REKUERDO/MEMENTO: A DRAMATIC RECITATION
A. S. Agcaoili, arranger, editor, and translator
(Recited at the 4th Nakem International Conference Opening Ceremonies, Art Auditorium, University of Hawaii at Manoa, November 11, 2009. Poets reciting: Jeffrey Acido, Naty Cacho, Bernard Collo, Letty Manuel, and Perlita Tapec Sadorra. The poets are members of TMI Global and GUMIL Hawaii.)
Jeffrey
In the name of all the 26 poets included in Rekuerdo/Memento: Estrangement and Homing in Ilokano Poetics, we offer this first-ever dramatic recitation of some of our works.
In all these works, as seen by editor and translator, Aurelio Agcaoili, are two constants: the sense of us being strangers and yet also hoping that in the future we can go back home. There are, of course, various levels of estrangement as there are various levels of dreaming about home. This is what we want to show in this dramatic recitation that we are doing for the first time.
Naty
Barok, iti Hawaiien nga agtawatawak
Jeff
Barok, Barok, I am leaving for Hawaii now
Perlita
Barok, iti Hawaiien nga agtawatawak
Maysa, dua a tawen agkitatanto manen
Saan a mabayag ket duayyaenta manen kantata.
Jeff
In a year or two we will be together again
It will not be long and we will sing our song.
Bernard
Barok, itan ket mapanakon. Dagiti minuto
Iti baet ket naibusen, ken ti dalan aw-awagannak
Jeff
Barok, I have to go now. The minutes
Between us are gone, and the road beckons
I will send some money for your needs
Some dollars for your upkeep
So that in the currency of our dreams
You will remember that I had to leave.
Letty
Agipaw-itakton kuarta a kasapulam
Perlita
Agipaw-itakton kuarta a kasapulam
Naty
Agipaw-itakton kuarta a kasapulam
Bernard
Agipaw-itakton kuarta a kasapulam
ALL
Agipaw-itakto iti kuarta a kasapulam
Perlita
Sumagmamano a doliar a pagbiag
Tapno iti gated dagiti tagainepmo
Malagipmo a masapul a pumanawak.
Jeff
Barok, I have to go now. The minutes
Between us are gone, and the road beckons
I will send some money for your needs
Some dollars for your upkeep
So that in the currency of our dreams
You will remember that I had to leave.
Bernard
Ditoy a Paraiso dagiti exilo
Jeff
In this Paradise of exiles
Bernard
Ditoy a Paraiso dagiti exilo
Siak a maysa nga immadayo
Ragsak laeng ti adda kaniak
Nabirokak ti kaipapanak.
Jeff
In this Paradise of exiles
One like me who has gone away
Only happiness is with
I have found my life’s meaning.
Naty
Ditoy Paraiso a pagnaedak
Adut’ kadaraan a nasarakak
Ilulung- aw maymaysa a gandat
Danggayanda gaget ken gasat.
Jeff
In this Paradise where I live
Fellow countrymen I have searched
To get past poverty we all dreamed
That goes with good work and fate.
Perlita
Kaittungbolak idi ditoy a Paraiso
Idi makitak naganmo iti diario
Immayak tapno biroken ayanmo
Ta iti kasta maiburayko ammo.
Jeff
I had had just come to this Paradise
When on paper I saw by surprise
Your name I search where you were
Believing that I know I can share.
Letty
Kadakami ti kawa ken liday nga apayaunay
Iti inka ipapanaw gagayyem a naruay
Kinaragsak, kinasimple agpapadakam maray-aw
Makitami idi ti regget kadakam mangandingay
Jeff
With us is this missing you and sorrow so deep
In your leaving us your many friends you keep
Your joy, simplicity we all found you as kindred
Seeing your passion to be with us, that you wanted
Perlita
Barok, addan kadagiti imak ti visam
Manangngaasi dagiti dios kas ang-anghel
Ipangagda dagiti darepdeptayo, ammom:
Sika ken ti kabsat iti Hawaii nga umay
Ket iti bigat bilangentayo dagiti aldaw
Amin nga aldaw a naglasat kadata.
Letty
Ngem, barok, apay nga agsangsangitka?
Kuriruennaka kadin ti bisin wenno ti kita
Dagiti aldaw a maimatangam
Naty
A diakton agdalus kadagiti idda ti sabali
Agibelleng kadagiti rugitda
Agikkat iti kusen kadagiti kurtinada?
Bernard
Ngem, barok, apay nga agsangsangitka?
Jeff
But, barok, why are you crying?
Has hunger gotten into you or the prospect
Of the days when you will see
That I will no longer clean people’s beds
Throw away their garbage
And remove the crease on their curtains
Perlita
Ngem barok, apay nga agsangsangitka?
