu’ tabang ha usaha niya.

Wayruun nagtali’ hi Gregorio sin pagbabantugan in nahinang niya. Bang kaw dumā magbissara kansiyu kansiyu na ha dāira yan, karungugan mu tuud in mga bissara sin mga tau bang biya’ diin in nakura’ yaun.

Wayruun nakabayad hi Erlinda Cuntapay sin hangka bulan buwis niya hangkan da kiyadtu siya sin nakura’ sin tunga’ dūm ampa piyagkawa’ in kaibanan panyap niya, “tungud kunu’ ha hikarayaw sin dāira” laung sin nakura’.

Paghundung sin hambuuk ha mga kura’ ha gi’tung sin dān pasal sin laul, miyandulan sin mayul in mga bata’ niya hipatimbak in kura’ ampa hipara ha dugaing.

Pagdatung sin waktu iliksiyun, misan hi Gregorio wayruun da nakapaklus ha pagbisita sin nakura’. Masi ra in alum ha buktun niya iban bagbag pasu, amu na in panumtuman sin bang biya’ diin in kakahinang sin nakura’.

Nimapas hi Gregorio iban pagtali’ niya na maray’ amu na in tubtuban niya, ampa siya sīmud pa bāy sin nakura’.

Kiyublaan siya sin kita’ niya.

Awn duwa tanduk malaggu’ ha ū sin nakura’, sapantun tanduk sin kābaw. Limingkud in nakura’ ha lingkuran niya ampa timagad kan Gregorio maggunting sin buhuk niya.

Mabuga’ hi Gregorio mamissarahan misan unu. Kiyaguntingan niya isab marayaw misan ha tanduk supaya dumayaw dagbus niya.

Timindug in nakura’ ampa timangu’ sin tangu’ kiyarayawan siya. Nabistu niya in aymuka hi Gregorio ha samin ampa imiyan:

“Hipagantung ta kaw bang awn makaingat sin unu man in kita’ in ha adlaw ini.”

Landu’ in buga’ hi Gregorio. Namaid siya ampa gimuwa’ dayn ha bāy sin nakura’.

Bukun masimud hi Gregorio—di’ siya mabaya’ magbissara tungud ha dugaing tau. Sa’ mabu’gat tuud ha parasahan niya in kīta’ niya, paranan siya nagtali’ bang biya’ diin in kaagi niya supaya hikaguwa’ in hiyuhuna’ huna’.

Awn kiyakitaan kūmu hi Gregorio ha kapatungan sin miyadtu siya pa gimba. Kimawa’ siya pāla ampa kimali’ lubang ha sawm sin kapatungan, ampa sīmud pa lawm. Dayn didtu, ha lawm lubang ampa siya imulak, “taga tanduk in nakura’! taga tanduk in nakura’!”

Sarang sarang kiyaguwa’ niya in bu’gat ha daghal niya, tiyabunan na hi Gregorio in lubang ampa minuwi’.

In di’ niya kaingatan, mataud tau bakas limabay iban nakarungug sin tingug niya ha kūmu. Hi Pedro Alejandre in nakarungug muna. Sakali biyaytaan niya in bagay niya hi Sonny Biazon, pag-ubus nanūysūy isab kan Sofia Antonio, ampa isab namayta’ kan Leona Hilario amun di’ isab makatahan bang di’ mamayta’ kan Carlo Idelfonso, na namayta’ isab ha mga taymanghud niya babai amu hinda Conchita iban Ces.

Di’ mugay kiyaingatan na sin katan tau in tungud ha patung magbissara. Sambil in mga kunsiyal miyadtu na pa kūmu supaya dumungug sin ulak “awn tanduk sin nakura’!”

Diyungug hi Gregorio na sin nagpūn in mga tau ha bāy sin nakura’ sa’ di’ na siya mabaya’ lumamud pa. Nagbalik siya pa tagna’ paghula’ hula’ niya mahuntup.

