Ilocanization

This will be my "going back to my roots" week... I'm not sure if that's the right thing to say though since I was born and raised in Manila and don't know much of anything that makes me Ilocano except for my father being Ilocano and my skin. I have the dark Ilocano skin.

Well, it's time to find out.

I'm trying to learn how to speak Ilocano. At some point, I knew how to speak Ilocano when I was probably, seven, eight years old. It slipped away too easily since Papa refuses to speak to me in Ilocano. I guess I'm realizing how important it is to have these kind of things in your backpack when travelling. It comes in so much handy. I know I asked him several times before. I can't remember when exactly and I don't remember how he responded. I think he's just too lazy. There's something about him that doesn't want to go back home. Not go back. Go back. But really go back.

Everyone is speaking in Ilocano in front of me now and I don't understand a damn thing. I'm inclined to going back to my book and reading English instead. Yeah, I know...the only way to learn a language is first by listening (like any language...) I'm finding that my innate impatience is making this a bit difficult.


I'll be back in Manila soon and I still don't have any idea what I will be exhibiting on June. Shit! Oh well, wanna finish my book first and make sure Mamang is okay. Then I'll think about other things.

MartOne Mall
Satiago City, Isabela

Si Mamang, si Arundhati at ang Peryahan sa Appari

Internet Cafe @ MartOne Mall
Santiago City, Isabela

It's usually slow in places like these anyway. Mamang is going to have her operation 1pm today. I like being here. I suddenly realized that I enjoy spending time with Mamang and hearing her stories of their life in the barrio. Mostly, if we are not having our random conversations about relatives and the weather, we either sleep or eat. If there's nothingelse to do, I would read. Right now, I have Arundhati Roy to occupy me. I love her! It's like reading a long poem! Besides, that I've never read a book with an Indian setting. The book is just about events in a bourgousie Indian family, their oddities and ironies to the typical Indian society. It's supposed to be boring though if you just look at it as just series of events but I love the way Roy wrote it.

I would love to stay here some more and look at the perya that Papa has been talking about. He said that he has a cousin in Appari inviting him for the fiesta. The fiesta is going to be on Sunday though. I love fiestas! Lots of food (that I can't eat.) But I love it anyway. There is so much movement! So much spirit! People go out of their houses and make an effort to see or to be seen.

I hope I could ask Uncle Jojo to take me there. Papa wouldn't go. Uncle J. said, it's nice there because our relatives' house is just near the beach and the waves are not as strong as it usually is, since its only May. The shore in Appari is supposed to be parallel to the South China Sea already. Lot said she wants to come too and finally experience Appari. She finally wants to see the the name behind the Eat Bulaga song. A place supposed to be unreachable to most people in the Philippine islands. I wouldn't mind doing the same either. I've been hearing that song eversince I started watching TV.

Papa said that the Perya their is also different. It's not like the usual ones you see in Manila. There are still Live Chicken-eating shows, and balancing acts and trapeze shows! Whaa! They have the old-school type. Many people say that these types of Peryas are only seen in the far flung barrios now since most cities all over the Philippines have been invaded by either SM or Robinson's. I hope I could at least go to see the Perya. I'll never maybe I could see material that I could use there.