This folktale about a couple named Imlang and Kasiguwan was narrated by my aunt Portia Saboy-Banganan on 01 July 2013 in Balbalasang, Balbalan, Kalinga. She is the last surviving child of Kutig (Samuel Savuy) and Ulat (Hulda Lumawig). She is married to Brent Banganan, a tribal leader and also a raconteur and chanter.
as told by PORTIA SABOY-BANGANAN
Date recorded: 01 July 2013, Balbalasang
Transcription and Translation: Scott Mágkachi Sabóy
Audio: Available upon request
Awad ja Imlang kan Kasiguwan un man-asawa. Ot nanginaw hi Kasiguwan ot ‘id agsana jomjomon a kanon. There was a couple named Imlang and Kasiguwan. When Kasiguwan was expecting a child, she yearned for all kinds of food.
Kana un, “Imlang, kanok okyan jin vugin ji ikan”. She spoke saying, “Imlang, I wish to eat a pregnant fish”.
Ot alan ud Imlang jit tavukul na ot ummoy manavukul ud vayvyay ot nangna hi ikan. And so Imlang took his net to the sea and caught a fish.
Avuson nan kanon ot kana’n, “Piok umvos kanon jit agtoy jit salaan”. After eating, she said, “I also want to eat the liver of an antlered deer”.
Ot alan ud Imlang ji asu kan ja tuvyay ot ummoy manganup. Naila na tun salaan a jakolan, sinay-ang na, alan na jit agtoy ta ina atjon kan asawana un Kasiguwan. Ot avuson umvos Kasiguwan un kanon, noka, awad umvos piyaona. And so Imlang took his dog and spear and went hunting. He came upon a huge male deer, speared it, and took out its liver which he brought to his wife, Kasiguwan. And after Kasiguwan ate it, whats-it, Kasiguwan again yearned for something else.
“Piyaok man jin… Jomjomok kanon man jin vuwan Álan* Kagutungan”, kana. “I want the… I’m thinking of eating a betel nut from Alan of Kagutungan”, she said.
Ot alan kanu Imlang jit kavyayu na un napujaw ot uuway nan jit mammatalay un umoy mangala hijit vuwan Alan un Kagutungan ngajan na. And so Imlang got on his white horse and hastened to get betel nut from Alan of Kagutungan.
Ot sumaal man Kagutungan, na-id si Alan. When he reached Kagutungan, Alan was not around.
“Nga ummoyan Alan?” “Where did Alan go?”
“Na-id, ummoy namasyal.” “He’s not here, he went out for a walk”.
“Iyak omya ipermisu kan hiya ta iyak mangala hin vuwa na ta hiya’t piy’on jit asawak un Kasiguwan un manginaw”, kana kanu. “I came to ask permission from him for me to get betel nut because my wife Kasiguwan who is having a child wants some”, he said kanu.**
“Hak mauway, ot ivyaga yun agay ta iyak mangala, ossaan a agay kad hiya jin iyak iyoy kan asawak”, kana kanu. I can’t wait for him [any longer], so kindly tell him I got just one betel nut which I will take to my wife”, he said kanu.
Ot umoy nangala hi vuwa na, ot mamatalay kanu un umoy manalan mampauli voloy ja. Annat si Alan, jummatong a mampappakuy. And he went to get a betel nut, and hurriedly kanu went [and] travelled back to their house. But there came Alan, shouting as he arrived.
Hoy, nga nantakaw hin vuwak hiji?” kana kanu, ot ina jinogjog man hiya. “Mansaljong ka yan!” kana kanu kan annat Imlang, “Apay ayan ika’n tinakaw jin vuwak?” “Hey, who stole my betel nut? he said kanu, and ran after him [Imlang]. “Stop for a while! Why would you steal my betel nut?
“Ipermisok omya ot ma-id ka. Isunga iyak a agay inala. Imvyagak mit an un paivyagak kan hika”. “I had wanted to ask permission from you but you were not around. That is why I went ahead and got it. I actually told the others to tell it to you.”
