Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Cagayan Valley (Lambak NG Cagayan in Filipino Tana' Nak Cagayan in The
Cagayan Valley (Lambak NG Cagayan in Filipino Tana' Nak Cagayan in The
DIALECTS
Masi (Pamplona) to Lallo to Gattaran- Irraya
Piat, Tuao, Malaueg, and Santa Cruz- Itawes
South District including Nassiping to Gamu( Isabela)- Irraya, Gaddang,
Iyogad, Catalagan, Dadayad, Aripa, and Aeta
Tuguegaro to Ilagan- Irraya
Reina Mercedes to Bayombong- Gaddang
Diffun, Towns near Cagayan river- Iyogad
Dupax, Bambang and Aritao- Isinay and Ilongete
Fr. HERRERA- ordered all religious missionaries to study Ibanag and see to it that
the boys and girls recite all the prayers in Ibanag and
to those come down from the mountains and who will be converted to
our Catholic faith. Girls and boys should know the
mysteries to be able to receive the waters of baptism, in the same
language so that in the course of time everybody will
speak the Ibanag dialect.
VERZITA- Cagayans version of the scop, ministrel, and bards of England and
European countries who is lavishly by the host with gift or
cash, palay, corn or any food stuff.
Few examples:
Arri ka mavurung ta
Kabaddi ku lalung, kuak
Ku mamayappak, kannak
Ku utun, gukak.
Folk Songs
Other folksongs are love songs most often with promises, pledges, assurances,
lessons to teach and guidance to give.
The growth of Ibanag songs and singers reached its peak when the harana or
serenade in rustic communities was both a form of nocturnal recreation among the
"babbagitolay" and a way of starting courtship for a "magingnganay."
There was a stalemate of folksong production and serenading during Martial Law
days and during the twenty-year rule of the Old Regime when the freedoms were
curtailed, and when the province became a critical area.
O lappaw a makayaya
Nga inimmi-immian na mata,
Pare nakuan tu ari ka matay,
Tape manayuk ka gugammay.
(O lovely flo'er
My eyes behold forever,
May you not wither, nor die,
That long you be gem of my eye.)
Some Ibanag folksongs were inspired by the reaction of people toward their
environment; expression of feelings and emotions caused by their work, labors,
government leaders and relationship among fellowmen.
Ibanag Proverbs
Ibanag "unoni" or proverbs are either in prose or poetry. hey are preachy and
pedagogic as well as theological.
Awan tu umune ta uton ng ari umuluk ta davvun.
(Nobody goes up who does not come down)
The above is an advice to those who on reaching the peak of their success look
down, and even insult and oppress the poor and the lowly.
It reflects the Ibanag's abhorence and loathe against those who are ungrateful.
Ingratitude has caused feuds, violence and vendetta.
Among the many interpretations of the above proverbs, the most fitting today is
one addressed to Cagayano leaders: "Power, Authority and Leadership." A
borrowed privilege which cannot please everybody among the governed; that since
it emanates from the people. While they are in power, they must use that power
rightly for the people.
Ibanag Riddles
The answer is a dog. A dog is a symbol of loyalty. Kick a dog, it runs away. Then
it comes wagging its tail to its master again.
The riddle itself means leadership. When a leader stands to campaign, he appears
small, lowly, humble, a willing servant of the people. When elected and sits in his
position, he begins to be tall. Tall in visions, hopes, aspirations for his people. Tall
in whatever good things he does for the people.
Authors from the Region II of the Philippines and their Literary Works
Florentine Hornedo
The Ybanag dialect was a very potent factor in the difficult and hazardous
evangelization of the pagan and hostile inhabitants of the Cagayan Valley.
The evangelization and pacification of the valley were difficult because the
communities found by the colonizers were far apart, separated by primeval spans
of wild forests with crocodile-infested rivers to cross or along which the
missionaries and soldiers had to travel. There were also the great calamities--
epidemic, locust infestations, floods and earthquakes--which caused great
difficulties and sufferings to the people, and though to us today the calamities were
natural phenomena, the pagan natives blamed their occurences on the coming of
the white people.
The early chronicles of Cagayan Valley , the natives, especially the Irrayas
and Gaddangs, were fierce and warlike. This was so, apparently because living in
separate communities, independent of each other, they cultivated fierce love for
freedom. Thus, they resisted the abuses committed by the officials and their
encomienderos, to the extent of rising a revolt--the history of the province tells of
numerous and frequent insurrections in some of which the native rebels killed all
the Spanish officials.
It was always the missionaries who consoled the natives in time of the
calamities and who pacified them when they revolted, for the guns of the Spanish
soldiers were
futile against the fury which the natives displayed in defense of their rights
and sense of freedom.
English Translation
THE NUNUK ON THE HILL
The Nunuk on the hill short forth the leaves and twigs;
Then suddenly all its branches fell and I under it.
On what is left I cannot watch the boats on the sea
For I stand on the side from the sea.
I weep in my grief?
It was the sea that made me an orphan;
The sad news came to me in the roar of the breakers,
In 1571, when the Spanish took hold of Central Luzon, they renamed the
area to La Pampanga. Central Luzon is mostly composed of 'Tagalog' speaking
natives. During this period of time, many different literary works arose.
Pampanga Literature
EXAMPLE:
Are you that Someone
by: Lori Ungacta
The name of this region is an acronym that combines the names of its provinces:
Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan.
With its National Parks, World Heritage Sites, protected marine areas and even wild
safari parks, the MIMAROPA region is definitely something different. You won’t find big
cities, bustling highways, or traffic jams here. You will find rugged roads, palm-fringed
beaches, and peace and serenity.
There’s an enchantment to this region, especially underwater. Above land you’ll find
simple towns, delicious seafood, and the quiet, laid-back island life that the people of
MIMAROPA have had for centuries.
EXAMPLE:
There was once an old woman who had an only son named Suan. Suan was a clever,
sharp-witted boy. His mother sent him to school. Instead of going to school, however, Suan
climbed up the tree that stood by the roadside. As soon as his mother had passed by from the
market, Suan hurried home ahead of her. When she reached home, he cried, “Mother, I know
what you bought in the market to-day.” He then told her, article by article. This same thing
happened so repeatedly, that his mother began to believe in his skill as a diviner.
One day the ring of the datu’s daughter disappeared. All the people in the locality
searched for it, but in vain. The datu called for volunteers to find the lost ring, and he offered
his daughter’s hand as a prize to the one who should succeed. Suan’s mother heard of the
proclamation. So she went to the palace and presented Suan to the datu. “Well, Suan, tomorrow
tell me where the ring is,” said the datu. “Yes, my lord, I will tell you, if you will give your
soldiers over to me for tonight,” Suan replied. “You shall have everything you need,” said the
datu.
That evening Suan ordered the soldiers to stand around him in a semicircle. When all
were ready, Suan pointed at each one of them, and said, “The ring is here, and nowhere else.” It
so happened that Suan fixed his eyes on the guilty soldier, who trembled and became pale. “I
know who has it,” said Suan. Then he ordered them to retire. Late in the night this soldier came
to Suan, and said, “I will get the ring you are in search of, and will give it to you if you will
promise me my safety.” “Give it to me, and you shall be safe,” said Suan.
Very early the next morning Suan came to the palace with a turkey in his arms. “Where is
the ring?” the datu demanded. “Why, sir, it is in this turkey’s intestines,” Suan replied. The
turkey was then killed, and the ring was found inside it. “You have done very well, Suan. Now
you shall have my daughter’s hand,” said the datu. So Suan became the princess’s husband.
One day the datu proposed a bet with anyone who wished to prove Suan’s skill.
Accordingly another datu came. He offered to bet seven cascos of treasure that Suan could not
tell the number of seeds that were in his orange. Suan did not know what to do. At midnight he
went secretly to the cascos. Here he heard their conversation, and from it he learned the number
of seeds in the orange. In the morning Suan said boastfully, “I tell you, your orange has nine
seeds.” Thus Suan won the whole treasure. Hoping to recover his loss, the datu came again.
This time he had with him fourteen cascos full of gold. He asked Suan to tell him what was
inside his golden ball. Suan did not know what to say. So in the dead of night he went out to the
cascos, but he could learn nothing there. The next morning Suan was summoned into the
presence of the two datus. He had no idea whatever as to what was in the ball; so he said
scornfully, “Nonsense!” “That is right, that is right!” shouted a man. “The ball contains nine
cents.” Consequently Suan won the fourteen cascos full of gold. From now on, nobody doubted
Suan’s merit.