*Note this story is in Ilocano

Alikamen:

Buneng – maaramat tapno mauluyan ti aswang kalpasan a maparmek daytoy.

Ipus ti Pagi – maaramat tapno saanen a makakuti ti aswang. Mangted kaniada iti nakaro unay a sakit.

Kalamansi – kalasag tapno saannaka a mapidut ti aswang. Dayta ti mangpadagsen kaniada.

Dapo – Iwaras iti bagi ti aswang no agsina ti bagida. Saanen nga maisubli ti Aswang ti naisina a bagina no naikkan ti dapo daytoy.

Gabon/Sambong/Bukadkad/Subsob (Blumea balsamefera) – Daytoy a mula ket mausar tapno mabugaw ti aswang. Masapul a kapurpuros ken ikabil a kanayon iti bulsa.

Bawang – Saan a maanusan ti aswang ti angot ti bawang. Kanayonen ti mangitugot.

Asin- Maaramat kasmet la iti dapo. Mausar met tapno maiyadayo  ti aswang kadagiti dadduma a lugar.

Ramramit –  Nabendisionan a banbanag, bendita, ken anting-anting a masapul iti panangiyadayo kadagiti nakabutbuteng a parsua.  Masapul a kasarita ti maysa a padi sakbay ti amin.

Dagiti ritos:

Mabalin a matiliw ti aswang babaen ti panangurnos ti tallo a dadakkel a bato iti sirkulo a kasla paglutuan. Inton mapasungadan ti ‘kak kak’ nga awag ti naparsua , baliksen ti Kredo dagiti Apostoles. Inton makadanon iti parte ti Kredo maipapan  iti pannakailansa  ni Cristo iti  krus, mangpidot ti maysa a bato ket ipak-ol ti maysa a lansa iti daga. Agpababanto ti naparsua ket agdisso iti tallo a bato, ket ditoy mabalinen a patayen.

Adda ritos  iti panangikkat ti lunod ti panagbalin ti maysa nga aswang; daytoy ket ti panaginum iti lemon ken danum, pannakaibitin a baliktad tapno maisarwada ti maysa a kasla billit a pinarsua ket daytoy maiwa-iwa iti pedaso.

Dagiti Palagip:

Usaren dagiti ramramit tapno mapasardeng dagiti encantasionda.  Padsuen  ida  babaen iti ut-ot manipud iti ipus ti pagi sa ipungsay ti uloda babaen ti panggibus a tagbat ti buneng.

Dagiti lunod  ti aswang ket mabalin a mapasingkedan babaen ti panangaramid ti ‘ritual ti itlog’ no sadinno a no makita dagiti marka ti mata ken dara iti itlog, kayatna a sawen a ti tao ket ‘inaswang’ (naallilaw).

Mabalin a maikkat dagiti ilusion iti taraon babaen ti panangipis-it iti calamansi kadagita. Dagiti masida a kas iti sinigang ket agbalin  a malukong a napno iti ramay ti tao ken dara.

Dagiti lunod  ti aswang ket mabalin nga agturong  iti  agsumbangir a dalan,  isu a no ti biktima ket masapsaplitan wenno masugatan iti aniaman a pisikal a wagas, ti aswang ti makarikna iti dayta.

Saan a nalawa daytoy a listaan ​​dagiti wagas iti panangtiliw iti naparsua. Adu pay dagiti ritual ken ramramit a maus-usar a manglaban kadagitoy a nakabutbuteng a parsua. .

Iwanwan koma ti Apo ti dalanmo.

Bendisyonannaka  ti Dios.

=——————————-=

Engilsh version

Equipment:
Bolo – used to give a final blow after incapacitating the aswang.
Stingray Tail – used to incapacitate the aswang. Causes great pain to them.
Kalamansi – A ward to ensure that the aswang cannot pick you up. It weighs them down.
Ashes – Used to sprinkle on the aswang’s body if they self-segment. Aswang cannot reattach if ashes are scattered on their other half.
Gabon/Sambong/Bukadkad/Subsob (Blumea Balsamefera) – This plant is used to ward off aswang. Pick it fresh and keep it in your pocket.
Garlic – Aswang cannot stand the smell of garlic. Keep some with you at all times.
Salt – Used in the same way as ashes. Can also be used to ward certain places away from aswang.
Wards – Blessed objects, holy water anting-anting are all useful to keep away the monsters. Make sure to see a priest beforehand.

*Note this story is in Ilocano

Idi un-unana a panawen, kas insarita dagiti panglakayen, adda agnaed a maysa a nakabutbuteng nga ayup iti Amianan. Daytoy dakkel nga animal ket nailadawan a maysa nga uleg nga addaan payak nga agtaytayab iti ngato dagiti ulep. No aggaraw,makaluban ti dakkel nga anniniwanna ti lubong a mangipakdaar kadagiti tattao ditoy baba nga umadanin ti peggad.

