The Greatest Isinay Book Ever Published (1)

IN EARLY 2008, smarting from an almost fatal case of myocardial infarction (that's "mild heart attack" for us non-doctors) the year before, I have started work on what I envisioned to be the most comprehensive -- if not the very first -- dictionary of the Isinay language.

Part of my game plan, apart from squeezing the brains, let alone the patience, of senior and not-yet-senior Isinays in my hometown Dupax (and ushering all my guardian angels so that I won't appear too "manangaranga" or acting like a pest to them) is to first list down all Isinay words I could gather.

And after having checked, cross-checked, and double-checked the words' meanings as well as their spellings, I would format them using MS Publisher into a book, complete with photos and drawings, then make a printout, and then present the draft output in a meeting with the Senior Citizens of Dupax del Sur and the Bona^ si Isinai Dopaj.

The trajectory I have mapped out is to come out with an Isinay-English dictionary first, then immediately follow this up with an English-Isinay version.

Now, if you ask me when would the dictionary see the light of day, I would most probably give you a standard "it's a work in progress." Why? Because I miscalculated the extreme challenge presented by this self-imposed mission.

For love of Isinay -- both the language and the people -- I'm not surrendering. Mandajmu^ mu satut maayar an apyo^ nanung an dumatong ri oras uwar, urya^ iavoloy an marin marapus ri in-inopon tauwar an diccionario taun Isinay!

Bayaw ot, perish the thought, in case I would not be able to finish this project before my expiry date comes, and someone or some concerned group more able and hardworking would continue the "Isinay revitalization thru dictionaries" mission I have committed myself to, I strongly recommend that he/she/they get a copy of what I think is the greatest Isinay book ever published.

That book is UP Professor Constantino's Isinay Texts and Translations -- a 561-page volume published in December 1982 by the Institute for the Study of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa, with office at Kita-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

Why do I say the greatest? And why do I recommend it?

Because, as in a gold mine, it is a pure mother lode of Isinay words (many of them in varying levels of being forgotten!) from Aritao, Bambang, and Dupax.

Not only that. It is also a paradise of folktales, songs, documents, and historical bits all of which have yet to be fully explored and enjoyed by those who care for Isinay country and its culture.

