The post Daligmata – Cebuano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

Aimee stares at the creature and doesn’t know whether to stay or to run away.

It looks at her with its many eyes, all blinking at the same time and Aimee steps back. Where was she? How did she get here? Where are her parents?

The last thing she remembers is being in a hospital room surrounded by her family. Her mother was crying then, and her dad tried to tell her everything was going to be okay, but his face betrayed his true feelings.

It was unfair. Why her? She was so young, so full of promise.
Next week she was supposed to go to Enchanted Kingdom with her friends. Lala was supposed to tell her which boy she had a crush on and they would laugh about it on the Ferris wheel.
There were too many plans that were made, too many people that she didn’t spend enough time with.

Aimee started to cry, she wrapped her arms around herself and fell to her knees.

The monster, if it was one, walked towards Aimee, but by then she didn’t care. The only thing that made sense to her was her pain.

She felt a soft nudge and opened her eyes.

The creature was carrying Musang! She thought he had been lost when they moved houses the first time. She grabbed the stuffed animal and held it close, a warm oasis of comfort in her desert of sorrow.

Aimee looked at the creature, now with gratitude. The thing didn’t talk at all but it pointed downwards. She looked and was surprised to see herself.

She was lying down on a hospital bed, her family surrounding her. Next to them was a strange woman saying words Aimee couldn’t understand. Her parents were holding each other with tears in their eyes. Even Ralph looked sad, something she didn’t expect from her little brother.

Aimee tried to reach out to them, to let them know she was alright. They couldn’t hear her. She pounded at the barrier between them until her fists were raw. Aimee just wanted to be with her family again.

Suddenly she heard a melodic voice.

“Aimee Peñas, daughter of Marlon and Sandra.”

She turned around and tried to find whoever was singing.

“Born August 4, 1999.”

All Aimee could see was darkness.

“Lover of animals and friend to all.”

“I’m here! I’m here!’ Aimee shouted at the top of her lungs, she needed to find someone willing to help her.

“Brought to this realm by a terrible sickness.”

“Yes! That’s me! I’m Aimee Peñas! I’m here! Please help me!” She started to run in the direction where the voice was coming from.

Aimee closed her eyes and ran as fast as her feet could carry her, the creature beside her kept apace until she ran into something she couldn’t see.

“Aimee Peñas?” It was the woman from her hospital room! Aimee should have been shocked as her first reaction, but she hugged the woman in thanks. She was the first person Aimee saw throughout this whole ordeal and she was thankful to see another soul.

“Yes! It’s me, Aimee. Who are you?” Aimee looked at the woman’s face, it was old, but somehow carrying a strong sense of duty. “Are you here to help me?”

“Yes child, I am. Take my hand and we will find our way back to your family. The gudguden* ritual will not last much longer and the sun will be up soon. We must hurry.”

Aimee was still carrying Musang and she had to ask. “Do you know what this thing is? She pointed at her many-eyed benefactor.”

“That is my helper, the daligmata. I see it has helped you find something you lost.” The woman pointed at Musang.

“It was very helpful.” Aimee smiled.

“Of course, it lead me to you.” The woman smiled back. “Now it is time for us to go, take my hand child and we will travel through the cosmos.

“Will we be okay?”

“Yes child, I have done this many times before. But first I must ask, do you want to go home?”

“More than anything. I want to see my parents, I want to tell them that I love them. I want to see my friend Lala and say sorry for all the times I made her sad. I even want to see my little brother Ralph even if he’s annoying.”

“That is all I needed to know.” The woman took Aimee’s hand and they both took a step forward.

*This is a nightlong seance where a possessed medium journeys around the cosmos, singing the sick person’s personal history and looking for the abducted human soul.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the Daligmata entry in 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang. Samar. 2015 and CURRENT RESEARCH IN ETHNOMUSICOLOGY, Vol. 4 = Jose` S. Buenconsejo : Songs and Gifts at the Frontier : Person and Exchange in the Agusan Manobo Possession Ritual. Philippines. Routledge, NY & London, 2002. Pg 113

Daligmata Illustration by Julius Arboleda

The post Daligmata appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

“O! kalibotánon.” Gitimbayâ kó sa babáyëng tíngog. “Matág kakitâ námò sa kamátang mo, ságad tungód júd sa Manglilíngla.” Miságbat ang laláking tíngog. Nakaámgo ísig ka úlo sa duhá ka higánteng bitín nga managsámang láyog pa sa kúhit-lángit. Malísang júd ángay úntà kó apán ang ílang katalahóron miághat nákò úg pagdáyëg. Gibátì kóng luwás ubán níla.Gitúklod kó sa daligmáta úg nahinumdóm sa ákong túyò. “Talahórong mgá Bitín…” Walâ kó kabaló unsáon silá pagtawág apán dílì man tingáli daotáng mopakítà og pagtáhod. Giasóyan kó silá sa bangúngot, ang kusóg nga línog nga migubâ sa siyúdad úg mitúmpag sa ákong baláy.”Dínhi ang pinuy-ánan sa mgá línog makalulúoy nga kalibotánon.” Mintubág ang laláking tíngog. “Búnga ang línog sa átong paglíhok.” Miságbat ang babáyëng tíngog. “Ang átong paglíhok maóy nagbugkós sa kalibótan.” Mitubág ang laláki. “Únsa pa may átong gamít kón magún-ob ang kalibótan?” Nangutána ang babáyë.”Kón matinúod ang ákong bangúngot, magún-ob ang ákong kalibótan. Oo, tipík láng ní sa katibúk-an sa kalibótan, apán kíng gamáy nga tipík maóy tibuók kóng kalibótan. Sáma kamahinungdánon níng siyudára nákò sa paghátag nínyo og bilí sa mgá kontinénte.” Maó tóy ákong tímpla.”May kaísog ka.” Pamúlong sa babáyë. “Walâ pay kalibotánong nakaprángka námò sa ingón niánà.” Mitubág ang laláki. “Ságad sa mgá kalibotánon moághat námò sa pagdáot sa ílang kaáway.” Mibalós ang babáyë. “Níndot níng kausãban.” Mitubag ang laláki. “Gisagònan mí sa pagpahilúnà sa kalibótan.”
Mitubág púd ang babáyë. “Nga púgngang mahitupáwak ang kalibótan.” Mibalós ang laláki. “Apán únsay áyo kón gún-ob ang katilíngban nga náa niíni?” Nangutána ang babáyë.

