Kinaray-a – Philippine Spirits

Babaylan – Kinaray-a Translation

admin — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 08:48:47 +0000

*Note this story is in Kinaray-a

“Nahadlukan ako.”

“Hindi pag hadluk, ga. Imawan kaw kang diya nga mga espirito.”

“Ano matabo kanakun?”

“Maagtu kita sa Lunok kag didto ta ikaw ibilin. Mapungko ikaw sa idalum ka kahoy nga diya kag didto ikaw nanda darhun sa kaharian ka kahawa-an kag sinauna nga kalupa-an.”

“Andot?”

“Para mag bag-ong tawo ikaw.”

“Masakitan ako kari-a?”

“H–hindi don ako ka dumdom kung sakit or bukot tungod lawid don ako nag agi sa amo kadya nga ritwal. Hindi mag hadlok, ga. Pakita kanimo ka mga espirito nga dya ang panibag-o nga kalibutan.”

“Amo ra ang rason nga maka lupad ikaw?”

“Huod, ga. Kag sobra-sobra pa dyan kara. Nakaagto ron ako sa lain-lain nga lugar kag nag sulod sa lain-lain nga klase ka lawas ka tawo. Naistorya ko don man ang lain-lain nga klase ka espirito sa dya nga kalibutan kag sa pihak nga kinabuhi. Kapoy don ako.”

“Rugya ron kita.”

“Pamati-i ang mga espirito. Imawan kaw nanda kadya pareho ka pag imaw nanda kanakun bilog ko nga kabuhi.”

“Makitaay ta pa ayhan?”

“Wra ta kamaan kung tugtan kita ka mga espirito. Mapanaw don ako, ga. I-bilin ko don kanimo ang mga katawhan ko.”

“Asta mag kitaay kita liwat, Lola.”

Nag gulpi baskog ang hangin samtang ang babayi nag pungko sa idalum kang Lunok. Ang inadlaw nag sinemana pero wra gid dya tana nag hulag-hulag maski isara ka pulgada. Naga tururok lang kana ang mga naga lubas kaysa istorbohon tana. Kang nag abot don ang adlaw nga gina hulat ka tanan, dya nag tindog kag nag pasalamat sa mga espirito.

Kita dun ka anang mga mata ang hindi na makita kauna. Wara tana maski mag yuhom lang.

May obligasyon pa tana nga inog tubangon.

=——————————–=

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.

=——————————=

*The Karay-a language, or Kinaray-a is an Austronesian regional language spoken by the Karay-a people, mainly in Antique in the Philippines, Iloilo and other provinces on the island of Panay, as well as portions of the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. It is one of the Visayan languages, mainly along with Aklanon/Malaynon, Capiznon and Hiligaynon. As of 2015, there is an estimated 1,200,000 speakers of Kinaray-a with almost half of them are from Antique and Iloilo provinces.

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Esther Ammy Mena

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/

Bugsok – Kinaray-a Translation

admin — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 05:21:31 +0000

*Note this story is in Kinaray-a

Nahadluk guid ko.

Rigto guihapon si Papa imaw kang lain it guinhawa. Nagpakaisug ko kag naglagas kananda, pero wara guid ko ti may mahimu. Sangka bata gamay lang guid ko nga pirmi makaguba kang kabuhi kang iba. Wara ti mayad nga maubra.

Tama kadulum kang binukid para panawan ko amo nga nagtinir run lamang ako sa sangka lugar. Hambal ni manong katu nga kun matinir ko sa sangka lugar makita ako dayun kang mga tawu. Ang magwangal lang guid ang mahimo ko. Tapos kang natabo kay Aura, kun paano guinsakit kang lapsag si Mama, nadura si Manong kag si Papa kadya nagalagyo sa mga lain it guinhawa, indi guid ko kahangup kun ano sala kanakun.

Ako si Teleia, sangka bata nga indi maka-amlig kang anang pamilya. ”Kumpleto” amo rah kuno ang Teleia. Amo rah ang guinpangaran kanakun ni Mama kay kang ako guinbata nakumpleto ang amun pamilya pero panilag ko akun man guin-guba. Sa akun kaugot nagpurot ko kang bato kag guinhaboy!

May nabatian ko nga siyagit kag karahadlukan ang naggua halin sa mga kakahuyan. Sangka bata, daw ako, pero nagapanaw gamit ang anang mga alima. Tama man kaitum kana nga daw parehas lang nga laragway kang dulum. Gusto ko malagyo pero nag-umpisa magsakit ang akun mga tuhod. Tama guid kasakit.

Indi ko mahulag ang akun mga kahig amu nga guingamit ko ang akun nga mga alima. Nahangyos ko sa kun ano kahulas. Ni indi man lang ko kauna katumbling! Pero kadya kapanaw ko gamit ang alima, madasig, tama kadasig. Sa tama ko kadasig nga nakalagyo ko dayun sa karadlukan nga bagay kang wara sa oras!

