Hora ya tambien.

Mas de maga gente ta desaleha kun el maga sementeryo. Nukere sila acorda kay el mga muerto tali lang are-redor na priyo, eskuru parte del mundo. Pero hinde sila debe mas man lingasa, kay el maga muerto hinde ya ta tarda na maga sepultura. El sunor del drums ta trabesa na maga lapida. El sunor hinde suena como kosa expectao na maga selebrasyon, kay el maga kalabera hinde man para ase sunor. Pero ya buska sila manera.

Baka ta estranya ustedes porque iyo taqui. Que porke un respetado mojer, igwal kumigo taki na sementeryo ta sigui el sunor para alya kanila. Ya prinsipya este na kuryusidad, como mas de maga kwento. El mi mayores ya abla kumigo nomas anda na sementeryo pero ya anda yo syempre, ansina de simple.

El primer notche iyo ya uyi kunel maga drums, ya mira yo kunel maga kabug y pero y insecto ya kambya. Ya pwede sila kumigo mira kwando ya bira sila, entonses nusabe yo kosa ase. Ya insinya sila kunel grande ojas de saging, y talya na ojas si Pay Tonio. Un mes antes, talya iyo na disuyu inchero.

Ya guia sila kumigo na kuerpo, y el kosa yo ta pwede mira, ta selebra sila. Makamyedo klase de Pyesta. Chene sila maga kutsilyo y armas de bukug. Pero ta sinti yo paz. Nuay sintimiento de myedo como mas de maga gente si sila el na miyo pwesto. Maskin kuwando ya oprese sila un pedazo karne del di ila kumida.

Hora ya tambien. Y ta puede iyo uyi ta keda mas suena el sunor del drums.

Este tyempo ta pensa yo, kien gaha el nuebo kumida?

=——————————-=

English Version

It’s time again.

Most people like to keep graveyards at a safe distance. They don’t like to be reminded that the dead still linger somewhere in the cold, dark earth, but they shouldn’t worry, the dead never stay in the grave for long. The drums ring across the gravestones. The sound isn’t as loud as you would expect from the celebrations, but human skulls weren’t made for noise. They had to be resourceful.

You would ask why I’m here. Why a respectable girl like me would be in a cemetery following the sound towards them. It all started with curiosity, like most stories do. My parents told me not to go to the graveyard, and I went. It was as simple as that.

The first night I heard the drums. I saw the bats and dogs and bugs turn into them. They looked at me as soon as they turned, and I didn’t know what to do. They pointed towards a huge banana leaf and on it was Manong Tonio. A month before I was at his funeral.

They led me to the body and I could see they were celebrating. It was a macabre fiesta. They had knives and clubs made out of bones and somehow, I felt at peace. I wasn’t scared as most people would be. Not even when they offered me a piece of their meal.

It’s time again and I can hear the drumbeats get louder.

I wonder who will be the feast this time.

=—————————————–=

*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 by JC Duterte
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © JC Duterte

Inspired by the Kagkag entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Kagkag Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