Kuriruennaka kadin ti bisin wenno ti kita
Dagiti aldaw a maimatangam
A diakton agdalus kadagiti idda ti sabali
Agibelleng kadagiti rugitda
Agikkat iti kusen kadagiti kurtinada?
Jeff
Mother, you look so old now
Mother, I have begun to miss you
A long time ago, a long time since.
Perlita
Ket siak napagasatan a mangged
Innalanak a napnuan iti talged
Tapno iti ikut ket umayak mangged
Kadagiti tallo nga annak sarikedked.
Jeff
True enough I got in as your worker
You took me in with no wonder
So that in your midst I could earn
For my hope, my three children.
Perlita
Panagpadakkel kadagiti bunga addaka
Kadagiti aldaw a narikor sisasagana
Natulongannak a nagpaadal annak
Ta iti kasta makabirokda iti pirak.
Jeff
In raising my kids you were there
Present as well in days of disorder
You helped me send them to school
So their livelihood would be full.
Naty
Nam-ay a napadpadasak
Peggad nakaisagsagmakak
Lagip napalabas nupay nasakit
Ragragsak a napnuan sam-it.
Letty
Ragragsak a napnuan sam-it
Bernard
Ragragsak a napnuan sam-it
Perlita
Ragragsak a napnuan sam-it
ALL
Ragragsak a napnuan sam-it
Jeff
Hardships we have to go through
All the work we have had to do
For us to reach what we have come for
The good life, not an easy thing at all.
Naty
Gusing, nakayanakan
Lugar a pinanawan
Adtoyakon inka ibinglayan
Bungat’ ling-et pakalaglagipan.
Jeff
Gusing, the place I was born
The village in the past I bade goodbye
Now I am here, I have come home
Share my blessings to remember me by.
Naty
Iti ilelennek ‘diay init
Dagiti ubbing a nasaririt
Isudanto ti mangikitikit
Mangsaluad batonlagip.
Jeff
This good life that I now have
And the danger I was involved with
The memory of the pain I had
Now joy has come so sweet.
Bernard
Iti sidong kapisi ti puso
Saan laeng a lailo nanamko
Tulbek ridaw impaayna
Iti Paraiso a kunada.
Jeff
On the side of my heart’s half
It’s not only caress I got
I got the key from her
To a place they call Paradise.
Bernard
Disso a nakaisadsadan
Dagiti naanus a dapan
Ditoy met laeng pakasarakan
Nasayaat a pagbiagan.
Jeff
This place where we come to
For those with patient feet
They will come to see here
The good way to earn a living.
Letty
Kadakami ti kawa ken liday nga apayaunay
Iti inka ipapanaw gagayyem a naruay
Kinaragsak, kinasimple agpapadakam maray-aw
Makitami idi ti regget kadakam mangandingay
Jeff
With us is this missing you and sorrow so deep
In your leaving us your many friends you keep
Your joy, simplicity we all found you as kindred
Seeing your passion to be with us, that you wanted
Letty
Ta sabali ti kasasaad ti kararua dagiti nagtalawataw
Kas kadakam nga iti adayo rabiimi ket aldaw
Naty
Ngem kadagiti espasio ti panunot ket lagip
Sika a dadaulomi iti pammati ti kabinnulig
Jeff
Because the soul of those who left the homeland
Is the same as those who make day as night abound
But in the spaces of thought and remembrance
You who are our leader, in faith we are one
Perlita
Ta sabali ti kararua ti nagtalawataw
Letty
Ta sabali ti kararua ti nagtalawataw
Naty
Ta sabali ti kararua ti nagtalawataw
ALL
Ta sabali ti kararua ti nagtalawataw
Bernard
Ditoy a Paraiso dagiti exilo
Siak a maysa nga immadayo
Letty
Ragsak laeng ti adda kaniak
Nabirokak ti kaipapanak.
Perlita
Ragsak laeng ti adda kaniak
Nabirokak ti kaipapanak.
Naty
Nabirokak ti kaipapak
Jeff
In this Paradise of exiles
Letty
Iti daytoy a Paraiso dagiti exilo
Perlita
Iti daytoy a Paraiso dagiti exilo
Bernard
Iti daytoy a Paraiso dagiti exilo
Jeff
In this Paradise of exiles
One like me who has gone away
Only happiness is with
I have found my life’s meaning.
Letty
Ngem, barok, apay nga agsangsangitka?
Perlita
Ngem, barok, apay nga agsangsangitka?
Naty
Ngem, barok, apay nga agsangsangitka?
Bernard
Ngem, barok, apay nga agsangsangitka?
Jeff
Mother, you look so old now
Mother, I have begun to miss you
A long time ago, a long time since.
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