*Note this story is in Pangasinan

Walay pangyayari ya abuten toy taon no polyanan mo.

Say oras walay tutomboken balet anggapolay makalampas sed takot aya so naaral ko pigaran taonlay apalabas.

Wad ja agkoanta ya emostra no antoyala.

Biglaan ya wadtan agko namalayan andi andi biglaan la.

Nanunutan kolay mapmaples ya kaloskos ya aray bulong walay maermen ya elek ya sakey ya laki balet angob ya tabako.

Agko nalingwanan ya atagey walay kaya tod kaatagey oparatan ya totoo.

Mansusupsop ya asewek ed sigarilyo akin balet manniningning ed siyak.

Abalang-abala manpepesak ked kaabay ya palandey ipamagak sigoradong naalak na ani umpisaak ya unirong dimad silong ya sengeg ya balete piyano makasilong.

Abangon nak ya wadtanla nan ningningan kami parang pigaran agiw ya bagay anggad binetag toy kaermenan.

“Kumusta, inararo taka.”

Nakakarengil lak la ya tungtongan pano napelag so puso ray bibii aray kapre.

Nanunutan koy istoryay sakey ya bii ngarantoy juana lanang ya tutomboken ya kapre mansalat ya itsurato para manobya sya.

Pinutokan day bala ng paltog ya kapulisan nen aningning da balet sakey lan sengeg na punte nawalay abot na nanlapod balay paltog.

Agtoka maligtas tay balay paltog agko anta no antoy nayari.

Taloran salita para mabaldado ed takot unaakis ya ibabagag so ebat ko.

“Agtaka inaro, agku anta no sopaya.”

Antolay itsura toyay kapre say mangibabaga amin ya nakabatan ko ya nasasakitan ko aya so mas ansakited utik ya mangalay paltog.

Nansopsop siya uli ng sigarilyo at umimiss.

“Nakabatan mo no anto ak et.”

Bigla na angapo dimad singeg na keyew.

Walay kakalbang nangyayari na duga siya.

Lumampas laytaon ya agko inasahan ya tumboken to ak ya anyani agko inasahan ya magkaaro kami mas subrapa sa kaaro.

Ayay bilay natnoy pangarap ya agga natutoloy atay natnoy surpresa.

Wadtan so kapre kada magoloy pusok kada di kami makapantalosay familyak.

Wadtanla nen abalang so anakkong panguloan nen bimmaleg iray anakko ya maksil.

Ipapaningning toy presensya to ya melmelag ya.

=—————————=

English Version

There are moments that stretch into years if you let them. Time has many masters, but none more potent than fear, this I learned many years ago.

It….He… I don’t know how to describe whatever it was. It just suddenly appeared before me, no, not suddenly. I remember the sound of rushing leaves, the soft laughter of a man and the smell of tobacco. I could never forget it.

He was tall, taller than any human had any right to be. He took a puff from his cigar and just stared at me.

I’m getting ahead of myself. I was doing chores in the field next to the forest, drying the laundry and making sure that the harvest would be ready when I sat under the Balete tree for some shade.

I woke up and he was there. We stared at each other for what felt like days, until he broke the silence.

“Hello, I love you.”

I had heard stories of the Kapre falling in love with human women before. I even remember a story of a girl named Juana who was stalked by her Kapre and the creature even changed form to be that of her lover. It was shot at by police officers but when they looked at the creature they only found a tall banana tree with bullet holes.

Bullets couldn’t save me now, I didn’t know what could. Three simple words were all that it took to paralyze me with fear and I cried as I said my reply.

“I don’t love you, I don’t even know who you are.”

The look on the Kapre’s face told me all I needed to know. I had hurt it. Far more than if I had taken a gun and shot it.
He took another drag out of his cigar and smiled.

“You will know me, and you will love me.”

Then, he vanished into his tree.

The strange part was he was right. Years had passed and I expected to be stalked by a monster, I had never expected that it… he… would become my friend, and then something more.

Life is full of expectations that are never met; it is even more full of surprises.

The Kapre was there through every broken heart, every fight with my family. He was there when I lost my first child, and when my other children grew to be strong.

He would show his presence in the small ways, a shower of stone outside my house, the smell of his cigar wafting on the wind, but I always knew he was there. A silent protector.

In return I would never let anyone harm his home, the Balete tree was as much my home as it was his. I spent countless nights, watching the stars with him watching over me.

And here I sit, 80 summers have passed through my life and I am under the Balete tree with my love.

“I know you, and I have loved you.”

————————–————————–————————–———

*Pangasinan (Salitan Pangasinan) – sometimes called Pangasinense is one of the major languages of the Philippines. It is the language spoken in the province of Pangasinan, on the west-central seaboard of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, the northern portion of Tarlac and southwestern La Union, most of whom belong to the Pangasinan ethnic group. Pangasinan is also understood in some municipalities in Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, and by the Aeta or Aeta of Zambales.

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Marcito Berania
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright ©Marcito Berania

Inspired by the Kapre Myths and description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Kapre Illustration by Abe Joncel Guevarra
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joncel/

The post Kapre – Pangasinan Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Kapampangan

Penalben ne pang meko keng Palasyu ning Malacañang ing pekatalwing saken. Balu ng Mister Brown na dapat yang manenayang kapitangan bengi para agawa na ing kayang tradisyun, at deng bayu keng palasyu buring buri da pa naman ing magpalakwan kayabe da deng dati ng atiyu. Minitit ya pang misan keng kayang tabaku at lebulan ne ing asuk a minyalungan keng kayang dila. Payari na ing selebrasyun.