Sapantun liyaul na in mga tau ha nakura’ sabab sin nagpaawn sila iliksiyun misan siya way duun.

Nagkūg-kuyag in mga tau ha dāira sabab wayruun na in mangi’ kaawnan nakura’, salta’ in hi Gregorio nakanapas na marayaw.

In way kiyaingatan hi Gregorio na ha waktu kiyabatukan sin mga tau in nakura’ magtūy nila piyuhinga’ sabab natali’ nila na gimuwa’ na in kangīan niya ha lupa ragbus niya.

Mahuli, naghula’ hula’ na masannang in manggugunting, ha wala niya kaingati in malaggu’ tabang niya paranan nakaīg in saytan ha dāira.

=—————————–=

English Version

Gregorio was a humble man. He did his work as a barber without any complaints. He made enough to provide for his wife and children and he liked talking to his customers, getting to know their lives. It was therapeutic for him.

One day, the presidente of the town asked him to cut his hair. Gregorio’s friends congratulated him on this job, being the barber of such an important man would do wonders for his business.

Gregorio didn’t think that it was any sort of accomplishment. If you talked to any person in the town you would hear hushed tones of the kind of man the presidente was.

Erlinda Cuntapay failed to pay her taxes one month and the presidente showed up to her house in the middle of the night and ‘repossessed’ some of her belongings ‘for the benefit of the town’ as he said.

When one of his horses stopped in the middle of the street due to exhaustion, the mayor ordered his men to shoot it and to have the other horse pick up the slack.

When it came to election time, even Gregorio wasn’t safe from one of the presidente’s visits. There was still a bruise on his arm and a broken vase that served as reminders to the methods that the presidente would stoop to.

Gregorio took a breath he thought might be his last and entered the presidente’s house.

What he saw shocked him.

On the presidente’s head were two very large horns, very much like that of a carabao’s. The presidente sat down on his chair and waited for Gregorio to cut his hair.

Gregorio was too afraid to say anything. He managed to cut around the horns to have a presentable appearance.

The presidente stood up and gave an approving nod. He noticed Gregorio’s face in the mirror and simply stated:

“I will give the order for you to be hanged if anyone finds out about what you saw today.”

Fear enveloped Gregorio. He said his goodbyes and walked out from the presidente’s house.

Gregorio wasn’t a gossip, he didn’t like to talk about other people. But this secret weighed on the poor man’s shoulders so much that he had to find some sort of release.

He went to the field and saw a bamboo thicket. Gregorio took a shovel and made a hole under the bamboo and he went inside. There, in that hole he shouted at the top of his lungs “The presidente has horns! The presidente has horns!”

Satisfied that he unloaded his burden to the world, Gregorio filled up the hole and made his way home.

What he didn’t know was that there were people that passed by the bamboo and heard a voice through the thicket. Pedro Alejandre was the first to hear it and of course told his friend Sonny Biazon, who told Sofia Antonio, who told Leona Hilario who couldn’t keep it from Carlo Idelfonso who told his sisters Conchita and Ces.

Soon enough the whole town  knew about the talking bamboo. Even the councilmen went to the thicket to hear the shouts of “The presidente has horns!”

Gregorio heard that people were gathering at the house of the presidente, but he wanted nothing to do with that. He retreated to his quiet barber’s life.

The people must have had enough of the presidente for new elections were being done without sight of the previous presidente.

The town rejoiced that the cruel presidente was no more and Gregorio breathed a sigh of relief.

He did not know that when the townspeople discovered the horned presidente they killed him on sight, as they thought his wickedness had finally spread to his appearance.

The barber lived out his days in peace, never knowing his role in ridding the town of an evil man.

=——————————-=

*Bahasa Sug or Tausug is an Austronesian language spoken in the province of Sulu in the Philippines and in the eastern area of the state of Sabah, Malaysia, by the Tausūg people. It is widely spoken in the Sulu Archipelago (Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Basilan), the Zamboanga Peninsula (Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga City), southern Palawan, and Malaysia (eastern Sabah).