Well, for Doubting Thomases, the book's table of contents should be instructive for now. Here:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS = ⅲ
Chapter
Ⅰ. INTRODUCTION = 1
Ⅱ. ISINAY STORIES = 13
A. From Aritao = 14
1) Tale of the Turtle and the Monkey = 14
2) Prince Juan of Two Spans = 22
3) The Deer and the Snail = 40
4) Beautiful and the Beast = 46
5) Juan the Oracle = 64
6) The Salt Springs in Salinas = 76
7) The Princess of the River Marange = 82
8) The Mermaid in the River = 88
9) Origin of the Name Aritao = 92
10) Story of the Isinays in the Town of Aritao = 94
B. From Dupax = 102
11) Tale of the Turtle and the Monkey = 102
12) The Bird Called Sippayut = 110
13) Three Bachelor Friends = 112
14) Little Pedro and Big Pedro = 118
15) The Legend of Ping¬ao = 120
16) The Story of the Ghost in Abannatan = 122
17) The Story of a Ghost = 126
18) The Princess of the Dampol Bridge = 126
19) Secret Story of Saint Vicente Ferrer = 128
20) Saint Vicente Ferrer = 132
21) The Name of the Town of Dupax = 134
22) Barrio Banila = 134
C. From Bambang = 138
23) Mr. Snail, Mr. Bumblebee and Mr. Dragonfly = 138
24) Juan the Pitch¬Coin Player = 140
25) The Dog That Knew How to Talk = 146
26) The Town of Bambang = 154
27) The Name of the Town of Bambang = 156
28) Story of the Town of Bambang = 158
29) Story of the Town of Bambang = 162
30) A Short History of the Town of Bambang = 170
31) Origin of the Magat River = 172
Ⅲ. ISINAY RIDDLES AND PROVERBS = 175
A. Riddles = 176
a. "Let's Tell Riddles" = 176
b. The Riddles = 178
B. Proverbs = 190
a. "Listen to What I'm Going to Tell You" = 190
b. The Proverbs = 192
c. Proverbs from the Comedia ¬Estoque¬ Isinay, Life of Don Juan Pugut of the Kingdom of Escocia = 200
Ⅳ. ISINAY SONGS = 203
1) Song of the Suitor = 204
2) Who Owns This House? = 204
3) Before You Stood Up = 206
4) Here is My Humble Self = 208
5) Farewell = 216
6) Like the Light of a Candle = 218
7) Oh Star! = 220
8) Where are You? = 220
9) Pity My Heart = 222
10) Beloved Rosing = 224
11) My Promise = 224
12) The Happiness on Earth = 226
13) We Who are Merciful = 228
14) Lullaby: My Child will Go to Sleep Now = 228
15) Baliwaway: Neneng, Just Go to Sleep Please = 230
16) We are Three Women = 232
17) We Who are Here Suffering = 232
18) God is in You = 236
19) Hymn to Our Mother Saint Catalina Virgin and Martyr = 236
20) The Angels = 244
21) Lovely Night = 246
Ⅴ. ISINAY PERSONAL NARRATIVES = 249
A. "My Life" = 250
1) Eufracio Toje = 250
2) Juan Mallo = 250
3) Magdalena Larosa¬ Aliaga = 254
4) Ambrosio Pating y Umamos = 262
5) Carlina Liquigan Felix = 272
6) Anastacio Acosta = 274
7) Narcisa TungPalan = 276
B. "My Experiences During the Japanese Period" = 278
8) Juan Mallo = 278
9) Magdalena Larosa¬Aliaga = 286
10) Gavino Madumi = 292
Ⅵ. ISINAY CUSTOMS ABOUT MARRIAGE AND DEATH = 299
A. Old Customs of the Isinays Concerning Marriage = 300
1) Eufronio Larosa, Sr. = 330
2) Edgar L. Daniel = 320
B. Old Customs of the Isinays Concerning Death = 330
1) Eufronio Larosa, Sr. = 330
2) Edgar L. Daniel = 336
C. Documents = 344
a. The Patayav for Eufronio Larosa, Jr.(1934) = 344
b. The Testament of Margarita Larosa. Granada(1925) = 352
Ⅶ. ISINAY DIARIES
1) First Isinay Diary: Diary of the Quiangan Troop This Present Year Which is One Thousand Eight Hundred and Ten = 362
2) Second Isinay Diary: 〔The Things Which the Alferez Did Which We Did not Like〕 = 400
3) Third Isinay Diary: Diary Which Records the Things Done by the Troop Sent by the Lord Commander Don Juan Mallo from the town of Bagabag on Order of the Lord Mayor and on Order also of the Superior = 414
Ⅷ. AN ISINAY DRAMA: LIFE OF DON JUAN PUGUT OF THE KINGDOM OF ESCOCIA = 433
Ⅸ. ISINAY PRAYERS FROM THE CATECISMO DE LA DOCTRINA CRISTIANA DE LA LENGUA DE ISINAY O INMEAS = 523
Making the Sign of the Cross = 524
Our Father = 524
Hail Mary = 526
I Believe = 528
The Salutation = 530
Commandments of God = 532
Commandments of Our Mother Holy Church = 534
Sacraments of Our Mother Holy Church = 536
Articles = 536
The Sins from Which the Other Sins Originate are Seven = 540
The Virtues Which Oppose the Seven Sins are Seven = 542
The Acts of Mercy = 542
Blessings of the People = 544
The Powers of the Soul are Three = 546
The Senses of the Body are Five = 548
The Enemies of the Soul are Three = 548
The Virtues Which are Called Theological are Three = 548
The Virtues Which are Called Cardinal are Four = 548
The Destinations of Us People are Four = 550
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are Seven = 550
The Fruits of the Holy Spirit are Twelve = 550
The Gifts of the Body of People Shared from God are Four = 552
The Whips of God on People on This Earth are Three = 552
The Acts Which are Done in Payment Sins are Three = 554
The Sins Which Clamor for Retribution from God are Four = 554
The Sins Which are Clearly Opposed to God the Holy Spirit are Four = 554
The Sacramental Acts Which Can Cause the Forgiveness of Small Sins are Nine = 556
The Confession = 558
Manner of Repentance = 558

[DEE TAY SI ATUPTUPNA]