TRAILS UP NORTH

Glo Abaeo Tuazon
Dream me a river

KAPANGAN, Benguet -- Cold days, time when the water starts to cuddle for a little warmth. In the morning it gurgles in a wake up call, rousing itself up to race with the day. From its source at the Mt. Data forest reserve, it flows down, southwest, in gentle tumbles to the land of Kapangan, a serene enclave of similarly gentle people. It rushes past the mountains, creating trails along its way, the path they called the Amburayan.

So was born a river. Tales are plenty here, but one stands out. It tells of the epic of Lam-ang, the man who matured right after his birth and set out to take vengeance against the people who slew his father. After the carnage, he headed to the mighty Amburayan to bath polluting the water that every living being there crawled out to breathe awhile and slowly die on its shores. But tales are just that.

To some people the river is a dream and of hopeful imaginings. Go wade along its shores to feel the river souls creeping on you, the life of it clinging to your bones long after you left. On warm summer days the river is alive with bathers, children running about and lying on shallow pebbled bottoms.

Teens come hopping by, their eyes twinkle with glee and youthful carelessness, all aglow and feeling the first throbbing of the heart. Love stories happen here often, the sweet whisper of promises carried by the current to Kingdom come. Some of these promises flourish and grow, some promises carried by the tides when it reaches the sea on the other side, to foreign places unknown.

Others who live along the banks of the Amburayan see the river as a life giver. With its many bounties of sand, gravel and stones, a house of dreams could be built on those. Make a business out of it and catch a few loads of fishes too.

In Kapangan the dreams are much wider. The river has been one major water source in the area tracing it back to years past. With the lingering talks of creating a mini hydro plant, the people are at a loss having different or opposing opinions. For now enjoying the river and rehabilitating it to its former glory is a feat they wanted to conquer.

These dreams they stuffed in a bottle and let float on the waters of the mighty Amburayan for the river gods to read and maybe smile upon. -- email: twilight_glo@yahoo.com
look up: twilightglo.multiply.com