Nasadyahan guid ko.Panilag ko lat-an ko dun ang dasun ko nga himuon. Nami ang kakahuyan kun gabii. Raku kaw pwede panaguan! Kinahanglan ko lang guid magpanaw gamit ang akun mga alima kay nagasakit guihapon ang akun mga kahig. Tama kasakit magpanaw kang insakto pero sigue lang. Amu run ako kadya!

Mamayad run guid umpisa kadya. Mamayad man ang pamilya ko nga wara ako. Natalupangdan ko nga raku ako pwede abyanun nga bag-o. Lantawun ko lang ang bag-o ko nga abyanun kag masakit man ang kahig na! Kag mapanaw run man sanda gamit ang kahig pareho ko!

Raku ako pwede abyanun.

Kinahanglan ko lang mangita kang raku nga bata para hampangun.

=——————–=

English Version

I’m so scared.

Papa’s still back there with the monster. I tried to be brave and run after them, but there was nothing I could do. I’m just a little girl who keeps ruining people’s lives. I can’t do anything right.

The forest is too dark for me to walk through, so I just stayed in one place. Kuya told me before that if I stay in one place then people can find me. All I could do was cry. After what happened with Aura, how the baby hurt Mama, how Kuya disappeared and now Papa’s running away from a monster, I just don’t know what’s wrong with me.

I’m just Teleia, the little girl that can’t keep her family safe. Teleia means ‘complete’. My Mama named me that because she said that when I was born it made our family complete, but I think I just tore it apart. I was so angry I took a rock and I threw it!

I heard a loud scream and something scary came out of the trees. It was like a child, like me, but it was walking on its hands. It was also very, very dark, like it was made of the shadows. I tried to run away, but my knees started to hurt. It was so painful.

I couldn’t move my legs, so I just started using my hands. I was really surprised that I found it so easy. I couldn’t even do wheel-carti—-cartwheels before! But now I was walking on my hands, really, really fast. I was so fast that I was away from the scary thing in no time!

I was so happy. I think I know what to do now. The forest is so nice when it’s night. You can hide anywhere! I just need to keep walking on my hands because my legs still really hurt. It’s really painful if I try to walk normal but it’s ok. This is how I’m gonna be now!

It’s going to be great. My family’s going to be fine without me. I found out I can make new friends. I just need to look at a new playmate and their legs will hurt too! And they’ll walk on their hands just like me!

I can make so many new friends.

I just need to find more kids to play with.

————————–————————–————————––

Story continued from the Harimodon’s Tale

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Lillie Geocadin Mosquera

Inspired by the Bugsok entry in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010..

Bugsok illustration by Nia Cortezano
Tumblr: http://niakawa.tumblr.com/

Guimbangun – Kinaray-a Translation

admin — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 07:54:40 +0000

*Note this story is in Kinaray-a

Paagto sa sirum sa Sitio kang Iculengan, ana guinlantaw ang anang bata, guinhinganran kay Yadan, nga nagahampang sa urihi nga sirak kang adlaw. Tama ka aram kag guapo pareho sa anang Tatay. Si Guimbangun nagpanghayhay. Sangka tuig ron ang nagligad halin kang si Lumalindaw nagpanaw para makigbatu sa mga taga Nabbobawan. Ana nahangpan kun andut kinahanglan na pasugtan pero ang indi na maintindihan kun andut nga tama guid kasakit.

Si Yadan kag iba nga bata nagasipal kang lipak sa dalum kang kahoy rapit sa andang balay. Kutob sa anang ikasarang, siguraduhon guid ni Guimbangun nga magbahul si Yadan nga aram kag mayad, pero idolo na guid ang anang tatay, kag ang panaghoy natupa lang sa bungol nga dulunggan.

Ana guinapanumdum kun ano ang guina-obra kadya ni Lumalindaw, basi nagahanda sa ana dasun nga gyera isip na. Tana nag ngirit. Kasadyahan kun ana madumduman kun paano sanda una nagkilalahay, sangka matahum nga baye nga nagaparigos sa suba kag tana, sangka patay.

Wara ti bagay nga indi makid-an kang anang gahum, syempre.

Ang mga bata nasubrahan run guid sa paghampang, kag si Guimbangun kun daad mapatunga ugaring kay ang sangka migu ni Yadan nagsaka sa kahoy kag nahulog. Dayun nagtiripon ang mga bata sa palibot kang tiskug dun nga lawas kang nahulog kag ang iba nag-umpisa run kahiribi.

Si Yadan, indi kahulat, nagparapit sa nahulog nga bata kag naghambal ng magbangun run. Ang patay nga lawas gulpi nagbangun, nabugtawan kag si Yadan naghambal nga maliwat ang hampang sa puno.

Ang bata raku ti naangkun halin sa tatay na, pero tana bata man ni nanay na.

