*Not this story is in Cebuano

Nagpulong ang mga mangangalisyam para sa ilang pista, pero wala sila kabalo nga wala sila nag inusura.

Pipila na ko ka buwan nagtan-aw sa ilaha, pareho kaayo sila sa mga Kagkag nga akong nakauban, pero naa sad sila’y kalahian.

Una, wala sila’y pista parehas ka nato. Ang kada usa nga Wirwir magtambay sa mga lubnganan pareha anang mga buwitre ug mangalkal sa mga lubnganan kung nakapamati sila na nag inusara nalang sila. Di na gani sila mag hulat sa uban nilang mga kabanay. Kung makasuot sila ug pigura sa tao, basin nawong sa akong mga amigo ba ron, wala pa ko ka kita.

Kada gabii ko mo bisita sa mga kagkag. Tuo sa akong mga ginikanan natulog na ko sa akong kwarto ug gusto ko kana ra ang ilang tuohan. Kabalo ko nga ang akong kamaayuhan ra ang ilang gi atiman pero dili sila makasabot sa akong mga nakita ug nahibaw-an

Dili sila makasabot nga ang oras nga pamati nako nga buhi ko kay ang oras nga ako i-gugol sa mga patay.

Na hunong akong paghuna-huna sa pag siak sa bukog ug sa tam-is nga tingog sa pagkalata sa usa ka unod. Usa ka rason ngano lahi sila sa mga kagkag. Ilang bungkagon ang mga patay nga lawas ug mo puyo sa sulod niini, usahay mo abot og usa ka semana ilang pagpuyo sa kalabera. Gi himo ‘guro na nila para hadlukon ang mga ubang ungo nga mo kaon ug patayng lawas.

Makatawa ta usahay nila, hadlokun ang ubang ungo, bisag wala’y maka hunong nila basta pagkaon na nila ang hisgutan.

Akong gi butang akong ulo sa salog utro ug gipaminaw ang kanindot nga tingog sa kagabihion, ang tingog sa mga patay. Gi tudluan ko sa mga kagkag kung unsaon paggamit sa akong lawas para mapaduol ko sa lubnganan ug mga sekretong niini.

Kadungog ko sa pamilyar nga ginhawa sa nalabtan na og kinabuhi, duol lang sa lubnganan. Pipila pa nga adlaw ang kinahanglan para malubong ang patayng lawas pero wala’y kapareha ang kalami sa mga lawas nga bag-ong gi lubong.

Pero makahulat ra na sila. Lain akong tuyo diri karon.

Akong gi tarong og posisyon akong dalunggan sa salog ug nagpaabot sa tingog nga pasabot naa nay nakit-an nga bag-ong pagkaon ang mga mangangayam. Para makuha ilang premyong gi atngan, ilang kaoton ang yuta ug gubaon ang mga lungon.

Oras na para mangita og mga amigo.

Ni hishis ang wirwir, di sila gusto og mga tawo ug di ko makabasol nila. Bisag akong tawo mismo, di sad ko ganahan og mga tawo.

Ako silang gihatagan og butang nga nagpasabot maayo akong tuyo sa ilaha, mga pipili ka dalunggan nga nabilin gikan sa piyesta sa mga kagkag. Kanunay nila i-ulahi og kaon ang pinakalami.

Ni palibot ang mga mangangayam sa akoa, na hadlok ug nagduda. Ako nabantayan naa sila’y kutsilyo nga gihimo gikan sa bukog, pang panalipod sa mga tawo parehas nako.

Hayag kaayo ang bulan karon ug makita nako ang mga wirwir sa lubnganan. Karon nga nagpakita nako sa ilaha, ilang pagkamaukiton ni paibabaw kaysa sa ilahang kahadlok.

Ni tan-aw ko sa mga mata sa pinakadakong wirwir ug ni paak sa mga usa nga dalunggan akong gi dala.

Usa ka halakhak ang ni buto sa lubnganan. Ang uban ila gi kagulkol ang ilang mga butang nga gihimo gikan sa bukog, klarong nalingaw sa ilang nakit-an.

