Name: Mariel Dela Cruz
Birthday:
September 3, 1993 Age: 19
Current
Address: Navotas City, Philippines
Course: BSBA-
Legal Management
School: New
Era University
The Philippine Literature
BICOL REGION
Bicol Region, as Region
V is more popularly known, is situated at the southernmost tip of the Luzon
landmass. It is straddled between 11 - 30' to 14 - 20' North latitude and 122 -
20' to 124 - 30' East longitude. Bicol is inhabited by hospitable, smiling and
fun-loving people.
The province of Albay,
which is strategically located in the center of the region, is home to the
world famous Mount Mayon with its perfect cone shape. Legazpi City, also in
Albay and is called the Gateway City of Bicol, is the regional center.On the
northernmost part of the region is the province ofCamarines Norte whose
capital, Daet, holds the distinction of being the town to erect the first
monument of the country's national hero, Jose Rizal. Naga City in the province
of Camarines Sur is host to Colegio de Sta. Isabel, the first known
normal school for girls in the Orient. The province ofCatanduanes boasts
of white beaches and resorts is an island paradise in the Pacific. The province
ofMasbate, which lies exactly at the center of the Philippine archipelago, is
known for its mining and cattle industry while Sorsogon, the province
known for its historic and panoramic places, shelters the world's largest fish
- the whale shark locally known as Butanding.
BICOL'S literary world is entering a “renaissance” period as
new books and other works emerge due to growing writers' interest and access to
publishing houses.
“Contrary to the popular
notion that Bikol lit is dead, our literary world has been breathing all
throughout,” said Jason Chancoco, author and recipient of national and local
literary citations.
The revival is a flashback to
the “golden age” of Bikol literature before World War II when Naga City's
printing press published periodicals with literary pieces in Bicol and the
community theater staged the “comedia” in town plazas, according to Vic Nierva,
a 2007 National Book awardee.
That era was documented in
“Bikols of the Philippines,” a Bicol literary history book written by Lilia
Realubit, another National Book awardee, Gawad Balagtas conferee, and retired
literature professor of the University of the Philippines .
Today, Chancoco said that in
Naga alone, 16 publications, periodicals and websites are carrying Bicol
writings and literary pieces. These include the Bikol Reporter, Bicol Mail,
Bangraw, Burak, Ani, Hingowa, The Pillars, Pegasus , T-Bloc, Dalityapi
Unpoemed, A critical Survey of Philippine Literature, Muse and Apprentice.
ALBAY
Albay is a province of the Philippines located in the
Bicol Region in southeastern Luzon island. The capital of the
province is Legazpi City, which is located in the southern foothill of Mayon
Volcano, the symbol most associated with the province. This near
perfectly-shaped active volcano forms a scenic backdrop to the city of
Legazpi and is visible throughout the municipalities and cities of Albay
including the surrounding provinces.
Traditional
Bicol Cuisine
Quite
distinct from the local cuisine found in other parts of the country, Bicol is
famous for its spicy, coconut cream-based dishes. Local folks here even eat raw
"sili" (peppers) dipped in salt to go with their rice. By
itself, it is a meal. Just watch them pop the "sili" into their
mouths without touching their lips and following it up with rice scooped with
their hands.
CAMARINES SUR
Camarines
Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol
Region in Luzon. Its capital is Pili and the province
borders Camarines Norte and Quezon to the north, and Albay to
the south. To the east lies the island province of Catanduanes across
Maqueda Channel.
Camarines Sur is the largest among the six provinces in the
Bicol Region both in terms of population and land area. Its territory
encompasses two cities: Naga City, the lone chartered city, is the province's
and the region's most progressive city, also commercial, financial, and
cultural center, while Iriga City, a component city, is the center of the
Rinconada area and Rinkonada Language. Lake Buhi is where the
smallest commercially harvested fish can be found, the Sinarapan or tabyos
(Mistichthys luzonensis).
Like
many parts of the Philippines, Camarines Sur also boasts of stretches of
beautiful and largely unexplored coastlines which mean miles and miles of
beaches, coves and staggering rock formations, the most famous of which is the Caramoan Peninsula National Park.
Caramoan Peninsula captured international attention when several editions of
the reality series Survivor were filmed in the area- Survivor France, Bulgaria,
Israel and Serbia filmed in the islands of Caramoan Peninsula.
CAMARINES NORTE
About 7-8 hours by bus
southeast of Metro Manila, the province of Camarines Norte often serves as one
of the main gateways to the Bicol Region. And most often, to most travelers, it
often just serves as that – another mere stopover to the other destinations in
the region. For most of Bicol which is just about getting used to the idea of
tourism, Camarines Norte tends to get overlooked by travelers to the recently
popular wakeboarding in Pili and island hopping in the Survivor islands of
Camarines Sur, the perfect cone volcano of Mayon in Albay and the whale sharks
of Sorsogon. Of course never mind that the wet and wild Pacific frontier
province of Catanduanes is also home to one of the most famous international
surf breaks called the Majestics.
Being
the provincial center, most of the province’s hub of commercial, political,
religious and educational activity is in the town of Daet. Whilst it is true
that it seemed like the town was swarming with tricycles, it still did maintain
that provincial and charming feel that we had experienced the night before when
we arrived. The people were generally friendly and warm. The first Jose Rizal
monument that was ever built was built in Daet which stands at the corner of
Magallanes and Justo Lukban streets which faces the Daet Municipal Hall.
CATANDUANES
Catanduanes (Filipino:Katandwanes)
is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon.
Its capital is Virac and the province lies to the east of Camarines
Sur across Maqueda Channel. As of 2007, the population of the
province is 232,757 people.