Awan ti makadangran iti dragon. Saan a matudok dagiti siksikna babaen kadagiti igam ti tao ket dagiti maag, wenno dagiti natutured a manggandat a mangkarit iti animal.

Naglabas ti panawen ket sagpaminsan laengen a makita dagiti tattao ti animal.  Babaen laengen kadagiti sarsarita nga insalaysay dagiti naglabas a kaputotan a napagtalinaed a sibibiag ti estoriana.

Awan ti makaammo no ania ti nagbalinan ti dragon, ken adda pay ketdi dagidiay arasaas nga adda natured a bannuar a nangpapatay kadaytoy, nupay pulos a di mapaneknekan.

Ket ngarud, naglabas ti panawen ket nagtultuloy ti biag dagiti tattao. Adu a panagbalbaliw ken riribuk ti inyeg dagiti siglo iti Amianan. Ti baro a pammati ket nangiyeg kadagiti templo a bato. Dagiti obra ti asero ken alambre ti nagkukuros iti daga.

Dimmakkel ken immadu dagiti tattao. Iti baet dagitoy, nagulimek ti dragon.

Agingga a dagiti ginggined ti nangyugyugyog iti Amianan a nangrippuog kadagiti pasdek,  nangdadel kadagiti ili ken nangbingay iti daga. Adu ti naipadamag a nasugatan ket nagtalinaed dayta a trahedia iti panunot dagiti tattao kadagiti sumaganad a tawen.

Kalpasanna adda dagidiay mamati a daytoy a pasamak ket pakdaar manipud iti Mannakabalin-amin. Narebba ti maysa a lugar a pagdaydayawan ket nagsurat dagiti agbabawi  iti Apoda nga agpakpakaasi iti pammakawan.

Maysa kadagitoy ket ti agtutubo nga agnagan Mariano. Minatmatanna dagiti narba iti sanguananna ket nagkararag tii rosario bayat ti panangidatagna iti insuratna a nota a mangipakpakaasi iti panangibabaet kadagitoy a narikut a panawen.

Bayat ti panangikararagna  iti maika-20 nga Ave Maria, nakigtot iti panagdisso ti maysa nga ima iti abagana. Dayta ti maysa a baket a dina am-ammo.

“Hello lola, ania kadi ti maitulongko?” sinaludsod ni Mariano.

Blangko laeng ti pinangmatmat ti babai kenkuana.

Napukawka kadi? Addaka kadi ditoy a kaduam ti pamiliam? Makatulongak kenka a mangsapul kadakuada.”

Bigla nga iniggaman ti baket ti takiag ni Mariano ket pinerrengna dagiti matana.

“Nagsubli,” kinunana.

“Ania ti nagsubli?” Mariro ni Mariano, awan ti maawatanna nga ibagbaga ti baket.“

Ti dakkel a phantom. Ti higante nga espiritu. Ti nakabutbuteng.”

Nagtuang ti baket iti takiag ni Mariano. Narabaw ti panagangesna, ken nakapsut ti pulsona.

Nagpukkaw ni Mariano ti tulong ket naayaban ti ambulansia.

Kabayatan ti panagdengngegna iti angesna, nabaelan daytoy iti nangiarasaas, “Olimaw.”

Inserrek dagiti paramedics ti baket iti ambulansia ket nabang-aran ni Mariano. Impagarupna a nalpasen.

Iniggamanna ti rosariona ket intuloyna ti panagbantayna. Sumagmamano pay la a minuto idi nadlawna nga adda naiduma. Sabali ti narikna dagiti ramayna. Kinita ni Mariano ti rosariona ket nadlawna a nabaliwan dagiti nalinis a kuentas iti nakersang a kakasla bato. Minatmatanna ti rosario ket pinampanunotna no kasano koma a napasamak dayta.

Iti dayta a kanito adda anniniwan a nangsallukob kenkuana. Kimmita iti langit ket awan met ti nakitana no di laeng maysa a grupo dagiti ulep nga apagapaman a nangkalob iti init.

Pinampanunotna ti maipapan iti baket ken no ania ti imbagana.

Nalagipna iti kinaubingna idi intugot da lolo ken lolana iti parola idiay Cape Bojeador.

Ti langit ket maysa a tapestry a naabel manipud iti lawag ti bituen. Di pay nakakitkita ni Mariano ti kastoy iti napalabas.  Intudona ti nagduduma a konstelasion ket isalaysay ti lolona ti tunggal estoriada.

