*Note this story is in Waray – Ninorte Samarnon
Diri gud kaurugan sa panahon san akon pagtubò nahitabo sa Libacao, an lugar san akon apoy.
Pareho an akon kag-anak nagtatrabaho sa Manila mao nga adto liwat ako kun hain an akon kag-anak. Napakadto la kami sa Libacao sayò ug duha kabeses san kada tuíg.
Diri ko pa nahihingalimtan an mga takna kun adto kami. Nauubos an adlaw pagdinurudalagan sa ilarom sa tambong san mga kalubian, pakigsangkay san mga anak sa mga higripid san akon apoy, an akon mga kababata. Gintatangpos an kagab-ihon pamati sa mga susumaton sa iroy san akon nanay, an akon apoy.
San kada namo bakasyon sa Libacao, mayaon tawo nga permi ko nahihinomduman.
Sa kada pagsisirom, kadagab-e mayaon permi lalaki nga may dara-dara nga pala ngan serilya, permi siya naglilibuton sa bug-os nga barangay. An kanya kiwa, parehas san mayaon siya permi ginhihinanap. Kudi an akon manla naiimod, siya nga permi nagkukuha tuna tikang san bungdò.
Sayò ka kabeses nangutana ak’ sa ak’ apoy hiunong siton nga lalaki pero an ginbabaton la sa akon apoy “imos na iton siya” ngan ginsugaran ak nga diri magdinook-dook sa kanya.
Sugad ko sa ak’ apoy nga diri ak madook siton nga lalaki kudi kay an pangidaron san sugad ko nga langyaw pa mayda gihapon pagkausyoso.
San mga napulo (10) an ak pangidaron, naglalag ako ngan waray na ak kahibaro sa again pabalik sa amon balay gulpi an akon apura kay kun maabutan ak san kurpyo san ak’ apoy, alas 6, sigurado nga masesermonan ak’. San pabalik na ak’ sa amon, natan-awan ko ito lalaki nagdadagkot san kanya serilya.
Maaram ak’ nga mag-iisog ngan mababaraka ak’ pamilya san ak’ hihimoon kudi kay karuyag ko la man matumanan.
Dinook ak’ ngan nangutana,“naupay, nag-aanano ka?”
An baton niya nga may ngarob nga boses, “ginsisigurado nga diri na sira bumalik”.
San ak nabati, nanmulagdat an akon mga mata ngan sa sobra nga kadamo san akon naisip siton nga takna, waray na ak pakalata.
“Nano an karuyag sindngon mo nga ‘sira’?”
“Kay nano nga may ka permi dara nga pala bisan ka magpakain?”
“Puyde ko ba matan-awan an imo serilya?”
“Sugad san mga tawo nga permi ka kuno nanwawakay o danay gin-uukad mo an
mga bungdò, ungod ba iton?”
“Mayaon ka ba ginhihinanap? Mao nga maydara ka nga pala?”
“Kay nano kadagab-e adi ka sa gawas? Nano man an iisipon san imo pamilya?”
Siton nga urhi ko nga pakiana, ginsunong ak niya sa mata ngan pumitad paatras.
“Neneng, uli na sa iyo balay. Delikado an gab-e, mao pa dihan.”
“Nano an karuyag mo sindngon? Maaram ak nga diri ak’ puyde gumawas gab-e kudi kay diri man dihan delikado, diri pareho sa Manila.
“Uli na! Larga!”
Nag-apura nga ak’ nga bumalik sa balay sak’ apoy. Katima san amon panigab-e ngan pagmingaw san sermon san akon kag-anak mas kinaruyag ko pa lugod nga may mahibaruan hiunong siton nga lalaki. Gulpi an akon pakiana san akon kag-anak ngan sa ak’ apoy.
Tubtub san sira nala an sumuko.
Ngan nagtikang nga nag-istorya an akon apoy:
“An ngaran niya Candido del Castillo. Gintitiniawan namon danay an kanya ngaran kudi diri la niya kami gin-aasahan, tigda nala siya nga nalarga. Si Candido gwapo nga lalaki. Sadto nga panahon an kalalakin-an ginhaharana an mga kadragan-an kun kanra ini natitipuhan. Giibahi la san iyo yana panahon, an kababayen-an, an mga sul-ot haros ipakita nala an ngatanan.”
“Apoy, puyde tangpuson mo na an imo istorya?”
“Sige, oo gad. Sadto, an pinakagwapa san amon baryo si Risa. Tigda nala kami naghimangraw nga ginkasal sira ni Candido. Sadto pa man, pira ka tuig man liwat an ginhulat ni Candido tubtob san nagin maupay sira sa kada-tagsa. Si Risa, diri la matingog ngan ngan diri mahilig makiisrtorya, anggasi ngani namon nga maaarog nala siya nga daraga. Nahinumdoman ko pa san ginsagot ni Risa si Candido. Siton nga gab-e gin harana ni Candido sa Risa sa ilarom san maanyag nga bulan. Samtang naghaharana si Candidio, dumungaw si Risa sa bintana ngan naghimangraw kami kay bisan pakitawa, diri gud iton siya. An kanra permi karuyag himoon didto mag-inistorya sa ligid sa salog hiunongsan kanra mga kinabuhi ngan kun diin nira karuyag kumadto. Nagpakasal sira sa simbahan didto sa poblasyon ngan anggasi namon nga mag-iiha an malipayon nira nga pag-upod.”
“San diri pa sadto burod si Risa.” Dugtong ni Apoy, ngan nag-iisip nga ginhangad an mga bitoon.
“Diri mo pa man masasabtan, an pagburod an sayo san pinkamakuri nga butang. Daramo an mga pamaagi nga puyde an katangpusan diri magigin maupay. Iton an nahinabo kan Risa. Diri na ak magiistorya pa bata kapa para masabtan iton nga mga butang. San nawara si Risa, si Candido waray na liwat kabaliani san kanya kalugarinon.”
“Apoy, kay nano mayaon siya permi dara nga pala?”
”Mayaon uruistorya nga an ikinamatay ni Risa diri yano, nga mayaon iba nga butang nga responsable sa pagkawara ni Risa.”
“Nano man iton nga butang, apoy?”
“Istorya la iton, waray na iba. Siguro mas maupay san panhuna-huna ni Candido nga may mabasol nga iba nga butang kontra san pagakseptar nga waray na si Risa.”
“Kay tingali manla….”
“Oras na pangaturog. Katurog na ngan buwas ta naman utro istoryahan.”
Kudi, waray na namo adto kadugtungi pa nga istorya.
Paglabay san panahon, talagsa ak’ nala nakakabisita sa Libacao. Diri ko na ngani naiisip pa magbisita ug bakasyon sin kun diin-diin la nga lugar tungod san kakuri sini pagineskwela pagkadoktor.
Nag-eskwela ak hiunong sa pagpapaanak ngan pag-aram hiunong sa mga sakit sa babaye nga may katuyuanan san pagburod (Obstetrics and Gynecology). Sa sobra nga kapagalan pagtrabaho sa syudad, sa Manila nagdesisyon ak nga magbakasyon naman sa probinsya.
Pinahuway na nga dayon an akon apoy, ginbayaan an kanya balay nahibilin an mga hinumdoman. San nagbabakasyon ak’ kun mayaon ak oras naghahatag ak sagdon sa mga tawo hiunong san ak kinaadman.
Nangutana ak hiunong sito lalaki sadto nga mayda dara permi pala ngan serilya, an baton san mga tawo nga, waray na liwat siya.
Kunta, mahanap na niya an kamurayawan nga kanya ginhihinanap.
Kaurugan sa mga tawo nga permi sa ak’ nadook mga kababayen-an tungod san akon kinaadman nga hiunong sa pagburod. Ngatanan sira sayo la an istorya, permi sira napupunitan. Napupunitan an problema san mga kababayen-an sa amon lurgar, sumala kanra, haros tulo sira kabeses napupunitan. Nahahadok na sira utro magburod kay an iba nga kababyen-an mao an ikinamamatay.
Nag-aro na ak’ bulig basi mahanap kun nano an kinahiunongan sini nga problema. Waray man liwat problema sa panlawas sini nga kababayen-an, may posibilidad nga mayaon ini hiunong sa kanra kalibongan ug an kanra lugar.
Diri ak makakalarga tubtub san mabuligan ko ini nga mga tawo, diri la ak’ maaram kun paunanho.
An akon la naobserbaran, daramo na liwat an mga bungdò dihan sini nga baryo.
Kudi, waray man haon ini kinalabotan sa panhitabo.
Waray ba?
=————————————=
English Version
Not much of my childhood was spent in Libacao.
Both my parents worked in Manila and would only take me there for vacations once or twice a year.
I would always look forward to those. Spending the day running around the coconut trees, making new friends with our neighbors and ending the night with one of Lola Maria’s stories are memories I still hold dear today.