“Tinood, tawo ko pero parehas ra ko ninyo,” akong huna-huna sa akong kaugalingon.

Ang wirwir kanina nga ni sulod sa usa ka patayng lawas ni gawas sa iyang bag-ong panimalay ug gi hatagan ko og atay. Akong gi dawat ug ni sugod na ang pista.

Ni tan-aw ang wirwir sa akong mga mata og ni utnga.

“Kinsa ka?” Murag mao’y iyang pasabot.

Akong gi isa akong tudlo ug gi pahid sa akong baba nga nagkamuritsing og dugo. Akong gi pakita sa wirwir.

“Usa ka amiga.” May unta nakasabot siya.

Dugay na nga ang mga ungo sige ug tago sa kagabihion. Pero kaya nako ng bag-uhon kay oras na nga dapat makakita og adlaw akong mga higala.

Gi dala ko sa akong bag-ong amigo sa iyahang panimalay. Naglaway ko sa baho sa dugo ug sa yuta. Akong gi dawat ang imbitasyon sa wirwir nga mo kaon kauban niya.

Ako siyang gi hatagan og dalunggan ug gi kaon dayun ni niya.

Pero kalit siya nahunong, gi isa niya iyang ulo ug ni shagit.

Sayo ra kaayo silang niabot.

Ang mga kagkag nag bag-o na ug itsura, gi sul-ob ang mga porma sa mga mananap. Akong higala nagpalayo ug ni suksok sa patayng lawas nga among gi estaran karon. Murag gusto nila nga mag pista sad, pero ang uban dili welcome.

Ni shagit ko og kusog.

Ning lupad ang mga mata sa akoa, murag nakasabot ang wirwir ug kagkag sa unsa akong gustong himoon.

“Kinahanglan nato mag kinausa kay naa pa’y mas labaw nga hulga sa atoa.” Akong tingog ni lanog sa tibook sementeryo.

Gi butang sa mga wirwir ilang mga kutsilyo, ug gipadaplin sa mga kagkag ilang mga bungo.

Ang duha ka grupo di angay mabalaka kay parehas ra kaming tanan.

Gusto man kaha sila makakaon ug tawo, diba?

Akong nagkadugo nga kamot akong gi gamit sa paggunit sa akong wirwir nga higala, ug ang usa nako ka kamot akong gi bira ang pinakaduol nga kagkag.

“Kauban ta.” Akong gi sulti gamit akong baba ug akong mata, para masabtan gyud ko nila.

“Sugdi na ang kapistahan!”

=———————————————–=

The Diary of a Teenage Cannibal Part 2

The hunters gather for their feast, but little do they know they are not alone.

I’ve been watching them for months, so similar to the kagkag that I’ve spent so much time with, but also very different.

For one, they don’t have feasts like we do. Each wirwir hangs around graveyards like vultures and dig up the graves as soon as they think they’re alone, they don’t even wait for others of their kind to join in. If they can change their form like my friends, I haven’t seen it.

I’ve spent most of my nights around the kagkag. My parents think I’m quietly sleeping in my bedroom and that’s the way I want to keep it. They mean well, for old people anyway, but they would never understand.

The only time I feel alive is among the dead.

My thoughts are interrupted by the breaking of bone and the sweet sound of crushed flesh. Another way they are different from the kagkag. They hollow out the corpses and live inside them, sometimes for weeks at a time. I think it’s so that they can scare away the other corpse eaters.

What a silly notion, scaring the ghouls, as if anything can keep them away from their next meal.

I put my head on the ground and listen to the black harmony I love so much, the sound of death. The kagkag taught me how to use my senses in ways that I could keep the shroud of the grave close to me.

I hear the expiration of another soul not far from the graveyard, it may take a few days to get buried but nothing tastes as delectable as a freshly buried corpse.

But that can wait. I’m here for something different.

I press my ear closer to the earth and wait for the telltale beat that tell me the hunters have found their next meal. They part the earth and crack the coffin to get to their prize.

