Padugo

Fiction by | December 7, 2014

Padugo“Legends say that blood allures gold and for a gold mine to be full of gold, it needs blood. But a goat’s blood is not enough.” Said the 58 year-old Mang Berto as he shared his story to his fellow small-scale miners during siesta as they rest in the Nipa hut near the Matiao River. “It needs a blood that is something pure and innocent.” Mang Berto said coldly to everyone in the Nipa Hut.

Mang Berto and his family now lives in Matiao province where mining has been the primary business and a source of profit for most people. In his early 30’s, he worked in a large-scale mining company called King Midas Mining Corp in the Gumayan province. The boss of the company, which the employees called Supremo, believed in a legend that a sacrificial ritual that involves offering of blood every last day of the month inside a mine would allure the elusive gold nuggets. During his stay in Gumayan, Mang Berto worked as a hired kidnapper and the one who executes the ritual along with other hired kidnappers. His job was instant money as the job gave him enough money to buy a small house. However, until one incident changed the course of his life.

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Tutoy Totoy

Poetry by | December 7, 2014

Nihilak ka ug mitalidhay.
Gitukaw mo ang mga tulog
nga pasahero kay gusto ka musupsup.

Wa paka natagbaw, gikumot-
kumot mo, misinggit, miumpak
sa kahinam sa mituyhakaw nya’ng dughan.

Mihunat siya.
Milingilingi kay nagpunay ka’g siyagit.
Mikuot siya.
Nagkagidlay sa sali nimu ug hil-os.
Mihungit siya.
Namingaw ang jeep kay ikaw nahiluna.
Naulaw siya.
Gikurambos mo ang sumpuk niya’ng dughan.
Mitan-aw siya.
Mingisi ug mihunghung… “Sige totoy pa.”

Jet is a teacher at Kong Hua School, Cagayan de Oro City.

Her Words

Nonfiction by | November 30, 2014

It was two days before Christmas last year when I received a text message saying “Hi” with a smiley. The phone number was not in my contact list so it took me a few minutes before I finally replied and asked who it was.

I was surprised when she revealed she was “Dee…UPMin Arki.” I had met her in school. Someone might have introduced us and since then, every time we saw each other, we would exchange greetings and smiles. But that was all. I never remembered conversing with her or anything. She was that pretty chinita girl who was a member of the Dance Ensemble. I clearly remember that she was the frontliner in their number during our Freshmen Convocation Program.

She just wanted to confirm whom she was texting because my number was registered as “UP LitSoc” in her contact list. I told her that it was me and she apologized for causing any inconvenience. I said she wasn’t causing any. And from then, we exchanged text messages. We would text each other in the morning when we woke up, remind each other to eat meals, ask what each was doing, and late at night, we would say good night to each other.

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The Human Heart Has No Measure: Davao Writers Workshop 2014

Nonfiction by | November 23, 2014

Davao Writers Workshop 2014There are three things I’m pretty sure writers will want at one point or another in their lives: to travel, to better themselves in their craft, and to create something worthwhile. The three are interconnected, if you really think about it. In the short time we spend on this world, it is with great skill (or with great luck) that we acquire the opportunity to gain all three at once. As for me, being accepted into this year’s Davao Writers Workshop was one of those opportunities.

Wanderlust
I had learned of my acceptance into the workshop on the eve of September 27th, exactly a month before the workshop would begin. It seemed so near and so far at the time. A lot can happen in a month. Specifically for me, it was finishing final grades for the first semester and organizing Poetry Night, a poetry reading program that our group NAGMAC (Nagkahiusang Mambabalak sa Cagayan de Oro) held every other month. The latter happened just two nights before I and co-fellow Vel Marie “Mai” Santillan, were to get on an all-night bus ride to Davao for the workshop.

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Pangposas Nga Panyo

Play by | November 9, 2014

Sa istasyon sa pulis. Hapon.

Miduol si Liling, usa ka kwarintay-singko nga babayi, sa lamisa kung asa adunay babayi nga pulis. Sa iyang atubangan, adunay usa ka lalaki nga naka-polo. Gihiktan ang mga kamot sa lalaki gamit ang usa ka pink nga panyo. Gisenyasan ni Liling ang lalaki nga muingkod tapad sa ubang mga pulis nga nangape. Nipuwesto siya sa tunga sa istasyon nga nakatindog.

