LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
Roger
Sinot
ASIN HOT SPRINGS, Tuba, Benguet -- Before
the meeting of the council of elders of Baguio had adjourned, Manang Vicky
Macay, an elder from Loakan, handed me a copy of a story she shared in a
lecture at Marry Knoll Learning Center last Nov. 22.
Their intention was to make a book on customs
and traditions of the early settlers of Loakan, a barangay of Baguio. She told
me to write this down in this column, so let me summarize her 8-page story.
Manang Vicky said the once rustic Loakan,
then called Doakan in her childhood is now so different. She recalled how they
cared for the land, the water sources and springs.
"There was a spring in Sadjo near the
old house of Bilad Carantes Macay, but this was destroyed when the compound of
the Export Processing Zone (EPZA) was built in the 80's,”she said.“There were
two rivers in Pidawan, where we used to get water to drink and bathe. But now
the rivers are dirty and polluted."
She continued: "In the past, our parents
would remind us when we go to school not to throw anything in the river because
we might hit unseen beings -- so many reminders on taking care of the
waters."
She related the natural bounties they
benefited from when the mountains in the area were lush and green. That was
then, she said, adding people should be "nature's guardians".
She ended her story: "We always
remembered what our elders said. Lend to those who are in need so they can have
a turn to work on the land. Don't you know that there are ancestral spirits
watching you when you are selfish? In that case, they would not give you a good
harvest."
***
Here is an American Indian saying I quote
from Facebook:
"There was a time when man took no more
than he needed -- that time is gone. There was a time when he gave something
back -- that time is gone. There was a time when he worshiped the creator and
honored the creation-- that time too is gone. Now that the waters are polluted,
our natural resources are all but gone and the creation is dying. It is time to
find our way back to earth!"
***
Here is also a popular
old song written by Louis Armstrong, a song I usually sing with my grandson
Justin Wesley while
we go for a walk on the road here in Asin, entitled What a
Wonderful World.
I see trees of green,
red roses too
I see them bloom for
me and for you
And I said to myself
what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue
and clouds of white
The bright blessed
day, the dark sacred night
And I said to myself
what a wonderful world.
The colors of the
rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
of people passing by
I see friends shaking
hands saying How do you do
But what they're
really saying is I love you
I hear baby's crying
and I watched them grow
They'll learn much
morethan I'll ever know
And I think to myself
what a wonderful world
Yes,I think to myself
what a wonderful world! Oh yeah!
***
The world is in our
hands now. Shall we join the band of
Common Tragedy (Maudi ti babawi)? Or do our part as guardians of nature
and one day walk along the parks singing the song What A Wonderful World with
our children and grand children! The choice is ours my friends. Let us be
Vicky Macays in our own ways.
Merry Christmas and a
Happy Trails to everyone. Happy birthday to my grandson Justin Wesley Daoas
Sinot on his 4th year this Dec. 24.
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