It’s time to make some new friends.

The wirwir hiss and snarl as I approach, they’re not fond of humans and I can’t blame them. Neither am I to be perfectly honest.

I give them a token of peace, some ears leftover from the last feast I had with the kagkag. They would always save the best parts for last.

The hunters surround me with fear and suspicion. I notice they have knives made from bone, probably to defend themselves against those that look like me.

The moon is bright tonight and I can see all the wirwir from around the graveyard. Once I made my presence known their curiosity outmatched their fear.

I lock eyes with the largest wirwir and take a bite out of one of the ears.

It’s laughter echoes through the graveyard. The others rattle their bony implements and join in the amusement.

“That’s right, I may be human, but I’m just like you,” I think to myself.

The wirwir that I made contact with shambles out of its corpse home and offers me a piece of liver, I gladly accept and start the feast.

The others seemed to lose interest once I proved that I was like them. They walked back to the graves and coffins, more focused on their next meal.

The wirwir looks me in the eye and grunts.

“What are you?” It seems to ask.

I take my finger and wipe the blood from my mouth. I spread it around my hands and offer them to the wirwir.

“A friend.” I hope it understands.

Too long have the ghouls stood scared against the workings of humankind. It’s up to me to make sure that my friends have their time in the sun.

So to speak.

My new friend takes my hand and leads me to his corpse house. The smell of blood and earth makes my mouth water, and I accept the invitation and share a meal with the wirwir.
I offer him the ears and he devours them like a glutton.
Suddenly it raises its head and shrieks.

No. They’ve come too early.

The kagkag shift from their animal forms and my new friend retreats back into the corpse we were sharing. They seem to want to hold one of their fiestas, and others are not welcome.
I shout at the top of my lungs, a deep, guttural dirge.

For a moment all eyes are on me, the wirwir and the kagkag both seem to understand what I’m trying to do.

“We must all come together to face a bigger threat.” My shout echoes to the far end of the cemetery.

The wirwir lay down their knives and the kagkag set aside their skulls.

Both groups need not worry, for we are all the same.
We all want a little piece of humanity, don’t we?

I take my bloodstained hands and hold my new friend and the closest kagkag.

“Together.” I say with both my eyes and my words.

“Let the fiesta begin.”

=———————————————-=

Continued from the Kagkag’s tale

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

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

The Diary of a Teenage Cannibal Part 3

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

I was so careful. I thought I covered my tracks completely. The nights when there would be a fiesta I would sneak out of my room and the next day I would smile at my parents as I got ready for school. Sometimes they would ask me why I looked so tired, but I blamed it on my studies. “There were too many tests that I had to deal with,” I would say, and my parents would believe me.

That is, until last week when my teacher paid us a visit. She told my parents that I was failing all my classes. She said she was worried about me.

She just wanted to meddle. If it wasn’t for her I would be enjoying the feast with my friends. It took me months to get the wirwir and the kagkag to trust each other and I don’t know if old rivalries would flare up if I wasn’t there.

I’m trapped in my room, being given a lecture by my mother. She thinks that I’m secretly seeing some boy. She tells me that he isn’t worth it and that I have so much potential. “There are people that will say anything to get what they want.” “We didn’t raise you to be like this.” “Why would you lie to us?”

The sermon goes on and on and I can barely keep my eyes from rolling to the back of my head. I tell my mother what she wants to hear. That’ll I’ll be honest from now on, that they can trust me. I look at my mother with tears in my eyes and promise that I’ll never see that boy again.

And technically I did keep my promise.

I had to wait until the next full moon to meet my friends. Hours of fake smiles and pretending I was like all the other girls took its toll on me. They dance to the putrid rhythm of their normal lives, they’ll never know how good it feels to escape from the pretension of normalcy, to fully embrace your primal urges and kiss the taboo.

I miss them. I miss the sound that bone makes as I bite into it to suck out the marrow. I miss the smell of dried blood on my lips. I miss the drumbeats and the sound of death.

