eK! is electronic Kabalen, a web-exclusive Kapampangan journal of ideas

[Before proceeding, it is very important that we understand the connotations of these words in the Kapampangan context:
-manyaman:  referring to one's state of being or referring to food in accordance to one's palate;
-masakit:   referring to the diffculties brought about by one's circumstances in life such as poverty;
-masakit:   referring to the pains of the heart, of the body, the mind or state of being.]

KING METUNG a Indu ala ng migit pa keng akit nalang masaya at matula ding kayang supling. Nu yaman kasakit neng kayi ing adwan ning anak, mekad, gawan at gawan ning Indu milabas ya kaburian o pamitan ing pakamalan a anak (Ing maragul a kutang: Ing kayang anak, makanyan ya pakamal king Indu?)

Manibat niyang milabas a uebis, ena ku mipaindatun ketang ikit ku king pamagdatun king metung a beauty parlor, ena man uling king kagayutan, nune, asne kasakit itang kukung bitis na kailangan ing metung a sane ing talagang maglako ketang kukubkub a kinabang kuku. Pero kekaban manenaya ku, maigit ketang miraramdam kung taliring bitis ing kirut a gugulis king kanakung pusu.

Ding minuna kanaku, metung yang Ima at dalaginding. Itang dalaginding makasyang ne at magpa-relax yang buak. Niyang mumuna, emu agad atalukian nung ninu ing Ima, uli na ding kayagape kung makalukluk metung yang matuang mengalumpis balat. Balu mu na king itsura na pa mabibilad yang mayap king marangle. Makadapa at makasangi ya ing medyu kulut ng natural a buak. Anyang magsalita ya, ikit ku rugu ding ipan na mibabangkilas la king panga bungi.. Maigit ne man bagya king patpat ing katawan na.

Anyang ume neng mayari itang pagmasdan kung dalaginding king maragul a salamin, ngana,"Ima, patrim ke pa kaya gulot o paburen kune kaba kanini?"

Ngana ning Ima, tinalakad, mamamagkasakit uling masakit ya siguru paldeut king kayoyobra king marangle or nung nanu man ing kabiayan king penibatan dang baryu, "Ikang bala Iding, tang buri mu, nuka maswelu, "

Itang dalaginding, kinangwa yang salamin, at padurut, durut, balabalikid, "Ali kune, makanyan ing usu ngeni medyu mas makaba ing gulut."

Agad, ing Ima, tiniman ya asnang kalwalas a lupa anti mo waring, ing ikit na, ala ng lagu pa king anak na at malyari yang maki anti kareng akakit da king telebisyon ampong patalastas miyaliwang shampoo (Ing Ima pin naman ne, atin pa waring migit lagu king sarili ng anak?). Ngana kang Rickee, itang magrelax king buak ning anak, "Magkanu pu?," at kasabe tang makasakmal ng pitaka, king metung a gamat, biklat ne at linawe ne laman.

Anang mekibat, "Ay madir mura lang, sa yong anak, seven thousand lang."

Aku mismu king pangalukluk ku maibug kung mibulang, uling balu ku ena man makanyan kakamal, pero balu ku, bibiru ya ing mahaderang Rickee.

Pero ing Ima uli na ning abakas mu naman king piblas na ing ena pa tikman ing megpaparlor tanang bie na, ene maibug matna, at ikit ku, begut nala makalulun kulor ubeng papel, "Ding atipun ku rugu libu ya mu, makananu kanyan?"

Imbes, sana maibug kang galapak king balu mung biru na ning beautician, masakit ing dindam kung tarak king pusu, uli na ning anak, samal ya mu ketang arap ning salamin, palagu lagu medyu pakikiapusan no ding patalastas nung pin ing buak na tuki ya king galo ning buntuk na.

"Madir naman, relaks lang, nagparelax nga yung anak mo, eh! Sige, magkanu na yung naipun mo, one thousand? O bigyan mo na lang ako ng seven hundred na pisos para meron ka pang matirang ipon."

Ing Ima ena balu nung makananu yang pasalamat. Nyang palwal nala, oyni pa ing manyaman at lalong masakit," O Iding, mekasobra kata, buri mu dala daka ketang ating madagul a Jollibee, kalupa itang akakit mu king telebisyon?"

Ing anak alang nanu man, ala yatang busbus a butul (ara pin ding makatua), "Wa Ma sige, gisanan tala karin detang a sobra mu ne?"

Aku mipaduku naku mu, tinulu ing lua king mata ku.

King metung a Indu, gang makananu ya kasakit,
Unti ya man kapagal anggang pang masakit.
Ibie ne panusig uling ing buri na tula ing akit
Karing supling ng pegkasakitan beyit.

WHAT THEY SAY...

Nenette de Dios Capulong (of Westminster, Colorado, USA) writes...