Liling: O, maayong adlaw mga Chief! Maayong adlaw kaninyong tanan! Siguro katingalahan para ninyo nga ania ko diri karon, nagdala ug usa ka lalaki nga giposasan nako ug panyo. Pink pa gyud nga adunay mga gagmay’ng bulak-bulak sa kilid. Mga Chief, ako siyang gipabantay sa inyo karon. Pero sa kadako sa iyang sala, dili siguro ni siya mudagan samtang ania pa ko.

Ako si Liling, usa ka labandera lang intawon didto sa Sampaguita. Dili ako ang kanang maong panyo. Kanang akong gipangposas kay gipalaba sa akong silingan, pero dili gyud nako mabalik sa tag-iya. Ang kanang lalaki sa inyong tapad kay akong ipakulong tungod sa hastang pagkapangit nga pagkapa sa piano didto sa Mintal, ug sa pag-undang ug tugtog sa tunga-tunga sa kantang “Amahan Namo”.

Pasensya, Chief. Basin abi ninyo bugal-bugal lang ni akoa ba. Pero dili. Wala nay mas ikaseryoso nga akong himuon sa akong tibuok kinabuhi. Gusto gyud nako siya ipakulong diri nga istasyon sa pulis. Bisag mga pipila lang intawon ka adlaw.

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Nana and Our Nangka Tree

Nonfiction by | October 26, 2014

Yesterday I bought a pack of nangka or jackfruit from the grocery store. The smell was so enticing that I had to pick one and convince myself I wasn’t splurging. One pack has 10 seeds and costs 50 pesos. Immediately after paying, I pulled the bubble-wrap, took out one seed at a time and savored every bite. I planned to finish all in one sitting and not have any leftovers inside the refrigerator for later. My Nana, or Yaya, as many would associate her, used to tell me that the smell of this fruit extends unsolicited to all other elements in the fridge, like a surprisingly sweet gesture.

Before transferring to study and eventually own a company based in Davao, I used to live in Dumaguete City. There, we have a two-storey house fenced by a number of mango, chico, and star apple trees, as well as, a good growth of garden vegetables to harvest by season. To welcome visitors in our front yard are other plants such as a line of orchids and relative flowers. The main attraction is like a CTA widget inviting neighbors as it consistently bears two fruits every month. It is our Nangka Tree located on the right side, facing the gate. My Nana would wrap each of the tree’s fruit upon its birth and when it matures, it would reveal a large sweet and fleshy product enough to make a family of five happy. My twin and I, the Nangka and its interests were among Nana’s primary concerns.

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Dihang Nagpungko ta sa Tagsok nga Espidno 

Poetry by | October 26, 2014

Alang kang Millefeuille Erin Casing

Ako lang gihunahuna
niining gabhiona
nga giunsa natog abot
diri sa tagsok nga espidno,
apan nilantugay ka sa tingog
sa mga dagsay gadusmog
sama sa mga botelya sa bino
nga nangabuak sa graba nga salog.
Ang mga kinagod nga nota
sa gitara ninglatagaw
daw mga langaw nga nahanaw
ngadto sa tabako nga aso.
Nag-uyog gyod ang trapal nga atop
gumikan sa mga lanog sa baho ug bombo,
daw nanimbaya sa mga kalag nga nanglaay
sa ilang lubnganan. Nagsalimoang
sa palibot ang mga banyaga
nga ga-vintage shirt ug tattered jeans,
gibandera nilang sungayon nga kumo
samtang naghugyaw sa gipangtiyabaw
sa namaoy nga bokalista.
Didto sa mga suok diin nagalisngaw
ang angso sa gidagkot nga bokoy,
ang mga ulitawo ug dalaga
nga nangasaag sa kahigal;
namayloay og ngabil
hain nagutingkay ang ilang kamot
sa dulom daw nangita’g milagro
dinhi sa tagsok nga espidno.
Kini tanan imong nasaksihan
sa gisuot mong antepara
samtang kita gapungko sa kilid.
Wap-a man intawon ka nag-diyese otso
gahigop lang gihapon og Sparkle.
Gisil-ip ko ang imong tangkugo
nga gidayanan og singot
samtang gipungpong nimo
ang imong puwa nga buhok.
Imo gituaw ang imong panan-aw
ning matang sa kaguliyang.
Matod pa nimo nga makita unta nako
nga taliwala sa kagubot miturok ang rosa.
Nahilom ang palibot. Ikaw ra akong nakita.

—
Mark Daposala was a fellow at the 1st Xavier University Writer’s Workshop, the 18th Iligan National Writers Workshop, and the 27th Faigao Writer’s Workshop. He’s taking up Bachelor’s Degree in Law at Liceo de Cagayan University to follow the path of Atty. Harvey Dent.