Catanduanes,
is a hispanized term derived from the word tandu, a native beetle and the samdong tree,
which were both found in abundance throughout the island. Common reference to
"katanduan" or "kasamdongan", meaning a place where the
tandu or the samdong tree thrives in abundance, led to the coining of the word
Catanduanes.
FOLK FESTIVAL
The Pantomina is purely a native dance popular on occasions of importance. It is a dance interpretation (pantomine) of a rooster courting a hen. Pantomina dance is mostly practced in rural areas.
SORSOGON
Sorsogon is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region. It is the southernmost province in Luzon and is subdivided into fourteen municipalities (towns) and one city. Its capital is Sorsogo City (formerly the towns of Sorsogon is at the tip of Bicol Peninsula and faces the island of Samar to the Southeast across the San Bernardino Strait and Ticao Island to the southwest. Sorsoguenos is how the people of Sorsogon call themselves.
Sorsogon Island Philippines
"Bicol's Whaleshark Paradise"
Sorsogon is situated at the southernmost tip of Luzon. As a part of the gateway to the Visayas and Mindanao, the province is a melting pot of cultures and influences. From its earliest days as a trading post frequented by Chinese and Malay merchants, Sorsogon has evolved into a center of trade and commerce in the Bicol Region.
Sorsogon offers the visitor a wide variety of diversions from scuba diving to snorkeling, sport fishing, swimming, boating, island hopping, mountain climbing, biking, hiking, spelunking, or just simply touching base with nature. The tourist, too, can revel in Sorsogon’s pageantry and celebration during its numerous festivals and fiestas, and experience its rich cultural heritage.
MASBATE
Masbate is
an island province of the Philippines located in the Bicol
Region. Its capital is Masbate City and consists of three major
islands: Masbate, Ticao and Burias.
The islands of Masbate were formed out of volcanic rocks over one hundred
million years before man made his appearance in the tropical regions of the
earth. Humans then made tools of stone, bone, and wood. Some of these very
early stone stools and bones have been found in Masbate. Village settling
grew from the development of farming, pottery flourished, stone tools were
improved, and the early Masbate farmers made axes of polished stones.
LITERARY ARTS
The patotodon or riddles reveal a concern wit the familiar and
material. Here the abstract is made concrete. The first part is a
positive metaphorical description. The second part introduces an element
meant to confuse. Old riddles are still learned but riddling has ceased
to be a hobby in Bicol today. The linguistically sophisticated proverbs
called kasabihan, arawiga, or sasabihan emphasize values like
independence, honor, and humility. The human condition is the central
concern of these proverbs. They may be abstract or may use images form
nature, for such as plants, animals, and the human body.
In precolonial time, the natives wrote many ballads with catchy rhythms about
battles, a hero's exploits, massacres, volcanic eruptions, typhoons, and other
natural catastrophes. Precolonial lyric poetry is divide into awit and
rawitdawit, also called orog-orog or susuman. By comparison, the awit is
more sentimental an difficult to improvise. Social life is enlivened by
toasts call tigsik, kangsin, or abatayo. These are four-line verses
occasioned by happy gatherings whether around a sari-sari or variety store or
during feasts. Toasts can be made on any subject, form religion and
tradition to love and sex, and the tigsikan ends when the participants become
too inebriated for poetry. Modern Bicol poetry can classified as personal
or social, the latter based on the rawitdawit style. A simple if not
naïve world view is conveyed in most Bicol anecdotes. Animal stories
abound, involving either tricksters or ungrateful animals The monkey
seems to be a favorite. Outstanding in folklore is the tale of Juan
Osong, counterpart of the Tagalog Juan Tamad. Bicol's creation myths trace the beginning
of the universe and man and woman. There is a characteristic dichotomy
between the divine and the human, and a frequent use of the bird as a key
figure. Today, there are very few fictionists in Bicol. Among the
more notable are Carlos Ojeda Aureus whose stories, such as the "Cathedra",
are landmarks in Bicol fiction, and Remigio Laguno, known for his "The
Carolers."
PERFORMING ARTS
In precolonial times, people were often
judged by their ability to sing or create new songs which would be accompanied
by the community on musical instruments which the singers themselves
made. The religious fold dramas in Bicol which center on Catholic beliefs
and liturgy, also contain musical elements. The Bicol composers trained
in religious music eventually wrote secular pieces as well.
In the contemporary repertoire, there are new folksongs which refer to local
history and geography, sometimes ridiculing politicians like the barangay
captain, the mayor, the election candidates. The themes are broader in
protest than nationalistic songs. Whatever the content, serious or
nonsensical, these songs generally have a simple structure and a free form.
In Bicol, the dances are often associated with ritual. The tarok step was
originally a movement that belonged to the ancient ritual, atang. Quick
marching steps were executed by the priest of priestess before the god of good,
Gugurang, or by the tribal women before the moon goddess, Haliya. The
sinisiki (literally, "feet") step of Albay is another typical dance
movement. Formerly a "hop, step, close, step," in time it
became a "brush, step, close, step." Authentic paraphernalia is
used in ethnic Bicol dances. Mimesis is another object of Bicol
occupation dances. "Pabirik" means "to turn."
The pabirik dances of Camarines Norte is named after the turning motion of the
gold panner's container.
The dance component of Bicol religious ritual was retained in colonial times.
On the feast of San Felipe and Santiago in May, in Minalabac, Camarines Sur,
men carry the saint's images and estandartes of bamboo towers, while the
children in costumes that change annually, dance the tuatarok (literally,
"rice planters"), clicking their castanets and singing verses of
praise to the twin patron saints and imploring their help for the officials and
members of the community. Among the secular dances, the engano, a
graceful sway, and the waltz step are of Spanish origin. Boys and girls
dance Albay's inkoy-inkoy to three-part music, sagurang being its oldest Bicol
version. The jota Bicolana is lively as the Spanish jotas.