There was one person that I will always remember though.
Every evening like clockwork, there would be a man with a shovel and a lantern going around the barangay. It always looked like he was looking for something but all I could see was him taking a shovel to some mounds.
When I asked my lola about him she just said *“Kaumangon imaw.” And made me promise never to go near him.
I said I wouldn’t, but you know how kids are.
One night when I was about ten, I lost track of time and ended up out after my curfew (around 6pm). Afraid I might get sermoned I rushed back to my lola’s house. On the way I saw the man lighting his lantern.
I knew the adults would be mad and worried if they knew what I was doing. But I was too curious to think about that.
I approached him and asked, “Excuse me, what are you doing?”
He replied with a gruff tone, “Making sure they don’t come back.”
My eyes opened wide with interest and my mouth couldn’t keep up with my thoughts.
“What do you mean ‘they’?”
“Why do you carry a shovel around with you everywhere?”
“Can I see your lantern?”
“Everyone says you dig up anthills, is that true?”
“Are you searching for something? Is that why you have a shovel?”
“Why are you out every night? What does your family think?”
On that last question he stared me in the eye and I stepped back.
“Go back to your home, child. The nights are dangerous, especially here.”
“What do you mean? I know I’m not allowed to go out at night, but this town seems pretty safe to me. Not like where I’m from in Manila.”
“JUST GO!”
I knew I wore out my welcome and rushed back to my lola’s house.
After dinner and the sermon, I had to find out more about him. I was incessant and bombarded my parents and lola with question after question after question.
They knew when to give up.
My lola started the story:
“His name is Candido del Castillo. We used to make fun of him about his name, but he took it all in stride. He was actually a very handsome young man. In those days those lads would actually take the time to woo a girl and serenade her. Not like today, with your televisions and radio and the miniskirts that let the whole world see—”
“Lola, can you finish the story?”
“Alright, alright. Back then the most beautiful girl in the barrio was Risa. It was actually a surprise when they got married. It took years of trying for Candido to be able to even take her out. She was so cold and aloof that many of us thought she would be an old spinster. I remember when he finally got a ‘yes’ from her. He took his guitar and serenaded her in the moonlight. She looked out her window and smiled (Which was a shock to most of us, we had known her for years and barely even a grin showed on her lips). Their favorite thing to do was sitting by the river, telling stories about what their lives were and where they wanted to go. They got married at the church in Poblacion and it seemed like their life together was going to be happy.”
“That was before Risa got pregnant,” lola looked wistfully to the starlight.
“You may not understand, but a pregnancy is a difficult thing. There are many ways it could end badly. And that’s what happened with Risa. I won’t let you know all the details, you’re much too young to hear them. Ever since Candido lost her, he was never the same.”
“Lola, why does he carry the shovel around?”
“There are…. stories, handed down by people older than I. When Risa died there were… murmurs about how what happened to Risa wasn’t natural, that something else was responsible.”
“What was that something else?”
“Just an old story, nothing more. It was probably easier for Candido to have something to blame rather than accept the face that she was gone.”
“But what about—-”
“It’s past your bedtime. Go to sleep and we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”
We never did.
As the years went by, I visited Libacao less and less. I was too busy facing the horrors of medical school to even think about that old place.
I graduated and finished my residency in Manila, choosing Obstetrics & Gynecology as my specialty. The stress of working in Manila was taking its toll on me and I decided to take some time off and go back to the province.
Lola had passed by then, leaving the house cold and empty. I spent my free time giving medial advice to people in the area.
I asked about the man with the shovel and they told me that he passed away as well.
I hope that he found the peace he was looking for.
Most of the people that come to me are women (not surprising considering my specialty), and they all seem to have the same story. Miscarriages are very common in the area with some women saying that they had at least 3 miscarriages. Women are scared to get pregnant because so many die in childbirth.
I ask for help trying to find the cause of these issues. There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with the women physically, so it might be an environmental factor.
I can’t leave until I help these people, though I’m not sure how I can do that.
The only thing different that people have noticed is that there have been a lot more anthills popping up in the area.
But that can’t be connected.
Can it?
*This Aklanon phrase means ’Baliw siya’ in Tagalog, or ‘He/she is crazy’ in English
*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 Andrew Montejo
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Andrew Montejo
Story inspired by the Tanggae depictions from Aklan
Tanggae Illustration by Michael Sean B. Talavera
IG: @maykelshan
Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/isaneleach13