Linakad ya keng pasilyu ning palasyu at inawus na la deng lagyu da reng matwang multu. Mipadalan ya keng opisina ning Presidenti at ikit na karin deng magpulung a lalaki na balik-balik maglakad. Lapin deni deng makalunus na kaladwang mekulung manibat anyang Gerang Hapon. Ala yang akarapat I Mr. Brown nune tangung basti karela, miye respetu at malawus ya keng lakad na.

Keng pamanlakad na ikit ne ing pekamumunang menuknangan keng palasyu. Linwal neng Mister Brown ing metung pang tabaku keng bulsa na at siniklod ne ing buntuk na at mamye respetu kaya. Bista mang tau ya mu iti, at kapilan man e mamye paggalang ing metung a imortal a Kapreng kalupa na, aliwa ya pa mu rin ing asta ng Mister Brown. Uling ikit na nung makananu la mitas at mibaba deng mangayap mangobyernu at traydor na mengadapat mayap at ali ustu keng bansa.

Panakit ng Mister Brown mas meragul la deng kwartu at pasilyu ning palasyu. Mas sane ya kareng mangalating sukad kanitang mengalabasan a banwa. Aganaka ne pa ing pamagobra na gewa ning dating First Lady para mibalik ya keng mayap ing lugar a iti. Balamu kapilan na pa daramdaman deng sigla da reng lakbang ning kayang anak a babai, at mebayat la anyang sinubli yang misan at dalaga ne.

Meyli ya I Mister Brown keng aganaka na. Matutula ya ustung dakal bage ing mababayu, dapot mas dakal pa rin ing kalupa na ning dati.

Pagtakan na pin nanu mong pamagbayu ing gawan da keng bale ng ini, uling mangalagu at mayap naman ing egana-gana maliban keng Gerang Hapon. Dakal nemang sukulan ing palasyu. At balu na naring Mister Brown ing aske da deng dating mangupaan. Dapot pakiramdam na, masyadu lang merakal ngeni deng istatwa na gawa keng ivory ing makatalakad.

Miras ya rin i Mister Brown keng kayang pupuntalan. Madalumdum, at deng makasabit atlung chandelier misusulwanan la keng kayang tabakung sisindi. Tunggal-tunggal na lang gaganakan deng alalabasang mangaragul a litratung pakasabit.

Ing mumunang Presidenti ning Commonwealth at anyang mibalik ya iti. Ing metung naman ing awsan dang traydor. Ing metung ing minuna keng Bayung Republika. Ing menalakaran keng pamagserbisyu keng kilwal ning bansa. Itang agad mete at ing pinalit kayang masyas a buntuk. Ing amanwan dang “Poor boy from Lubao”. Ing lalaking makamalutu at ing babaing maka dilo. Ing sundalu. Ing artista. Deng adwang anak na migdala kareng lagyu da pabalik kening matwang palasyu.

Miras ing lawe ng Mister Brown keng bayung litratu na makasabit kasiping da deng datian.  Metung na namang kapalyaryan. “Nanu kayang kasaysayan ing misulat keni?” ing kutang na keng keyang sarili. Nanu pa man ing malyari keng aldo bukas, atiyu pa rin i Mister Brown para akit na iti.

Ini ing agawa na para keng kayang tuknangan a iti.

=————————-=

English version

He watched the last car leave Malacañang Palace. Mr. Brown knew he had to wait until later that night to do his tradition, the new ones always attracted those that wanted to stay behind. He took another puff of his cigar and let the smoke linger on his tongue. The festivities would be over soon.

He stepped through the halls of the Palace, calling the names of old ghosts. He passed by the Executive office and saw a group of men roaming aimlessly. The poor souls were trapped here since the Great War. There was nothing he could do but give a courteous nod and keep walking.

On his way he saw the first to make his home in the palace. He put out his cigar as a sign of respect and bowed his head. The man was human and in normal circumstances a Kapre would never condescend to a mortal being, but Mr. Brown was different. He had seen the rise and fall of statesmen and traitors alike. They made the country what it was, for good or ill.

The halls seemed bigger. He was still used to the smaller spaces in the years past. He remembered the first lady that managed to bring the building back to life. The footsteps of her daughter still echoed through the halls, though they were much heavier when she returned as a woman.

Mr. Brown smiled. He always took comfort when the more things changed the more they stayed the same.

He did wonder what changes the new one would bring to his home, though anything would be better than what happened in the Great War. Mr. Brown had enough of prisons. He also had enough of the style of one of the former tenants, he thought the ivory statues were just a bit too much.

Mr. Brown finally reached his destination. The three chandeliers were dull in the darkness, but his cigar gave him the light he needed. He passed by each portrait and remembered each one as he went by.

The first of the commonwealth and the one who restored it. The one called a traitor. The first of the new republic. The father of foreign service. The one who left too soon and the austere head that replaced him. The poor boy from Lubao. The man in red and the woman in yellow. The soldier. The actor. The two children who carried their names back to their old home.

Mr. Brown looked at the new portrait on the wall. It was one of possibility. “What history would be written because of this one?” he asked himself. Whatever the future held Mr. Brown would be there to see it through.

He owed his home at least that much.

————————–————————–————————––

Inspired by the Mr. Brown myths.

