Long time ago, on the unnamed place of a mountainous area. There was a couple living on top of the mountain. They are originally from Samoki, Bontoc. They are living a simple life, just like how the Igorot people live.
Abaya: Baket, nay ameyak erth kasin aschi uma. Saka ikad asnan cha taraken ta. (Dear, I’m going now to the field, I’ll the farm animals to you for now.)
Labuan: Na amey kat Lakay, mawni ka man, panse-ed mu na nalay falon mu ta achi ka muwat asna chanan. (Oh Dear you’re going now, wait a minute I’ll pack your lunch.)
Abaya: Na wern kayam salamat, alat men isupot ka asas makan. (Right I almost forgot, thanks my dear.)
Abaya hunts while his wife takes care of the house and their crops on the rice fields. One day, their dog went down the mountain and reached the place called Banao-en. Once Abaya got home Labuan told his husband that their dog was missing, so Abaya went to find it. The time he found it, the dog won’t follow him back home. So he went home alone with a sulked face.
Labuan: Ni nakasaar kat Lakay, yah untu kay na aso ta yake achim khuyog. (Oh Dear you’re home already, but where is our pet dog?)
Abaya: Ta achi na laychen ay umunod ya. Uray ngag na angnerk ya eth achi na ladta umali ya. Sino ngatay khapo na? (Well, our dog doesn’t want to come home, I done everything I could to follow me but still fail. What could be the reason why?)
Labuan: Ahy mangammo eth pay, unuchen tat man ta ulay aschi taku eth ay mente-e. Ay ngen ay mayat ngata aschi. (Well who knows, maybe it’s good to live there, I think we should go and follow our dog?
Abaya: Nak niliwes met erth mayat iman, ang-angsan na chanum, an-anwa pay na mamula-an. (It is, no doubt I went around the place and wow, the green land is wider then here and we could plant a lot of crops over there.)
Labuan: Sha erth achi ngarud ta as wakgat eth ta shatat amey. (Then it’s decided, let’s move on tomorrow.)
The next day, they pack up their things and get moving on. Once they reached the place the dog was waiting there. They build their new house and settled there. They even decided to raise some cows, goats, and even carabaos.
As years passed by, the population of their stocks got overly high populated so some of the animals moved to another to another place where they could find more food and play freely.
Labuan: Lakay, nay inmangsan eth na taraken ta ya achi eth umanay na khawad taku ay nalay, cha kumulang pay na chada khen, entat achi men-ila as an-anwa ay mentaraknan ta achi shayang chana. (Dear, our animals have now got over populated, their food is now not enough for all of them to eat. We should find a place that is good enough for them.)
Abaya: Ay tuna kasin na ta men-ilaan csa, cha umangsan na takhu yah. Mawni ta shak ilan ad aschi Bengasan bareng ya mayat man. (Where can we find another place here my dear? Lots of people have move on to this place and I don’t think we can still find another one. But I can go to Bengasan to see if it’s good for all of us.)
Labuan smiled and just kept quiet, and continued to do her thing.
As days passed by she observed the barn, and couldn’t help but pity the animals. She talked to her husband again until he finally agreed to move.
Labuan: En kha-erb ta una as afong tas chi ta sata ta pay iyey na taraken ta. (Dear, let’s build a house ther first before we’re gonna move there.)
Abaya: Wern Baket ta mawakgat ta satat amey. (Alright my dear, we’ll go there in the morning.)
The couples make a move on their plan and went to Bengasan to start their task. It took weeks for them to build a house for them and move their things and the animals to the place. They settled there for years now but something is missing. They don’t have children to take care of their stocks when they’re gone.
Abaya: Lakay angkhay marakay kat ya sino pay na sa mangchuno asnan nalay cha nu matey ta. (My husband, were already getting off at age yet we still don’t have a descendant to inherit our property. Who’ll be the one take it if one day we’ll go to the other side of the world.)
Labuan: Baket, fhaken man sas aped mu problemaen. At awnin erth mawada tun. Sed-en ta na ichwat di Kafunyan. (Oh goodness dear, don’t think like that. Let’s wait for the blessing of the Only One, I believe that one day we’ll go paradise without worrying about the inheritance.)