=————————

English Version

Sunset fell on the village of Iculengan, and she watched her child, Yadan, play through the last light of the day. He was so bright and handsome, just like his father. Guimbangun sighed. It had been a year since Lumalindaw went to fight the enemies of Nabbobawan. She understood why she had to let him go, but she could never understand why it had to hurt so much.

Yadan and the other children were playing with sticks by the trees near their houses. Guimbangun tried as hard as she could to make sure Yadan would grow up to be a kind and gentle soul, but the boy idolized his father, and her pleas fell on deaf ears.

She wondered what Lumalindaw was doing now, probably preparing for his next battle, she supposed. She smiled. It always made her happy to remember how they had first met, her a woman bathing in the river and him, a corpse.

Nothing her magic couldn’t fix, of course.

The children were playing rough, and Guimbangun was about to step in when one of Yadan’s playmates climbed the tree and fell. The children gathered around their unmoving playmate and some of them started to cry.

Yadan, as impatient as ever, went beside the fallen child and told him to get up. The lifeless body of the boy suddenly sprang up, wide awake and Yadan told him to start their game over.

The boy may have a lot of his father in him, but he was also his mother’s son.

————————–————————–———————–

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Lillie Geocadin Mosquera

Inspired by the Gaddang Epic “Lumalindaw” in Philippine Folk Literature:The Epics. Eugenio. 2001.

Guimbangun Illustration by Yanna Gemora
FB: Yannami

Wak-wak (Cagayan de Oro) – Kinaray-a Translation

admin — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 06:37:27 +0000

*Note this story is in Kinaray-a

Batyagan ko mangud ya pagdúot kang maramig nga sundang sa pánit ko.

Nagsugod ja kayang hapon kang alas singko y medya. Natapos bai timprano ya sipal namon mu karan nga si Nanay gina pa-uli’ du ko tulad. Apang samtang ga panaw ko pa-uli’, may nabati-an ko nga daw urangol pai hinay. Gin lisó ko ya ulo ko sa tu’ú kag kang nakita ko ya púno ka Santol, man’an ko run kung ano agtong nabatían ko.

“Wak.. wak.. wak….”

Gatagring nga huní sa taringa ko. Pai naaligmatan takón kang madumduman ko ya gin kuon kanakon kang mga katigulangan kauna. “Kung ya huní kang Wakwak matúnog, marayo day’á kanimo. Pai halong timo kung maghinay ana huní kai marapit du ran tana..”

Sa huná-huná ko samtang ga parang lápsi’on takón pasulod sa balay.

Ya sanga kang Santol nmon ga latay sa atup kang kwarto dai Nanay, muran makita ko gilayún kung may wakwak mangud o wara. Kang nakita ko ya gamabdos ko nga iloy garantaw ti TV, man’an ko run ano ana kinutuyó. Daw ma supúkay gid kami kara.

Dayon ko daragan pa kamalig kag bul’on ya sundang. Man’an ko run ya buhaton ko mu ja guro du kamag’an tana ti bit-biton. Tinago ko ya sundang sa bulsa ko kag nagpungko íngud kay Nanay samtang gahurat ka mga tini-ón nga magpakita ana marabog nga díla’.

Naghurat ko…

Kag naghurat…

Tungá’ dun sa oras nagdayon, tinak’an du ko kahurat mura nag panaw ko paagto sa puno kang Santol kag namati kung bati’on pa ti limog na.

Nadura dun ya huní na..

Asta tulad, gina binag-binag ko nga basi man’an ka wakwak nga batu-an ko gid tana kung biktímahun ya si Nanay. Pai di ko japon maributay kag gaparindog balahibu ko kada turok ko sa puno ka Santol. Inang bisán san’o, basí makabatí du man ko mahinay nga huní ka…

“Wak..wak..wak..”

=——————————————=

English Version

I could feel the cold steel of the knife pressing against my skin.

It started at 5:30 pm. The basketball game didn’t take too long and my mom wanted me home early so I rushed home as soon as I could. The sound was faint, but very distinct. I looked towards my right and when I saw the santol tree I knew exactly what it was.

“Wak….wak…..wak….”

The sound rang in my ears and suddenly I was hit with my grandparents voices, “If the wakwak sound is loud then that means the creature is far, but be careful if the voice is soft, for that means it is very near.” My blood ran cold the moment I entered the house.

The santol tree was right above the bedroom of my parents, so I knew I had to see if there was anything there that the wakwak might want. When I saw my pregnant mother watching TV, that’s when I knew. The fight had begun.

I raced to the kitchen to get a knife, it felt light in my hand,
probably because I was sure of what I had to do. I hid the knife in my shorts, and sat next to my mother, waiting for the moment the monster would let loose its red tongue.

I waited.

It was 30 minutes that I stayed on guard. 30 minutes until I ventured outside to the santol tree to hear if the voice persisted.