Iti ngudo ti isasarungkarda, idi naladaw unayen a siririing ti maysa nga agtawen iti innem, intudo ni Mariano ti bulan ket kiniddawna iti lolo-na nga isalaysayna kenkuana ti pakaestoriaan daytoy.

Immannugott ti lolona ket sinaklotna ni Mariano iti luppona. Isun ti damo a pannakangngeg ni Mariano ti sao nga ‘Olimaw’  ket kabayatan ti pannakailibayna, imbaga kenkuana ti lolona nga awan ti nakakita iti uleg iti adu a siglo. Natalged ti bulan ken dagiti tattao ti Amianan manipud kadagiti pangana.

Idi dayta.

Kadagiti simmaruno a lawas kasla lallalo nga ngimmisit ti langit iti rabii. Kasla aglemlemmeng dagiti mismo a bituen iti di makita a mangraut. Ti lawag ti bulan ket saan a marikna dagidiay immay a mangnamnama kadagiti lumamiis a sinamarna.

Iti las-ud dagitoy, umaw-aweng iti lapayag ni Mariano amin a balikas ti baket.

“Olimaw.”

Iti panaglabas ti ginggined, naglukat ti higante a rengngat iti asideg ti Simbaan ti Paoay. Yamanpay  ta nailasat ti simbaan iti pannakadadael a napasamak iti dadduma pay nga estruktura, ket nangted kenni Mariano iti gundaway a mapan sadiay tapno agkararag.

Makunkuna a naisadya a naaramid ti simbaan tapno makibagay iti ginggined a mapaspasamak iti Pilipinas. Makita daytoy kadagiti nakadkadlaw a buttress iti aglawlaw ti simbaan

Iti sabali a kanito,agsidsiddaw koma ni Mariano iti arkitektura, ngem iti daytoy a gundaway adda sabali a rason ti kaaddana ditoy.

Siaannad nga immasideg iti higante a regkang a dina ammo no ania ti masarakanna. Minarkaan dagiti opisial ti lugar kas napeggad a disso ken imbagada iti publiko nga umadayoda, nupay saan a nainget a naipatungpal daytoy.

Awan ti tao iti aglawlaw idi intuloy ni Mariano ti panagsukisokna. Iti uneg ti 50 metros nasarakanna ti sapsapulenna. Dakkel a nangisit a siksik a kas kadakkel ti bagina. Simmilap daytoy iti panagdisso ti rimat ti init. Napanganga ni Mariano ket inruarna ti rosariona. Nagkararag tapno kumalma ti nerbiyosna ket iti panagpampanunotna, saannan a nadlaw nga nagdara dagiti dakulapna.

Bayat ti panagtinnag dagiti tedted ti dara iti daga maysa daranudor ti  naggapu iti regkang. Insardeng ni Mariano ti kararagna, nagparintumeng sa inabbonganna ti ulona. Inkidemna dagiti matana ket ninamnamana a bassit laeng daytoy nga aftershock.

Saan a nagbayag ti panagginggined ket idi linuktanna dagiti matana, ti nalamuyot a silnag ti nangpunno iti panagkitana.

Iti sanguananna ket kasla adda maysa a tao, numanpay naabungotan iti lawag. Intudo daytoy ti siksik.

“Aniaka?” sinaludsod ni Mariano.

Imisem ti lalaki ket intudona ti rosario ni Mariano. “Maysaak kadagita,” kinunana.

“Ania ti kayatmo a sawen?”

“Iti napalabas a panawen, maawaganak koma iti naindaklan nga espiritu, wenno uray—”

“Maysa a Dios.”

Immisem ti lalaki ket nagtung-ed.

“Dios met kadi ti Olimaw?”

“Kadagiti dadduma.”

“Adda ditoy saan kadi? Nakulong? Mabalin kadi a maikulong manen?”

Ti lalaki ket kimmita iti langit.“Mabalin,” kinunana.

“Saanto nga agsardeng, di ngata?”

Nagngilangil ti lalaki.

“Ania ti masapul nga aramidek?”

“Ti naaramidmon.” Intudo manen ti lalaki ti rosario.

“Agkararag?”

“Mapanka iti pagtulidan dagiti ulep ket aramidem ti inaramidmo.”

“Agurayka! Ania ti kayatmo a sawen—-”

Ket iti apagdarikmat, nagpukawen  ti lalaki.

Minatmatan ni Mariano ti rosario; namantsaan iti darana. Ammona no sadino ti masapul a papananna, ngem saanna nga ammo no  ania ti rumbeng nga aramidenna.

Kabigatanna, nagtakder ni Mariano iti igid ti rangtay Gilbert. Nayanninaw ti karayan Laoag ti natayengteng a kahel ti umad-adanin a ilelennek ti init. Manipud ditoy makitana ti kabambantayan ti Apayao ken ti baybay dagiti ulep nga agtaytayab iti nagbaetan dagiti pantok.