Ces, this one made me cry. It is very true: masakit, manyaman, masakit, indeed. I am probably the first single mom in the Philippines in 1990 and when we came here in 1996, there were more single moms working with me at Childrens Medical Center than 2 parent homes. Yes, there is one common denominator with mothers in every culture, of every colo—work and give their best to their child no matter how difficult just to see the child happy.

I just had that episode this month. My youngest moved out a month ago to his own apartment. No matter how I stopped him, he said I'm an adult now, he turned 21 last January. I was talking to a former co-worker about it last week and he said, "we kick them out of the house at 18, I don't know why you won't let your children grow." I complained also when the older two moved out one after the other and wanted the youngest to stay forever. I still have my 3 kids' baby pictures displayed in my living room and whenever I see them now I think they're the best looking as always.

My mom and my sister were not happy that Noah moved out while his older brother and sister were fine with it saying so he will learn to be independent. Noah agreed to visit me on weekends when he left so he can get his mail too, and eat some homecooked meal. My computer died one day and I couldn't make it work, kept calling his cell and getting a voicemail. Left him a message but never came or called me back.

He visited last Friday and I was so happy kissing him and hugging him like a baby. He said he and his girlfriend just broke up, saying they're always fighting about everything. I told him that's good so he can focus on his studies. I asked him how he's doing on his own, he said good, but I need a couch ( sofa). I already bought the things on his previous list before: bookcase, silverware, towels, rice cooker. I asked him when is your day off we'll get your couch. He said Sunday I'll pick you up. I looked over a Target catalog that was sent to me in the mail and found a new product they have for college kids. A couch that can be folded into a loveseat and be unfolded into a queen bed.

He came Sunday and we went to the store, he liked it so we bought it with my Target credit card and loaded it in his car. While driving me home I said you need to help me pay for that monthly even only $20 /month, you know I don't have a job. He said you volunteered to buy it for me why do you make me feel guilty about it? I said no, I have a 10% discount with my card that is why I volunteered, you don't have to yell at me. He said ok I'll give you $20/month as we parked by my condo. I said you want to go up and get your favorite chicken dish that I cooked for you? He said no I'm in a hurry. I said ok, gave him a kiss and a hug and said, drive carefully, I love you. As I was opening my door I felt that indescibable joy and love to see him and was able to help my baby who still gives me happiness just like when I first held him in the hospital on the day he was born

-Posted/Via Email: 2008-09-02 13:36:24 PDT



The author Cecile Yumul (of Mabalacat, Pampanga, Philippines) writes...

Nenette,the scene you just describe is a very American/ foreign scene. Sad to say not too far into the future it may also be a common exchange here in our midst in the country.

As we progress towards embracing the complex IT world, at a glance it is deceivingly like we hold the world in our hands, at the flick of a finger, like a magic wand, like an order from a genie out of the lamp. But like I said, deceivingly and like. I remember the last of the six part movie of the original Star Trek cast. There was a line in that movie that stuck like a soldering iron seared to the forehead when one of the ships was discovered by the U.S.S. enterprise as it penetrated the energy field. All members of the ship's missing crew were alive. They have embraced the "back to the basics" kind of life. Every thing done by human hands and by the sweat of their labours. No machines ,no electronic gadgets. They relied on the greatest irreplaceable creation— Man, Woman, Child. The Captain of the vanished ship and crew said, "When we allow machines to take over what mankind must do, we rob ourselves of our humanity." Realizing that, they all abandoned the modernities of the interplanetary world and went on to live simply as in the olden times before the machines took over, thus creating an environment as it were when the world had just began.

I cited this because with the demands of a very materialistic world, the present generation is approaching the scenario where interaction is between man and machine rather than man to man. Conversation becomes a recorded mimic of human sound. Satisfying the senses is not through human interaction but with a machine simulating all that is commanded at the press of a button. Perfect? Tragic I would say.

Where the rest of the first world countries are headed, I am one of those who remain wihout envy and remain grateful that our country continue to lag behind. As I write this, look at where the push for industrial, military, and economic dominance has brought the mighty countries now.

I see this as a parallel to a family growing apart, the members demanding for more, wanting space, craving what they see in material forms as a necessity to living. In the process, getting lost in the daily grind and becoming less feeling and sensitive to what truly matters in life.

What generally differs in the Filipino, more specifically the Kapampangan family is its strong family bonding. We may see a decline of this as many families adapt to foreign culture, but the embers of what is the motive power unique only to us glow back in moments like you pictured.

Tutung tutu, nukaman miras, nuya man katua dasan edad ing anac, king arapan at lucub ning Indu, metung ya ing pianakamaniaman ing bau, pali at kaul ng matalic ning Indu king anac.

-Posted/Via Email: Fri, 3 Oct 2008 03:12:37 -0700



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