Abaya: Sha man Lakay, ngem angkhay ngag erth na tawen ta ya mid paylang khanak ta. Kashanu pay nu as wakgat yah amey tat. (If you say so, but still…we don’t know what tomorrow is gonna be.)
Labuan: Sha ngarud Baket awnit mawachay tun. (Let’s wait my dear there’s no need for the rush.)
Time flies by, the couple tried to have a baby but unluckily still no progress. They started to lose hope, but they still tried to hold on. Every time Abaya prayed that someday they would have a child.
(On the other side of the village)
Villager 1: Ta yhaker angkhay si Abaya ya mid paylang sukat si pagulong na. ya ngag erth na taw-en asawa na yah. Nabayag chay nan-asawa erth yah. (You know brother; Abaya and his wife is now getting old but still they don’t have a child on their own. They’ve been married for years but why no kid yet.)
Villager 2: Ay fhaken tat sa problema man padli, ayke taku fiyag sa. (Brother that’s not our problem you know, that their life and we don’t have anything to do with it.)
Villager 3: Way man awni ta engkana mal-us na akhew ya tawen sapay mawachay anak cha. (Maybe after years that’s going to pass before they’ll have one.)
Villager 2: Ta way sha man khab-ern takut man na chataku khab-en. Fiyag chat man sa ad-i taku fakibyangan ya. (Maybe brother let’s mind our own business now.)
The word reached the ears of the couples, Abaya got tired of what the other villagers are saying about them. So instead of listening to it she blocked and turned deaf of what the others are saying about them that they still don’t a kid and won’t have a kid now for their age. On the other side Labuan, got upset and overthinks that maybe they are right. until one day…
Labuan: Lakay, yakhe madi na marik-riknak. Aped ak narakay maflay ya fhaken na kag-san dati. Awni en chakhet muwat, yah tu man nas awak ay. (Dear, why I have been feeling unwell this past days, I get tired easily and even hungry even after I just ate like an hour ago, it’s not like this before.)
Abaya: Yah, ay wachay shakit mhu Baket, ay ngan py eth na ikkan tas sa. (Dear, you’re getting sick nah’ what are we going to do now.)
Labuan suddenly felt an urge to throw up so she run outside in a flash. Her husband followed her outside and brought her a glass of water. This had gone for days, Abaya got worried about his wife so he went to the wild and find a medicine for her. When he got home, his wife had just woken up. She felt nausea every time she wakes up and always throw up here and there.
Labuan: Ta ya ngag man nas. (What the hell is going right now.)
(Meanwhile…)
Labuan: (*gasps) Ta, yakhe es achi na kapapati. (Oh my God, this is unbelievable.)
Abaya: Ya, ngag na achi kapapatiy cham kanan. (Huh! What’s unbelievable?)
Labuan: Lakay, ta ya masikug ak ya. (Dear, I’m pregnant.)
Abaya: Ah, masikug ka, ta yakher achi tet-erw kapapati sa. Sigurado ka mangern Baket, ta achi ta adi aped umas-sa si maiwed. (You’re pregnant! Ah no that’s unbelievable. Are you sure my dear, you know it’s not good having false hopes.)
Labuan: Na wern man Lakay, ay ta sino ud na achi mascha-aw asnan bigla ay kag-asna na iikan si awak. (Yes, my dear I’m sure. I understand it now, with all those weird things happening to me, I get it now dear.)
The couple accepted their greatest gift after years of waiting and had now prepared for the coming angel. They made changes in their place. Months passed in blink of an eye, the soon-to-be parents are now waiting for their child to come to the world.
(Hours later….)
The now awaited child was born, the couples cried a tear of joy. The villagers were surprised about the news. They never thought that this couples would have a kid on their own.
Abaya: Baket, ya karuprupam na anak ta ay, isum ay napintas gedan. (Look dear, our baby looks like you, beautiful just like my moon.)
Labuan: Ay kinerk mu sa, yah ngag erth na pangachan ta en sha. (Oh sheesh, don’t talk nonsense. What are we gonna name him?)