Tigsik
Tigsik is a form of literature in the
Bicol region of the Philippines. This kind of literacy is somehow similar to
Haiku of Japan which is also has three phases but it does not follow the 5,7,5
pattern thus making it different to the number of of syllables used in it which
rhythms accordingly. Before, Tigsik is only used for mere enjoyment especially
for momentous and festive occasions of the natives, some of it are hilarious
pieces which contains perverted content but when you understand it further there
is another meaning to it that imposes knowledge and values. Nowadays, if you
ask somebody from Bicol if they know what Tigsik is, some of them probably
don't know what it is because through the ages the descendants of the bicolanos
has been poor in passing out the legacy of their own literacy and now is
completely ruptured by time. I Am an advocate of this kind of literacy so that
time may not abandon the wonder of bicolano literature.
Here are some examples of Tigsik:
Tigsik ko si paramotor
Paduman sa Milaor
Siya palan sarong aktor
Na parainom Matador
Tigsik ko si jepalowski
Na mahilig sa lalaki
Kalat siya pag banggi
Pirmi nindang biktima si Padi
Tigsik ko si Rosana
Saiyang utong na namumulamula
Pirmi siyang pinanluluya
Ta barabangi siya tigtitira
Tigsik ko an samong maestro
Na piripirming mayong nagiginibo
Pa sagin pa mabasang libro
MasiRAMON isugba sa kalayo
The IBALON
The Ibalon – An origin
tale, the Ibalon tries to explain how man came to be. Much like the story of
Adam and Eve; it follows the tale of the first man and woman in the regions
Aslon and Ibalon (now Camarines, Sorsogon, Catanduanes and Albay).
It also narrates the
adventures of the heroes of Ibalon and how they fought against monsters before
establishing their own village and learning to farm. The Ibalon also has an
account reminiscent of the flood story, where rains poured for days and almost
destroyed the whole land.
A long time ago, there was a
rich land called Ibalong. The hero Baltog, who came from Botavora of the brave
clan of Lipod, came to this land when many monsters were still roaming in its
very dark forests. He decided to stay and was the first to cultivate its field
and to plant them with gabi.
Then one night, a monstrous,
wild boar known as Tandayag saw these field and destroyed the crops. Upon
knowing this, Baltog decided to look for this boar with all his courage and
patiend. At last, as soon as he saw it, he fearlessly wrestled with it, with
all his might. Baltog was unafraid. He was strong and brave. Though the
Tandayag had very long fangs, he was able to pin down the monstrous, wild boar
and break apart its very big jawbones. With this, Tandayag fell and died.
After this fight, Baltog
went to his house in Tondol, carrying the Tandaya’g broken bones. Then he hung
it on a talisay tree in front of his house. Upon learning of the victory of
their Chief Baltog, the people prepared a feast and celebrated. The very big
jawbones of the dead boar became an attraction for everyone. Thus, came the
tribes of Panikwason and Asog to marvel it.
The second hero who came to
the land of Ibalong was Handyong. Together with his men, he had to fight
thousands of battles, and face many dangers to defeat the monster. As warriors,
they first fought the one-eyed monster with the tree necks in the land of
Ponong. For ten months, they fought without rest. And they never stopped
fighting until all these monsters were killed.
Handyong and his men made
their next attack against the giant flying sharks called Triburon which had
hardly flesh and sawlike teeth that could crush rocks. They continued fighting
until the defeat of the last Triburon.
They tamed the wild
carabaos. They even drove away the giant and very fierce Sarimao which had very
sharp fingernails. And using their spears and arrows, they killed all the
crocodiles which were as big as boats. With all these killings, the rivers and
swamps of Ibalong turned red with blood. It was at this time that the savage
monkeys became frightened and hid themselves.
Among the enemies of
Handyong and his men, the serpent Oryol was the hardes to kill. Having a
beautiful voice, Oryaol could change its image to deceive its enemies. To
capture it, Handyong tried different ways. But Oryol escaped every one of it
and disappeared.
So alone and unafraid, Handyong
decide to look for Oryol in the heart of the forest. He followed the beautiful
voice and was almost enchanted by it in his pursuit. Days and nights passed
until Oryol came to admire Handyong’s bravery and gallantry. Then the serpent
helped the hero to conquer monsters, thus restoring peace to the entire
Ibalong.
In one the areas of Ibalong
called Ligmanan, Handyong built a town. Under his leadership and his laws,
slaves and masters were treated equally. The people planted rice and because of
their high regard of him they named this rice after him. He built the first
boat to ride the waves of Ibalong’s seas. Through his good example, his people
became inspired and came up with their own inventions. There was Kimantong who
made the plow, harrow and other farming tools. Hablom who invented the first
loom for weaving abaca clothes, Dinahongm an Agta, who created the stove,
cooking pot, earthen jar and other kitchen utensils, and Sural who brilliantly
thought of syllabary and started to write on a marble rock. This was a golden
period in Ibalong.
Then suddenly, there cmae a
big flood caused by Unos, with terrifying earthquakes. The volcanoes of Hantik,
Kulasi and Isarog erupted. Rivers changed their direction and the seas waves
rolled high. Destruction was everywhere. Soon, the earth parted, mountains
sank, a lake was formed, and many towns in Ibalong were ruined.
Then appeared the giant
Rabot, half-man and half-beast, with awesome and terrifying powers.