I waited and it was gone.

To this day, I’d like to think the creature sensed that I was ready for a fight and that my mother wouldn’t be easy prey. But there are still shivers down my spine every time I look at that santol tree, half expecting to hear a soft falsetto of

“Wak…..wak…..wak….”

=——————————————=

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Arj Horlador

Inspired by a story told by Ian Quirante

Wak-wak Illustration by Ian Quirante
FB: Ian Quirante Illustrations

IG: https://www.instagram.com/iq_artworks/

Aswang na Gala – Kinaray-a Translation

admin — Sat, 25 Sep 2021 13:15:17 +0000

*Note this story is in Kinaray-a

Mayad man nga nars si Clarissa. Sa pagkamatuod, tana ang pinakamatandus kag dedikado nga nars sa tanan. Ugaring may mga hinuringhuring nga mabatian parte kana. Ang tanan abi nga pasyente nga ana gintatap, nagkaramatay. Indi na man sala ang mga hitabo pero pirmi lang may kon ano nga nagakatabo.

Pareho lang kay Mr. Pasamba, apendicitis man lang to sakit na kag nangin madinarag-un man gani ang operasyon, magluwas sa gamay nga inpeksyon nga pwede man mabulong ka antibiotic. Pero kang masunod nga mga semana, nagkumplikado dya kag wara na run masarangan ang ana ginabatyag hasta tana nga nabugtuan ka ginhawa.

Maathag nga nabatian ni Clarrisa ang mga paglibak kana. “Tana kara nagpatay!” “Nagtawag lagi sanda sa morge kang naman-an nga tana ang nars.” “Sangka biktima liwan ni Clarrisa nga sinumpa.” Pero wara sa kilag ni Clarissa. Naman-an na nga kon magpakanubo lang tana kag himuon na lang ka husto ang ana obra, wara ti matabo nga malain kana.

Mas run gid ang parte kay Mrs. Bengzon. Karwa ka beses nga sala ang paglantaw ka doctor sa sakit na. Nagpangluya run dya sa mga wara nagakaigo kag indi kinahanglanun nga mga pagbulong. Nasapwan run lang nga patay run sa anang katre sangka aga. Si Clarissa man ang nakasapo.

Wara ti may nakita nga ebidensya ukon kamalamalahan sa autopsy. Wara ti sarabtun si Clarrisa sa kamatayun kang ana mga pasyente. Kag andut abi nga manabat tana? Natabuan na lang ang tanan. Wara lang tana pirmi sa husto nga lugar kag husto nga panahon.

Padayon lang si Clarissa sa ana trabaho. Wara na ginasapak ang mga paglibak kag mga hinuringhurig parte kana. Basta ginahimo na lang ka husto ang ana obra, wara gid ti problema.

Hasta nga may hitabo kay Ms. Villamor. Wara gid nag-andam si Clarrisa, nadakpan tana kang sangka nars sa ana matuod nga itsura sa ibabaw kang nagatagumatayun nga pasyente. Nagsala si Clarissa gani tinapos na dya.

Indi kamaan kon paano na ipaathag ang natabo sa darwa ka biktima. Nakapinsar tana ka mayad nga paagi. Mainarte tana. “Haraguy! Sa kaluoy na kay Ms. Villamor, ginpatay na dya! Ugaring wara siguro kadara ang ana konsensiya gani ginkutul na man ang ana kabuhi!” Ginplastar na ang tanan nga nagakaigo nga ebidensiya. Wara nabuhayan, ginpatihan tana ka hospital.

Gani si Clarrisa nga sinumpa nangabuhi sa ana ngaran. Ang ana mga pasyente may mga misteryoso giyapon nga hitabo nga naangut sa anda kamatayun. Pero para kay Clarissa mga kadimalasun lang ria.

Mayad tana nga nars nga nagaobra ka insakto. Amo lang ra ang dapat maman-an ka hospital.

=———————————————-=

English Version

Clarissa wasn’t a bad nurse, in fact she tried harder than anyone in the hospital, but there would always be the whispers. You see, every patient under her care eventually expired. Not that any of those incidents were directly her fault, there was always just something that went wrong.

Take Mr. Pasamba. It was an ordinary case of appendicitis. The operation went well except for a small infection that should have been able to be cleared by antibiotics. In the next few weeks complications from the infection were too much for him to handle, until eventually he passed away.

Clarissa could hear the talk from behind her back. “She’s the one that did it.”, “They called the morgue once they knew it was her.”, “Another victim of Clarissa the cursed.”, yet Clarissa was unscathed. She knew that as long as she kept her head down and did her job correctly she would be fine.

That was more than anyone could say for Mrs. Bengzon. She had been misdiagnosed twice and was weak from all the unnecessary treatments. She was found dead one morning in her hospital bed. Clarissa was the one who found her.