Mr. Brown Illustration by Leandro Geniston fromAklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

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The post Mr. Brown – Kapampangan Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Tagalog

“Isang beses pa! Yan na lang ang maibibigay ko sayo bago kita tanggalin sa trabaho!” Kumalabog ang pinto nang isara at naiwan si Josh na nag-iisip kung paano niya maaayos ang sitwasyon.

Apat na buwan na bangungot sa trabaho niyang logistics ang nakikipagtitigan sa kaniya. Wala nang magagawa pang paraan para maayos pa ang problema matapos ang mga problema, o pananabotahe gaya ng laging pinapaliwanag ni Josh sa boss niya. Masyadong maraming pangyayari ang nagtutugma para mauwi ito sa ganito.

Nagkaroon ng landslide noong unang buwan na nakaabala sa kalsada. Tatlong linggo silang pinahirapan at naantala dahil sa paglilinis ng kalsada sa napakamahal na halaga. Malapit nang ma-overbudget ang project.

Ilang linggo matapos ang insidenteng yon, nanakaw ang mga trak at walang makapagturo kung sino ang may kagagawan. Walang saysay ang pagpapataas ng seguridad dahil patuloy lang na nangyayari ang pagkawala at lalo lang tumataas ang gastos. Isang bagay ang masisi sa ginawang kasalanan ngunit alam ni Josh na ginawa niya ang lahat ng tama. May tao sa likod ng mga ito, pinaninindigan niya to.

Naghintay si Josh sa construction site. Alam niyang baliw na ang tingin sa kaniya ng mga tauhan niyia, ngunit wala na siyang pakialam lalo ngayon na sigurado siya sa ginagawa niya. Mabigat ang camera sa kamay niya, matigas ang ulo niya pero hindi siya inutil. Napahamak na siya sa trabaho niya, hindi na niya hahayaang lumala pa ito. Kahit na anong ebidensya ng pananabotahe ay sapat na para malinis ang pangalan niya.

Alas dos na ng madaling araw nang may maamoy siyang usok. Ito na ang pagkakataon niya; may nagbabalak na magsimula ng sunog sa compound.  Tumakbo siya patungo sa pinanggagalingan ng amoy habang nakahanda ang camera niya.

Tatlong araw ang nakalipas, itinapon ng boss ni Josh ang mga gamit nito sa basurahan. “Sayang.” Kailanman ay hindi inisip ng boss ni Josh na siya ay duwag ngunit may mga paraan talaga ang mga tao para madismaya ka. “Tumakbo na siguro yon dahil sa sobrang dami ng dapat gawin,” sinabi niya ito kahit wala siyang kausap. “Ngayon, kailangan kong imisin ang mga problema niya.”

The last thing that was left was Josh’s camera. His boss looked through the pictures and saw nothing but tree trunks. “Useless,” He said as he tossed it in the trash.

Ang tangi lang na natira sa gamit ni Josh ay ang camera niya. Tiningnan niya ang mga pictures at wala siyang ibang nakita kundi mga punong kahoy. “walang kwenta” at tinapon ang camera sa basurahan.

=————————————–

English Version

“One more chance! That’s all I’m giving you before you’re fired!” The door slammed shut and Josh was left wondering how he could salvage the situation.

Four months of logistical nightmares were staring him in the face. There was no way the development could be completed after the setbacks, or sabotage as Josh kept trying to convince his boss. Too many coincidences were happening for it to be anything else.

The first month a landslide happened, completely cutting off the road. 3 painstaking weeks of clearing the rocks had to be done at a very expensive cost. The project was already dangerously close to becoming over budget and that tipped the scales.

A few weeks later whole trucks were being stolen and no one could find the culprit. Increasing the security was useless since it just kept happening and more money was being spent. Josh couldn’t handle it anymore. It was one thing to be blamed for your own mistakes, but he knew he did everything right. There was someone behind this, there had to be.

Josh waited at the construction site. He knew his workers were thinking he was crazy, but he couldn’t care about that, not when he had work to be done. The camera felt heavy in his hands, he was stubborn, but he wasn’t stupid. His job was already at risk, he wasn’t going to take chances on his life. Any evidence of sabotage would be enough to clear him of any fault.

It was about 2 AM when he smelled smoke. He knew this was his chance; someone was trying to set the compound on fire. He ran towards the acrid smell with his camera ready.

Three days later his boss tossed the remains of Josh’s belongings in the garbage. “What a waste.” The man never thought that Josh would be a coward, but people had a way of disappointing you. “He probably ran away because it was too much responsibility,” he said to no one in particular “Now I have to clean up his mess.”

The last thing that was left was Josh’s camera. His boss looked through the pictures and saw nothing but tree trunks. “Useless,” He said as he tossed it in the trash.

=——————————=

*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Reina Mikee
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Reina Mikee

Inspired by the Aniani entry in Myth Museum. Medina. 2015.

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

The post Aniani – Tagalog Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Cebuano

Usa nalang ka higayon! Mao ni ang kinataposang abiso nga akong ihatag kanimo una tika
tangtangon sa trabaho!” Ming lamba ang pultahan samtang si Josh naghunahuna unsaon niya
pag salba ang sitwasyon.

