Literature

- LITERATURE -

Ibanag folk literature reflects the joys, sorrows, hopes, fears, love, and hatred of Cagayano people. It reflects the conflicts faced by the Ibanags, such as man versus man, environment, society, self, conscience, and God. These conflicts have led to enmity, disunity, divisiveness, lust for wealth, and ethnic violence.

Over the past five hundred years, Ibanag folk literature has been composed and passed down by balladeers, verzistas, minstrels, rural folk, and countryside mystics, advocating for love, peace, justice, honesty, unity, morality, reconciliation, and betterment of lifestyle.

Ibanag folk literature is didactic, moralistic, sentimental, romantic, socialistic, comic, and spiritual, aiming to unite the Cagayanos. It is characterized by its bravery, mission-oriented nature, gracefulness, and resilience, reminiscent of the kasi or wild cock, Bannag, and Manga.

CAGAYAN EPIC: BIUAG AT MALANA

Biuag, a young man with powerful powers, was admired by a goddess who gifted him three stones around his neck. Malaueg, born in Malaueg, shares these powers with Biuag, including lifting heavy objects, being as fast as the wind, and bravery. Malana uses his powers to help ordinary people, such as during a devastating typhoon.

At eighteen, the two men fell in love with a beautiful woman in Tuao. They challenged each other to determine who would choose her. The dueling was a breathtaking and controversial event, with people from Enrile and Malaueg supporting their man. The battle began with Malana fighting bare-handed while Biuag used his spear. When Biuag's spear broke, the fight began. However, Biuag's use of other creatures to defeat Malana led to the young lady not choosing him, and he eventually flew to the kingdom of the air with Malana.

PROVERBS

Ibanag unoni or proverbs are either in prose or poetry. They are preachy and pedagogic as well as theological.

Example

Awan tu umune ta uton ng ari umuluk ta davvun.

(Nobody goes up who does not come down)

This is advice for individuals who achieve success to avoid insulting and oppressing the poor and lowly.

Mamatugu ka ta gayan nga manututtu ta matam.

(You rear a crow that pecks your eyes.)

It reflects the Ibanag's resentment towards those who are unthankful has led to feuds, violence, and vendettas.

Mammula ka ta mapia, gataban nu noka.

(He who sows goodness, reaps gratitude.)

This proverb serves as both a sequel and an antithesis to the second example mentioned earlier.

I buruasi nga inikkao, nu ari atazzi, alawa nikaw.

(Borrowed clothes are either loose or tight.)

The proverb "Power, Authority, and Leadership" is particularly relevant to Cagayano leaders, who are tasked with using their power responsibly and effectively to serve the people, as it is a borrowed privilege that cannot be universally appreciated.

Awat tu serbi na ru nga kukua, nu marake i pinangngapangngua.

(Wealth is useless if character is worthless.)

Cagayanos are known for their integrity, charity, considerateness, and love for others, regardless of their wealth or status.

RIDDLES

A palavvun is a challenging, misleading question for Ibanags to solve, serving as both a game and mental excursion, aiming to relax, entertain, and pacify anger and feuds, as well as providing entertainment.

Example

Nu magitubang atannang, nu manaddak, alinno.

(When it sits, it is tall; when it stands, it is small.)

A dog symbolizes loyalty, as it runs away after being kicked and returns to its master wagging its tail.

The riddle symbolizes leadership, where a leader initially appears humble and small but becomes tall when elected, with visions, hopes, and aspirations for their people. They are tall in their actions and actions for the people.

Sinni pano y tadday mga babay

Kanan na baggi na a maguroray - Kandela

(Who can be the lovely lady

That eats her own body - Candle)

Adalam nu mapangarianan
babbaw nu malannapan - Poso

(Deep when decreased
Shallow when increased - Well)

Pira y levu na
Vulauan y unag na - Illuk

(What is golden that is surrounded with silver? - Egg)

Ngisi nu matolay
Nafuraw nu matay - Bavi

(Black when alive
White when dead - Pig)

Egga lubid ku nga balabbaddi
Nga maggafu ta langi - Uran

(I have a tiny silver string
Which come from heaven - Rain)

Ari nga kuman nu ari mu tottokan - Aggavu
(What is it you hit before it eats? - Chisel)

FOLK POETRY

Ibanag folk poetry is primarily sung, passed down through oral transmission. Songs are used for ceremonial and recreational purposes and have narrative, speculative, romantic, ridiculing, or titillating elements. Ibanags have two epic songs, the Salomon and the Pasion.

SALOMON

Salomon is a traditional Ibanag Christmas carol, a religious chant practiced by the Ibanag people of the Philippines, blending indigenous practices with Catholic traditions from the Spanish colonial period. Named after King Solomon, it tells the story of Jesus' conception and birth, focusing on early life and observations of Mary and Joseph.

Sung by people gathering during Christmas, the song is accompanied by eating chocolate and rice cakes and a five-stringed indigenous guitar called a cinco-cinco. The Salomon serves as a way for Ibanag communities to express their faith and spiritual devotion, particularly during Christmas.

Other traditional chanting forms, such as the "verso," "pasyon," "leksyo," and "vinunga," also have Christian influences. The Salomon, accompanied by the "cinco-cinco" instrument, is sung before improvised home altars, supported by wine, coffee, chocolate, and native cakes. It teaches Cagayano children the Ibanag virtues of truthfulness, honesty, loyalty, industry, and devotion.

A brief verse:

In an episode, the Virgin Mary and Joseph, with Baby Jesus in Mary's arms, encounter a farmer sowing grains while on their flight to Egypt. Mary asked:

Anni i ibini wagi? (What are you sowing, brother?)

Said the farmer: Batu i paddag gunak ku ibini. (I am sowing pebbles.)

Said Mary: Batu nga imulam, batu nga emmu gataban. (Pebbles that you sow, pebbles that you reap.)

FOLK SONGS

Ibanag folk songs, particularly love songs, were primarily sung during harana or serenades, in rustic communities, serving as nocturnal recreation for "babbagitolay" and a starting point for courtship for "magingnganay." The growth of these songs and singers reached its peak during Martial Law days and the twenty-year rule of the Old Regime.

Love songs were common during weddings and social events. Ibanag awit are psalms about love, often conveying promises, confessions, assurances, or sacrifices. The diffusion of these songs reached its peak when male babbagitolay sang serenades for female "magingnganay" they wished to marry.

Example

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.)

Ibanag folksongs are influenced by people's reactions to their environment, feelings, and emotions arising from work, labor, government leaders, and relationships among fellowmen.

VERZO & VERZITAS

The verzo is the Ibanag version of the Spanish coplas, a four-line rhymed song composed during the Golden Age of Spainish Literature. It is often composed impromptu during social occasions like weddings and baptisms, aiming to entertain and moralize.

The verzista is Cagayan's version of the scop, minstrel, or bard of England and European countries, who is lavishly repaid by the host with gifts or cash. Popular verzos include "Osse-osse" and "Kilingkingan," which accompany dances. The Ybanag verzo is similar to the Spanish coplas, composed of four rhymed lines. It is an expression of the Ibanag's determination on love, courtship, and war, despite being considered a minority group in the Philippines.

Example

Arri ka mavurung ta

Kabaddi ku lalung, kuak

Ku mamayappak, kannak

Ku utun, gukak.

(Worry not my being a small cock,

For when I fly to attack,

I never miss my mark.)

The Ibanag's determination in love, courtship, fights, and contests, despite poverty and misery, explains their resilience under colonial powers and Martial Law regimes, despite their size, humility, and misery.

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