“Gapu ta tinakaw nu jin vuwak, manalan ka on. Ngim nu awad ka hin sag-on ji aljan yu, gingaam si Kasiguwan a asawam kad ijuwal nu. Nu avusom ijuwal, matuwad ka un matoy hin kavyayum”, kanan ji Alan. Because you stole my betel nut, you can go home but when you get near your house, call for your wife Kasiguwan and hand it over to her, and as soon as you do so, you will fall dead on your horse”, said Alan.
Ot namnamsul a kaysan ana (ta sika man an jin kamasji). And so Imlang left for home downhearted (If you were him, you would feel the same way, right?)
Sumaal man kanu voloy ja, ‘Kasiguwan a asawak, alam tun vuwa un ika maitatangan kan hakon”, kana kanu. When he reached his house, he said kanu, “Kasiguwan, my wife, here’s the betel nut which you asked me to get for you.” “Taman?” kan kanu jin asawa na. “Why?” asked his wife.
“Alamon, kinatang ku tun hiya tun manginawam a vuwa. Alam,” kana kanu. Get it, I brought this betel nut which you have been longing for. Get it”, he said kanu.
Alan man kanu Kasiguwan, avuson nan ognan jit vuwa natuwad hi Imlang a natoy. Ot inivi-ilan ja kanu ana. Ot gapu ta ha ji inana kanu inggaw ha ajayu (haji inana kad Darangidang ngajan na)... Ot inammaan ja kanun sinukatan hi Imlang. Inammaan jan vinajuan napujaw. Napujaw pay jit lamisaan a naikalinana. The moment Kasiguwan got hold of the betel nut, Imlang fell dead. And they sorely mourned him kanu . And because his mother lives far away (his mother is called Darangidang)... And they carefully changed his clothes. They gently put him in a white clothing. Even the wooden bed where he was laid was white.
Ot kan jan, “Miya, maijon sumaal kan Darangidang a inana, ta itaku okyan ilvon.” And they said, “My, why doesn’t Darangidang his mother come, so we can bury him already.”
Omya ajina kanu man manvyaliw jit lupa na. Puminpintas kanu oton a ma-id kanu inaw na. But his face has not changed. It has become all the more beautiful, [and] it did not become smelly.
“Ajina mit uminaw tun lajag. Aji kaawatan a. Uwayon na nin hi inana,” kan kanu jat tagu. The body doesn’t stink. We can’t understand/This is perplexing. Maybe he awaits his mother”, the people said kanu.
‘Ni kanu man ot, “Aji man Darangidang makwa, ajina makaikug, ajina makajadjalan. Itaku ngarud iyanud tun, adji, lamisaan wangwang ta piyot nu maivyatug kad jit voloy ja, ina ot isjungan hi Imlang”. Later, (someone said,) “Darangidang can’t make it, she can’t move well, she can’t walk. Let’s just float this, er, board down the river so that when it gets by his mother’s house, she’ll be able to see Imlang”.
Kana kanu un mangkittakittag jit lamisaan. Awad hi Imlang a maivyanat, ngim ajina ngarud matukang, kanakanana kanu jin lamisaan a naipakal’ngan Imlang. The platform kept on rocking from side to side kanu. There lay Imlang, but he does not fall, while the board where Imlang lay kept on shaking.
Nansaljong jit lamisaan hit vyatug ji voloy ja ot kan kanu Darangidang, “Sinnon mangkittakittag, sin igid jin talangtag…” kana kanu. The platform stopped in front of their house and Darangidang said/chanted, “What is it that keeps rocking by the bank?” she said kanu.
Ot haji adjin lamisaan a naikalinan jit anak na un natoy umajaajani hit igid ji talangtag, haji inkantana. Ot awni kanu ot ‘ina kanu isjungan, haji anakna. And the platform where her dead son lay slid closer to the bank of the river while she sang. And soon when she looked it over, it was her son.
“Iy, nga jam pay tun kingwan”, kana kanu. Ot inivilan na ana. “Sissiya payon tun long-ag nu, ajina navyaliwan ngem kama ajika natoy”. “Ay, whatever happened to you, my son?” she said kanu. And she wept over him. “Your body is still the same, it has not changed, it was as if you are not dead”.
“Itagaja yu s’jin noka, voloy”, kana kanu. “Take him up to the house”, she said. Intagaja ja hit voloy ja hit ngatu, (hyatu ji wangwang). Ot invyanat ja umvos kanu jit lamisaan. So they took him up to the house -- (this is where the river is) -- and laid down the board [on the floor].
“Miya nu, ajina mavyaliwan, ajina uminaw. Awad nin a uwayona nin”, kan ja kanu. “My, his body wouldn’t change, it doesn’t stink. Maybe he’s waiting for something/somebody”, they said kanu.
“Ika’n agay ayagan hi Alan ta siya ot nin uwayona, ta mangaasi ta ipauli na’t viyag na”, kan kanu jit inana. “Call for Alan then, for maybe it is he whom he awaits, for perhaps he will have mercy and give back his life”, the mother said kanu.
Ija giningaan ji Alan. “An-anon jin Imlang hiji? Ika oja ud adji, ipauli jin viyag na,” kan ja kanu an kan hiya. So they went to Alan. “What do we do with Imlang there? Please come, er, and give back his life”, they said kanu to him.
“Umoyak nu mangtod kayu hi singgasut a luwang”, kana kanu. “I will go if you give me 100 carabaos”, he said kanu.
Ot mampauli kanu hi annat, invyaun Darangidang a inana. Ot, “Umoy kayun kaili-ili ta ikayu mansinup”, kan ja kanu. So they returned, those whom his mother Darangidang sent. And, “Go to every village and gather [all the carabaos you can get]”, they said kanu.
Ji kad aju jit vinulud jan luwang, kiniwid ja man, ot invyaud ja hijin soovyan jit voloy ud annat, Darangidang. Ot napnu kanu luwang jit paway. Now they borrowed plenty of carabaos, they gathered, and tied these to the posts of the house of, that one, Darangidang. And the yard was filled with carabaos.
“Vilangon yu an nu singgasut”, kan ja. “Awad pay yan ossaan!” “Count if indeed there is a hundred of them,” they said. “We need one more!”
“Ay ikayun agay alan jit luwang ku ta ijoga yu”, kan kanun ji adji, ina na. “Ay, go get my carabao then and include it with the group”, so said, that one, his mother.
Ija inala jit luwang ja ot injoga ja ot, “Gingaan yu ot Alan”, kan ja kanu. So they got their carabao and put it [with the rest], and “Call for Alan”, they said kanu.
Mayokyokyok kanu hi Alan a, “Hiyanat a hit piyaok. Sin satun, iyak ipauli na viyag Imlang,” kana kanu. Alan was laughing kanu, saying, “Now, that’s what I want! Now, I am returning Imlang’s life”, he said kanu.
Ina kanu sap-uyan hi Imlang. “Matagu ka, navayajan tun viyag nu.” He breathed on Imlang. “Get up and live, for your life has been ransomed.”
Ji kad tummagu kanu ud Imlang. And Imlang was alive again.
“Ji, salakan yu hi Alan a mangiyoy nat luwang na.” “Go on, help Alan take his carabaos [home]”.
Navuyuvulug kanu jit luwang un maitun-ud kan Alan hijin Kagutungan un igaw na. The carabaos crowded behind Alan on his way to his home in Kagutungan.
Ot hi Imlang naviyag. And so Imlang lived.
* Portia Banganan describes Alan as a human being who has superhuman powers, disappearing at will. He is a huge, frightening, hairy creature with deep-set eyes and unusually beaked nose.
** Kanu ‘reportedly’ is an expression that implies the storyteller is narrating a story according to how she heard it from her ancestors or other members of the community. It is an indigenous form of reference to tradition – in this case, oral tradition. It may also be taken as a recognition of the raconteur of the communal nature of stories – i.e., stories are not the narrator’s alone, but of the whole village or tribe. See article, KANU & NOKA IN KALINGA ORAL TRADITION
Alang 'rice granary in Saltan, Balbalasang, Balbalan, Kalinga
