I Higaonon

By: Telesforo Sungkit

I.
I you called pagan,
you say pagan is bad people.
You say you is Christian
and Christian is good people.
You laugh I kneel on big rock
or I pray before big tree.
You angry I call Migbaya,
you say my God is devil.
I not laugh you kneel on dead tree
or you pray to hanging God there.
I not angry you call your God,
and I not call Him devil.
I angry you get my lands,
I angry you get my golds,
I angry you burn my wood books,
but you say I should love enemy.
You say love enemy
but you killed grandpa baylan,
you killed grandma bae,
you killed uncle bagani,
you killed even dog talamuod.
II. I angry you kill my datus,
I angry you burn my house,
I you called savage I angry you get my honey,
you say savage is bad people. I angry you get my sakop,
You say you is civilized but you say I should know democracy.
and civilized is good people.
You say know democracy
You laugh I speak wrong your tongue
but you commanding all
or I not knowing you say.
you telling I not speak
You angry I speak my tongue,
you forcing I live near plantations
you say I silent I not speak your
You making all us sakop
tongue.
you killing my brothers not liking you.
I not laugh you speak in your noses
or you kalamura speak my tongue.
I not angry you speak your tongue,
I not say you silent you not speak my
tongue.
III. I not laugh you kneel on dead tree
or you pray to hanging God there.
I you called brother
I not angry you call your God,
you say brother skin also brown.
and I not call Him devil.
You say you is my brother
and brother is good people.
I not laugh you speak in your teeth
or you kalamura speak my tongue.
You laugh I kneel on big rock
I not angry you speak your tongue,
or I pray before big tree.
I not say you silent you not speak my tongue.
You laugh I speak wrong your tongue
or I not knowing you say.
I angry you get my lands,
You angry I call Migbaya,
I angry you get my golds,
you say my God is devil.
I angry you dishonor my sisters,
You angry I speak my tongue,
but you say I should love brother, skin also
you say I silent I not speak your
brown.
tongue.
You say love brother, skin also brown
but you help kill grandpa baylan,
you help kill grandma bae,
you help kill uncle bagani,
you help kill dog talamuod,
you help kill even my balangkawitan
rooster.
You say know government
but you commanding all
you telling I not speak
you forcing I live near plantations
you making us all sakop
you killing us not liking you.

I angry you help kill my datus,

I angry you help burn my house,
I angry you help steal my honey,
I angry you paying cheap my abaka,
coffee, coconut, banana, etc.
but you say I should know government.
IV.

I pagan?
I savage?
I brother?

V.

I knowing gooder, I knowing bad.

I knowing badder, I knowing good.
I knowing brother, I knowing stranger.

I knowing things yesterday, today, tomorrow.

I ancient.
I Higaonon.
 EXPLANATION
The poem I, Higaonon by Telesforo Sungkit, tells us about the culture and beliefs of
a Higaonon tribe, and how other people look over their traditional life. In the poem,
discrimination and prejudgment happens because of the differences of beliefs and
culture. Before the colonization happens to Higaonon tribe, they were known to be
pagan, a follower of a polytheistic religion. Because of the diversities they become
inferior to other religion, which is why they received a lot discrimination and was
downgraded because of the way they live.

In general, it illustrates ethnic biases that they feel afraid of speaking their own
words as they go to cities. It is scandalous that we pretend to be civilized, when in fact
we practice acts of injustice and brutality. The Higaonon people respect and appreciate
their world and have firm convictions, for example, about stones, plants, weather, and
the strength of nature. We poke fun at them for being special, but we don't expect
them to assimilate with us. We've hurt them, destroyed their people, and abused
them, but they still love and trust us.