Upat ka bulan nga Logistical Nightmare ang mingtutuk kaniya. Dili gyud mahimo nga mahuman
ang pagmugna tungod sa mga nahitabong kalangan og sabotahe nga maoy gi himong rason ni
Josh sa iyang boss. Daghan ra kaayong mga pag-atol ang nahitabo nga mura bag gi plano.
Sa unang buwan, adunay pagdahili sa yuta nga nahitabo. Ming-abot og tulo ka semana ang
paghabwa sa mga bato og yuta nga nag ali sa kalsada aron magamit pag balik ang dalan, unya
kini pirte pagyung mahala. Tungod aning panghitabo, minlapas na siya sa budget.

Pipila ka semana human aning hitaboa, mga truck napud ang mga gipangkawat unya wa gyud
masakpan ang kawatan. Kini maoy hinungdan sa pag pasaka sa seguridad apan kini usab
nanghinanglan og dako-dako nga kantidad. Wa nani nakaya ni Josh. Pwede ra siyang basulon
sa ubang buntang apan siya mismo kahibaw nga iya nang gibuhat ang tanan. Naka-antigo siya
nga aduna gyud nagpaloyo ani iyang nasinati.

Nag atang-atang si Josh sa Construction Site. Kaibaw na siyang nag hunahuna na iyang mga
trabahante nga tingale na buang na siya pero wa na niya panumbalingi. Bug-at ang camera sa
iyang mga kamot. Balirusu si Josh apan dili siya bogo. Hapit na siyang mawad-an og trabaho,
maong wa na siya nag duha duha sa pagkuha og ebidensya nga makatangtang sa pagbasol
nga gihatag kaniya.

Alas dos sa kabuntagon sa dihang nakapanimaho siyag aso. Mao na kini iyang gi paabot nga
higayon. Adunay gusto sunogon ang compound. Ming dagan siya pa-ingon saa aso samtang
nagkupot sa iyang camera.

Tulo ka adlaw ang ming-agi, gilabay na sa boss ni Josh ang iyang mga gamit. “Sayanga.” Nag
tuo siya nga dili talawan si Josh apan naa gyuy usahay nga mutalaw ang ka taw unya daganan
niya iyang mga responsibilidad. Iyang giyawyaw. “Karun, ako nay mulimpyo sa iyang agi.”
Ang nahabilin nalang kay nga camera ni Josh. Gitan-aw kini sa iyang boss apan wala kini laing
sulod kung di mga hulagway sa mga punuan. “Walay gamit.” Iyang gisulti dungan labay sa
basurahan.

=————————-=

English Version

“One more chance! That’s all I’m giving you before you’re fired!” The door slammed shut and Josh was left wondering how he could salvage the situation.

Four months of logistical nightmares were staring him in the face. There was no way the development could be completed after the setbacks, or sabotage as Josh kept trying to convince his boss. Too many coincidences were happening for it to be anything else.

The first month a landslide happened, completely cutting off the road. 3 painstaking weeks of clearing the rocks had to be done at a very expensive cost. The project was already dangerously close to becoming over budget and that tipped the scales.

A few weeks later whole trucks were being stolen and no one could find the culprit. Increasing the security was useless since it just kept happening and more money was being spent. Josh couldn’t handle it anymore. It was one thing to be blamed for your own mistakes, but he knew he did everything right. There was someone behind this, there had to be.

Josh waited at the construction site. He knew his workers were thinking he was crazy, but he couldn’t care about that, not when he had work to be done. The camera felt heavy in his hands, he was stubborn, but he wasn’t stupid. His job was already at risk, he wasn’t going to take chances on his life. Any evidence of sabotage would be enough to clear him of any fault.

It was about 2 AM when he smelled smoke. He knew this was his chance; someone was trying to set the compound on fire. He ran towards the acrid smell with his camera ready.

Three days later his boss tossed the remains of Josh’s belongings in the garbage. “What a waste.” The man never thought that Josh would be a coward, but people had a way of disappointing you. “He probably ran away because it was too much responsibility,” he said to no one in particular “Now I have to clean up his mess.”

The last thing that was left was Josh’s camera. His boss looked through the pictures and saw nothing but tree trunks. “Useless,” He said as he tossed it in the trash.

————————–————————–——————–

*The Cebuano language, alternatively called Cebuan and also often colloquially albeit informally referred to by most of its speakers simply as Bisaya (“Visayan”, not to be confused with other Visayan languages nor Brunei Bisaya language), is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 21 million people, mostly in Central Visayas, western parts of Eastern Visayas and most parts of Mindanao, most of whom belong to various Visayan ethnolingusitic groups, mainly the Cebuanos. It is the by far the most widely spoken of the Visayan languages, which are in turn part of wider the Philippine languages. The reference to the language as Bisaya is not encouraged anymore by linguists due to the many languages within the Visayan language group that may be confused with the term.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Cebuano Translation by Julius Cesar Cudera
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Julius Cesar Cudera

Inspired by the Aniani entry in Myth Museum. Medina. 2015.

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

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

*Note this story is in Bicol-Naga

May manga oras na, kung tutugotan, ang manga segundo inu-unat sa manga taon. Ang panahon kadakul na manga amo, pero mayo kapoderoso arog kan takot.  Ine haloy ko nang nanudan.

Ito . . .  Siya  . .   .  Dae ko aram kung papano ipaliwanag kung ano man ito. Basta, bigla na sanang nagbutwa itoo sa atubangan ko, ay bako, bakong dale-dale.  Nagi-girumdoman ko ang tanog kan nagrara-ngisnis na manga dahon, ang malumbay na ngisi kan sarong lalake, asin ang parong kan tabako. Nunka ko malilingawan ang eksperiensyang ine.