People were asking who will
fight against Rabot. So Bantong, the third hero was called. He was a good
friend of Handyong. He was ordered to kill the new monster on Ibalong. To do
this, he took with him a thousand warriors to attack Rabot’s den. But using his
wisdom against Rabot, he did not attack the giant right away. He first observed
Rabot’s ways. Looking around the giant’s den, he discovered that there were
many rocks surrounding it, and these were the people who were turned into rocks
by Rabot.
Bantong also learned that
Rabot loved to sleep during the day and stayed awake at night. So, he waited.
When Rabot was already sleeping very soundly, Bantong came hear him. He cut the
giant into two whith his very sharp bolo and without any struggle, Rabot died.
So Ibalong was at peace once more.
ANG PUSO NG MGA DALAGA
Noong unang panahong wala pa ang mundo at isa lamang ang
planeta – ang buwan. Sa planetang ito dalawang lahi ng tao ang nakatira, ang
taong puti at ang taong itim. Ang mga puti ang Panginoon at iyong mga itim ang
utusan. Ang mga puti ay magaganda: maputi ang kulay ng balat at ang buhok ay
kulay ginto. Nakatira sila sa lunsod. Ang mga utusan ay sa kuweba ng
kagubatan nakatira. Sila’y maliliit at maiitim na tao. Sila ang tagapag-alaga
ng maganda at malaking hardin. May iba-ibang mababangong bulaklak at masasarap
na bungangkahoy sa halamanan.
Ang mga taga-buwan ay may kaugalian na bigyan ng salu-salo
ang mga dalaga. Taon-taon, pagdating ng mga dalaga sa edad na labingwalong
taon, tinatawag at iniipon sila roon sa hardin. Ito’y kung kabilugan ng buwan
sa Mayo. Sila ay tumutugtog, kumakanta, sumasayaw hanggang sa umumaga. Ang
buong bayan ay masaya.
Isang araw na hindi inaasahan, lumindol nang malakas sa
buwan. Nabiyak ang planeta at ang hardin ay nawala. Ang mga utusan ay nakasama
sa kalahating nabiyak. Sa tagal ng panahon, nalaman ng mga matatalinong tao sa
buwan na ang iyong kabiyak ng planeta ay lulutang-lutang sa ibang lugar.
Tinawag nila ito ng “lupa” – na ang ibig sabihin, “Kabiyak ng buwan.” Hindi
nagtagal, naisip ng mga taga-buwan na dalawin ang
lupa. Nakita nila na iyong magandang hardin ay naroon sa lupa at mabuti ang
kalagayan. Madali itong puntahan kung iibigin. Kaya sila’y nagbalak na dumalaw
sa lupa sa pagbibilog ng buwan.
Pagdating ng Mayo nagsipunta ang mga dalaga sa
lupa. Itinaon nila sa pista ng Mayo. Pagkatapos na magawa ang dating kaugalian
bumalik sila sa buwan na walang anumang masamang nangyari. Mula noon sila ay dumadalaw sa lupa taun-taon
pagbibilog ng buwan sa gabi. Hindi nila alam na may mga buhay na tao sa lupa,
na kalahati ng kanilang buwan. Nakikita ng mga tao sa gubat ang pagdalaw ng mga
taga-buwan. Malaking pagtataka para sa kanila iyong mga kasayahan ng taga-buwan.
Sabi ng isang matandang taga-gubat: “Taun-taon pagbilog ng buwan kung Mayo nagsisipunta
rito sa lupa ang mga engkanto.” Naisipan ng mga binatang taga-lupa na abangan
ang pagbabalik na muli ng mga engkanto.
Dumating ang Mayo. Handa ang mga taga-lupa sa pagbibilog ng buwan, Hapon pa lamang, nagsipunta n sila sa gubat at nakita nila sa malawak na kapatagan ang pagbasa ng mga taga-buwan. Ang mga taga-buwan ay handa rin sa pagpunta sa lupa. Nang sumikat ang buwan, ito’y parang gintong bola. Nang malapit nang bumaba sa lupa ang mga taga-buwan, umugong ang hangin. “Parang sila na iyan,” sabi ng isang nagbabantay. Mayamaya, narinig ang tugtog ng musika at mga tining ng kumakanta. “Ayan na,” sabi nila. Pagdating nila sa langit nakita nilang lumilipad sa harap ng hardin ang mga dalaga na kasimputi ng gatas ang mga damit at nakalugay ang buhok na parang gintong sinulid. Tuloy ang tugtog ng musika habang dahan-dahang naglilibot pababa ang mga dalaga. Isa-isa silang bumaba sa lupa at pinaligiran ang isang puno na nasa gitna ng hardin. Nang nasa lupa na ang lahat ng dalaga, sila ay sumayaw at kumanta sa paligid ng punong kahoy. Ang musikang galing sa langit ay hindi humihinto.
Tumigil sila sa pagsasayaw at isa-isang lumapit sa punongkahoy. Mayroon silang
kinuha sa dibdib at ito’y isinabit sa mga sanga ng kahoy. Pagkatapos nito, itinuloy
nila ang sayaw. Mahuhusay silang kumilos na parang mga puting alapaap na
lumilipad sa ibabaw ng sodang alpombra. Mag-umaga na, huminto sila at pumunta
sa sapa na ang tubig ay parang pilak at doon sila naligo. Samantala ang mga
taga-gubat naman ay tumakbo palapit sa kahoy at kinuha ang isinabit doon ng mga
dalaga at nagtago silang muli.
