AKLANON FOLKTALES: Mga Sugilanon ni Payo (Part 1)

(Photo by Roy G. Escalona)

INTRODUCTION

Bonifacio “Payo” Bautista, who popularized the oral satire “Mga Sugilanon ni Payo”, once lived in Western
Aklan. No one knows his birth and lineage. He was once a lackey to a squeamish peninsular (Spaniard)
who “reflected the idiosyncrasies of a spoiled and vicious people”, according to Beato A. de la Cruz
(1958) who first compiled these tales. Payo’s experiences with his master were woven into what is now
known as the “Tales of Payo”. This is a series of “humorous tales bursting with native wit and humor
which made even the objects of his subtle tirades chuckle” (De la Cruz, 1958:40). The gobernadorcillo
(town head) of Ibajay town in Aklan is the center of mockery in these tales. The English version of the
tales below were all taken from De la Cruz's “Contributions of the Aklan Mind to Philippine Literature”
(1958). The Aklanon texts were written with the assistance of Mr. John Barrios and were verified with Mrs.
Florencia Franco Silva vda. de Solano, eldest daughter of Pia Franco who had narrated the tales to De la
Cruz almost 50 years ago. Mrs. Solano remembers all the tales except the one entitled “Ro Santikan”
(The Flintlock). Her mother used to narrate the “Tales of Payo” during drinking sprees, and she would tell
those who talk or argue like a “pilosopo” these words: “Makay Payo ka gid ing.” (You are really like Payo.)
or “Ikaw gid a ro nakabuoe sa mga linahi ni Payo.” (You are really the one who inherited the
characteristics of a Payo descendant.).

Here is the first of the “Tales of Payo”.

SI PAYO AG RO BAROTO (Payo and the Boat)

Isaeang adlaw, ginsugo si Payo it gobernadorcillo nga mag-usoy it baroto para sakyan it mga bisita nga
magahalin sa tabok it suba. Nag-agto si Payo sa suba ag igto hay nakakita imaw it mabahoe nga baroto.
Ginuyod nana ra paeapit sa pangpang ag ginpakueob para magmaea ag igto rayon imaw sa idaeom it
baroto nageubog hasta hay imaw hay hakatueogan. Pag-abot it mga bisita hay gintawag nanda si Payo
pero owa sanda habatii it nagakatueog nga si Payo. Nagpaeupok it baril ro mga bisita pero owa man
gihapon habugtaw si Payo. Nagkaeagulo eon sa banwa bangud sa linupok nga habatian halin sa tabok it
suba. Ngani, nag-usisa ro gobernadorcillo. Nakita nana ro anang mga bisita sa tabok it suba ag ro
nagakueob nga baroto ag si Payo nga nagakatueog sa idaeom kara. Gulpi nana nga binugtaw si Payo ag
ginpangisgan, pero ginsabat imaw it anang sueoguon nga, “Indi baea nga ginhambaean mo ako nga
mag-usoy it baroto ag bantayan ra para sa imong mga bisita? Owa mo man ako ginhambaean nga
pasakyon sanda patabok it suba a?” Ag dikato eang rayon nagtawhay ro gobernadorcillo dahil narealisar
nana nga bukon it kumpleto ro anang sugo.
(One day, the gobernadorcillo of Ibajay asked Payo to find a boat for some visitors who were coming from
across the river that day. Payo went to the river and found a big boat. This he hauled to the bank and
turned it upside down to dry, and lay down under it where he fell asleep. When the visitors came, they
called for a boat but Payo did not mind them. The visitors fired their guns as they called again but Payo
slept on. There were already some consternation in the town because of the firing across the river. So the
gobernadorcillo went to see what the matter was. He found his expected guests on the other side of the
river while the boat was upside down on the bank with Payo sleeping beneath it. He woke Payo rudely
and reprimanded him for his act but the servant answered, “Did you not tell me to find a boat and watch it
only for your guests? Whoever told me to ferry them across?” The gobernadorcillo calmed down when he
realized the incompleteness of his order.)

