#bisayan

While living in an Ilonggo-speaking region in the Philippines, I had the amazing opportunity to learn a some of the language. One feature I thought was fascinating is how people address others, especially family members. There are so many terms we don’t necessarily use in English. I tried to catalogue as many as I could. If you’re a native speaker please correct any mistakes you find! These are based on my experiences alone and might differ based on family structure or region. 

Mama/Ma/Nanay/Nay — all terms used for mother! Nay/Nanay is more often used by people 30+ talking about their parents, younger generations tend to use Ma/Mama.

Papa/Daddy/Tatay/Tay — all terms used for father! Functions pretty much the same as the terms for mother.

Lola/La — grandmother, carries a strong connotation of being older so sometimes the grandmother in a family is called Nanay by relatives instead, as a way to be polite.

Lolo/Lo — grandfather, same as above.

Manang/Nang — literally refers to an older sister but can be used for any older girl you’re close with, for example a cousin or aunt. The shortened term is cuter and more affectionate.

Ate — the Tagalog word for older sister, which is rarely used. It’s a more polite or formal version of Manang, used especially for people who aren’t from the Bisayas.

Manong/Noy — literally refers to an older brother but can be used for any older man you’re close with, or strangers if you’re a very friendly person. Especially the shortened term!

Kuya — the Tagalog word for older brother, which is rarely used and is a more polite or formal version of Manong.

Toto/To — literally refers to a young boy but it can be used for any younger man you’re close friends with. Also used as a general term for brother ex. A younger sister might refer to her older brother exclusively as “To” and not by name. It can also be a nickname, for example an administrator going by “Sir Toto” among close coworkers.

Bibi/Bi — I think this is the feminine version of Toto. Can refer to any young girl you’re close with, including a family member. I only ever heard it shortened to “bi” and never the long version.

Nini/Ni — The feminine version of Toto but implies older than Bibi. Ex. A Lola might refer to her daughter as Ni and her granddaughter as Bi. Might be a very shortened form of Manang?!

(This implies there’s another word for brother which could refer to older or younger than Toto, but if I know it I can’t remember it! Super frustrating!)

Inday — a term of endearment which means beautiful young lady. Can be used often as a nickname ex. Where’s Inday Felicia? Often used among older people talking about someone younger whom they’re fond of.

Gwapa/Gwapo — literally just means good-looking person, but it can be used in so many contexts. Anytime someone looks nice or is dressed up, AH GWAPA GID SIYA! Also can be used as a nickname ex. Miss Gwapa teaches third grade. Used to compliment kids and teenagers a lot! Gwapa is feminine and gwapo is masculine.

Upod — literally can translate as “companion” but it’s a really common way to figure out if someone is or isn’t alone. For example may upod siya? = does she have a companion? Sino ang imo upod sa Manila? = who’s your companion in Manila? This is a really common word heard in a household. Going places alone can be seen as sad or pitiful (sa akon experience lang!) and people generally try to travel together.

Hinipo — the youngest, either in a family or group of people. Can be masculine or feminine. Not too commonly used.

The Moon and Bacunawa, re-told by Damiana Eugenio in her compilation, Phillipine Folk Literature: the Myths. It was translated from Cebuano to English by E. Roa, with minor edits made for clarification.

(This sample was sourced via The Aswang Project website as the latest English edition of her book is not easily accessed outside of academic libraries - petition your local libraries!!)

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There were then seven moons in the heavenly kingdom, [set in the sky by the god Bathala so that each would light one night of the week], …. Bacunawa, the huge serpent that rules the seas, …..  fell in love with them. From [his] dark retreat among the caverns many a time he had gazed with wonder and admiration at the “seven sisters” as they traversed the windy blue, and [he] yearned to possess them. If he could only swallow them and thus be the eternal possessor of them. 

One night he flew and swallowed one of the moons and came down to earth again in fiery haste. Months had passed when the moon he had swallowed melted. He tried to get another. He succeeded but this too melted away. He tried again. He tried six times, and he succeeded six times, but six times also the precious treasure melted away. 

Meanwhile Bathala became conscious of the mysterious disappearance of the moons. He tried to find out what had happened to them but failed. One night he was awakened by a deafening sound of drums and the shouts of men and women. He woke up and he saw that the last moon was being swallowed by Bacunawa and the whole earth was in consternation for it was in complete darkness. Hearing the shouts and the noise, Bacunawa left the moon and went back to his cavern in haste. 

So [one] moon was left soaring in the skies, and to prevent Bacunawa from swallowing it up Bathala planted a bamboo tree in its midst. And still the bamboo tree can be seen as a dark spot in the face of the moon. 

Bacunawa has never given up; at times he tries again to swallow it up. But the people are always on the alert. They shout and make all sorts of noise when he tries to do so, [crying out, “Return our moon!”] and it is supposed that as long as the bamboo tree is not killed, he cannot succeed in his malicious enterprise. 

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Sorry and thank you!

I'll be doing a post (actually several), on Bisayan myths and practices soon, and a whole Bisayan deity list like I did for the Tagalog last year on my blog, thepinaywriter.com Especially now that my classes are done and it's summer.