Nan Inmasaw-an Lomawig id Fontok (The Marriage of Lomawig in Bontoc)

This is an excerpt from the legend of Lomawig, a god who came down from heaven and chose to live with the Bontoc people. Because of this, he is considered the god of the Bontoc people. Ifontok old men claim that Bontoc customs and rituals originate from him. This version of the Lomawig legend was written by Madkil Dagas and Eduardo Yango, and translated into English by Mr. Luciano M. Kanongkong and Jennifer S. Kanongkong (with a little revision).

Lomawig story

Translation

Id sangasangad-om, laychen Lomawig ay omasawa isnan fakinlolota. Tay siya chi, khinomwab siya id chaya ya nenfabfaat isnan teketeken ay il-ili. Isnan nenfabfaatana, inomchan siya isnan filig ay ngadnencha’s Kaman-eleng. Oschongana’t nan sin-akhi ay fabfafai ay cha mamalatong. Ala na’t ya panad id Chomney ya itokchona. Ipadsekna nan sokodna, enpalikot akhes nan asona ya intoltoloyna ay nangooschong isnan sin-akhi ay cha mamalatong.

Long, long time ago, Lomawig liked to marry a human being. Because of that, he came down from heaven and traveled to different places. As he traveled, he came upon a mountain called Kaman-eleng. He looked down to observe two sisters who were gathering black beans. He hurriedly went down to (a place called) Chomney and sat down. He jammed his spear into the ground, his dog also sat down and he continued looking down to observe the two sisters who were gathering black beans.

Sana’t kanan isnan akhew en, “Fibfikasem kay ay akhew, ta ilaek mo sino ken chaicha nan magkhew ay makatpe isnan akhew, et siya nan titiwkek, kano is khagkhayamek.” Fibfikasen pay tet-ewa nan akhew nan atong, ket ay kad-in ikhaeb nan yon-a nan enna tochong, sa et kad-in en menyafok is kaposong. Okhay nan annochi ay enngachan is Fokhan nan mangikhekheet ay mamalatong. “Aa! Si tod-i pet nan khagkhayamek tay ikhekheetna chadlo,” kanana.

Then he said to the sun, “Sun, intensify, so I can see which of them will be able to stand the heat of the sun better, and she will be the one I will choose, the one whom I will court.” The sun intensified its heat, and the older sister kept on fixing her head gear, and repeatedly went to immerse herself in the pool. The younger sister whose name was Fokhan was left on her own industriously gathering black beans. “Ah! She is the one I shall court,” he said.

Kakwasan nan nangooschongana isnan sin-akhi ay cha mamalatong, khinomchang ay en mangila ken chaicha, sana’t kanan en, “Ay ke mid sengetyo ta kanen tako?” Kanancha’y manongfat, “Wad-ay nan sengetmi. Nay met achi maid apey is ichawis tako isnan patangmi.” Tay siya chi, inmapsot si Lomawig is lokham, sana’t khochowen, sana’t sop-okan ya ket finmichang nan apey. Chinawis cha nan patang ya nangan cha, ket ay nataa nan sin-akhi isnan inilacha tay ya ke sisya kayet nan makan ya nan patang, kag cha eg-ay kinan.

After he finished looking down to observe the two sisters who were gathering black beans, he crossed the river to see them and then he said, “Don’t you have a lunch pack that we can eat?” They answered, “Yes, we have a lunch pack. But we have no fire with which to roast our viand.” Because of that, Lomawig pulled some weeds, then he rolled them in his hands, then he blew on them and the fire blazed. They roasted the viand and ate, then the two sisters were amazed at what they saw because the same amount of rice and viand still remained, it was as if they have not eaten.

Kanan et nan esang en, “Sino man nan katakhon tona? Ke tako ak-akalem ay mangan isnan makan ya patang magtek sisya kayet ay kag maid naksayan isnan sengetmi.” Issan nakwasan cha’y nangan, finachangan Lomawig chaicha ay mamalatong. Nen-iyapolotna nan kanawan ya kanikhid ay limana isnan falatong sana’t cha ipagpag isnan tayaancha ay sin-akhi ya ket nenkapno nan chey ay tayaancha.

Then the other one said, “What kind of person is this? We had eaten well of the rice and viand but still our lunchpack looks like it has not been lessened.” After they ate, Lomawig helped them gather black beans. He coiled his right and left hand in the beanstalks and then he shook them off in the sisters’ container and their container became full.

Sacha’t mafobweg ay somaa. Sinakpipina nan nachapig ay fato et siya nan egnana. Inomchan cha pay isnan saefan, kanana’s san sin-akhi en, “Omilleng ak isna, sa kayo magtek omyali is chanom ta inomek.” Inid-an pay san sin-akhi nan awitcha, kanan et amacha, “Ke kayo lang sang-oyan ay somaa idwani?” “Wad-ay man nan lalaki ay kenkenekhan ay finmachang ken chakami ay mamalatong. Fowegmi ay sinmaa et sana’s kasaefan ay omilleng. Kanana’n omyey kami kano is chanom ta ominom,” insongfatcha.

Then they all went home together. Lomawig carried a flat rock under his arm and that was what he held. When they reached the resting place, he said to the sisters, “I will rest here, but kindly bring me water so that I can drink.” When the two sisters brought home their loads, their father asked, “What made you come home early today?” “A very quiet man helped us gather black beans. He accompanied us home and is at the resting place resting. He asked us to bring him water to drink,” they replied.