ANALYSIS

This particular tale shows defiance of order. This is shown in the subtle defiance of Payo which
represents the Aklanon’s disobedience to orders of the Spanish colonial masters represented by the
gobernadorcillo. To defy a colonial master’s order is to refuse to submit oneself to the Spanish rule; to
defy the gobernadorcillo and his guest is to show contempt and disrespect to the government he serves.
Not treating the guests as VIP’s is a way of showing them that they are not as important as they think
they are and that Payo or any Aklanon is their equal or even their superior. Payo’s way of making the
gobernadorcillo realize the lack of foresight in his order is a way of pointing out that the people they call
indios could be smarter than they are.

(To be continued...)

THE AKLANON FOLKTALES SERIES:

A. MGA SUGILANON NI PAYO

1. Si Payo ag ro Baroto (Payo and the Boat)
2. Ro mga Tae sa Tinapay (Dung on the Bread)
3. Ro Santikan (The Flintlock)
4. Ro mga Alimango (The Crabs)
5. Ro Kurae (The Fence)

B. OTHER AKLANON FOLKTALES

1. Ro Pag-abu it mga Tawo sa Kalibutan (The Peopling of the Earth)
2. Ro Amo ag ro Buaya (The Monkey and the Crodile)
3. Ro Kuring nga Nag-usoy it Mananod (The Cat Who Looked for a Midwife)
4. Si Tungkuang Langit ag Alunsina (Tungkuang Langit and Alunsina)
5. Si Juan ag ro Hari (John and the King) [as told by the Ati in Brgy. Cubay, Malay]

*Excerpts from De Juan, Alexander C. “The Tongue and the Pen versus the Spanish Rule in Aklan”. In
Palayag: Selected Papers from the Proceedings of the 7th Conference on West Visayan History and
Culture (pp. 80-95). Iloilo City: Center for West Visayan Studies, University of the Philippines in the
Visayas, 1999.

A paper read during the 7th Conference on West Visayan History and Culture, held in Corcordia, Nueva
Valencia, Guimaras on Nov. 21-22, 1996, with the theme “Folk History and Philippine Revolution”.

REFERENCES:

Books, Published and Unpublished Printed Materials

Barrios, John, Melchor Cichon and Dominador Ilio. The Katipunan in Aklan. A research presented to the
Sub-commission for Cultural Dissemination, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, 1993. (Later
published in 1997)

De la Cruz, Beato A. Contributions of the Aklan Mind to Philippine Literature. Rizal: Kalantiao Press,
1958.

Magos, Alicia, Henry Funtecha and Emmeline Cabalum. “Culture, Mass Media and National
Development.” In Danyag, Journal of Studies in the Humanities, Education and the Sciences. Iloilo City:
U.P. in the Visayas, June 1989.

Manyas, Peping Tansinko. Tagipuson nga Hueowaran. Kalibo: Limbagan nay G. Francisco J. Albar,
1926.

Perla-Imson, Ma. Elnora. “Philippine Literature in Spanish: Evolving a National Literature.” Celebrating the
Word/Pagdiwang ng Salita. Efren Abueg, et al. (eds.). Manila: Linangan ng Literatura ng Pilipinas
(Literary League of the Philippines), n.d.

Interviewees

Concepcion, Crisalinda, 64 years old, resident of Batan, Aklan, interviewed in Batan, November 3, 1996.

Cortes, Editha, 69 years old, resident of Batan, Aklan, interviewed in Batan, November 3, 1996.

Cortes, Almyra, 52 years old, resident of Batan, Aklan, interviewed in Batan, October 27, 1996.

Recidoro, Efren, 71 years old, resident of Balete, Aklan, interviewed in Balete, August 15, 1995.