“Buháton námò ang gihángyò mo. Magpuyô láng mí arón dílì mapúsgay ang ímong kalibótan.” Nagdúngan pagpamúlong ang (duha ka) Intugbángol. “Paúlì na kalibotánon, dílì álang sa susáma nímo ang pinuy-ánan sa mgá línog.”
Buót kó úntà siláng pasalamátan, apán mihurós ang kusó nga hangín. Gipálid kó niíni úg hálos dílì na kó makaginhawá. Kusóg kaáyo ang huyóp daw murá kó og gilápa. Nakasínggit kó.

Úg akó nahigmatá.

Nagbágting na diáy ang ákong alárm. Alas syéte na sa búntag. Maulahí na júd kó sa kláse kón dílì kó magdalî. Trápik kaáyo rón, kadaádlaw. Nanghúy-ab kó, misúlay pagdúmdom únsa tóy ákong dámgo. Murá og dihâ tóy bitín úg dághang mgá matá mitútok nákò. Gawás niádto walâ na kóy mahinumdomán.
Mas lánog ang bágting sa ikaduhá kóng alárm. Sígnos ní sa pagsúgod taástaás kóng ádlaw.

Úntà may dághan pang kulbahínam kóng búhat

————————–————————–————————–

English Version

I had the dream again.

The city was dying. I had just managed to break loose from what used to be my house and I was screaming the names of my family members. I didn’t know if they were alive. I looked at my hands and I saw how badly they were bloodied from digging myself out of the ground.

All around me I could hear other people shouting for help, they may have been my friends or my neighbors. I didn’t care, I was too busy looking for my family.

Then the ground started to shake and all I could hear were people screaming. The posts around my street were falling one by one and smashing into the rubble of the houses.
I fall to the ground and my scream joins the chorus.

Then I wake up, but the dream isn’t over. I’m in my bed, holding my blanket and I’m being watched. There’s a thing at my feet. Its body was covered with what I guessed were eyes and it was staring at me with all of them.

Every time I had the dream It would just stare at me for a second and I would wake up like nothing ever happened.
This time it’s different.

I still haven’t woken up.

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 ask 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.

————————–————————–————————–—-

*Visayan (Bisaya or Binisaya) is a group of languages of the Philippines that are related to Tagalog and Bikol, all three of which are part of the Central Philippine languages. Most Visayan languages are spoken in the whole Visayas section of the country, but they are also spoken in the Bicol Region (particularly in Masbate), islands south of Luzon, such as those that make up Romblon, most of the areas of Mindanao and the province of Sulu located southwest of Mindanao. Some residents of Metro Manila also speak Visayan.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bisaya Translation by Joseph Vincent (Josefwintzent) M. Libot
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Joseph Vincent (Josefwintzent) M. Libot

Inspired by the Intumbangol description in The Soul Book. Demetrio, Cordero-Fernando 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.

The post In the Land of Dreams – Cebuano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

In the Land of Dreams Part 2

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.

————————–————————–———————–

*The Bukidnon god of temptation

Continued from the Daligmata’s Tale

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

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

The post Intumbangol appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

In the Land of Dreams Part 1

I had the dream again.

The city was dying. I had just managed to break loose from what used to be my house and I was screaming the names of my family members. I didn’t know if they were alive. I looked at my hands and I saw how badly they were bloodied from digging myself out of the ground.

All around me I could hear other people shouting for help, they may have been my friends or my neighbors. I didn’t care, I was too busy looking for my family.

Then the ground started to shake and all I could hear were people screaming. The posts around my street were falling one by one and smashing into the rubble of the houses.

I fall to the ground and my scream joins the chorus.

Then I wake up, but the dream isn’t over. I’m in my bed, holding my blanket and I’m being watched. There’s a thing at my feet. Its body was covered with what I guessed were eyes and it was staring at me with all of them.

Every time I had the dream It would just stare at me for a second and I would wake up like nothing ever happened.

This time it’s different.

I still haven’t woken up.

————————–————————–————————–—-

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Story inspired by 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.

Watercolor by Tara Singson
IG: https://www.instagram.com/tarabell93/

The post Daligmata appeared first on Philippine Spirits.