(2nd of a Series)
WHEN ALIW-IW CAME to the gathered people, there was silence definite. In the middle, there was his father Nahjon, seated – on a palangka chair. There were other old men too – seated like him and near him. Nahjon was looking very far away. Then
HE SHIFTED GAZE at Aliw-iw quickly, then to the crowd – as if trying to memorize who were there; then, back to Aliw-iw. Then, he spoke:
“ALIW-IW, MY SON.. my eldest son. Your siblings, your mother, you and I.. we’ve been good, Mapteng kitejo, but you know what you did.. and you know the consequences.. [he paused, still looking at his son].. Aliw-iw nodded then said:
‘OWEN.. YES, FATHER’ [then, paused too. Everybody was held in suspense.. but he spoke no words further. Then, Ama Nahjon took reins again]:
GWARA’Y PIYAN MON ikowan pay? (Transl: “You have some further things to say?”].
AYSHI LA, AMA. (“None, [my] father.”]. Nahjon again:
THEN.. WE’VE SPOKEN, and it is done. [I allow you now to] talk to your mother. Talk to your siblings, A akhim, too.
AND THE PEOPLE dispersed – slowly and silently. Aliw-iw’s mother, Sandag, was motioning Aliw-iw and siblings to follow her.
NAHJON WAS STILL sitting on his palangka – not saying any word. The other old men too. But after a few while, they were moving and saying: Te tohga nen, Oh? [Idiomatic EXPR almost =int to English: “Allow us now to leave, Yes/Okay/You’re all right?”
AND NAHJON NODDED – or said: Yes/Owen te. Meanwhile,
THAT AFTERNOON, mother Sandag busied herself advising her son Aliw-iw and giving instructions to the siblings – in preparation for Aliw-iw’s ‘journey’.
[TOMORROW OR THE next day, Aliw-iw was to move out- on ekkal mah, from his parents’ house. The family knows the Custom and Tradition – he was sort of banished(?) for his wrong Deed.].
WHEN THE MORROW has come, Aliw-iw was moving out now from his birthland. His Buyot(Party) included: his wife Paula, small daughter Isnsib, two househelps, and himself. Their direction was towards the deep, far South: [Before this, they listened well to mother Sandag’s words to her son Aliw-iw]:
‘PESSAW KAYO’D BINGAAN.. (Transl: “Go downriver-wards to Bingaan..”). My father Pucay – your grandfather, has a Danso (a small farm shack) over there. He has some lands (Pasture) and cattle there. The people and settlements near the Danso know him. They’ll welcome your coming – I know. Go, my son.. and grandson of Pucay. Te, pessed onsiged, on baknang kayo ngo neshan! (Idiomatic =int in English: “Okey go, you’ll live well and rich yourself [the Great Unseen shall allow], you’ll see!” (the bracketed words implied by word pessed, please take note).
AND TO FAR Bingaan (now, Binga), Aliw-iw and Party journeyed. Was it two – or three days, ‘on-foot’? The narrations cannot unify. Anyway,
WHEN THEY ARRIVED at Bingaan, it was post meridian, somewhere after three or four pm? or a bit earlier. The narrations indicate: nanagshov mai Sekkit! (Lit. Transl: “the Sun’s heat was bit decreasing!”).
‘NEWS’ SPREAD FAST like wildfire: a grandson of Pucay, together with his family, is headed for Bingaan… some men hikers, others gathering firewood, ehmengeyew, Aliw-iw and his Buyot (Party) met by chance along the way – some hours back, were saying.
BEFORE NIGHTFALL, SOME small groups of adult aged people were heading for Pucay’s old Danso; while some younger folks were already there busy preparing for the night’s gathering – food, temporary bamboo benches, water, and so on.
EXCEPT THAT OLD, almost-abandoned Danso, there were no other structures that time in Bingaan. The nearest settlement they say was: Baloy – some 45 minutes hike or so – located Southwest of the Danso where Aliw-iw and Buyot arrived. No wonder:
IN THE NARRATIONS, the people of Baloy were the first named group who came to meet Aliw-iw’s Party. They recited or sang their stories, exchanged legends and tales, introduced themselves and.. their families left in Baloy. They said they were Iowaks – as Apo Pucay’s roots were; and they spoke of Sadipang – high-up the mountains.. where live more of their kin; as well as Beneng – visible beyond the high mountain point of Komojan, and located further towards the East.. near Otbong.
April 19, 2024
