My mother from Bacolod visited me and my family here in Cavite weeks ago. It was a great to time to get in touched with a family member you love so much. It was only last year that I had a two-week vacation in the province but that seems like decades already and you are already longing to go back to where you came from and breathe some fresh air free from lead and dust and foul smell.
Since I was so busy this summer, my mom was the one who visited me instead.
One great moment with my mom is her sharing of stories ala-Lola Basyang on the whereabouts of people and relatives in the province to keep me updated: like my father who had beaten up a very bad young boy; my sister who had to break up with her first boyfriend lest I know it and stop sending her allowance; my brother who is planning to go to Iloilo to pursue his luck on making nude paintings and sculptures; and my uncles who are still with their old ways of spending the afternoons drowning themselves with “tuba” side-by-side grilled catfish and roasted grasshoppers.
But one story that my mom shared to me and never fails to share to me every time she visits me is the update about rumors of “aswangs” in our town.
The new thing she said is that one of our neighbors is an aswang; that they hear the sound of a “tik-tik” during the creeping of the night; and that a pregnant woman most recently died because of an aswang. And my usual reply? My usual kind of loud laughter.
Stories about “aswangs” made my pants wet during my childhood days, and now I know that they were all just but stories forcing me to go to bed early. But these “aswangs” seems to never die, huh.
Though I never believe in “aswangs” and some say belief on them indicates the failure of education; the stories that my mom indefatigably shares to me seems to give me some anchor to where I came from despite the fast-paced life of the urban jungle that venerates facts and figures. The scary creatures who transform into different kinds of animals and eat the innards of its poor victims give me a sense of rootedness and bond to a culture and life that extols myths and legends to bring about the beauty and simplicity of rural living.
All of us, each region and culture have its own stories and myths and legends that are slowly being eaten away by the prominence of myth busters and science.
But “aswangs” will continue to exist, even on cities and metropolis especially when we try to find some answers to phenomena we cannot explain.
As for my mom, she already went home to Bacolod, and will face the “aswang” with stingray’s tail on hand.
I wonder if “aswangs” do blog and play Farmville too…
Do you believe in “aswangs”? What were the stories and myths and legends you grew up with that never seems to die even with the prominence of internet and science?
Image from Grass Hut Corp
I don’t believe in those stories, but I must admit they’re very entertaining. And scary when you’re just a kid.
Must be a fantastic break for your mother who didn’t have to worry about her monster of a neighbor for a spell. I bet she had a great time with her grand kids.
Grabe sobrang tagal bago ako nakareply sa comment, heheheh!
Super enjoy nga siya sa mga apo nya, maski nasa probinsya na ulit eh puro apo na lang lagi ang tinatanong…eheheh!
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One good story I know that is related to the “aswang” is the said origins the way lamay or wake is done here in the Philippines.
Folks long ago believed that “aswangs” like to steal the bodies of the dead. That’s why during the wake, relatives, friends and neighbors gather to keep a watch over the body.
Failure would could mean that the “aswang” would replace the dead body with a banana tree trunk inside the coffin.
And to keep everyone awake all night, coffee, card games and snacks are served round the clock.
Oo nga, remembered that one, kaya nagpupuyat sa burol ang mga tao dahil sa kwento na yan na nanakawin ng katawan ng pumanaw, eheheh!
Oh, I heard lots of stories about aswangs when I was little but mainly to keep me from being a bad boy. I was told that aswangs look for noisy kids and kids that go out at night and those that don’t sleep early.
Maybe the older peepz needs some aswang stories in order for them to behave too just like the old days? eheheh!
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aswangs? isn’t it the local version of vampires and werewolves? it could be a hit in the bookstores and moviehouses, if given the right storyline and production back-up.
Mukang magandang business opportunity yan, ehhheeh!
Stephanie Meyer ng Pinas, woah! Kaso parang korni kapag love story ng aswang ehehhe!
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Grabe, sabi daw ng auntie ko na titira ako sa cavite peru ayaw ko e sbi daw aswang merun daw dun at mga iba pa e sbi ng mama ko na ayaw nya e totoo ba ang aswang?