I travel to the graveyard to see them. The moonlight feels perfect on my skin. I can feel the vibrations of the drumbeats race through the ground to find my heart.

It has begun.

There was a car accident a few days ago and Emilio Canoy didn’t make it. They had a closed casket ceremony and buried him right away, not even embalming him. I couldn’t help but think of the treasure that lay within.

I go to his grave and am surprised.

An ebwa fends of the wirwir and the kagkag. It’s bigger than any I’ve ever seen before and I’m overjoyed, another new friend to add to the collective.

My friends have already exhumed most of the body and I see that they had already started without me. Pieces of Emilio were suspended in their mouths and my mouth starts to water. There will be time for that later, I tell myself, for now I have to welcome our new friend.

The ebwa are cowardly by nature, kept at bay by even the smallest light, but we are all scavengers. I take a piece of Emilio’s liver and I offer it to the beast.

It’s a prized part, only reserved for the most honored among the scavengers. I think back to what my teacher said. “The liver is the repository of our emotions. Words like ‘pighati’, ‘luwalhati’, ‘dalamhati’ all trace part of their origins to the old word for liver, ‘hati’.

It works, the ebwa ceases its retreat and feasts on the organ. I approach it and it lets me touch its head. I feel a connection between us, the girl and the monster, both enjoying the same taboo. It makes my heart race and my pulse quiver.

I look back to the body of Emilio and wait for my turn. There’s enough of him to go around. I breathe in the smell of death and feel more alive than I ever have.

But she just had to ruin everything.

One moment I’m enjoying the fiesta with my friends and another my teacher, along with a group of townspeople, rush towards us, weapons in hand.

I scream to let my friends know they are coming but it’s too late. One by one the wirwir and the kagkag fall to the bolos and guns of the townsfolk.

I run with them. I know now that my place isn’t among humans. A misplaced bullet hits my side, but the ebwa carries me to safety. It takes an eternity for us to find a cave where we can hide.

I’m losing a lot of blood. The shot hit deep and I don’t know if I’ll make it. The ebwa stays by my side, but I can notice it staring at my blood. I take a bit of the crimson liquid and taste it. I never had fresh blood before, and nothing can compare to the rich taste.

I gesture to the ebwa, as well as the few remaining wirwir and kagkag and I smile.

I know my death will not be in vain.

The fiesta will continue.

————————–————————–————————–—

Continued from the Wirwir’s tale

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the Ebwa description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Mandarangkal Illustration by Julius Arboleda

*Note this story is in Isneg

Syam nga algow

Baga da ya la’lakey, syam nga algow bit sikuha nga di madamdam ya di masingen; tuni tida dan itamen ya wagi nga babey. Adeddu pa ya syam nga algow ngem kasapulan koo kagina di.

Walo nga algow

Di nga kawas ya nonna algow na ngem kasapulan Kandela; toley ki lebut ya natey senu di makaadani ya di masingen. Iyow la ya nakakahu nga ammu.

Pitu nga algow

Awad la ki sagged nga magin-indeg. Mangsing-singen ki natey.
Anem nga algow

Magin-indeg pakam.

Lima nga algow

Bayuy! Nakatudug na lugud langin. Awan la pe nakasingenin gaages nala ya wagi. Di ngin nga maunsi tuni. Appat la nga algow ya nebtangin.

Appat nga algow

Di masingen ki sagged ngin. Di na kid madamdam ngin.

Tal-lu nga algow

Kawas pa ya dilag ki gyan nateyan. Nagiddep ammin dilag ki piga nga oras. Nammat na din la adu Kandela tunin. Awanin ya di masingen, ngem amu nga awad la agina kiyan magin-indeg magiddep ya Kandela senu mala na ya wagi ngem di na ma’wa tuni.

Duwa nga algow

Nagawi ya dilag. Nakadiyat na ki piga algowin gapu ki kape; redbull. Di na makakendeg ngin nga matudug. Magimmang din yanin nga di masingen.

