*Note this story is in Isnag

“Mahánsing ya’.”

“Akkám kasapúlān mahánsing, inēng. Kuán dayá kaduduwá ya kuán da.”

“Ínna ya má’wa kiyá’?”

“Mawē ta duwá kitú Balísi nga káyu se ibansí taká katúnni. Magtuháw ka kitú tággad nátu káyu se ka nga malá’ ka Kalawahān nayá Lángit se ka Kalawahān nayá Tággad-lúbung.”

“Tánnā?”

“Ta sénu meaná’ ka maním.”

“Natakít tuní?”

“Akkán ku… madámdam. Nabayāg túla yin kitú kínwa ku tu inísiyassyōn. Akkán ka mahánsing, inēng, mangipássingan da kikáw ka barú nga lúbung.”

“Íttu yān ya hapú nga makakáyab ka?”

“Saay, inēng. Túyān se mas adú pakám. Naméyaggān ku yin ya kadállamān nayá bébay se ya unág dayá bagbaggí dayá tólay. Nakaamómān ku yin dayá kaduduwá náddi nga lúbung se ya sumarunú kam. Naméyag ya’ yin kadayá lúglugār nga àwan tólay ya makkássingan maním. Ay nónawān ya’ yin.”

“Atān tan kíddi.”

“Hi’nām dayá kaduduwá. Iturúng da ka ummān kiyá nangiturúng da kitú ngámin bíybiyāg ku.”

“Masingán taká maním?”

“Ummaí nōd kiyá palubúsān dayá kaduduwá. Hará luhúd yin, inēng, ibansí ku yin dayá kapáda ku kikáw.”

“Hará luhúd yin, ínnā.”

Hinuyhúyud nayá ángin tu ababbíng nga babáy madamá nga nakatuháw ka tággad natú Balísi nga káyu. Dayá al-alháw ay nabi’yáng ka manú nga liggú ay akkán gína nagkutkutí. Ámmu palínnin dayá lumiwlíwān nga tólay nga nap-apiyá nga akkán ribuán gína kiyá dálēn na. Kitú niltuwād kámpē yin natú kaúddiyān nga habí ya barú nga págmakāt ay nagsíkād gína se nga himhimmá’ nga nagyáman kidatú kaduduwá. Nasingán kampē yin datú kabarbarú na nga matá tu akkán masingán nga lúbung nga nanglébut kitú dadān na nga biyāg. Akkán na linammát nga makésam.

Atān da úbra na nga masápul má’wa.

note

Glottal stops are represented as an apostrophe. They are required since words may change meaning depending on the presence of a glottal stop.

Long vowels and stresses are represented through diacritics to aid in pronunciation.

=———————=

English Version

“I’m scared.”

“You don’t need to be, child. The sprits will do as they will.”

“What will happen to me?”

“We will both go to the Balete tree and I will leave you there. You will sit underneath the tree and be taken to the Skyworld and the Lower World.”

“Why?”
“To be reborn.”

“Will it hurt?”

“I…. don’t remember. It has been so long since I went through my initiation. Don’t be scared child, they will let you see a new world.”

“Is that why you can fly?”

“Yes, child. That and much more. I have been to the depths of the sea and inside the bodies of humans. I have spoken to the spirits in this world and the next. I have traveled to places that no human will ever see again. And I am tired.”

“We are here.”

“Listen to the spirits. They will guide you as they have guided me all my life.”

“Will I see you again?”
“Who knows what the spirits will allow? Goodbye child, I leave my people to you.”
“Goodbye, Lola.”

The winds buffeted the girl as she sat beneath the Balete tree. The days stretched into weeks and she did not move a single inch. Those that passed by knew better than to interrupt her journey. When the last night finally gave way to a new dawn she stood up and quietly thanked the spirits.

Her new eyes finally saw the invisible world that surrounded her old life.  She did not think to smile.

She had work that needed to be done.

=——————–=

*Kayu-kayu, madayu kayu is Ilokano for “You there please go away.” (Kayo-kayo, malayo kayo)

*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
Isnag Translation by Johnwel Khim Enciso
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Johnwel Khim Enciso

Inspired by the Baylan initiation ritual as described in The Soul Book. Demetrio & Cordero-Fernando 1991.

Babaylan Illustration by emirajuju
IG: https://www.instagram.com/emirajuju/

Watercolor by Catherine Chiu
FB: Wildling Child
IG: https://www.instagram.com/wildlingchild/

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