Inur-urayna ti panagtayengteng ti sipnget, inton rumkuas ti uleg iti nagbaetan dagiti ulep ket pagbalinenna a kasta unay ti kinasipnget ti rabii.

Nagpigerger dagiti ramay ni Mariano nga mangig-iggem ti rosariona.

Bayat ti panaglennek ti init iti baba dagiti bantay, rimmuar daytoy. Marikna ti natan-ok a talugading daytoy, maysa nga ari a dragon nga agtaytayab iti langit iti rabii, nga agsalsala iti nagbaetan dagiti ulep.

Oras nan.

Inrugi ni Mariano ti “‘Amami” a mangnamnama nga adda maaramidanna. Tudoken dagiti natadem a batbato ti rosario dagiti dakulapna bayat ti panangpetpetna kadagiti dakulapna.

Kaskasdi a nagsala ti dragon.

Nagparintumeng ni Mariano. Ania ti pagimbagan ti kararag ditoy? Awan ti mabalin a mangpasardeng iti uleg. Aglalo ti panagmaymaysana.

Kimmita iti bulan ket  nakitana ti sipnget  a nangabbong kadayta. Di agbayag awanton ti mabati, maysanto  laengen  a canvas a nangisit.

Idi kuan, adda nalagipna.

Saan laeng a ni Olimaw ti adda kadagiti sarita ni lolona.

Impukkawna iti nakapigpigsa, “Amman! Saguday! Cabuyaran! Revenador! Anianihan! Bulan!”

“Pangngaasiyo, denggendak!”

Nangrugi a nagparang ti nalamuyot a puraw a silnag iti aglawlawna. Kalpasan ti sumagmamano a kanito, nagparang ti maysa a babai iti sanguananna ket iniggamanna dagiti imana. Apaman nga inaramidna, immimbag dagiti dakulapna.

Iti dayta a kanito,  ammonan nga adda iti sanguanan dagiti didiosen.

Nakitana ida nga agtayab nga agturong iti dragon ken inusarda ti nalamuyot a silnag ti bulan a nangbalkot iti daytoy. Ti narungsot nga angin ken panagdaranudor ti gurruod ti nangiduron iti uleg a mangibbet iti bulan.

Natinnag ti uleg iti lubong ket nagkintayeg ti daga. Nagtalinaed ni Mariano ti ayanna ket inurayna ti panagtalna ti aglawlawna.

Pinunno ti lawag ti bulan ti tangatang ket nagdisso iti agyamyaman a rupa ni Mariano.

“Agyamanak,” kinunana iti langit.

Intakderna ti bagina ket inwagsakna ti dadagsen ti napalabas a sumagmamano a lawas manipud kadagiti abagana.

Saan a nabirukan ni Mariano ti rosariona ket iti maminsan, saan daytoy a napateg.

Ammona itan ti agkararag.

*Anianihan ti dios ti apit, Cabuyaran ti diosa ti panangagas, Saguday ti dios ti angin, Revenador ti dios ti gurruod ken kimat, Amman ti dios ti init (ti init ti matana) ket ni Bulan ti dios ti kappia.

=————————————=

English Version

Long ago, as the elders have said, there lived a monster in the North. This great beast was said to be a winged serpent that flew above the clouds. When it moved a huge shadow was cast on the earth giving warning to the people below that danger was looming.

Nothing could hurt the dragon. Its scales could not be pierced by human weapons and only the very foolish, or the very brave would even think of challenging the beast.

Time passed and the beast was seen less and less by the people of the North. It was only through the tales told by the fading generations that its story was kept alive.

No one knew what became of the dragon, and there were even those that whispered that some brave hero had slain it, though it could never be proven.

And so, time passed and people moved on. Centuries brought much change and upheaval to the North. A new faith brought with it temples of stone. Works of steel and wires crisscrossed the land. People grew and multiplied.
Through all of this the dragon remained silent.

Until shocks rocked the North destroying buildings, damaging towns and splitting the earth. Many casualties were reported and it was a tragedy that would stay in people’s minds for years to come.

In the aftermath there were those that believed this event was a warning from the Almighty. A place of worship was shattered and its penitents wrote letters to their Lord begging for forgiveness.

One of these was a young man named Mariano. He stared at the rubble before him and prayed the rosary as he set down a handwritten note pleading for intercession in these trying times.

As he said his 20th Hail Mary, he was startled by a hand that rested on is shoulder. It was that of an old woman that he did not know.

“Hello lola, can I help you?” Mariano asked.

The woman just stared blankly at him.

“Are you lost? Are you here with your family? I can help you look for them.”

Just then the old woman grabbed Mariano’s arm and stared into his eyes.

“It is back,” she said.

“What is back?” Mariano was confused, he didn’t understand anything the old woman was saying.

“The great phantom. The giant spirit. The terror.”

The old woman crumpled into Mariano’s arms. Her breathing was shallow, and her pulse was weak.

Mariano shouted for help and an ambulance was called.
As he listened for her breath, she managed to let out a whisper, “Olimaw.”

The paramedics ushered the old woman into the ambulance and Mariano breathed a sigh of relief. At least it was over.

He grasped his rosary and continued on with his vigil.

A few minutes in he noticed something was different. His fingers felt a different texture. Mariano looked at his rosary and noticed that the smooth beads had been changed to rough, almost rock-like ones. He stared at the rosary and wondered how that could have happened.

In that moment a shadow was cast over him. He looked towards the sky and saw nothing but a group of clouds temporarily blocking the sun.

He wondered about the old woman and what she said.

It took him back to his childhood when his grandparents brought him to the lighthouse at Cape Bojeador.

The sky was a tapestry weaved out of starlight. Mariano had never seen anything like it before. He pointed towards the different constellations and his lolo would tell each of their stories.

At the end of their visit, when it was getting far too late for a six-year-old to stay awake, Mariano pointed towards the moon and asked his lolo to tell him a story.
His lolo obliged and put Mariano on his lap. It was then that Mariano first heard of the word ‘Olimaw’ and as he drifted to sleep, his lolo told him that no one had seen the serpent in centuries. The moon and the people of the North were safe from its jaws.

That was then.

In the weeks that followed the night sky seemed to grow darker. It was as if the very stars were hiding from an unseen predator. The moon’s light was left unfelt by those that had come to expect its cooling rays.

And through it all the words of the old woman ringed in Mariano’s ears.

“Olimaw.”

In the wake of the earthquake a giant fissure opened near Paoay Church. Thankfully the church was spared the damage that had befallen so many other structures, and Mariano took the time to go there to pray.

It was said that the church was specifically made to adapt to the seismic conditions of the Philippines. This was obvious with the striking buttresses around the church.

At any other time, Mariano would have marveled at the architecture, but this time he was here for a reason.
He approached the gigantic fissure with care, not knowing what he was going to find. Officials called the area a safety hazard and had told the public to stay away, though this was not strongly enforced. There were no people around when Mariano went on with his reconnaissance.

50 meters in he found what he was looking for. A large black scale the size of his torso. There was a shine to it when the sunlight hit. Mariano gasped and took out his rosary. He prayed to calm his nerves and he was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t realize his palms were bleeding.

As the droplets of blood fell to the ground a tremor went through the fissure. Mariano stopped his prayers, knelt down and covered his head. He closed his eyes and hoped that this was just a small aftershock.

The tremor didn’t last long and when he opened his eyes a soft glow filled his vision.

Before him was what seemed to be a man, though he was covered in light. He pointed towards the scale.
“What are you?” Mariano asked.

The man smiled and pointed to Mariano’s rosary. “I am one of many,” he said.

“What do you mean?”

“In times long past, I would have been called a great spirit, or even—“

“A god.”

The man smiled and nodded.

“Was the Olimaw a god too?”

“To some.”

“It was here wasn’t it? Trapped? Can it be trapped again?”

The man looked towards the sky. “Maybe,” he said.

“It won’t stop will it?”

The man shook his head.

“What must I do?”

“What you have already done.” The man pointed to the rosary again.

“Pray?”

“Go to where the clouds roll by and do as you have done.”

“Wait! What does that mean—-”

And in an instant the man vanished.

Mariano stared at the rosary, stained with his blood. He knew where he had to go, but not what he had to do.

The next afternoon Mariano stood at the edge of the Gilbert bridge. The Laoag river reflected the dark orange of the impending sunset. From here he could see the Apayao mountain range and the sea of clouds that floated between the peaks.

He waited for dusk to settle in, when the serpent would burst through the clouds and make the night just that much darker.

Mariano’s fingers quivered has they tried to grasp his rosary.

As the sun nestled itself below the mountains, it emerged. It had a certain sense of majesty about it, a regal dragon swooping across the night sky, dancing in between the clouds.

It was time.

Mariano started with an ‘Our Father’ hoping that it might do something. The sharp stones of his rosary were digging into his palms as he clenched his fists.

Still the dragon danced.

Mariano fell on his knees. What good was prayer here? There was no way to stop the serpent. Not when he was alone.

He looked to the moon and saw that darkness was covering it. Soon there would be nothing left, only a canvas of black.

And then he remembered.

The Olimaw was not the only being in his lolo’s stories.

He shouted at the top of his lungs, “Amman! Saguday! Cabuyaran! Revenador! Anianihan! Bulan!”

“Please, hear me!”

A soft white glow started to appear around him. After a few moments a woman appeared in front of him and grasped his hands. As soon as she did his bloody palms healed.

In that instant he knew he was in the presence of the gods.

He saw them fly towards the dragon and use the soft glow of the moon to envelop it. A fierce gust of wind and peals of thunder led the serpent to release its grip on the moon.

The serpent fell towards the earth and the land shook. Mariano held his ground and waited until he was sure it was over.

Moonlight filled the sky and settled on Mariano’s grateful face.

“Thank you,” he said to the sky.

He picked himself back up and shrugged the weight of the past few weeks off his shoulders. Mariano couldn’t find his rosary and for once it didn’t matter.

He knew now how to pray.

——————————————————

*Anianihan is the god of the harvest, Cabuyaran is the goddess of healing, Saguday is the god of wind, Revenador is the god of thunder and lightning, Amman is the god of the sun (the sun is his eye) and Bulan is the god of peace.

*Ilocano is the third most-spoken local language of the Philippines.An Austronesian language, it is related to such languages as Malay (Indonesian and Malaysian), Tetum, Chamorro, Fijian, Maori, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Paiwan and Malagasy. It is closely related to some of the other Austronesian languages of Northern Luzon, and has slight mutual intelligibility with the Balangao language and the eastern dialects of the Bontoc language.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Ilocano translation by Maria Jesusa Villaruz
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Maria Jesusa Villaruz

Story inspired by the Oilmaw description in
Gelade, George P. I993. Ilokano-English dictionary. Quezon City, Philippines: CICM Missionaries, Inc.

Olimaw Illustration by Manuel Liwanag
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*Note this story is in Ilocano

Nangrugi ti daga nga awan ti aniaman.

Ti pannakalangalang ti nangituray iti daga nga awan sabali no di dagiti danum a nagtakder a pammaneknek iti panaglabas ti panawen.

Iti tengnga ti lubong adda maysa nga abut a nagnaedan ti higante nga alimbubuyog a ni Gaki, a manangaywan iti naindaklan a dios a ni Lumawig.

Adda dagiti tattao idi a nangtuldok iti rabaw ti daga. Dagiti agakar-akar gapu iti nakaparsuaanda, nagdaliasatda iti aglawlaw ti nalukneng a rabaw ti daga, nga aganup kadagiti animal. Gapu ta awan ti tampok ti aglawlawda, mapukawda ti pannakasurotda iti aglawlawda, nga agbalinda a mayaw-awan gapu ta awan dagiti pagilasinan a mangiwanwan kadakuada.

Nagpannurayda iti panagpukkaw, ket dayta ti nangriribuk iti pannaturog ni Lumawig.

Saan koma a makatulong dayta.

Nagpungtot ni Lumawig kadagiti naariwawa a tattao, iti imatangna saanda a maikari iti lubong. Inar-arapaapna dagiti baro a tattao, maysa a kaputotan a mangtawid iti napimpintas a lubong.

Iti dayta a panggep inayabanna ni Gaki. Binilinna ti higante nga alimbubuyog a saksaknapan ti abut babaen ti bagina. Kayat ni Lumawig a dalusan ti daga babaen ti simmaruno a layus.

Ket manipud iti layus, timmaud ti dua a bantay: Polis ken Calawitan.

Napartak ti layus, awan ti tao a nakalasat iti layus. Manipud iti danum ti layus inngato ni Lumawig ti dua a bangkay, maysa a kalakian nga agnagan iti Gatan, nga inkabilna iti tuktok ti bantay Polis ken maysa a kabaian, ti Bangan, nga inkabilna iti tuktok ti Bantay Calawitan.

Ti lamiis iti rabii ti nangriing ken ni Gatan ket nasarakan ti bagina iti di pamiliar nga aglawlaw. Padasenna uray kasano dina malagip ti napasamak kenkuana, amin a lagip ket napunas iti panunotna. Mabalinna laeng nga ipamaysa ti agkir-in a lawag nga agkir-in iti adayo, maysa a sigurado a pagilasinan nga adda sabali a sibibiag a parsua.

Naguray agingga iti parbangon.

Bayat nga agsapsapul ni Gatan iti taraon, nakasarak iti maysa a balsa nga agtaytayab. Iti kannawan a sikigan ti balsa adda aso idinto nga iti kannigid adda manok.

Innala ni Gatan daytoy a kas pagilasinan manipud kadagiti didiosen ket nagturong iti direksion ti lawag a nakitana.