Nona/Esa nga algow

Pakawanen na Sarah, ammu nga di na nga kakapyaan nga manung mu kitu nabiag ka kam ngem kuma ta idi nga kokoo e mepasingo ya awad ki un-uneg ku. Mawe taka dan sinsinen ki gyan mu. Nebaga manung.

Nawe ya syam algow nan, ustu ya nebaga da ya la’lakey. Di madamdam ngin ya di masingen. Kuma ta ya isarunu na e di da kalepanan magsibet Kandela. Kararag ku yan nga kaduduwa, ngem ustu la ta din nga iya.

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English Version

Nine Days

The elders say it will only take nine days for the creature to lose interest and then we can bury my sister. That’s nine days too long but I have to do it. For her.

Eight Days

The first day went without incident, as long as there are candles and people around for the wake the monster doesn’t seem to be able to get close. This may be easier than I thought.

Seven Days

It just waits outside. Staring at the wake.

Six Days

It’s still waiting.

Five Days

Damn it. I fell asleep. No one covered for me and the creature almost got to my sister. It won’t happen again. I only have four days left.

Four Days

I haven’t seen it outside lately. Maybe it already lost interest.

Three Days

There was a problem with the electricity in the funeral home. All the lights went out for a few hours. Damn it! I should have bought more candles. I can’t see the creature, but I know it’s somewhere here, just biding its time until the candles go out. But it won’t get her. I won’t let it.

Two Days

The power’s finally back on. I’ve been surviving the past week on nothing but coffee and red bull to make sure that I stay awake. I can’t wait until I finally get some sleep and to put the monster to rest.

One Day

I’m sorry Sarah, I know that I wasn’t the best brother when you were alive, but I hope that my vigil for you showed you how much I love you. I promise to visit you every day and make sure that nothing bad will happen to you. Kuya promises.

Nine days have passed and it was as the elders said. The creature just lost interest. I hope that whoever it stalks next knows to light a candle and keep it at bay. I pray for that poor soul, but I’m glad it isn’t me anymore.

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*Isnag (also called Isneg) is a language spoken by around 40,000 Isnag people of Apayao Province in the Cordillera Administrative Region in the northern Philippines. Around 85% of Isnag are capable of reading the Isnag language. Many Isnag speakers also speak Ilocano.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Isneg Translation by Kristine Joy Rillera
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Kristine Joy Rillera

Inspired by the Ebwa description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Ebwa illustration by Andrew Rebuldela
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewrebuldela/

Nine Days

The elders say it will only take nine days for the creature to lose interest and then we can bury my sister. That’s nine days too long but I have to do it. For her.

Eight Days

The first day went without incident, as long as there are candles and people around for the wake the monster doesn’t seem to be able to get close. This may be easier than I thought.

Seven Days

It just waits outside. Staring at the wake.

Six Days

It’s still waiting.

Five Days

Damn it. I fell asleep. No one covered for me and the creature almost got to my sister. It won’t happen again. I only have four days left.

Four Days

I haven’t seen it outside lately. Maybe it already lost interest.

Three Days

There was a problem with the electricity in the funeral home. All the lights went out for a few hours. Damn it! I should have bought more candles. I can’t see the creature, but I know it’s somewhere here, just biding its time until the candles go out. But it won’t get her. I won’t let it.

Two Days

The power’s finally back on. I’ve been surviving the past week on nothing but coffee and red bull to make sure that I stay awake. I can’t wait until I finally get some sleep and to put the monster to rest.

One Day

I’m sorry Sarah, I know that I wasn’t the best brother when you were alive, but I hope that my vigil for you showed you how much I love you. I promise to visit you every day and make sure that nothing bad will happen to you. Kuya promises.

Nine days have passed and it was as the elders said. The creature just lost interest. I hope that whoever it stalks next knows to light a candle and keep it at bay. I pray for that poor soul, but I’m glad it isn’t me anymore.

————————–————————–————————––

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the Ebwa description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Ebwa illustration by Andrew Rebuldela
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewrebuldela/