Storyteller
A wedding and a funeral
We treaded two mountains, countless hills and one great big river to behold a traditional wedding so long hidden in the epical memories of the Panay-Bukidnon in Brgy. Tacayan, Tapaz, Capiz. But when we got there unexpected events unfolded, and we found ourselves exhausted in a 6 hour hike and with no other choice but to enjoy whatever there is.
Mickey Mouse and Harry Potter went for a hike
I am not equipped to climb a mountain, unlike my friend Christine she's wearing a leather hiking boots, a Jansport backpack and a pair of gloves. Admiringly our guide Kulanoy only wears slippers. And here I was wearing a Doc Marten combat boots built for fashion not for ascension. It started to drizzle, so I took my Mickey Mouse raincoat in my Harry Potter backpack (things my son outgrew with) and headed towards the unfamiliar trail. Christine had been there 7 times. For me every step of the way is a delightful surprise.
The first two hours was a 'walk in the fields', the next 4 hours was a 'walk in the calvary,' ascending and descending two mountains with a river in between was exhausting at the same time exhilarating. A little slip of a foot will liberate you from your existence, but a little look at the view takes your breath away. The rest was a 'walk in the clouds'.
The Wedding
It's nearly dark when we reached our destination. As we moved closer to the settlement we are closely trying to search for the sound of gongs and drums but there was utter silence. We found Nang Coney at her doorstep driving sickness and bad spirits away with a smoke coming from a halved coconut shell filled with 'kamangyan' and torn clothing from a corpse. The community was mourning for the death of one of their elders, the wedding was postponed!
We've gone a long way for nothing! We are 5 hours late from the burial rite and a little early for the rescheduled wedding. Christine who was waiting for this since 2001 when she started her research sighed in frustration but easily recovered from the warm welcome of familiar faces. We looked at each other, shrugged, and both said "Let's make the best of what we have."
The couples are both teenagers the girl is 15 and the boy is 19. Jomar told us he was already eyeing Shionny when she was only 13 years old, and for two years he courted her. And for the bukidnon courtship is not about giving flowers and chocolates it is about service. For two years, Jomar helped Shionny's father in toiling the land, fetching water, gathering woods for cooking, fishing and farming. It is only this March that both of their parents agreed for them to marry. And supposedly the "hungaw" traditional lordly wedding was last May 20, but due to the death of the girl's grandmother it was moved to June 2.
The Funeral
They believed she died because the family was not able to perform "tinaulog sa taramnan" a ritual made before turning a certain area for agricultural purposes "hinawa ka idalmunon", they said she was taken by the dark spirits. The ritual is done by a babaylan. Nena Castor died at the age of 80. For two days, her family mourned for her. They expressed their grief through "sarambiton" (sayings) and by crying non-stop for two days. On the third day they buried her. And that same night during the "belasyon", they tried to uplift the bereaved families by playing "burdon" and "loa." It's a game of "catching who has the ring". All are gathered forming a circle with hands holding one another. At the center is the "it" they called meow -- the one to catch where the ring is and the police who is incharge for the game to keep going. While the ring is passed everybody is singing the burdon song- Singsing papanawa, palibot-libuta, samtang nagalakat ang hari kag reyna. . . . Once you are caught with the ring you will stand and recite a "loa"- a kind of rhythmic poetry (e.g. "didto sa bubon, my tatlo ka bituon, kon ako ang papili-on, sa tunga gid ang akon.") And when everyone agrees to your loa they will all shout "bitor!" (alright). Certainly the game was effective. It is also a chance for young ones to find their love interests, by impressing them of humorous poetries.
We brought with us an interesting idea of dealing with a loss and a wedding invitation. We don't mind to climb two mountains, crossing one river is not a hassle and the hills we could run up and down to once again meet these amazing people and immerse in their amazing culture.