Pag-ahon ng mga dalaga sa sapa, sila
ay masasaya. Ngunit nang kukunin na nila
iyon mga isinabit nila sa puno hindi na nila ito makita. Hinanap nila sa
paligid pero wala rin. “Ninakaw! Ninakaw!” ang kanilang sigaw. “Mamamatay tayo
dahil wala ang mga puso natin.” Ang kanilang iyak at ang mga panambitan ay narinig
ng mga nagnakaw. “Isauli natin, “ sinabi noon mga naawa. “Kawawa naman, sabi ng
isa. “Kailangan pabayaran natin,” pahayag ng iba. Lumapit ang isang binata sa mga
baba at nagtanong. “Ano ang nangyari sa inyo?” “Ninakaw ang aming puso na
iniwan naming sa punong itong,” ang sagot ng isang babae. “Ano? Puso ninyo,
iniwan ninyo sa puno?” ang tanong ng lalaki. “Oo, dahil kung kami ay
naglalakbay sa malayong lugar, inilalabas naming ang puso upang hindi naming
makalimutan ang oras.” “Mga duwende ang kumuha ng puso ninyo,” tugon ng lalaki.
“Maawa kayo sa amin. Tulungan ninyo kami,” ang pagmamakaawa ng mga babae.
“Hintay kayo. . . hahanapin ko ang mga
duwende. . . . babalik ako kaagad,” sabi nga lalaki. Nag-usap-usap ang mga
taga-kuweba. Sabi nila: “Kung ang mga babae ay papayag na tumira sa lupa ng isang taon, ibibigay natin ang mga kinuha natin.”
May mga sumang-ayon: “Mabuting kaisipan iyan,” ang sabi naman ng iba. Bumalik
ang lalaki sa kinaroroonan ng mga babae. “Naroon sa mga duwende ang mga puso
ninyo. Kaya lang, isasauli daw nila sa inyo kung kayo ay payag na tumira dito
sa amin sa loob ng isang taon. “Mabuti pa ang mamatay kaysa tumirang buhay
dito,” sabi ng isang babae. “Dapat sumang-ayon tayo sa kanilang hinihingi,”
tugon ng isa, :ito an ating kapalaran. Ang isang taon ay katapusan.” Lumabas
ang mga lalaki na dala ang mga kinuha nilang mga puso. Isa-isang ibinalik nila
ito sa mga babae, at bawat isang babae naman ay natutwang kinuha ang kanilang
puso at ipinasok sa kanilang dibdib. Masaya ang mga taga-Lupa dahil ang bawat
isa sa kanila ay may makakasamang isang dalaga. Dinala nila ang mga babae sa
kuweba ngunit nagreklamo ang mga ito.
“Mamamatay kami kapag tumira dito sa
kuweba. Kaya sa mga bahay sila nanirahan, Masaya ang buhay nila.
Dumaan ang mga araw. Mabilis ang takbo ng panahon; dumating at lumipas ang mga buwan. “Hindi maglalaon at darating na ang buwan ng Mayo,” sabi ng mga babae sa mga lalaki. “Pagdating ng Mayo, “sa pagbibilog ng buwan, dadalawin natin ang punong sinabitan naming ng mga puso naming noong isang taon.” Pumayag ang mga lalaki bilang alaala ng mapalad na taon nila. Noong gabing iyon nang magbilo ang buwan, nagsama-sama sila sa pagdalaw sa puno. Nang sila’y papalapit na sa punong kahoy nakita ng mga lalaki ang mga gintong bungang nakasabit sa mga sanga. “Ano iyan?” ang tanong ng mga lalaki. “Iyan ang mga bungang kahoy sa buwan,” sagot ng mg babae. Tinalupan nilosong bunga at pinatikman sa mga lalaki. Matamis! Masarap! “sabi ng mga lalaki. Habang sinisipsip ng mga lalaki ang tamis ng mangga, isang malakas na ragasa ng hangin ang kanilang narining. Nang itaas ang kanilang mga mata, wala na ang mga babae. Dinakot sila ng hangin at nawalan parang usok. Ang buto ng mangga ang naiwan sa kanila – alaala ng mga dalaga.
Dumaan ang mga araw. Mabilis ang takbo ng panahon; dumating at lumipas ang mga buwan. “Hindi maglalaon at darating na ang buwan ng Mayo,” sabi ng mga babae sa mga lalaki. “Pagdating ng Mayo, “sa pagbibilog ng buwan, dadalawin natin ang punong sinabitan naming ng mga puso naming noong isang taon.” Pumayag ang mga lalaki bilang alaala ng mapalad na taon nila. Noong gabing iyon nang magbilo ang buwan, nagsama-sama sila sa pagdalaw sa puno. Nang sila’y papalapit na sa punong kahoy nakita ng mga lalaki ang mga gintong bungang nakasabit sa mga sanga. “Ano iyan?” ang tanong ng mga lalaki. “Iyan ang mga bungang kahoy sa buwan,” sagot ng mg babae. Tinalupan nilosong bunga at pinatikman sa mga lalaki. Matamis! Masarap! “sabi ng mga lalaki. Habang sinisipsip ng mga lalaki ang tamis ng mangga, isang malakas na ragasa ng hangin ang kanilang narining. Nang itaas ang kanilang mga mata, wala na ang mga babae. Dinakot sila ng hangin at nawalan parang usok. Ang buto ng mangga ang naiwan sa kanila – alaala ng mga dalaga.
The Legends
of Mt. Mayon
mo, ha! (b) (from you, huh!)
Nagtugdon sa pili Resting on a pili tree
Mayo ako simong sala (I bear you no burden)
Rumdum ko pagpadakula ay Nanay (Your guiding light, I remember O mother)
Asin si pagtios mo sakuya (And the sacrifices, for me, you bore)
(1) Once there was a princess named Daragang Magayon (Daraga
means lady, Magayon is beautiful) who lived in Bicol. She’s so beautiful. She
came from the family that reigns over the entire Bicol.