Nakatulong unay dagiti kakaduana nga animal. Tunggal nalabes ti panagturong ti balsa iti kannawan agtaul ti aso ket ilinteg ni Gatan ti kursoda ket no agwalis ti balsa iti kannigid agkarayam ti manok ket i-chart manen ni Gatan ti kursoda.

Dina ammo a dagiti kakaduana ket sagut ti dios a ni Lumawig, ket uray no ammona, saan koma a napateg dayta.

Nagdisso ni Gatan iti igid ti Bantay Calawitan.

Nakitana nga adda abut a napno kadagiti sibibiag nga ember. Kadagiti sarukod iti abay ti abut adda sinturon ken palda ti babai. Sinukimat ni Gatan ti lugar tapno birokenna ti babai ket idi makitana ket naupay. Immay a naglayus dagiti lagip.

Ni Bangan ti kabsatna a babai.

Nagkandado dagiti matada ket dida ammo ti aramidenda. Sigurado a dida mabalin ti makidenna ta agkabsatda.

Ngem inted ti dios a ni Lumawig ti bendisionna. Isuda laeng ti dua a tattao a nabati ditoy daga ken addaan iti responsabilidad a mangparnuay iti baro a kaputotan a rumang-ay kadagiti daga.

Binilin ni Lumawig ni Gaki nga agkarayam a rummuar iti abut ket isaksakna ti saksakan ti abut. Ti bumasbassit a danum ti nangpataud iti lubong dagiti turod ken ginget, bantay ken karayan. Awanen ti nagturay ti pannakalangalang, ta baro a pangrugian daytoy.

Kas sagut kadagiti baro a tattao iti daga innalana ni Lumawig iti rupana ti maysa a galunggong ti barbas ket inwarasna iti intero a daga. Nagbalbaliw daytoy a silo a nagbalin a mula itan, a nangpunno iti daga.

Ket isu ti kasta a timmaud ti lubong kas ammotayo.

=———————————=

English Version

The earth began with nothing.

Desolation ruled the land with only the waters that stood testament to the passing of time.

In the center of the world was a pit where the giant crab Gaki stayed, overseer of the great god Lumawig. The flowing waters raced here, draining towards Gaki.

There were people then that dotted the face of the earth. Nomads by nature, they traveled around the concave surface of the earth, hunting animals. Because their environment was featureless, they would lose track of their surroundings, becoming lost for there were no landmarks to guide them.

They resorted to shouting, and that disturbed Lumawig’s slumber.

That would not do.

Lumawig became angry at the noisy humans, in his eyes they were unfit for the world. He dreamed of new humans, a generation that would inherit a more beautiful world.

To that end he called upon Gaki. He ordered the giant crab to plug the pit with its body. Lumawig wanted to purify the earth with the ensuing flood.

And out of the flood, two mountains rose: Polis and Calawitan.

The flooding was swift, no human had survived the deluge. From the flood waters Lumawig lifted two bodies, a male named Gatan, which he placed on top of mount Polis and a female, Bangan, which he placed on top of Mount Calawitan.

The night chill awakened Gatan and he found himself in unfamiliar surroundings. Try as he might he could not remember what had happened to him, all memory wiped from his mind. He could only focus on a flickering light that twinkled in the distance, a sure sign that there was another living being.

He waited until dawn.

While Gatan was searching for food, he found a raft floating. On the right side of the raft was a dog while on the left was a rooster.

Gatan took this as a sign from the gods and headed towards the direction of the light that he saw.

His animal companions were of invaluable help. Whenever the raft went too much to the right the dog barked and Gatan corrected their course and when the raft swept to the left the rooster would crow and Gatan again charted their course.

He did not know that his companions were gifts of the god, Lumawig, and even if he did know, it wouldn’t have mattered.

Gatan landed on the shore of Mount Calawitan.

He saw that there was a pit filled with live embers. On sticks beside the pit were a belt and a woman’s skirt. Gatan searched the area to find the woman and when he saw her he was dismayed. Memories came flooding back.

It was his sister, Bangan.

They locked eyes and did not know what to do. Surely they could not copulate as they were brother and sister.

But the god Lumawig gave his blessing. They were the only two humans left on earth and had the responsibility of creating a new generation to flourish among the lands.

Lumawig ordered Gaki to crawl out of the pit and unplug the hole. The receding waters gave rise to a world of hills and valleys, mountains and rivers. No more did desolation reign, for this was a new beginning.

As a gift to the new peoples of the earth Lumawig took from his face a knot of beard and scattered it throughout the earth. This knot transformed into what are now plants, populating the earth.

And it was thus the world as we know it came into being.