There was never any evidence of foul play, at least none that an autopsy could find. Clarissa was never held liable for any of the deaths of the patients under her care, and why should she? She was just always in the wrong place at the wrong time.

So Clarissa went on with her work, ignoring all the whispers. As long as she did her job, she would be okay.

That is, until the small incident with Ms. Villamor. Clarisse wasn’t careful and another nurse caught her in her true form, over the soon to be deceased body of her patient. Clarisse panicked and subdued the other nurse.

She didn’t know how she was going to be able to explain two victims, but then she had an idea.

Clarisse put on a show, “How terrible, the nurse felt so guilty euthanizing Ms. Villamor that she took her own life.” She had put all the necessary evidence in its place, and it didn’t take too long before the hospital believed her story.

So Clarisse the cursed followed through on her name, the patients she had still had mysterious circumstances attached to their deaths but that was just bad luck.

She was a good nurse that did her job. That’s all the hospital needed to know.

=————————————-=

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Maaram

Inspired by the Aswang na Gala legends

Aswang na Gala illustration by Lou Pineda
IG: https://www.instagram.com/blacknivalis

Aswang – Kinaray-a Translation

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 04:42:56 +0000

*Note this story is in Kinaray-a / Karay-a

Sangkap:

Binangon- ginagamit sa paglabo para tapuson ang aswang

Ikog ka Pagi- ginagamit para lupigun ang aswang. Nagatuga dya kang tuman nga kasakit.

Kalamansi- panagang para masiguro nga indi madagit ka aswang. Nagapabug-at dya para indi makalupad ang aswang.

Abo- ginaburibud sa utod nga lawas ka aswang para indi run magbalik.

Alibhon- ang dya nga dahon ginagamit para tabugon ang aswang. Mapuksi ka preska nga dahon kag ibutang sa imo nga bulsa.

Ahos – Indi ka agwanta ang aswang ka dapug na kadya. Magbalon pirmi.

Asin – Pareho man kang abo ang gamit. Pwede man magamit buribod sa mga lugar para tabugon ang mga kadu ti ginhawa.

Panagang ukon Panaming – Mga bagay nga nabenditahan, holy water kag anting-anting, makabulig gid sa pagtabog kang mga kadu ti ginhawa. Siguraduhon nga magpamangkot sa pari antes dya gamitun.

Pag-obra:

Madakup ang aswang paagi sa pagbutang kang tatlo ka bahul nga bato, pareho kon nagahimo kang sig-ang. Kon magtiktik run gani, isambita ka tudo ang Apostle’s creed. Kon rugto run ikaw sa bahin kang paglansang sa krus, puruta ang sangka bato kag ilubong ang sangka lansang sa lupa. Ang aswang mahulog kag magtupa sa mga bato kag rugto tana pagapatyun.

May ritwal ukon paobra para madura ang sumpa kang pagkaaswang. Dya amo ang pagpainum ka lemon kag tubig kag pagbitay nga suli agud isuka ang rimo (daw buto ka pispis) sa anang busong. Dayon tuktukun ka pino ang rimo agud indi run mabuhi.

Padumdum:

Maggamit ka panagang para indi madutlan ka usog ukon indi maudum. Dayon balbalun ka ikog ka pagi agud mangluya ang aswang kag amo ang paglabo ka binangon para tigbasun ang ulo.

Ang pag-usog ka aswang mapat-ud paagi sa pagpalimot (egg ritual). Kon makita ang mata kag dugo sa itlog buut hambalun, inaswang tana. Ginrimoan ukon gin-usog.

Ang pangontra sa pinalakad amo ang pagpaturo ka kalamasi sa pagkaun. Ang panuruk mo nga sinabawan nga isda kon paturuan ka kalamansi mangin tudlo kag dugo ka tawo.

Kon balbalun ukon silutan ang biktima, ang aswang nga nanghalit amo ang nagabatyag kang kasakit.

Pira lang dya sa mga pamaagi sa pagtapna kag pagdakup kang aswang. Duro pa nga mga ritwal ukon pag-obra ang ginagamit sa pagkontra ka dya nga mga tinuga.

Kabay pa ubayan ikaw kang Makaako sa imo nga dalanun.

Padayon.

=————————————————————–=

English 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.

Rituals:

Aswang can be captured by arranging 3 big stones in a circle, like a stove, once the ‘kak kak’ call of the creature comes, recite the Apostle’s Creed. Once you reach the part of the creed about the nailing of Christ to the cross, pick up one of the stones and drive a nail into the ground. The creature will come down and perch on the three stones, where it can be killed.

There is a ritual in which the curse of being an aswang can be lifted, it involves drinking lemon and water, being hung upside down so that they will vomit a bird-like creature which has to be cut into pieces.

Reminders:

Use the wards to stop their spells. Incapacitate them with the pain from the stingray tail then cut their heads off with a final blow from the bolo.