Halangkaw siya, garo-higante kalangkaw. Sinup-sup ang saiyang tabako asin tumiruhok sakuya.

Ay, nanginginotan ako sa sakong sadire. Kan aldao na ‘idto nagtratrabaho ako sa oma na harane sa kadlagan, pigpapa-alang ang mga linabhan, asin siniguro na ang mga aanihon naka-andam na kan ako nagtukaw sa lindong nin Balete.

Pagmata ko yaon na siya.  Nag-turuhok ang samuyang manga mata o pagmate ko naglakaw ang manga aldaw, hasta na tinarog niya ang silencio.

“Tara, namu-muotan ta ka.”

Nagkadarangog ko na ang manga istorya nin pagkamuot kan Kapre sa manga babaye.  Nagi-giromduman ko ngani ang istorya ni Juana na pigparaikog-ikogan ni Kapre, asin nagbalyo pa ine ning porma para siya maging nobyo.  Binadil siya kan mga pulis, alagad kan nirikesa ang nilalang yaon sana ang halangkaw na kahoy ning batag na may manga labot gikan sa tama kan manga bala.

Mayo ang bala makaka-salbar sakuya, dae ko aram kung ano ang puede. Tolo na simpleng tataramon ang nagparalizar nin pagkatakot sako asin naghehebi akong nagsimbag,

“Dae ta ka namu-muotan! Dae ta ka ngani bistado.”

Mababasa sa pandok ni Kapre ang dapat kong maaraman. Nakulugan ko siya. Mas urog pa kakulog sa totoong pagbadil.

Nagsupsup nin tabako si Kapre asin nagngirit.

“Mabibisto mo ako asin mamu-muotan mo ako.”

Tapos nawara siya duman sa kahoy.

Ang misteriosong parte iyo na tama siya. Perang taon ang nakalagpas asin naghuhuna ako na susunod-sunodon ako kaineng nilalang.  Mayo akong paglaom na ito . . . siya . . . magigin amigo, asin mas pa.

Ang buhay pano-pano nin paglaom na mayo man kaa-abutan; mas pa pano nin mga sorpresa.

Yaon si Kapre sa kada pagkasawi, kada iriwal sa samuyang pamilya. Yaon siya kan nawara ko ang sakong matua, asin kan nagdarakula na pusog ang iba ko pang mga aki.

Sa pa-agi nin manga sadit na bagay pinaheling niya ang saiyang presensia.  Natagiti nin manga gapo-gapo, ang sango kan tabako na dará-dara kan duros, asin pirme nang mate ko na yaon siya. Ang silensiong protektor.

Ang kabalos iyo ang pag-preserbar kan saiyang ini-istaran, ang kahoy na Balete na harong niya alagad garo man sana sakong harong.  Dae ko mabibilang ang manga banggi, nagdadalan kang manga bituon kaibahan ko siyang nari-riparo sakuya.

Asin ngonyan na nakatukaw digde, 80 tag-init na kan buhay ko ang naka-agi.  Iyo, yaon ako sa may Balete kan sakuyang padaba.

“Midbid ta ka, asin namu-muotan.”

=————————————————=

English Version

There are moments that stretch into years if you let them. Time has many masters, but none more potent than fear, this I learned many years ago.

It….He… I don’t know how to describe whatever it was. It just suddenly appeared before me, no, not suddenly. I remember the sound of rushing leaves, the soft laughter of a man and the smell of tobacco. I could never forget it.

He was tall, taller than any human had any right to be. He took a puff from his cigar and just stared at me.

I’m getting ahead of myself. I was doing chores in the field next to the forest, drying the laundry and making sure that the harvest would be ready when I sat under the Balete tree for some shade.

I woke up and he was there. We stared at each other for what felt like days, until he broke the silence.

“Hello, I love you.”

I had heard stories of the Kapre falling in love with human women before. I even remember a story of a girl named Juana who was stalked by her Kapre and the creature even changed form to be that of her lover. It was shot at by police officers but when they looked at the creature they only found a tall banana tree with bullet holes.

Bullets couldn’t save me now, I didn’t know what could. Three simple words were all that it took to paralyze me with fear and I cried as I said my reply.

“I don’t love you, I don’t even know who you are.”

The look on the Kapre’s face told me all I needed to know. I had hurt it. Far more than if I had taken a gun and shot it.
He took another drag out of his cigar and smiled.

“You will know me, and you will love me.”

Then, he vanished into his tree.

The strange part was he was right. Years had passed and I expected to be stalked by a monster, I had never expected that it… he… would become my friend, and then something more.

Life is full of expectations that are never met; it is even more full of surprises.

The Kapre was there through every broken heart, every fight with my family. He was there when I lost my first child, and when my other children grew to be strong.

He would show his presence in the small ways, a shower of stone outside my house, the smell of his cigar wafting on the wind, but I always knew he was there. A silent protector.

In return I would never let anyone harm his home, the Balete tree was as much my home as it was his. I spent countless nights, watching the stars with him watching over me.

And here I sit, 80 summers have passed through my life and I am under the Balete tree with my love.

“I know you, and I have loved you.”

