Bayu

Pounding has been one of the house chores of children after school.  But these days, many children might not know how to pound.

Ukaton, loh-on ha himboto’

Ulutonhinanligawu

Inlahunyainhodhodhinanluhung

Yabinayunannibagay an lalu

Binallinhinnaplag

Pohdon e yatina’opan

Ngempinhodeygagala

Inayyun hi enaahulhulan

Nahulhul e yainakud

Toopan ta makaaanan hi dugi

Yanannaguduyainahhin

Ipaan hi immogmogan, adiiwili

Yaintuluy an binayu

Ta ingganamalopa

Yaahinanmaudianto’op

Ta mapilinanboga

Mu ta ahiwadaymabayu

Yamahapul di hinlu!

****

Rough English Translation

Pounding

Bring out, bring down a bundle

Remove grains from stalks on a winnower

Bring out from the house then put into the mortar

Then pound with a suitable pestle

Overturn when grains start to split up from pinnacle

If desired winnow the grains

But in orderto shorten work time

Continue pounding until half-done

When half-done place it on the winnower

Then shift to separate the rice hulls

And the thinly cracked grains must be separated

To feed the chicken, not to be thrown away

Then continue pounding until finished

And the final winnowing follows

To extract the grain

But in order to have something to pound

One must he industrious

Impuhuwa’, Taynan daa man (Sweetheart, am leaving you)

Impuhuwa’, Taynan daa man*

Nonnomom, adim hinhimhimongon

Linummu hi eta binumtikan

Inukuham an ipaliy momon

Te inalim di mahangaan

Din imbagan da ama i ina

Ha maonnoman kuma hi babuy

Ta makahidanda di maamung

Ahi matundan iha kahalta

Pangipatamtaman hi ginuyguy

Mu onaot bo on nun nangamung

Alyonon ta agge innunnudan

Di umaliyan tah tun ad Manila

Te ona’ gayam inhaphapitan

An kayma’id mahan ha inila

Inalim di ahi ta munbanngad

Nu nawaday mamanguluh iple

Mu maid nan hahaddon hi bayag

Numpohodananta di nunggopnad

Mu nonomnomo’ da amah’ boble

Mangitundu’ hi maphod an biyag

Miyunud a nu nanomnoman a

Mu ibatim di layam ya ukum

Ituluytay numpohhodananta

Mu mahapul maukat di pihhum

Ugalih din kanaman an nahamad

Ya mahangaan mu maanusan

Alpuwan di wagan di aammod

Nagidah et on ta mo nunhamad

Mabo’lay pihhu ot mahannotan

Mu wadan he’a hin on a mihnod

****

The following is a translation by the author

Sweetheart, I’ll leave you now

Bear in mind, don’t act like you forgot

The reason we run away from home

You selfishly failed to offer the momon

For you said it is very extravagant

The one my parents asked for

A pig that requires six people to carry

So guests can have a generous fill

Then to be followed by a wedding celebration

Where we can treat our guests to the taste of intestines

But you made everything uncertain

I wish I had not consented

That we come here to Manila

For you simply swayed me over

As if I never knew a thing

You promised we will go back

When we have our first child

But none came, too much time has passed

Love is our foundation

But I yearn for my folks at home

Who I know could directs me to a good life

Come after me if you have wisdom

But leave behind your lies and selfishness

And we’ll continue loving each other

But you have to shell out your treasure

The hometown practices are long set

Maybe extravagant but bearable

A source of blessing from ancestors

And when done with and we’re in our married life

The money would be earned and replenished

But it is all up to you if you follow me home

______________________________________

*This Ifugao version followed the form of an ode although the rough English translation didn't.  The poem was also read during the Panangbenga Poetry Reading as part of UP Baguio's Rambak Sining on February 20, 2014.

Limericks an Nalpu hi Muyung (Limericks from the forest)

Note: This set of limericks were also read in the Panagbenga Poetry Reading as part of UP Baguio's Rambak Sining on February 20, 2014.  A rough English translation by the author is at the last part of this article.

GAYUMMA

Gayyum-uh, gayyummu, gayyumna

Munayayyam tauh’ gayumma

Nan nipa’en hinlahing

Hamaon di nalaing

Mih'lam mu mahama’ damdama

Ifugao Name: Gayumma

BALANGBANG

Maadiyan di umipaaminul an balangbang

Te hinan muyung ya dinaladalan di inolwang

Mu adi iwili

Ta ume ihubli

Hi naarkusan an bale an balolandah’ nuwang

BUKTAYYON

Maphod an tigtiggon nan babayong hinan buktayon

Pohdopohdonan lani’lioodon, hanobhobboon

Mu adi umiagu

Hi inagang di tagu

Hiya nan bokon hidiye di e hawahawangon

 

Ifugao Name: Buktayyon

TANGLAG

Bumunga hi ay mihamihanglag

Tun maallutlutabbong an tanglag

Mu magabut

Te humabut

Hi mitanom hi tanud di holag

KABABBUY

Ibabbalen di uungay kababbuy

Punbalinon da hi dakol an babuy

In-inop ad uwani

Mu hana ’tun mangali

Puniyanamutyu ayay ginuyguy

Ifugao Name: Kababbuy.  The young rolled up leaves are played by village kids as 'pigs" in thie babbale (bahay-bahayan).  

GAYUMMA

My friend, your friend, his friend

Let’s play the gayumma game

A bit of it we hide

For the clever to find

Disguised but will nevertheless be discovered

BALANGBANG

Rejected is the relished balangbang

For in the forest, floodwaters stream through it

But it is not thrown away

For it is for sale

In the decorated house, it’s valued like cattle

Ifugao name: Balangbang

BUKTAYYON

It’s nice to behold the bee on the buktayyon

It loves to fly around and creep to it deep

But it doesn’t ease

Hunger of people

It is not worth looking for it all day

TANGLAG

It bears fruit that seemingly can be roasted

This flourishing stalks of tanglag

But it would be cut

So it won’t choke

What’s been planted to feed the family

Ifugao Name: Tanglag.  This is a cogon-like grass.

KABABBUY

The children got kababbuy in their playhouse

Making them into a lot of pig toys

That’s dream today

And may in the future

They bring home the true innards