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bahasa Sug translation by Nurtimhar Shahaji
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Nurtimhar Shahaji

Adapted from ‘The Presidente Who Had Horns’ in Philippine Folklore Stories. Cole. 1916. full text can be seen at http://www.sacred-texts.com/asia/pft/pft52.htm

The Horned Presidente Illustration by Armie Loraine Corpuz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armieraine/

*Note this story is in Bahasa Sug

Asal dayng angay mabaya’ sadja aku magdüngdüng ha bulan. Awn tüüd kagalib-galiban sin kajari niya. Magpasi’nag siya sin sahaya niya tudju sadja pa awn katimbulan? Magbaba’ baha’ pa dunya in karita’ niya? Tattap in kaawn niya?

Wayruun pārsartaan ku magpanayam iban kaibanan kabata’an, awn sadja sakit atawa sabab dugaing magpatalungku’ kākü’ ha lawm bāy. Di’ ku karihilan karudduhan in parat sin süga, sagawa’ ha rüwm, in hambuuk-buuk bagay ku amu in bulan, duun ha kasamuwahan sin sawa-bituun iban düpüy hangin.

In manga kamāasan magpamayta’ sūy-sūy bang in bulan dümühüng mangduuni ha langit, in dunya matigallam na.  Kimatawa aku ha manga sūy-sūy yadtu nakaminsan hambuuk waktu malugay na, karna’ biya’ diin kahündüng niya sin pagtingkal niya salāma-lāma? Siya in hambuuk tagainup nahinang kamattanan, amu in pangūhanan tubus sin sahaya.

Amu sa yadtu, sahingga pa kiyakita’an ku in singa.

Pagtawagün siya Arimawnga sin kamāasan. Di’ aku makaingat manghibal-hibal pagka in kaumāgaran ku nanghipu’an na ha katilingkal pamaranan ku. Labi siya malagkü’ dayng sin naangan-angan ku lagkü’ maabut sin hambuuk sattuwa. Ampa giyügünggüngan niya in bulan kalasahan ku.

Natahammul in waktu, wala’ nakahibal. Ha kalahi baran ku wayruun makatabang, nangli’gat aku imatud sin sā’bu  hiyahabhab sin binatang in bagay ku hambuuk-buuk. Ha pangaagihi hinang ajājil, nagpananayam-panayam in singa, wayruun pangingat sin manjari ini mahinang kadal  tübtüban namü’ katān.

Labi siya miyuga’ dayng kākü’. Kananaman ku in kawayhaddamatün niya  sā’bu siya giyügünggüngan  sin sungad sin singa. Timagna’ na aku timangis sin waktu yadtu.

“Singa, luwa’an in bulan, bang dī’, in dunya matigallam na!”

Di’ ku kaingatan mahi ta’ ku kiyabissara in manga kabtangan yadtu, sagawa’ niyanam ku bilang hambuuk kaamulahi, sapantun kalagihan hipamūng.

“Singa, luwa’an in bulan, bang dī’, in dunya matigallam na!”

In manga kaibanan tau ha lūngan timagna’ na limamud kākü’ ha pagbalik-balik sin pangayu’-ngayu’ namü’. In manga kamāasan  nagguwa’ na sin manga gandang nila iban agung supāya maparatüng in hibuk namü’ pa kalangitan.

“SINGA, LUWA’AN  IN BULAN, BANG DĪ’, IN DUNYA MATIGALLAM NA!”

In lawm liüg namü’ pagas na, in napas namü’ itungan bugtu’ na, sagawa’ wala’ kami himüngka’. Di’ ku siya pasāran duun ha singa. Di’ siya pasāran sin lūngan ini.

Ha hinapusan biyutawanan da sin singa in bulan pagpuas sin lugay sapantun  kakakkalan. Giyünggüngan sin bulan in manga kīd niya ampa niya liyaus in pagtingkal niya ha kalangitan.