Curses by aswag can be confirmed by performing the ‘egg ritual’ in which if eye marks and blood are seen in the egg that means the person was ‘inaswang’ (bewitched).

Illusions on food can be dispelled by squeezing calamansi over them. Dishes such as sinigang will turn into bowls filled with human fingers and blood.

Curses by aswang can go both ways so if the victim is whipped or injured in any physical way, the aswang will be the one that feels it.

This list is by no means extensive on how to hunt the creature. There are many other rituals and wards used to fight off these monsters.

May the Lord guide your path.

Godspeed.

=————————————————————–=

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Maaram

Inspired by various Aswang legends

Aswang Illustration by Patricia Ramos
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Mariang Ilaya – Karay-a/ Kinaray-a Translation

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 09:13:04 +0000

*Note this story is in Karay-a / Kinaray-a

Nagtórok táy Manang Paula sa sulat nga tugyan ni Lolo Ambo kana. Luyag man daad nana nga tahaon ang mga handum ni Lolo na, túman gid tana ka budlay ang panag-on. Kinahanglan gid nana nga ibaligyâ ang lupâ agod to makabuul tana it igô nga kwarta agod to makasaylo tana sa diin nga may dyan it mayad nga sum-an ang anang pamilya. Nag pánaw táy Paula paagto sa kahoy kang Balete sa binit kang làtàgón. Warâ gid it iwag sa mga sangá kadyang gabii. Warâ tana it hinalung-ong kon buut hambalon kabáy ka rian malumbos run man ang mga tawo rudto sa kahoy.

“Pasayloha ako.” Naghurubag ang mga luhâ sa mga masluk ni Paula. “Man-an man nakun nga nag-saad táy Lolo Ambo nga warâ it matabô nga sayud sa inyo kahoy, kag nagpangabáy pa tana kanamun tanan nga iparig-unon ang saad nga ran, páy kinahanglan ko pillion ang labíng mayad sa akun pamilya. May balatian táy Lila kag indî run tamun makabàtas magbayad kang anang bulung. Indî man táy Roberto kasagap kang paramugunan. Sa… sangka iloy ako kag kinahanglan ko itugrô sa akun mga batâ ang kabuhî nga takus kananda.” Pinanas ni Paula ang mga luhâ sa bagiing na, “Patawada gid ako.”

Rudyan pa angod ang bulan sa kalangitan. Naglubas ang mga taknâ kag warâ may natabô. Warâ gid it pamaan, warâ gid it may makuon káy Paula nga namatî kana ang mga tawo sa kahoy. Warâ tana ka maan kon ano anang lauman, páy nagsarig tana nga may ihambal sanda kana. Bisan ano man.

Naghulat tana sa kahoy tubtob sa kaagahon kag sa madason, nag-agto tana sa anang balay kag nagsugod it pangbagtong.

Kang lumigad ang tatlo ka bulan, nagatorok táy Manang Paula sa anang mga kabataan kag nalipay gid tana makadalî kutub sa mabúhay nga tion. Nagadalagan táy Lila imaw kang anang mga pakaisa, nadumduman ni Manang Paula kon ano ka pígaw kon sulngon ang anang indáy nga nga gabatáng sa baratangán sa hospital kag naghambal tana it mahinay nga pangamuyô kang pagpasalamat. Nagpungkô tana kag nagsugod kang anang kinabatasan tagsa aga nga among pag basá kang pèríodiko.

Mabasahan sa headline na kadya “Ang Bag-ong Pag-uswag kang Pagrally kang mga Manugprotesta” nga bukun man it makatiringala, ang Construction Company ginpabangdan nga ginasudyot nanda sa mga local official nga pasapayan lamang nanda ang pagrangga sa palibot nga sanda tanda man ang nagahimô, páy máy ma-id-id nga dágway ang nagpatumbô kay Manang Paula sa anang purungkoan.

Tungud rian sa sangka maambung nga bahi nga nakapula nga naga pang-ulo sa mga nagaprotesta bátok sa sangka bulldozer.

Nagyuhum táy Manang Paula. Kon sa bagay, maámlìgan man nanda andang kaugalingon.

=———————————————————————-=

English Version

Manang Paula looked at the letter that Lolo Ambo left her. As much as she wanted to respect his wishes, times were hard. She had to sell the land to have enough money to move where it would be a better future for her family. Paula walked to the Balete tree in the edge of the field. There weren’t any lights in the branches tonight. She didn’t know if that meant the people in the tree were going toleave as well.

“I’m sorry.” The tears were starting to swell up in Paula’s eyes. “I know that Lolo Ambo promised that nothing would happen to your tree, and he asked all of us to keep that promise alive, but I have to choose what’s best for my family. Lila is sick and we can’t even afford her medicine anymore. Roberto can’t find a job. I… I am a mother and I need to give my children the life they deserve.”

Paula wiped away the tears from her cheek, “Please forgive me.”