Solano, Florencia Franco Silva, 76 years old, resident of Ondoy, Ibajay, Aklan, interviewed in Ondoy,
June 20, 1999.
Mga Sugilanon ni Payo (Part 2)

Photo: “Spolarium” by Juan Luna

http://ajpoliquit.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/p1150413.jpg

“RO MGA TAE SA TINAPAY”

(Dung on the Bread)

Pero bisan ano kaluko-luko si Payo indi man mabatas it gobernadorcillo nga imaw hay paeaason. May
utak pa man kuno imaw nga nabilin. Isaeang adlaw, gindaea imaw it anang agaeon para mangayam.
Owa pa man sanda nakapanaw it maeayo-eayo, ginpapundo it gobernadorcillo ro anang kabayo ag
ginpangutana si Payo kon may napan-uhan imaw nga kwako, ag basi nawigit sa daean. “Huo, Señor,”
sabat si Payo, “pero wa ko’t a ginpueot ay eaom ko’t a hay ginpilak mo ma’t a.” Bangud kara hinambaean
lang imaw it gobernadorcillo nga “Sa sunod, kon may makita ka nga mahueog halin sa ang kabayo,
pueota gid, ay kinahangean ta naton ron sa atong pamanawon.” “Huo, Senor,” sabat ni Payo. Owa
nagbuhay hay tumae ro kabayo it gobernadorcillo, ag nagkaealat ra sa daean. Insigida man nga nanaog
si Payo sa anang kabayo ag pinueot tanan nga tae ag sinueod sa anang bag. Kat truadlaw eon hay
nagpuhaw anay sanda sa idaeop puno ay ginutom ro gobernadorcillo. “Abi, Payo, paguw-a eon ro atong
mga tinapay una ag haron atong ilabson.” Dinawat ni Payo ro bag sa gobernadorcillo, ag kinuot it agaeon
ro bag, ag kibot ta imaw ay tae ta’t kabayo ra hakuot. “Hay nano ta ra ag may tae ta?” Gulpi’t akig ro
gobernadorcillo, pero gulpi ma’t sabat si Payo, “Hay nagbilin ka gid nga pueoton tanan nga mahueog sa
ing kabayo ag.” Ag humipos eon lang ro gobernadorcillo.

(Foolish as Payo was, the gobernadorcillo could not dismiss him just like that. He has also some sense.
One day, his master went on a hunting trip and brought him along with him. Before they had gone some
way, the gobernadorcillo stopped his horse and asked Payo whether he saw the tobacco pipe which was
lost in the way. Payo said he did but did not pick it up for he thought his master was throwing it away. So
the gobernadorcillo told Payo, “Next time if you see that something drops from my horse, do pick it up for
we shall need it later.” “Yes, Señor,” said Payo. Sometime after, the horse of the gobernadorcillo
scattered its dung on the road. Hurriedly, Payo got off from his horse and gathered up all the dung that
fell and dropped it into the bag. By noon, they rested under a tree. The gobernadorcillo became hungry
and so asked Payo for their bread for they would eat their lunch there. When Payo brought the bag, his
master dipped his hand into it but found the dung on the bread. He fumed and asked Payo why there was
dung on the bread. Payo answered, “Did you not tell me to pick all that dropped from your horse because
they will be of some use to you later?” Again, the gobernadorcillo kept quiet.)[English version by Beato A.
de la Cruz, 1958]
ANALYSIS: The gobernadorcillo, commanding Payo to pick everything that fell from his horse, is symbolic
of the colonizers’ imposition to Aklanons to follow everything they order them to do: from the hard and
unjust labor on tobacco plantations as symbolized by the gobernadorcillo’s tobacco pipe, to the dirty
habits, vices, abuses and atrocities. Payo’s putting the horse’s filth inside the bag with bread is symbolic
of the Aklanons’ desire to show the colonial masters the “dirt” they scatter all over Aklan, and for them to
eat their own filth.

(To be continued...)*Excerpts from De Juan, Alexander C. “The Tongue and the Pen versus the Spanish
Rule in Aklan”. In Palayag: Selected Papers from the Proceedings of the 7th Conference on West
Visayan History and Culture (pp. 80-95). Iloilo City: Center for West Visayan Studies, University of the
Philippines in the Visayas, 1999.