Iban in aku, hambuuk bata’ mapatikuppu’un, nanarang-sukul ha manga katuhanan sin in bagay ku nasalamat da.

=——————————–=

English Version

I have always liked staring at the moon. There’s just the mystery of what she is. Does she shine her light only on the worthy? Is she dressed by the stars? Is she eternal?

There was never a chance for me to play with the other children, there was always some sickness or another that kept me indoors. I could never appreciate the sun’s harsh rays, but in the night, among the starlight and the gentle breeze, my only friend was the moon.

The elders tell stories that if the moon were to cease being in the sky, the world would end. I laughed at those stories once upon a time, for how could the moon ever stop her perpetual cycle? She was the dream made into reality, the perfect harbinger of light.

That is, until I saw the lion.

It was called the Arimaonga by the elders. I didn’t know how to react as terror filled my entire body. It was larger than I thought any animal could ever be. And it was clutching my beloved moon.

Time froze then, I stared helplessly as my only friend was being devoured by the beast. In some perverse way, the lion was playing a game, not knowing that it may just be the doom of us all.

She was more scared than I was. I could feel her hopelessness as she was clutched between the jaws of the lion. I started crying then.

“Lion release the moon or the world will come to an end!”

I don’t know why I started saying those words but it felt natural, like they needed to be said.

“Lion release the moon or the world will come to an end!”

The other villagers stared joining me in the chant. The elders brought out their drums and gongs to make the noises reach the heavens.

“LION RELEASE THE MOON OR THE WORLD WILL COME TO AN END!”

Our throats were hoarse, our breath almost gone but we did not stop. I will not abandon her to the lion, this village will not abandon her.

The lion finally released the moon after what seemed like an eternity. She clutched her sides and resumed her track along the heavens.

And I, a humble child thanked the gods that my only friend was safe.

————————–————————–————————-

*Bahasa Sug or Tausug is an Austronesian language spoken in the province of Sulu in the Philippines and in the eastern area of the state of Sabah, Malaysia, by the Tausūg people. It is widely spoken in the Sulu Archipelago (Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Basilan), the Zamboanga Peninsula (Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga City), southern Palawan, and Malaysia (eastern Sabah).

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bahasa Sug translation by Benj Bangahan
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Benj Bangahan

Inspired by the Arimaonga description in Philippine Folk Literature: The Myths. Eugenio. 2001.

Arimaonga illustration by Lou Pineda
IG: https://www.instagram.com/blacknivalis/

*Note this story is in Bahasa Sug

Ha kalawman, nakatagad siya.

Bükün mataüd in makaingat sin sūy-sūy niya, malayngkan awn kaibanan manjari kaingatan in kajinis niya.

In manga mangangaün bulan.

Manga binatang kalangitan.

In singa. In tangangang. In kagang. In āgasi. In manuk-manuk. In hās.

In naga.

Katān sila naniyasiyahi ha kaytan, nanigin kaniya pa kalawman pagtawagün niya hüla’an.

Awn katakata hikasūy?

Atawa asal didtu sadja siya rayng kaangay?

Kalu baha’ hapdi’ in nakapügüs ha sattuwa biya’ sin tangangang. Unu in dugaing hahampitan magmumpāat pa kaytan bang bükün amu in  katayangan sin bulan kimüküwp?

Manjari ra isab ha pasalan pagpanayam-panayam, biya’ sin singa. In bulan hambuuk katibulungan sangat laggü’ amu in makatumbang ha lipaga sin binatang, tumūn pa haybatün niya. Unu in dugaing kainasilan makapilad ha kaytan?

Manjari dugal, biya’ sin kagang. In kaytan panubu’ ka sin süga iban bulan? Magmaana ini pagtungbas ha pusaka’ dayng ha mawmāas wala’ niya nakilā?

Manjari pamawli, biya’ sin āgasi.  Hambuuk baha’ piyaawn magkamatay in kaytan? Kiyapagmulka’an baha’ siya sin manga tuhan? Unu in miyabut kaniya amu in nakasigin kaniya pa kalawman-bitubitu matubig?