*Note this story is in Chavacano-Zamboanga

Un noche na pono de anislag, el maga aniniput ya comenza dila ritual nocturno. Desde cuando uno kanila ay puede acorda, ta alumbra sila el con el cielo con diila maga baile que ay puede competi contra con el maga mas hermosa de maga contelacion. Y quien otro para encabeza kanila si hinde diila rey? El regente del maga aniniput ay baila junto con su maga subdito creando un engrande presentacion de brillo.
Mientras el Rey ta prepara para na baile, ya nota le que uno del maga aniniput no hay luz. “Niño aniniput,” ya habla le, “Por que tu hinde arde como igual tu maga uban?”
“Mi señor, hinde yo ta entende por que kita ta hace este, hinde ba si ta manda kita mira diaton luz ay ta atrae kita maga depredador? Ya adverti comigo el maga grillo que el maga palaka, el maga lawa y maga pajaro ay hace kanaton sabroso merienda si ay manda kita mira diaton maga cuerpo.”
“Por que kita esconde si diaton luz el muy hermosa parte del noche? Debe kita lleva luz na maga oscuro lugar. Cada uno diaton tiene un espiritu que no puede nega. Ta sinti tambien tu este, hinde ba?”
“Sinti cosa, mi señor?”
“El necesidad para alumbra el cielo. Talli ese na corazon del maga aniniput. El maga depredador ay mira kanaton, ese el verda, ay mira sila diaton maga luz y busca para apaga kanila, pero este un diutay precio para paga para puede diaton maga alma canta na oscuridad.”
El niño aniniput no puede siempre entende cosa que quere habla su Rey, tiene gayot le miedo mori. No puede le hace por pecho el maga palabra del disuyu Rey y ya oscurece su luz.
Aquel noche ya baila maga aniniput pero tiene maga rastro de sombra que puede mira na un distancia. Ta aparece que makatapon el miedo del niño aniniput. Ta puede oi con el maga hutik que el maga aniniput ta preferi el seguridad del oscuridad contra con el riesgo del luz.
El Rey del maga aniniput ya llama un miting del disuyu maga subdito para discuti con el situacion.
“El cosa kame ta habla ay debe kita tiene cuidao basta de noche,” ya habla el niño aniniput “No quere kame queda el siguiente sena del lawa.”
“Por que tu ta hace este, niño aniniput?” el Rey ya pregunta.
“Ta tiene yo miedo mi señor, no quere yo que ay saca mi luz hasta para siempre.”
“Pero hinde ba ese mismo tu ta hace na tu cuerpo?”
“Puede pa siempre kita alumbra, pero solamente na maga lugar Seguro. Este debe diaton nuevo reglamento!” Ya habla el niño aniniput con confianza.
“Aniniput, debe kita brilla na oscuridad, porque para ese razon kanaton ya crea. Por que tu necesita mira maga señales para alumbra cuando kita mismo el maga estrella que debe alinea?”
“Hinde pa siempre yo ta entende, mi señor.”
Y alla el Rey del maga aniniput ya pensa cosa debe ele hace.
Ya arde le, mas brillante con el luna y ya vola afuera del pono de anislag. El niño aniniput ya grita, “Mi señor! Ay mira sila contigo, por favor no arde tu cuerpo!”
Por supuesto este no hay sirvi, el luz del Rey ya aguanta con el horizonte y apenas el maga kabug, maga lawa, maskin maga pajaro del noche ya vola para na resplandor.
No puede cree el niño aniniput cosa ya socede siguiente. A su alrededor, el otro maga aniniput ya baila junto con diila Rey, formando un ipo-ipo de luz. El maga depredador ya para, cautivao del espectaculo y uno a uno ya entra na baile.
The birds and bats flapped their wings, the frogs moved to the rhythm and the spiders twirled as the fireflies brought light to the darkness. El maga pajaro y kabug ya toca diila maga alas, el maga palaka ya move na ritmo y el maga lawa ya gira mientras el maga aniniput ya lleva luz na oscuridad.
Y dentro del su alma, el niño aniniput finalmente ya entende.
Si ay dale tu luz ay queda tu parte de un cosa mas grande.
No hay ya ele espera para na un contestacion.
Ya brilla le.
Su alma ya grita na maga sombra, “Ay hinde yo deja que saca bo este conmigo!”
El bosque ay hasta siempre acorda el cuento del niño aniniput que tiene miedo na su mismo luz, y todo que ta llama con el bosque diila casa, maskin el maga depredador, ay recorda con el galaxia de luz en frente del pono de anislag, sabiendo que aquel momento que tiene sila fuego dento diila maga cuerpo que no puede sila nega.
Por ahora y para siempre.

=———————–=
English Version

One night by the anislag tree the fireflies began their nightly ritual. For as long as any of them could remember they would light up the sky with dances that rivaled the most beautiful of constellations. And who else would lead them but their king? The regent of the fireflies would dance with his subjects creating a breathtaking display of luminescence.

As the King prepared for the dance he noticed that one of the fireflies was not lighted. “Young firefly,” he said, “Why do you not light up with your brethren?”

“My lord, I do not understand why we do this, won’t showing our light attract predators? I was warned by the crickets that frogs, spiders and birds would make us a tasty snack if we show ourselves.”

“Why should we hide when our light is the most beautiful part of the night? We must bring light to the dark places. Each of us has a spirit that cannot be denied. You feel it too don’t you?”

“Feel what my lord?”

“The need to light the sky. It is in the heart of all fireflies. Predators will see us, that much is true, they will look at our lights and seek to snuff them out, but that is a small price to pay to have our souls sing out in the darkness.”

The young firefly still couldn’t understand what his King was trying to say, he was much too afraid of dying. He could not take his King’s words to heart and dimmed his light.

That night the fireflies danced but small flecks of shadow could be seen from a distance.  It seemed that the young firefly’s fear was contagious. Whispers could be heard from all around that fireflies would rather have the safety of darkness than the risk of the light.

The King of the fireflies called a meeting of his subjects to discuss the situation.

“All we are saying is that we should be careful in the night,” said the young firefly “We do not want to be a spider’s next meal.”

“Why do you do this, young firefly?” the King asked.

“I am scared my lord, I do not want my light to be taken forever.”

“But is that not what you are doing to yourself?”

“We can still light up, but only in safe places. That should be our new rule!” The young firefly said with confidence.

“Firefly, we must shine into the darkness, for that is what we were made for. Why must you look for signs to light up when we, ourselves, are the stars that must align?”

“I still don’t understand, my lord.”