=—————————————————=

*Central Bicol, commonly called Bicol Naga, is the most-spoken language in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, second congressional district of Camarines Norte, eastern part of Albay, northeastern part of Sorsogon, San Pascual town in Masbate, and southwestern part of Catanduanes. Central Bicol speakers can be found in all provinces of Bicol and it is a majority language in Camarines Sur.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Patricia P. SanJose
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Patricia P. SanJose

Inspired by the Kapre Myths and description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Kapre Illustration by Abe Joncel Guevarra
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abe.art.ph/joncel/ 

The post Kapre – Bicol Naga Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Waray

“Sayo nala nga tsansa! Mao nala ak puyde mahatag saim bago ko ikaw tanggalon!” Ginlamba niya an purtahan ngan nahibilin si Josh nga nag iisip kun paanano niya mahihimuan paagi an sitwasyon.

Upat ka bulan nga problema sa pagbyahe an kanya gin-aatubang. Imposible nga an pag-upay kay mahuhuman dayon kahuman sa mga panhitabo, o bangin sabotahe samtang gin kukunbinsir ni Josh an kanya amo. Kadamo ura-ura sa mga dudrungan nga panhitabo para magin iba la ine.

Sa una nga bulan kay may landslide nga nahitabo ngan napunggan an bug-os nga kalsada. Tulo ka semana nga paglimpyo sa mga bato an dapat himuon ngan grabe ura-ura an gastos. Harani na sa pagigin over budget in nga trabahuon ngan dire na maupay.

Kahuman sa pira ka semana, bug-os na mismo nga mga trak an nagkakawara ngan dire nira mahibaruan kun sin-o may sala. Bisan padamuon pa an paragbantay kay wara gihapon pulos kay uro-utro la an nahitatabo ngan nagtikadako la an kanra gasto. Di na naruyag si Josh nga sugad nala siton pirme. Iba an basulon sa imo sala, pero maaram siya ginhimo la niya an mga tama nga butang. Yaon gud sine may sala, dapat yaon gud.

Naghulat si Josh sa construction site. Maaram siya nga pag abat sa iba nga trabahante mali na siya napapalingki, pero wara siya labot siton, mao pa nga yaon dapat himuon nga trabahuon. Mabug-at an kamera nga kanya dara, di siya danay namamati pero di man siya bungog. Delikado na an kanya trabaho, mao nga di na siya matuyang nga di kuhaon an tsansa sa kanya kinabuhi. Bisan nano nga ebidensya sap ag sabotahe kay puyde na para la mahibaruan nga dire siya an may sala.

Mga alas dos sa kaadlawon san yaon siya nahumot nga mali nasusunog. Naisip niya nga mao na ine an kanya tsansa, yaon naruyag sunugon an kanra trabahuan. Mao nga dinalagan dayon siya tikadto sa mabaho nga nahuhumot samtang dara-dara niya an kamera.

Paglabay sa tulo kaadlaw, ginlabog sa amo an mga nabilin nga gamit ni Josh ngadto sa basurahan. “Kakarag”. Wara gud niya naisip nga talawan si Josh pero ananuhon man nga may mga tawo nga di gud masarigan. “Nilarga siguro kay kadako ura-ura sine nga responsibilidad”, kanya sugad sa kanya kahampang. “Yana ako lugod an maglilimpyo sine nga kanya mga samok.”

An nahibilin nala kay an kamera ni Josh. Gin imdan sa kanya amo an mga piktyur pero wara siya iba nga naimdan kundi puro manla mga lawas saa puno. “Kawara pulos”, mao an kanya nabagaw samtang ginlalabog niya iton sa basurahan.

=———————————————————————————-=

English Version

“One more chance! That’s all I’m giving you before you’re fired!” The door slammed shut and Josh was left wondering how he could salvage the situation.

Four months of logistical nightmares were staring him in the face. There was no way the development could be completed after the setbacks, or sabotage as Josh kept trying to convince his boss. Too many coincidences were happening for it to be anything else.

The first month a landslide happened, completely cutting off the road. 3 painstaking weeks of clearing the rocks had to be done at a very expensive cost. The project was already dangerously close to becoming over budget and that tipped the scales.

A few weeks later whole trucks were being stolen and no one could find the culprit. Increasing the security was useless since it just kept happening and more money was being spent. Josh couldn’t handle it anymore. It was one thing to be blamed for your own mistakes, but he knew he did everything right. There was someone behind this, there had to be.

Josh waited at the construction site. He knew his workers were thinking he was crazy, but he couldn’t care about that, not when he had work to be done. The camera felt heavy in his hands, he was stubborn, but he wasn’t stupid. His job was already at risk, he wasn’t going to take chances on his life. Any evidence of sabotage would be enough to clear him of any fault.

It was about 2 AM when he smelled smoke. He knew this was his chance; someone was trying to set the compound on fire. He ran towards the acrid smell with his camera ready.

Three days later his boss tossed the remains of Josh’s belongings in the garbage. “What a waste.” The man never thought that Josh would be a coward, but people had a way of disappointing you. “He probably ran away because it was too much responsibility,” he said to no one in particular “Now I have to clean up his mess.”

The last thing that was left was Josh’s camera. His boss looked through the pictures and saw nothing but tree trunks. “Useless,” He said as he tossed it in the trash.

=—————————————————————————————=

*Waray is the fifth-most-spoken native regional language of the Philippines, native to Eastern Visayas. It is the native language of the Waray people and second language of the Abaknon people of Capul, Northern Samar and some Cebuano-speaking peoples of eastern and southern parts of Leyte island. It is the third most spoken language among the Visayan languages, only behind Hiligaynon and Cebuano.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Waray translation by Jmee Juanerio
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Jmee Juanerio

Inspired by the Aniani entry in Myth Museum. Medina. 2015.