Manjari katigidluman, biya’ sin manuk-manuk. Bang in kaytan nakatangbus na sin daakan kaniya, ampa in dunya kiyalü’güm pa kalambungan, unu in sumunud niya kaünün?

Kalu baha’ hambuuk pārbahagi’an sin kainasilan, biya’ sin hās. Ha panganyam-nganyami ha dunya, lamud baha’ siya ha pārsunuran?

Na iban yan in katakata sin naga.

In tiyap-tiyap awn kabuhi’ makaingat sin sūy-sūy niya.

In manga bulan pitu. In tuhan Bathāla.

In naga mulākab.

In kaytan ha lawm tagaran sampay in kaibanan mahulug pa suwara sin kamānusiya’an.

Awn hambuuk kata-kata kiyapamünnākünan ku sahi.

In manga piyaawn-buhi’ kalangitan, pagtawagün mangangaün bulan, katān sila pārbahagi’an sin dunya. Kaniya-kaniya sila awn sabab mamihag ha bulan, atawa manga bulan, supāya matumlang.

Iban didtu nakalihan in kaytan.

Pagka siya amu in salamma-lamma ha baanan, wala’ siya nagmumpāat mamihag ha  katibulungan tünga’-düwm.

Biyalikan.

Biyalikan.

Biyalikan pa.

Kiyaingatan niya in kawaysallamatahan, iban di’ na mabaya’ sumulay magbalik, sahingga kiyaingatan niya masallamata niya in pagkawa’ sin aaynan.

Ha hüla’an niya ha kalawman nagpasaula-ula siya. Kaingatan niya di’ siya kümüsüg  biya’ sin kaibanan, bükün biya’ sin dugal nila, bükün biya’ sin hapdi’ nila.

In astül niya nanglipatan na,  bükün tudju pa kaibanan piyaawn-buhi’, sagawa’ tudju pa luggiya’ baran niya.

Mahi siya kiyabütang ha dunya ini bang hāt da siya ha ulihan?

In tubig nagtapuk sin luha’ niya.

Ampa timagad.

Sampay pa rüwm.

=————————-=

English Version

In the depths it waits.

Not many know its story, though others may know of its kind.

The moon-eaters.

The celestial beasts.

The lion. The scorpion. The crab. The giant. The bird. The snake.

The dragon.

They all pass over the shark, relegating it to the depths it calls home.

Is there a tale to tell?

Or has it always been there?

It may be hunger that drives the beast, like the scorpion. What other prey will the shark have if not the warmth of the waning moon?

It may also be for play, like the lion. The moon is a giant orb that catches the beast’s attention, captivating it. What other element could enthrall the shark?

It may be anger, like the crab. Is the shark the offspring of the sun and moon. Does it mean retribution against the inheritance from the parents it never knew?

It may be revenge, like the giant. Was the shark ever a mortal being? Did it incur the wrath of the gods? What happened to it that relegated it to the watery abyss?

It may be darkness, like the bird. When the shark completes its task and the world is plunged into shadow, what will it eat next?

It may be a part of nature, like the snake. In the machinations of the natural world, is it part of the cycle?

Then there is the tale of the dragon.

Every being knows its story.

The 7 moons. The god Bathala.

The greedy dragon.

The shark lies in wait, until the others have fallen, to the sounds of humanity.

There is one tale which I believe to be true.

The celestial beings, called the moon eaters, are all part of the world. Each having their own reason to capture the moon, or moons to be more precise.

And it was there that the shark resided.

The weakest of the pack, it failed to capture the midnight orb.

Again.

Again.

And again.

It had known failure and would not try again, not until it knew it could successfully take its prize.

In its home in the deep it connives. It knows it will never be as strong as the others, not as angry, not as hungry.

Its hatred multiplies, not against the other beings, but against itself.

Why was it put on this earth if only to be last place?

The water hides its tears.

And it waits.