And it was then that the King of the fireflies knew what he had to do.

He lit up, brighter that the moon and hovered outside the anislag tree. The young firefly cried out “My lord! They will see you, please do not light yourself up!”

It was no use of course, the King’s light touched the horizon and all around bats, spiders, even night birds flew towards the dazzling glow.

The young firefly couldn’t believe what happened next. All around the other fireflies danced with their King forming a hurricane of phosphorescence. The predators stood, enthralled by the spectacle and one by one joined in the dance.

The birds and bats flapped their wings, the frogs moved to the rhythm and the spiders twirled as the fireflies brought light to the darkness.

And deep within his soul, the young firefly finally understood.

If you send out your spark you will become a part of something greater.

He did not wait for a reply.

He shined.

And his soul cried out to the shadows, “I will not let you take this from me!”

The forest would forever remember the story of the young firefly who was afraid of his own light and all those that called the forest home, even the predators, would think back to the galaxy of lights in front of the anislag tree, knowing in that moment that they had a fire inside themselves that they would not deny.

For now and forever.

=————————=

*Note this story is in Chavacano Zamboanga

“Este ya el lugar.”

Ya agarra si Miguel su primero pescao y ya resolla ondo. Grande el pescao, bien bale gad era manda envidia con aquellos otro pescadores, pero para otro día ya lang anay.

Ta resa ele el “panangyatang” y no quiere le manda man distorbo.

“Nono*, este pescao ya puede yo cogi, mi ofrenda, por favor recibi”

Ya espera si Miguel, necesita respeta el tradicion y mira hasta caba ele come su pescao.

Un hora ya pasa, y despues ya mira le el cajon. El su ofrenda ya acepta y ya volve ya ele na maga ondo parte para caba come su comida.

No sabe si Miguel si cuando gayot ya empieza el tradicion. Ta asombra lang ele pirmi, porque necesita dale el una cogida, maski pakilaya pa de grande.

Sabe ele na el cayuman amigo del aswang y ta come carne de gente cuando ta tiene hambre, pero simple miedo hinde bastante para explica el “panangyatang”.

Este respeto, puro y simple. Tiene cosa sobre el cayuman na ta manda dale reverencia con ele.

Ya pensa ele porque ta llama con el cayuman ‘nono’.

Baka gente ele antes, un maldicion del dios, y ta busca ele respeto del su maga descendientes.

Baka ele un espiritu vagante na ta lleva un abunda cogida de pescao con ellos quien ta recuerda el tradicion.

Baka ele un bestia sangriento na necesita alimenta antes ele empesa busca carne de gente.

Y cosa sobre aquel cajon na su detras? Ta guarda ba le su victimas alli hasta el hora de come, o baka tiene cosa mas misterioso ta sucede?

Maski cosa pa el contestacion, Alegre si Miguel na hinde ele el adentro del cajon, y mas alegre ele na pa volvida ya ele para su casa.

“Adios nono, hasta el proximo vez,” ya susurra ele suave con el rio.

• Nono: Means grandfather or ghost

=———————–=

English Version

“This is the spot.”

Miguel reached for his first catch and breathed deep. It was a large fish, something that he would be proud to show to the other fishermen, but pride could wait another day.

He was performing the panangyatang and he would not be disturbed.

“Nono* I present this catch to you. Please accept my offering.”

Miguel waited, he had to respect the tradition by witnessing it finish eating his catch.

An hour passed, then he saw the box. The offering had been accepted and it would be going back to the depths to enjoy its meal.

Miguel didn’t know when the tradition started. He always wondered why fishermen would give up their first catch, no matter how big.

He knew that the buwaya was a friend to the aswang and partook of human flesh when it was particularly hungry, but simple fear wasn’t enough to explain the panangyatang.

This was respect, pure and simple. There was something about the buwaya that commanded reverence. He thought to the reason why the buwaya was called ‘grandfather’.

Maybe it was human once, cursed by the gods, and it seeks the respect of its descendants.

Maybe it is a wandering spirit bringing a bountiful catch to those that remember the traditions.

Maybe it is a bloodthirsty beast that needs to be fed before it seeks out human prey.

And what of the box on its back? Does it just keep its victims there, until it is time to feed, or is there something more mysterious at work?

Whatever the answers, Miguel was glad not to be in that box, and even gladder that he was on his way home.

“Goodbye nono, until the next time,” he whispered softly to the river.

*Means grandfather or ghost

=———————-=

*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 by Iñigo Jaldon

Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright Iñigo Jaldon

Inspired by the buwaya description in El Folk-lore Filipino. Isabelo de los Reyes, trans. Dizon and Peralta-Imson. 1994. (Original Spanish Manuscript Printed 1889)

Buwaya Illustration by Kael Molo of Agla – The Graphic Novel