The moon was still in the night sky. Hours passed and nothing happened. There was no sign, nothing to tell Paula that the people in the tree heard her. She didn’t know what to expect, but she had hoped that they would tell her something. Anything.

She waited by the tree until morning and afterwards, she went to her house and started packing.

Three months later, Manang Paula was looking at her children and she was happy for the first time in a long while. Lila was running around playing with her cousins, Manang Paula remembered how weak her little girl looked in the hospital bed and she said a soft prayer of thanksgiving. She sat down and started her morning tradition of reading the newspaper.

The headline read “Protesters Rally New Development” which wasn’t surprising; the construction company had been accused of bribing the local officials so they could ignore the environmental destruction they were causing, but a certain picture almost made Manang Paula jump out of her seat.

It was of a beautiful girl in red leading the protesters against a bulldozer.

Manang Paula smiled. They could take care of themselves after all.

=———————————————————–=

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by En

Inspired by ‘The Fairy of Balete Tree’ in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

Mariang Ilaya Illustration by Laura Katigbak
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Appeasing the Moon Serpents

admin — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 06:01:22 +0000

Every night the bakunawas come.

It started a month ago. Our village was no stranger to the moon serpents, and we readied our gongs and our chants to safeguard the lunar light against the beasts. We rejoiced then, not knowing the hardship we would face. I think back to those happy times and weep.

We were not ready for this.

First, they came alone. The night after the first serpent came, another took its place. It was not unknown to our people that there would be multiple bakunawas in a month following each other. Their kind thought of the moon as a plaything, greedily swallowing it up when they could.

Our people knew of two kinds of moon serpent, differentiated by their bellies. One with a transparent stomach that, when it swallowed the moon, would cause a partial eclipse, and another with a thick-walled stomach that would cause the sky to darken completely.

After the first week we were exhausted. We forced ourselves to push through the pain, and there were even times when the serpents would slip past and gorge on the moon. We chanted twice as hard until we spat blood.

But they did not stop.

We consulted the spirit-talkers among us for answers. They sat beneath their Balete trees and communed with the spirits of sea and sky.

I still remember that night. The spirit talkers cried tears of blood and spoke in a voice of darkness. They told us that this was only the beginning. The bakunawas would come, until the world was completely drenched in midnight.

And there was nothing we could do about it.

I didn’t want to believe the spirit talkers. Maybe something was wrong with their visions. I know that something had to be done to rid our village, and the world of the moon serpents, at least long enough that our village could rest.

But I don’t know what to think now that it has been a month. Our village is tired and we pray to the sun that it would rid us of these loathsome beasts, yet no reprieve comes.
‘The serpents will come as harbingers of the dark. They will take everything from us and lead us into the end,’ the possessed spirit talker’s words echo in my head.

I will not take this lying down. There must be something I can do to stop the moon serpents. I gather my things, my kris, my lucky amulet and some provisions.

As children, we were warned not to stray in too far into the bamboo forest, for there are beings there that are not what they seem. Among these are the muwa, old men and women in one of their forms, and large, hairy creatures once they set aside their illusions.

The answer must lie with them, for if the spirits will not help us, maybe the monsters will.

The wind whistles through the bamboo forest and I am still.
Here is where I find them, the monsters that hold the answers. The spirit talkers in my village cannot help, they are blinded by the serpent’s power and their spirit guides do not reply.

Something must be done.

I hear rustling from a nearby bush and I jump to investigate.
I come face to face with an old woman. She graciously bows to me, but I do not respond. I know what she is.

“Get up, I have no time for your tricks,” I say. The old woman laughs, a loud, guttural sound that sends jolts down my spine. But there is no time for fear. It is almost sundown and the bakunawas will come again. I have to do this, for my people.
“Here he is. Who is that fearless one? Who is so brave that he seeks out the people of the forest?” The old woman’s illusion disappears. She is now a creature of the forest, covered in hair and magic.

“I am Adlaw, and I seek you for answers.”

Again, the muwa laughs, echoing through the bamboo. I notice that more of their kind is watching us.

“The child of the sun. Many have heard about him. He takes his weapons. Charges into the forest. And for what? A quick death maybe?”

“I am not here to fight,” I say as I lay down my kris. “I need to know about the bakunawas.”

“The serpents they come. To play with the moon. The lunar orb. They come all nights. And do not tire.”

“Yes, they seek the moon. Every night my village ring the gongs and shout to make the serpents spit out the sun. But we grow weary. Soon we will not be able to hold them off, and the night will be plunged into darkness.”

“The hubris of humans. Thinking that the duty belongs solely to them. We muwa. We bayi-bayi. Know of the moon serpents. And we do not want to see the nights lose their light.”

“Will you help me then? Please tell me what I should do,” I say falling to my knees. My heart skips a beat, rejoicing that I may have finally found the answer.