Until the night.

=——————————————————=

*Bahasa Sug or Tausug is an Austronesian language spoken in the province of Sulu in the Philippines and in the eastern area of the state of Sabah, Malaysia, by the Tausūg people. It is widely spoken in the Sulu Archipelago (Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Basilan), the Zamboanga Peninsula (Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga City), southern Palawan, and Malaysia (eastern Sabah).

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bahasa Sug translation by Benj Bangahan
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Benj Bangahan

Story inspired by Baconaua entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Baconaua Illustration by Benedict Jose Villarante

Instagram: @bentoillus
Twitter: @bentoillus
Facebook Page: Bento Illustrations (Bento Illustrations)

*Note this story is in Bahasa Sug

In tagainüp nangdüngdüngi kākü’ sin giyatusan mata niya ampa in aku amura in kapamanhüd ku ha kulangan ku.

Di’ ku kaingatan bang unu in kabaya’an niya, malayngkan di’ ku mapikil manga awn maksud niya kamudāratan. In mahaluk timikang harap mawn kākü’ iban sā’bu ku diyürüngdüngan in baran niya magpillaw-pillaw, kiyahātihan ku ra mayan. In pangdamat bükün mattan pangdamat. Hambuuk sadja pamānda’. In daligmata (Di’ ku kaingatan bang biya’ diin in kaingat ku sin ngān, simaygpat sadja pa lawm-uw ku) simusulay namayta’ kākü’ kalagihan ku pa’gangan in pagdatüng sin linug.

“Biya’ diin in kaagi ha yan?” Iyasubu ku in daligmata. Diyüngdüngan aku nagbalik, ampa kiyaingatan ku. Kalagihan ku madtu pa pag-aawnan ha manga linug. Subay ku sila kabayta’an manattapi wayruun kuhibal. “Mahi ta’ aku?” In sambung ha pangasubu ku dimatüng biya’ sahubbu ha pikilan ku. In daligmata himühüla’ ha lawm tagainüp, ampa makakuhibal sadja bang duun ha lawm hüla’-pārkawasahan. Wayrapat niya makakadtu pa kadunyahan sin manga baranan, labi wayrapat pa duruunan sin manga linug iban manga hunus bang  niya ri’ maparuun ha kīd niya in hambuuk mananagainüp.

Ampa nakakawa’ siya hambuuk mananagainüp.

In pagkadtu bükün sibu’ in anib iban sin ha napasandung ku. In daligmata, ha pikilan ku, nagpamayta’ sadja amura kalagihan ku in managainüp supāya aku makakadtu, ampa kiyahidāyatan aku marayaw. Biyayta’an aku papanagainüpün sin dunya, sagawa’ bükün biya’ sin kiyaingatan ku. Nagbissara siya pasal  siring-langit, in pagbü’lak sin dunya iban sin nārka’ iban sin manga simud sin manga mahaluk  himühüla’ didtu. Salupa sin manga hās nanglilibüri ha dunya, tiyatayak sin sangat-lagkü’ tuhan Magbabaya, nanglīgütan ha lawm uw ku. Tiyagainüp ku in siring-langit iban manga hās ni Magbabaya. Tiyagainüp ku in hüla’  amu in piyagpaawnan ha manga linug. Tiyagainüp ku in lupa’ sin manga hangin iban sin manga hunus.

Iban hangka küdjap da, didtu na aku.

“Uwya’ mānusiya’ magkamatay”. Nangasip kākü’ in tingüg babai. “Makakita’-makakita’ kami sin  pihak mu awn sadja pārsugpatan niya pa kahinangan ni Mangilala.” Hambuuk tingüg üsüg in simambung. Kiyahantapan ku sin imaatud aku ha manga uw sin duwa hās kalap-lagkü’, kaniya-kaniya labi malagkü’ dayng ha gibayan-dakula’ sangat-taas. Apit sa yadtu ku muga’, sagawa’ in kabassaran sin duwa nagpanananam kākü’ katahammulan labi-labihan.  Nimanam aku kasalamatan ha panghādiri nila.