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

The post Aniani – Waray Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Tagalog

May mga sandaling maaaring umunat sa iilang taon kung ito ay hahayaan. Maraming panginoong pinagsisilibihan ang panahon subalit, ayon sa aking natutunan maraming taon na ang nakalipas, walang panginoon na mas makapangyarihan kaysa sa takot.
Iyon… Siya… Hindi ko mawari kung paano ko ilalarawan kung ano man iyon na nakita ko. Bigla lang yaong nagpakita sa harap ko—hindi, hindi biglaan. Aking naalala ang pagpapagaspas ng mga dahon, ang impit na halakhak ng isang lalaki, at ang amoy ng tabako. Ang mga kaganapang ito ay hindi ko malilimutan kailanman.

Siya’y matangkad, mas matangkad pa siya kaysa sa sinumang taong may karapatang maging. Humithit siya mula sa kanyang abano at ang titig niya’y hindi lumisan sa akin.

Teka, nauunahan ko na ang sarili ko. Noong araw na iyon, inaatupag ko ang mga gawaing bahay sa may bukid na katabi ng kagubatan—pagsampay ng mga damit na aking nilabhan at pagtitiyak kung pwede nang anihin ang mga pananim. Dahil sa pagod, ako’y napasilong sa ilalim ng puno ng Balete at napaidlip.
Naalimpungatan ako at aking napagtanto na naroon na siya sa tabi ko. Biglang waring nakabibingi ang katahimikan at nagkatitigan kami nang matagal… Matagal na parang ilang araw ang dumaan hanggang kaniyang binasag ang katahimikan.

“Magandang araw, aking liyag.”

Nakarinig na ako ng mga kuwento tungkol sa mga kapreng nahuhulog ang loob sa mga babaeng mortal. Naaalala ko pa ang kuwento ng isang babaeng nagngangalang Juana na sinubaybayan ng palihim ng isang kapre. Nagpalit anyo pa raw ito at nagmistulang kasintahan ni Juana. Makalipas ang panahon, ito’y binaril daw ng mga pulis ngunit nang sila’y lumapit, isang matangkad na puno ng saging na butas-butas dahil sa bala ang kanilang nadatnan.

Hindi na ako maililigtas ng mga bala, hindi ko alam kung ano pa ang makakaligtas sa akin ngayon. Pagkasabi niya ng iilang salitang iyon, aking naramdaman ang pamamanhid at pagkaparalisa ng aking katawan dahil sa labis na takot. Maluha-luha ko siyang sinagot,
“Hindi kita mahal, ni hindi nga kita kilala,”

At aking nabanaag sa kanyang mukha ang lahat ng kinakailangan kong malaman. Siya’y aking nasaktan. Mas nasaktan ko siya nang labis sa sinabi ko ngayon kaysa kumuha ako ng baril at binaril ko siya.

Ninamnam niya sa isa pang paghithit ang kaniyang tabako at saka ngumiti.

“Makikilala mo rin ako at iyong mamahalin,”

At sa puno siya ay naglaho.

Ang kakatwa ay hindi siya nagkamali. Ang mga taon ay lumipas at sinapantaha ko na ako ay kaniyang susubaybayan, ngunit hindi ko inaakala na itong halimaw… na siya ay magiging matalik kong kaibigan. O kung tutuusin mas malalim pa sa magkaibigan ang magiging relasyon namin.
Ang buhay ay puno ng mga inaasahan na hindi kailanman natutugunan—liglig pa ito ng maraming bagay na tunay na nakamamangha.

Naroon ang Kapre sa bawat durog na puso, bawat hidwaan sa mga magkakadugo. Nang mawala ang buhay na pumipintig pa lang sa aking sinapupunan at habang lumaking malakas ang iba kong supling dili ba’t naroon din siya.

Nadarama ko na nandiyan siya sa mga pangkaraniwang sandali, ang animo’y mga maliliit na bato na pumapatak sa bubong, ang samyo ng kaniyang tabako kasabay ng hangin na parang humahalik sa aking pisngi. Alam kong nandiyan siya… lagi. Isang piping tagapagtanggol.

Bilang kabayaran, ang sinomang nais magdulot ng kapahamakan sa kaniyang tahanan ay hindi ko pahihintulutan. Ang Balete na iyon ay akin ding naging tahanan.

Hindi mabilang ang mga gabi sa ilalim ng punong iyon na pinagmamasdan ko ang mga bituin habang siya’y nagbabantay sa akin. At matapos ang walong dekadang kasabay ng mga tag-init na sumapit at lumisan, nanatili pa rin ako dito. Dito sa lilim ng punong Balete kasama ang aking mangingibig.

“Nakilala kita. Ikaw nga at ika’y aking inibig.”

=—————————————————————–=

English Version

There are moments that stretch into years if you let them. Time has many masters, but none more potent than fear, this I learned many years ago.

It….He… I don’t know how to describe whatever it was. It just suddenly appeared before me, no, not suddenly. I remember the sound of rushing leaves, the soft laughter of a man and the smell of tobacco. I could never forget it.

He was tall, taller than any human had any right to be. He took a puff from his cigar and just stared at me.

I’m getting ahead of myself. I was doing chores in the field next to the forest, drying the laundry and making sure that the harvest would be ready when I sat under the Balete tree for some shade.

I woke up and he was there. We stared at each other for what felt like days, until he broke the silence.

“Hello, I love you.”