Because of her beauty and influence, warriors, princes and
datus from different parts of the country desired to have her as their wife.
But Magayon fell in love with a warrior named Handiong, a prince who came from
a tribe that was, unfortunately, the rival of Magayon’s tribe. The two suffered
so much from their respective family’s attempts to separate them that they
finally decided to flee. Unfortunately their families found out and fought a
bloody tribal war. This caused the young couple so much pain they decided
together to commit suicide.
The tribes buried the lovers separately. Months passed when
Magayon’s tribe saw a volcano growing in the place where Magayon was buried.
They named it for Daragang Magayon. “Bulkang Magayon” describing its perfect
shape like their beautiful Daraga.
(2) It seems that there once lived a very
beautiful native princess who had an uncle named Magayon. He was so possessive
of his niece that no man dared to challenge his wrath by courting the favors of
the young maiden. One day, however, a brave and virile warrior was so smitten
by the princess that he threw all cares to the wind, clambered up through the
window of the royal chamber and enticed the girl to elope with him.
With Magayon at their heels, the couple prayed to the gods for assistance.
Suddenly from out of nowhere, a landslide buried the raging uncle alive. Local
folks now claim that it is Magayon’s anger bursting forth in the form of
eruptions.
Bicol Poems
In the Bicol Region, munificent poetic talents abound. Most
of these creations employ the writer’s own rhyme and structure beyond the
prevailing poetic discipline to portray a unique brand of aesthetic standard in
unstructured or ‘free’ verse.
The Kisakit is one perfect example. Kisakit is the name of a
bird that chirps “kisakit, kisakit” during the the Lenten Season when the old
folks restrain fun and laughter in solemn reverence to the Passion of Christ.
It is said that the kisakit bird pipes up only during this time of the year.
Example:
Igwa akong bayong, bayong na kisakit. (I have a bird,
Kisakit)
Mapula si mata sa pagparatangis. (His eyes, red in anguish)
Maniwang si hawak sa pagparahadit, (His skinny body reflects how he worries)
Igwang primer amor na pinag-iisip.( His first love, he’s dreaming of… always)
Mapula si mata sa pagparatangis. (His eyes, red in anguish)
Maniwang si hawak sa pagparahadit, (His skinny body reflects how he worries)
Igwang primer amor na pinag-iisip.( His first love, he’s dreaming of… always)
Merito B. Espinas exemplifies how this poetic piece is
restructured in extreme comedic retort during serious religious occasions, to
the chagrin of the elderly.
Igwang sarong bayong (There is this bird)
An ngaran Kisakit (His name is Kisakit)
Nagpaparahadit (He perennially worries)
Huling daing lapit (His ‘Manhood’ he misses)
An ngaran Kisakit (His name is Kisakit)
Nagpaparahadit (He perennially worries)
Huling daing lapit (His ‘Manhood’ he misses)
Here is another example of another experimentation in free
verse playfully delivered in a sensually awkward manner to entice the maximum
comedic reactions from an audience:
Bukod (a) (Running)
ta ka (b) (after you)
Yaba, (c) (my love,)
ngonyan. (d) (now)
Kudot (a) (A Pinch)ta ka (b) (after you)
Yaba, (c) (my love,)
ngonyan. (d) (now)
mo, ha! (b) (from you, huh!)
Tala (c) (marks)
pa man. (d) (still)
pa man. (d) (still)
Hangos (a) (Gasps)
ka na (b) (you take)
bayang (c) (should be)
maray: (d) (ample)
ka na (b) (you take)
bayang (c) (should be)
maray: (d) (ample)
Dukot (a) (Lets Join)
kitang (b) (our)
dila (c) (tongues)
atyan. (d) (later)
kitang (b) (our)
dila (c) (tongues)
atyan. (d) (later)
The vulgarity of some folkloric pieces, however, is offset
by the abundance of allusion to beautiful things in nature, at times bordering
on religiosity as exemplified by the pieces: Ano daw itong sa Gogon, Punay,
Gawaygaway, Kalibangbang, Kulasising Berde, and more. Even these folksongs
originally intended in praise of beauty are sometimes rephrased with comic
lines. Through time, rephrasing of these age-old classics muddled original
lyrics, but a few standouts survive the hand-downs through generations.
"KALIBANGBANG"
Ining Kalibangbang (This butterfly)
Makuring lipungaw (So full of longing)
Sa tangod nin burak (‘Neath a flower)
Naglalayaw layaw (Hovering o’er)
Pusong nagtatangis (With a crying heart)
Asin nanambitan (In sorrowful plea)
An hamot mo Hasmin, (Your fragrance Jasmine)
Sakit makaumay. (Will cure my pain)
Makuring lipungaw (So full of longing)
Sa tangod nin burak (‘Neath a flower)
Naglalayaw layaw (Hovering o’er)
Pusong nagtatangis (With a crying heart)
Asin nanambitan (In sorrowful plea)
An hamot mo Hasmin, (Your fragrance Jasmine)
Sakit makaumay. (Will cure my pain)
An Hamot mo Hasmin (Your fragrance Jasmine)
Abaa na (Alas!)
Sa pusong may sakit (To an aching heart)
Makaranga (Fill with joy)
Kaya sa limpoy mo (So in your shade)
Ako pasironga (Let me find shelter)
Abaa na (Alas!)