Sīkmu’ aku sin daligmata dayng ha ulihan hangkan kiyatümtüman ku mahi aku miyadtu. “Manga Hās Salaggü’-laggü’…” Wala’ ku kiyaingatan bang biya’ diin in panawag kanila, sagawa’ nakira ku in pagpakita’ pag-addat di’  makamula. Biyayta’an ku sila sin pangdamat ku, in linug landu’ küsüg nangjuljana’ ha dāira ku iban nanglarak ha bāy ku.

“Amu ini in hüla’an sin manga linug, mānusiya’ asibi’,” Simambung in tingüg üsüg. “In pagjügjüg maawn bang kami humibal.”  In tingüg babai simambung. “In panghibal-hibal namü makahüküt ha dunya.” Laung sin tingüg üsüg. “Unu in kapunnyahan namü’ bang in dunya matigallam na?” Nangasubu in tingüg babai.

“Bang in pangdamat ku dumatüng, in dunya ku malawa’ na. Kalu baha’ tibahagi’an asibi’ da sin katiluagan dunya, sagawa’ in tibahagi’an manahut yadtu amu in kalunlunan dunya ku. In dāira yadtu hangka sibu’ in hālga’ kākü’ iban sin hālga’ sin manga ginlupa’an-langkus kaniyu.” Amu yadtu in sambung ku.

“Maisüg kaw.” Laung sin tingüg babai. “Wayruun pa mānusiya’ nakabissara kāmü’ iban katulusan.” Simambung in tingüg üsüg. “Kamataüran sin mānusiya’ pagsulayan kami dupangün hipalanggana’ in manga banta nila.” Namissara in tingüg babai. “Hambuuk ini  pamindahi  tatayma’ün.” Simambung in tingüg üsüg. “Naraak kami magpatütüg sin dunya ha kiyabübütangan.” Naglapal in tingüg babai. “Pa’gahan in pagtigallam sin dunya.” Simambung in tingüg üsüg. “Sagawa’ unu in hikarayaw bang matüpük in hambuuk dunya ha lawm sin dunya?” Nangasubu in tingüg babai.

“Hinangün namü’ biya’ sin piyangayu’ niyu. Tumattap kami wayruun hibal supāya in dunya niyu  kumakkal tibuuk.” In manga Intumbangul nagdüra’  simambung. “Kadtu na kaw, mānusiya’. In hüla’an sin manga linug bükün duruunan sin biya’ sin kajinis  mu.”

Simulay aku magsukul kanila, sagawa’ timagna’ na in hangin maküsüg dimüpüy. Diyā aku ampa itungan di’ aku makanapas.  In düpüy landu’ makajuljana’ pangannal ku biya’ aku sin pīrīt.  Nakapamahit aku.

Sakali nakabati’ aku.

In jāman-magbabanda’ ku kimatingüg. Lisag pitu na sin mahinaat.  Kiyaingatan ku makaikul aku pa iskul bang aku wala’ imüws. In pagsūkbanyul sin sasakatan adlaw ini makabuga’, biya’ sin dayng angay adlaw. Nangiyaban aku iban siyulayan ku tiyümtüm in panagainüp ku. Ha kira ku mataüd hās iban tiyumpukan mata imaatud kākü’, sagawa’ di’ ku na katümtüman puas ha yadtu.

In hambuuk pa jāman-babanda’ ku hikaruwa miyagting labi pa matanug dayng sin nakauna. Siminyal na sin panagna’an sin adlaw mataud ligap.

Naangan-angan ku bang aku nakahinang labi mataüd barāpa makaraüg-küwg.

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English Version

The dream stares at me with its hundred eyes and I stay frozen on my bed.

I don’t know what it wants, but I don’t think it means any harm. The creature walks over to me and as I stare at its blinking body, I finally understand. The nightmare wasn’t a nightmare at all. It was a warning. The daligmata (I don’t know how I know its name, it just popped in my head) was trying to tell me I needed to stop the earthquake from happening.