Abaya: Mayan, mifakhay en sha. Shan fungan si layad ya khaket tay napuwan. (Mayan, that suits him. The fruit of our love and hard work, also having faith to the Holy One up above.)
(5 Years Later)
Mayan was busy playing with the dog near the nipa hut while his parents were busy on the rice fields. One in while he would stare on his parents, wishing he could help them but he’s still too young to do so. He got up, took a deep breath and went to his mom.
Mayan: Mama, laychek esh ay en lukham. (Mama, I wanna help too.)
With eager eyes pleading silently. Wishing his mom would agree and not refuse again.
Labuan: Anak, unga ka paylang, sed-em ta masiken kas usto. Engkat una mn ayam aschi afongan ta sakami sika datngan aschi. Yah pirmi atong, engkat ta engka men linong aschi ta achi ken si akhew na kudir mu. (Oh my dear, you’re still young to do this kind of work. It’s too hot out here my dear, go back to the nipa hut or else the sun will burn your skin to the bone.)
Abaya: Ta bay-am man Baket laychena ngarud ya, Mayan ala engkat alan na silag ya kumpay mu. Ifachum kechan na long sleeve mu ta achi chaka ken si akhew. (My wife, it’s alright let him be, if he wants to then why not. It’s also a part of growing up, and he can get used to it. Alright son, wear your combat and come back here.)
Labuan: Lakay, muyang sha achi paylang, nu pay sumakit na ulo na as mawni ya. Mikhawa pay chadlu sha. (Dear! He’s still young you know and he can get easily out here under the blazing sun.)
Abaya: Bay-am man Baket saken na ikhad. Nu achi na kaya erth adit kasin adi ta mawni ta masiken. (Let him be my dear I’ll take care of him, don’t worry I know the limits.)
Years had passed Labuan and Abaya had reached their time, leaving Mayan all by himself. He had a hard time dealing with the absence of his parents. After some time he got sick and physically weak but still insisted on working on the field. He thought that it was a normal thing, that he is just tired and it will go away after some rest. In the morning, people started to wander where Mayan had gone for they haven’t seen him on the rice field yet, usually he is the first person to be seen on the rice field but not this time. One of the villager went to Mayan’s house to check on him but only to find him sleeping peacefully without a care to the world. The villager rushed to the village captain and told him the news.
(Few hours later… )
Apu (Village Captain): Dataku ay umili ay misukat asnan ili ay nay intaku eth pangadnen nas ALABMAYNA ta wda panragragipan taku sinan anggy ay naul-us ay dati ay umili cna. Aywanan taku na tinaynan da ta adi amed madusa. Ya aladan taku na kawad di taraken taku ta adi da lumayaw ya madawel na mula takhu. (We villagers, in respect and remembrance of the family that had entered the paradise we’ll be naming this place ‘ALABMAYNA’. We’ll take responsibility now to this place and make a place where love and peace can be found. Let’s also set up a fence for the animals so that they will not go on their way to other places and for the safety of our vegetation and all.)
The villagers agreed. They set up a fence to prevent the animals from breaking away. Until such time…there was a foreigner that passed by the place.
Miguel: Hello Mr. I’m Miguel, this village is really nice; may I know the name of the place if you don’t mind?
Apu, who was busy building the fence, turned to the foreigner. What he thought is that he is asking what he is making so…
Apu: Ah mayat ay agew met, dak man men ga-eb c alad ta adi lumayaw na taraken mi. (Good day gentleman, I’m setting up a fence so that our animals won’t get away from here.)
Due to misunderstanding Miguel thought it was the name of the place. So he took a photo of the place and put the name ALAB.
Miguel: So it’s ALAB sir, thank you very much.
Apu was confused of what Miguel is saying so he just nodded his head and went back to work. The word ‘Alab’ strucked Apu’s heart and made a decision to change the name of the name. So instead of ‘Alabmayna’ they separated the ‘Alab’ and not to forget Mayana’s name, MAYNA became an expression on that place. So when the villagers go to other places the word MAYNA would always be present on every word they say, so other people would easily recognize that they are from ALAB the place of LOVE that is sweet yet bitter.
Submitted to:
Daskeo Jr.,Julius Jay B.
Submitted by:
Balanza, Maureen Ivy D.