“It will come at a cost. There is payment to be done,” the muwa approaches me and looks into my eyes. Her hairy face and monstrous visage make me take a step back.

“I will pay whatever price you require,” I say.

“It is not to us that you will pay,” the muwa says. Her face contorts into a macabre grin. “It is to the serpents.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“To stop them from taking the brightness of night. You must go to the cliffs. The serpents will see you. And they will make a choice.”

“What choice?”

“They will decide if your sacrifice is suitable. If it is acceptable to the serpents. They will stop playing with the orb. If you give them your life.”

Her words strike me deep the moment I realize what she is asking of me. I ask her if there is another way and she replies with a blunt “You must choose between yourself and your village, and all other villages.

The muwa picks up my kris and hands it to me.

“Go, child of the sun. Son of the human tribes. It is up to you to stop the serpents. To stop the endless night.”

I take the kris and exhale.

I know what I must do.

I am here at the cliffside, waiting for the sun to set.

On any other day I would have just sat here and enjoyed the view, the pink-orange haze across the horizon is beautiful.
But this was not that day.

The sun sinks below the sea and I prepare myself. The serpents will be here soon.

I think of happier times. I think of my friends. I think of futures I wish I had and pasts I no longer regret.

The village has come with the gongs and I can hear them prepare in the distance.

I chose to do this alone, not telling any soul. I did not want to be a martyr. It is not for my name that I do this. It is for every child that will grow to be a warrior. It is for every family that will now stay together. It is for my mother, that she will live a full life.

It is for them that I do this.

In my final minutes I shout to the skies and goad the serpents towards me.

They fly to me and I smile.

My sacrifice was enough.

In the bamboo forest, a laugh is heard echoing through the branches.

An old woman looks to the sky and basks in the moonlinght. She says to herself, “The child of the sun. Too foolish for his own good. Heeding words he does not know are true. His sacrifice will be remembered. Not by those he saved. But by those he believed.”

*In Kinaray-a folklore there are two kinds of bakunawas, one that has a transparent belly, blamed for partial lunar eclipses and one with an opaque belly, blamed for total lunar eclipses

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the bakunawa description in The Soul Book. Demetrio & Cordero-Fernando 1991.

Bakunawa (Kinaray-a) Illustration by Julius Arboleda
Online Portfolio: https://juliusarbo.weebly.com/

Inspired by the Muwa legends from Panay

Muwa Illustration by Billy Joe Pana Fragata
Instagram: @kuy_beige

Bakunawa (Kinaray-a)

admin — Sat, 08 Sep 2018 11:17:35 +0000

Part 1 of Appeasing the Moon Serpents

Every night the bakunawas come.

We were not ready for this.

But they did not stop.

We consulted the spirit-talkers among us for answers. They sat beneath their Balete trees and communed with the spirits of sea and sky.

And there was nothing we could do about it.

I will not take this lying down. There must be something I can do to stop the moon serpents. I gather my things, my kris, my lucky amulet and some provisions.

The answer must lie with them, for if the spirits will not help us, maybe the monsters will.

*In Kinaray-a folklore there are two kinds of bakunawas, one that has a transparent belly, blamed for partial lunar eclipses and one with an opaque belly, blamed for total lunar eclipses
.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the bakunawa description in The Soul Book. Demetrio & Cordero-Fernando 1991.

Bakunawa (Kinaray-a) Illustration by Julius Arboleda
Online Portfolio: https://juliusarbo.weebly.com/

Amburukay

admin — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 03:40:23 +0000

Where we all pause
Here shall we begin

The Muwa
The Bayi-bayi
Her name, Amburukay
She hides her kept maidens
Hides them in her tower

The Muwa
The Bayi-bayi
Whoever gets her tuos*
Her golden pubic hair
Will marry her

Taghoy, the duwende
The spirit guide
Of Labaw Donggon
Tells him to fix
His broken bidya

With only the tuos
Of the Muwa
Of the Bayi-bayi
He takes it

He knows not of the tuos
Of the Muwa
Of the Bayi-bayi
He must marry
Amburukay

The wedding day
His house
The house of the groom
Is brought to the Muwa
To the Bayi-bayi

Labaw Donggon cries in despair
Not the Muwa
Not the Bayi-bayi
I cannot marry her

Amburukay
Is not there
It is her binukot
Her kept maidens
Her adopted daughters
Labaw Donggon rejoices

Where we all pause
Here shall we end

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*A tuos is a sacred vow or pledge. (This is in reference to the story wherein anyone that gets Amburukay’s golden pubic hair must marry her, as was the sacred magical binding contract of her parents)

Written by Karl Gaverza (In the style of a Sugidanon [Epic] of Panay)
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Story adapted from Amburukay: Sugidanon (Epics) of Panay. Caballero & Caballero-Castor translation by Magos. 2015.

Amburukay Illustration by Patmai De Vera
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