Sa pusong may sakit (To an aching heart)
Makaranga (Fill with joy)
Kaya sa limpoy mo (So in your shade)
Ako pasironga (Let me find shelter)
"KULASISING BERDE"
Kulasising Berde O green kulasisi (green
parakeet)Nagtugdon sa pili Resting on a pili tree
Naghuning malumbay A lonely tune, singing
Makawiliwili Enchantingly alluring
Makawiliwili Enchantingly alluring
Mawili ka pa man (Enchanted, you may be)
Bakong tagadigdi (Stranger from far away)
Pirit babayaan
An Banwang sadiri (My hometown you’ll be Leaving, most certainly)
Bakong tagadigdi (Stranger from far away)
Pirit babayaan
An Banwang sadiri (My hometown you’ll be Leaving, most certainly)
Known for close family ties and deep regard for the elders,
the emotion-laden folksong Si Nanay, Si Tatay, often arranged for concerts and
chorale presentations is one of the most compelling folksongs of the Bicol
Region. One less popular piece, Ay Nanay, more subtly exemplifies Bikolano
reverence for maternal sacrifices, as expressed in its last verse:
Patawara ako, Ina (Forgive me, O mother)Mayo ako simong sala (I bear you no burden)
Rumdum ko pagpadakula ay Nanay (Your guiding light, I remember O mother)
Asin si pagtios mo sakuya (And the sacrifices, for me, you bore)
Bicol Riddles
sagot: sako
when full it stands, when hungry it sags.
(1) ira ko sa mariveles sa irarom an kiskis.
sagot: sili
my fish in mariveleshas scales inside.
answer: pepper
(2) kalibkib na lubi, nag-iidos kun banggi.
sagot: bulana
piece of coconut meat, moves on its butt at night.
answer: moont
(3) olo na gurang, naghoroharampang.
sagot: talohong
three old people, sit facing each other.
answer: stove
(4) kapti an ikog ko, ta maladop ako.
sagot: tabo
hold my tail, for i will dive.
answer: dipper
(5) kun basog tindog, kun gutom lup-og
answer:
sack
“The House of a Gambler”
Mariel M. Dela Cruz
The white clouds in the blue sky are very bright and the sun
sets slowly on the far east. Mira has finished washing the clothes and rises
heading beside the well. She closed her eyes when she felt the exhaustion of
the whole day’s work. Dianne, her three year old daughter, is sitting naked
beside the pail playing water in it.
“Inay are you done washing the clothes? Let me hung them for
you.” Joan asked, Mira’s eldest daughter but only a few years older than
Dianne, while she is watering the plants on both sides of their fence. When she
saw her mother done, she immediately run and approached her mother to get the
clothes. She hung them in a string tied on both ends of their nippa hut. Mira
did not answer but just nodded. She is still standing beside the well, her eyes
still closed struggling to regain the strength she lost.
Mira is very thin. You can see a black spot on her face,
obvious that she was hit by a hard object or something. She has a big belly.
You can easily recognize that she is pregnant. When she opened her eyes, she
saw her daughter Joan standing on the chair for her to reach the string. “Be
careful Joan, you might slip your feet there.” Her daughter answered her with a
question, “Inay, were the food already cooked and prepared? Itay might be here
soon. He will be furious.” It got her attention and she started getting
nervous. If her husband Benny comes home without anything to eat, something bad
will happen surely. She immediately cleaned Dianne and decided to prepare the
food first for her husband before any household chores she had left behind.
Even though she was feeling exhausted, she cannot lie her body on the chair to
rest even for just a moment. She opened the gas stove, sliced the vegetables
and put them in the boiling water. Then she cleaned the dirty utensils in the
kitchen. Mira is very busy roaming around the kitchen preparing everything
before her husband arrives. You can already see that she is very tired.
You cannot blame her. She is already awake five in the
morning to prepare breakfast and since then she has not stopped working. She
also prepared the things she might need after she gives birth to her third
child. Her husband Benny doesn’t care at all. He is very busy gambling in the
‘Verhel’s Coffee Shop’ everyday. If she will not prepare the things she will
need, who else will help her? Aside from her work, she needs to put fertilizer
on their planted vegetables and remove the outgrowing grasses surrounding their
house. If she will not finish her task, she will again be hit by her husband if
he loses in the game.
A few minutes later, the entire house was startled by a loud
sound coming from the door that slammed the wall. “Joan! Are you not afraid to
fall there? Do you want me to come there and hit you?” Benny shouted. “Itay…I
am just hanging the clothes…”Joan answered hesitantly. Benny eyed the table and
look for something to eat. “It’s already nine in the evening and yet there’s
nothing to eat?! Maybe you were not able to cook on time because you had gone
to your lover again, didn’t you?”
“Just for a moment…it will be cooked in a minute…I will just
fry the fish. After that…we can already have our supper.” Mira does not have
the guts to see her husband’s face. She is sweating and shaking. She cannot
complain with Benny’s noise. “Is my water for bath ready?” he asked. “I will
prepare it now. I will prepare it now…” Mira answered. Dianne and Joan hide in
the corner of their house. They already know what will happen next. Maybe their
father lost again.
After eating, Benny pushed the plate away from him and
stands up. Mira asked, “Are you going back to Verhel’s Coffee Shop again?”
“What, you want me to stay here and resist not having my
money back?”
“I need money. I will soon bear this child a few weeks from
now.” Mira said in a low voice while holding and staring at her big belly. When
Benny heard it and registered to his mind, his eyes got blazingly red. He
raises his voice, “No! No! Who told you to get pregnant without anything to
support your needs? Be ashamed of yourself.” Then his husband left the house.
Mira is standing in the middle of the house. She was stiffened and she cannot
barely move.