I had heard stories of the Kapre falling in love with human women before. I even remember a story of a girl named Juana who was stalked by her Kapre and the creature even changed form to be that of her lover. It was shot at by police officers but when they looked at the creature they only found a tall banana tree with bullet holes.

Bullets couldn’t save me now, I didn’t know what could. Three simple words were all that it took to paralyze me with fear and I cried as I said my reply.

“I don’t love you, I don’t even know who you are.”

The look on the Kapre’s face told me all I needed to know. I had hurt it. Far more than if I had taken a gun and shot it.
He took another drag out of his cigar and smiled.

“You will know me, and you will love me.”

Then, he vanished into his tree.

The strange part was he was right. Years had passed and I expected to be stalked by a monster, I had never expected that it… he… would become my friend, and then something more.

Life is full of expectations that are never met; it is even more full of surprises.

The Kapre was there through every broken heart, every fight with my family. He was there when I lost my first child, and when my other children grew to be strong.

He would show his presence in the small ways, a shower of stone outside my house, the smell of his cigar wafting on the wind, but I always knew he was there. A silent protector.

In return I would never let anyone harm his home, the Balete tree was as much my home as it was his. I spent countless nights, watching the stars with him watching over me.

And here I sit, 80 summers have passed through my life and I am under the Balete tree with my love.

“I know you, and I have loved you.”

=————————————————————–=

*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Dominique Ishmaielle
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Dominique Ishmaielle

Inspired by the Kapre Myths and description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Kapre Illustration by Abe Joncel Guevarra

The post Kapre – Tagalog Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

There are moments that stretch into years if you let them. Time has many masters, but none more potent than fear, this I learned many years ago.

It….He… I don’t know how to describe whatever it was. It just suddenly appeared before me, no, not suddenly. I remember the sound of rushing leaves, the soft laughter of a man and the smell of tobacco. I could never forget it.

He was tall, taller than any human had any right to be. He took a puff from his cigar and just stared at me.

I’m getting ahead of myself. I was doing chores in the field next to the forest, drying the laundry and making sure that the harvest would be ready when I sat under the Balete tree for some shade.

I woke up and he was there. We stared at each other for what felt like days, until he broke the silence.

“Hello, I love you.”

I had heard stories of the Kapre falling in love with human women before. I even remember a story of a girl named Juana who was stalked by her Kapre and the creature even changed form to be that of her lover. It was shot at by police officers but when they looked at the creature they only found a tall banana tree with bullet holes.

Bullets couldn’t save me now, I didn’t know what could. Three simple words were all that it took to paralyze me with fear and I cried as I said my reply.

“I don’t love you, I don’t even know who you are.”

The look on the Kapre’s face told me all I needed to know. I had hurt it. Far more than if I had taken a gun and shot it.
He took another drag out of his cigar and smiled.

“You will know me, and you will love me.”

Then, he vanished into his tree.

The strange part was he was right. Years had passed and I expected to be stalked by a monster, I had never expected that it… he… would become my friend, and then something more.

Life is full of expectations that are never met; it is even more full of surprises.

The Kapre was there through every broken heart, every fight with my family. He was there when I lost my first child, and when my other children grew to be strong.

He would show his presence in the small ways, a shower of stone outside my house, the smell of his cigar wafting on the wind, but I always knew he was there. A silent protector.

In return I would never let anyone harm his home, the Balete tree was as much my home as it was his. I spent countless nights, watching the stars with him watching over me.

And here I sit, 80 summers have passed through my life and I am under the Balete tree with my love.

“I know you, and I have loved you.”

————————–————————–————————–———

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the Kapre Myths and description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Kapre Illustration by Abe Joncel Guevarra
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joncel/

The post Kapre appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

“One more chance! That’s all I’m giving you before you’re fired!” The door slammed shut and Josh was left wondering how he could salvage the situation.

Four months of logistical nightmares were staring him in the face. There was no way the development could be completed after the setbacks, or sabotage as Josh kept trying to convince his boss. Too many coincidences were happening for it to be anything else.

The first month a landslide happened, completely cutting off the road. 3 painstaking weeks of clearing the rocks had to be done at a very expensive cost. The project was already dangerously close to becoming over budget and that tipped the scales.

A few weeks later whole trucks were being stolen and no one could find the culprit. Increasing the security was useless since it just kept happening and more money was being spent. Josh couldn’t handle it anymore. It was one thing to be blamed for your own mistakes, but he knew he did everything right. There was someone behind this, there had to be.

Josh waited at the construction site. He knew his workers were thinking he was crazy, but he couldn’t care about that, not when he had work to be done. The camera felt heavy in his hands, he was stubborn, but he wasn’t stupid. His job was already at risk, he wasn’t going to take chances on his life. Any evidence of sabotage would be enough to clear him of any fault.

It was about 2 AM when he smelled smoke. He knew this was his chance; someone was trying to set the compound on fire. He ran towards the acrid smell with his camera ready.

Three days later his boss tossed the remains of Josh’s belongings in the garbage. “What a waste.” The man never thought that Josh would be a coward, but people had a way of disappointing you. “He probably ran away because it was too much responsibility,” he said to no one in particular “Now I have to clean up his mess.”

The last thing that was left was Josh’s camera. His boss looked through the pictures and saw nothing but tree trunks. “Useless,” He said as he tossed it in the trash.

————————–————————–——————–

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the Aniani entry in Myth Museum. Medina. 2015.

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

The post Aniani appeared first on Philippine Spirits.