“How do I do that?” I asked the daligmata. It stared at me again, and I knew. I had to go to the place where earthquakes were born. I had to ask them to stay still. “Why me?” The answer to my question came in a flood of thoughts. The daligmata lives in dreams, and it can only move in that realm. It could never go in the physical world, much less the home of earthquakes and storms if it didn’t have a dreamer by its side.

And a dreamer it had.

The journey wasn’t as perilous as I imagined it to be. The daligmata was in my thoughts saying I only need to dream to be there and it guided me well. It told me to dream of the world, but not as I knew it. It spoke of the horizon, the split between the earth and the underworld and the mouths of the creatures that lived there. Images of the snakes wrapped around the world, held up by the great god Magbabaya, swirled in my head. I dreamt of the horizon, of the snakes, of Magbabaya. I dreamt of the place where earthquakes were born. I dreamt of the land of the winds and storms.

And in a flash, I was there.

“Hello mortal.” A feminine voice greeted me. “Whenever we see your kind Mangilala usually has something to do with it.” A male voice answered back. I realized I was staring at the heads of two gigantic snakes, each bigger than a skyscraper. I would have been scared, but the majesty of the two was making me feel so much awe. I felt safe in their presence.

The daligmata nudged me from behind and I remembered why I was there. “Great Serpents…” I didn’t know how to address them, but I figured showing respect wouldn’t hurt. I told them about the nightmare I had, the giant earthquake that ripped through my city and shattered my home.

“This is the home of earthquakes, little human.” The male voice answered. “The shakes are caused when we move.” The female voice replied. “Our movements keep the world tethered.” Said the male voice. “What use are we if the world is gone?” The female voice asked.

“If my nightmare happens, my world would be gone. It may be a small part of the entire earth, but that tiny bit is my whole world. That city is as important to me as the continents are to you.” Was my answer.

“You are brave.” The female voice said. “No mortal has ever spoken to us with such candor.” The male voice replied. “Most mortals try to trick us into destroying their enemies.” The female voice answered. “This is a welcome change.” The male voice replied. “We are tasked to keep the world in place.” The female voice said. “To keep the earth from falling away.” The male voice replied. “But what good is that if a world within the world is broken?” The female voice asked.

“We will do as you ask. We will stay still so your world may be kept intact.” The Intumbangol replied in unison. “Go now, mortal. The home of earthquakes is no place for your kind to be.”

I tried to thank them, but a strong wind started blowing. It picked me up and I almost couldn’t breathe. The gusts were so violent I thought I was being ripped apart. I screamed.

Then I woke up.

My alarm was going off. It was 7 AM. I knew I would be late for class if I didn’t hurry. The traffic would be terrible today, like every day. I yawned and tried to remember the dreams I had. I think there was a snake and a bunch of eyes looking at me, but I couldn’t recall much past that.

My backup alarm rang even louder than the first one. It signaled the start of a really long day.

I wish I did more exciting things.

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*Bahasa Sug or Tausug is an Austronesian language spoken in the province of Sulu in the Philippines and in the eastern area of the state of Sabah, Malaysia, by the Tausūg people. It is widely spoken in the Sulu Archipelago (Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Basilan), the Zamboanga Peninsula (Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga City), southern Palawan, and Malaysia (eastern Sabah).

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bahasa Sug translation by Benj Bangahan
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Benj Bangahan

Inspired by the Intumbangol description in The Soul Book. Demetrio, Cordero-Fernando &Zialcita 1991. And the Daligmata descriptions in Songs and Gifts at the Frontier : Person and Exchange in the Agusan Manobo Possession Ritual. Buenconsejo. 2002. & 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang. Samar. 2015.

Intumbangol Illustration by Nadine Cabe
Tumblr: http://nadinecabe.tumblr.com/

Watercolor by Alexa Garde
Website: www.Lexa.us