It was very cold that evening. While she is already lying on
the wooden bed, she cannot sleep even though she’s tired. Her thoughts were
going somewhere else. Mira is reminiscing her past. Of all the people alive or
dead, what is very visible is the image of her mother. Because of her desire to
have a grandson, she persuaded Mira to marry Benny even though she was only
fifteen years old back then. Worse is because of her mother’s dream to have a
wealthy lifestyle and even though it was against their relatives, she chose
Benny, who is the son of a very wealthy businessman. But after a year she got
married, unexpected event happened. Her mother was diagnosed ith cancer and was
not able to survive. Now how will she know the sufferings of her daughter Mira
who lost her peace of mind and happiness. She inhaled deeply. Her eyes suddenly
blurred from tear drops in her eyes. Now she can see the image of her husband
who knows nothing but to spend the money his father had given him. He has
wasted money for gambling, night clubs, cigarettes, and goes home late at night
drunk. Worst above all of these, Benny believed to the fortune teller he met
before who said that Mira will bear girls that will never give them luck.
Because of these, he had treated Mira badly. The fact is Benny is the main
cause behind their difficulties in life. There’s nothing she can do about it
but to accept how her husband treated her. If she attempts to tell him, Benny
will surely glower at her and raise his voice, “You are the curse of this
family! Who told you to marry me? If you want to leave, you can leave right
now. Go!”
Dianne and Joan were deeply into their sleep. Mira get the
blanket and covered her daughters. She still cannot sleep and her mind is
wandering. She is very worried. Few days from now she will already bear her
child but then she still don’t have her things prepared yet. She is still
carrying heavy objects being part of her household chores. What if she got
dead? Who will take care of her daughters? And if she will bear a girl again,
will her husband kick her out of the house? She wished that it is a boy so
somehow her husband will be kind to her or at least, lessen he’s bad temper
towards her.
A little later that night, she has nearly fallen asleep. But
suddenly she felt something strange inside her belly. She knows that anytime
soon, she will bear her child. It was late evening and for heaven’s sake, her
husband is not in the house yet. She thought of waking Joan but realized that
she is also tired. She is already doing task which is not actually suited for
her age. Why not she let her sleep? Her subconscious mind told her. Besides it
was very windy outside. If she will wake her up she will get cold. If she will
get sick who will take care of her and Dianne?
The pain she is feeling in her belly is getting worse and
worse as the clock ticks. She’s really sweating all over her body. She pushed
herself with all her remaining strength and energy. She grabbed the lamp to
look for her husband in the Coffee Shop. When she opened the door she was
shaken by the cold wind. She closed the door and walked carefully on the misty
road. The Verhel’s Coffee Shop is not that far away from their house but with
her condition, it seemed like a hundred miles away. Mira held her belly tightly
progressing four to five steps, inch by inch. You can clearly see from her face
the nerve racking feeling she can feel and see the drops of sweat falling from
her head. The wind suddenly struck her again and this time, the light coming from
the lamp turned off. Mira and all the things surrounding her got dark not
letting her move a bit. She stood very still to her place not knowing what to
do. She felt like her belly is cut by a knife. The lamp held by her shaking
hands fell on the road and broke into pieces. Few minutes later she regained
her strength temporarily and her eyes adjusted from darkness. Many times she
nearly slipped from the misty road. She walked again very slowly. She stops
from time to time but finally she reached the Coffee Shop.
Maybe the attention of all the people inside is focused
mainly on gambling or maybe her knock is too soft to hear. No one opened the
door. Again she knocked with all her remaining strength. One fat lady opened
the door. She’s the wife of the owner of the Verhel’s Coffee Shop. Mira, who is
leaning her back on the door, suddenly fell on the floor. At first, the fat
lady is wondering why Mira is there. But after a few seconds later, she
realizes the reason behind and immediately she helped and guided her to get
inside. Benny, who will just pick his alas, was also shocked with Mira’s presence.
But he grinned at her and asked, “What happened? It’s already twelve and why
are you still here?” Benny’s card may push her luck this time.
Mira is holding her belly with both hands. “Please… bring me
in the hospital right from this moment.”
“What?! Now? I can almost win the game. Wait for me for just
a few minutes. Whooo! This is great!.. This is what I need. Haha!” He won that
night. He started only from few chips but now, you cannot count the chips on
the table he had won. He was so happy. You can hear his laughter all over the
place. The fat lady shouted at him, “Hey! Go and bring your wife to the
hospital.” Benny cannot do anything but to ask someone to play with his cards.
He glowered at Mira very intently. When they were about to go and head to the
hospital, Mira saw a motorcycle approaching them. There, Joan and Dianne came
out. Both of them are crying. “Joan! Joan! Why did you bring your sister with
you? It’s already late. You will get cold.” Mira approached her daughter, not
knowing what to do. Dianne cried again and Mira played with her. While wiping
the tears from her daughter’s face, Joan said, “Dianne won’t just stop crying
until she sees you. She was looking for you all the time and I thought you were
here.” When Joan realized that her mother is headed to the hospital, she cried.
“Please don’t cry Joan. Take care of your sister alright? I will go home after
two to three days. Wait for your itay at home. He will be there as soon as he
brings me to the hospital.” After having conversation with Joan, tears swelled
on Mira’s eyes. She cannot bear the thought of leaving Joan and Dianne without
someone to look after them. Joan said, “Inay don’t worry. I will visit you in
the morning tomorrow with Dianne. I will ask itay to bring us with him. I have
money in my can. You can use it…” Mira hugged her child. She cannot speak
because of her loneliness. Benny shouted at Joan and told her to get out of his
way and go home. Then Benny and Mira headed to the hospital. It was very cold
that night. Joan carried her sobbing sister at her back and walked on their way
home.