*Ilocano is the third most-spoken local language of the Philippines.An Austronesian language, it is related to such languages as Malay (Indonesian and Malaysian), Tetum, Chamorro, Fijian, Maori, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Paiwan and Malagasy. It is closely related to some of the other Austronesian languages of Northern Luzon, and has slight mutual intelligibility with the Balangao language and the eastern dialects of the Bontoc language.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Ilocano translation by Princess Jaselle
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Princess Jaselle

Adapted from the legend of Gaki and Lumawig from the Bontok Igorot found in The Soul Book. Demetrio & Cordero-Fernando 1991.

Gaki Illustration by Daniel Decena
Instagram: @thepenslinger

Color by Patricia Pria
Instagram: @meowtricia_

*Note this story is in Ilocano

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Agtalna ka ubing a bassit, irikep mo dagita matam, Haan ka madandannagan ta haan ta maananno”

Nairut nga Inigganan ti babai ti tian na, maisigurado laeng a natalged ti anak na.

“Pangaasim haan mo tultulladen ti Ama’m, haan mo tultulladen ti madi nga aramid na, masapul a sirigem ti mesmessa laeng ngem masapul nga adaywam nu naala dan. “Ti lalaki ket lalakin to latta” isut pagsasao da, ngem haan da maamiris nga ti babbai ket kanayun nga isuda ti maibati”

WHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

“Ammuk nga kaslang maudin,rimwar ni Nana ta mapan na kan ubraen ti kaykayyat na. Baybayaan na dagitay agkakadakes nga lallaki nga agibatbatti kadagiti babbai.

“Uray kasanot ulpit ti lubong, nangisaganaak iti naisangsangayan a kita ti kinaranggas kadakuada”

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAAH!

“ Gapu ta maiparbeng kadakuada. Dagiti rugit da nga simrek kanyak. Maysaak  a nadalus a babai, ti kabibiag na nga nangat-ngato ngem siyak, kitaen nak itan. Addaak ditoyen. Maitanem tanto a dua agingga a mapugsat ti anges ta, ngem nu mapasamak man ita, saanak nga agsagaba a mesmessa. Ubraek a panunuten dagiti banag a nasken kadakuada. Dagiti kinabaknang ti ‘kinalalaki’ ket naragsakakto nga mangbuybuyya ti panagdardarra da.

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAA!

“Shhh, shhh. Haan ko nga gandat nga butngen ka. Adda ditoy ti Ina’m. Maipasigurado a natalged ti anak na kadagiti agkakadakes a lallaki. Inno ti mabalin tayo nga pagnaedan? Nu saan nga isuda. Agkukuyug tayo ngarud, siyak, ken sika, mangpaksiyat ti lubong nga nangpabalin kadatayo.

WAAAAH! WAAAAAH!

“Agtalna ka! Adda makitkittak a mesa a lalaki. Haan ka madandannagan ta apagkanito lang detoy. Kalpasan na, mabalin kayton nga agayayam ken Imam’ wen? Haan nga makadanag ta innak mangkablaaw”

=————————————————-=

English Version

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Hush little child, close your eyes, don’t worry we will be alright.” The woman holds her belly tight, making sure that her child is safe.

“Please don’t be like your father, don’t be like any of those hideous men, always looking for one thing then leaving when they get it. ‘Boys will be boys’ they always say, but they never realize that girls are always going to be the ones left behind.”

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“I know it may seem late, but mommy’s going out to do what she has to do. She has to let all those evil men know that you can’t just leave women behind. It’s a cruel world out there and I reserve a special kind of cruelty for them.”

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Because they deserve it. It was their filth that entered me. I was just an innocent young woman, with her whole life ahead of her, and now here I am. Here we are. We were buried together and we will be together until the end of time, but if I have to be this way, then I will not suffer alone.

I will take what they think is the most important thing that they have. Their precious ‘manhood’ and I will enjoy watching them bleed out.”

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Shhh, shhh. I didn’t mean to scare you. But it’s okay, mama’s here. She’ll make sure the world is safe from those cruel men. We could have lived you know? If not for them. We could have been together just you and me, against the world that made us what we are.”

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Now hush! I see a man on his way. Now don’t worry this won’t take long. And afterwards you can play with mama alright? Now stay quiet while I go say hello.”

=————————————————-=

*Ilocano is the third most-spoken local language of the Philippines.An Austronesian language, it is related to such languages as Malay (Indonesian and Malaysian), Tetum, Chamorro, Fijian, Maori, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Paiwan and Malagasy. It is closely related to some of the other Austronesian languages of Northern Luzon, and has slight mutual intelligibility with the Balangao language and the eastern dialects of the Bontoc language.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Ilocano translation by JC Flores
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © JC Flores

Inspired by the Mantiyanak legends from Mindanao

Mantiyanak illustration by Julia Kristen Delos Santos
FB: JKTD