Part 1: “Si Inday Mapuea-puea”

The Aklanon “kaeantahon” or folk songs exalt the Aklanon ideals and values, like the ideal beauty,
respect for elders and native customs, hard work, patience, fortitude, patriotism and the sense of
community.

One Aklanon folk song tells of an ideal beauty:

Photo from Makatang Ligaw’s Profile Pictures.

SI INDAY MAPUEA-PUEA

Si Inday mapuea-puea,

Angay gid sa baeay nga tabla,

Tumindog, humiya-hiya,

Ma’t bueak it katueanga.

Si Inday maputi-puti,

Angay gid sa baeay nga tapi;

Tumindog, kumiri-kiri,

Ma’t bueak it kamantigi.

Si Inday maitom-itom,

Angay gid sa baeay nga butong;

 Tumindog, maghiyom-hiyom,

Ma’t bueak it katsubong.

OH INDAY SO FAIR, SO FAIR

Oh Inday so fair, so fair,

Fit for a house made of hard wood;

When she stands and laughs,

She looks like a hibiscus flower.

Oh Inday so white, so white,

Fit for a house made of fly wood;

When she stands and dances,

She looks likes the fair touch-me-nots.

Oh Inday so brown, so brown,

Fit for a house made of bamboo;

When she stands and smiles,

She looks likes the katsubong blossom.

(Source: Beato A. de la Cruz, 1958)

In the folk song, the woman’s desirable characteristics are described with the thought of making a house
suited for her kind of beauty, which means the man is courting the woman with the intention of marrying
her and making a house for both of them. Nowadays, courtship does not necessarily mean marriage in
the near future, or that the man will make a house for the woman he is courting.

(To be continued...)
Excerpts from “Virtues and Vices in Aklanon Proverbs, Idiomatic Expressions and Folk Songs” by
Alexander de Juan. Paper read during the 23rd Conference on West Visayan History and Culture,
sponsored by the U.P. Visayas Center for West Visayan Studies, held on Nov. 15-16, 2012 at Camiña
Bahay na Bato, Arevalo, Iloilo City.

Part 3: “Mamumugon”
A pitiful experience of a motherless child laborer is told in the folk song “Mamumugon” (Laborer). The
virtue of industry is extolled as well as the value of family and the love of a mother to her child. On the
other hand, the unfair labor practices were criticized in the song.

Photo by Ap Murillo, from Buhay Pinoy-Filipino Life in Picture, Philippines

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/123/416179389_c439ab2f86.jpg

Mamumugon

Mamugon ako, mamugon,

sa tawo nga manggaranon;

alas-dos ako pakan-on, ay, ay,

orasyon ako paulion.

 Pag-abot ko man sa baeay,

mangayo ako it humay;

tinuro ako ni Tatay, ay, ay,

una sa eusong ro paeay.

Alinon ko man ro paeay,

eawas ko karon ginabudlay;

kon buhi kunta si Nanay, ay, ay,

makaon ako, mapahuway.

Mamumugon

Trabahor ako sa bukid,

sa isang taong mayaman;

alas-dos na ko pakakainin, ay, ay

alas-sais na ko pauuwiin.

Pagdating ko naman sa bahay,

hihingi ako ng kanin;

tinuro ako ni Tatay, ay, ay,

andu’n sa lusong ang palay.

Aanhin ko naman ang palay,

ang katawan ko ngayon ay lupay-pay;

kung buhay sana, si Nanay, ay, ay,

 kakain lang at hihilay-hilay.

Laborer

I am a laborer, a laborer

To a wealthy master;

I eat my lunch at 2 o’clock,

I go home at angelus.

But when I arrive at home

And ask for rice,

My father would tell me,

“Go and pound the palay at the rice pounder.”

What would I do with the palay

When my body is so tired?

If only mother is alive,

I will just eat and rest.

(Source: Piologo Tabernilla of Makato, Aklan, 1995)