my woo submition

 

 

im going to submit this piece of 'fiction from fact' to woo magazine (emily carr student mag- congratulations to the 'new group' that took over this year! right on they are my buddies. this would be my first submition) i wrote about angkatan and buka, the 2 children of namwaran, who are the people mentioned in The Laguna Copper Plate Inscription. this could be part of my new philippine artifacts show as well. I am open to revisions!!! would love it if you could add/correct the story! just email, or comment!!!!!

The Laguna Copperplate Inscription

Upon waking on the third day of the waning moon Angkatan was feeling much better. She had heard from a scribe last night that pardon had been granted and that the chief had many plates prepared for inscription.

(How wonderful that all their sacrifices were not in vain.
When they had escaped from Dewata it had almost cost them their lives.)

Angkatan slowly dressed in her best most colorful baro and saya. She rummaged through her clothesbasket for her grandmothers cloth from Dewata and used it as a tapis. Then she changed outfits four more times. She carefully chose her most ornate gold jewelry and kissed each piece before wearing it.
Buka arrived at the house and ran right into Angkatan who was dancing towards the cooking area.

(Did you hear the news we are free dear sister! All our children to be and their children to be!
You are a Datu now! Today is the best day of our lives! We must start preparations!
Have you told anybody yet? Should we keep it a secret? All our sacrifices were not in vain!)

Angkatan is jumping with joy.

(That’s exactly what I was thinking this morning! THANK YOU BATHALA!
I heard from scribe last night, Buka you can apply for a position by the end of this month! Father would be so happy!)

They start making their tea and talk for most of the morning. Come noontime their friend Atangan comes with a basket of food wrapped in leaves: fish, rice, bananas and a promise of roasted pig for dinner. With a twinkle in his eye he presents them their lunch.

(I knew you two would be up to as much. Why it looks like you’re still having your morning tea! We can’t let you go hungry now that you’re both respectable again.
I suppose I can effectively collect all my winnings from our hunting bets Buka?)

They all laugh for quite some time and as the happy energies calm, hunger sets in and Angkatan and Buka start eating. Realizing that the news had already changed Angkatan and Bukas’ reality they talk excitedly planning their day. It is their first free day in a long time.

(What do you want to do today?
Lets go fishing and fruit picking!
Ugh, no, we can just ask for those things now. Let’s go hunting instead.
Hunting? Are you mad? The last time we went hunting you almost fell down the hillside when HAHAHAHA
HAHAHHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAAAAWait! I have a better idea let’s go to the hot springs and spend all day chewing betel and relaxing.
OOOH chewing betel in the hot springs. I like that idea.
How do you plan on joining us Angkatan? HAHAHAHAAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAAHA)

The three continue their day with preparations for the next day laughing, singing, reminiscing and talking of now possible futures.

...

Lumbang River, Laguna de Ba’y, 1989. A local man sells sand as a raw material to make concrete and occasionally digs up ancient artifacts, which he sells to collectors. While he was dredging sand he found a scrap of metal and upon unrolling the blackened metal he realizes it is copper. The size of a regular sheet of paper with unfamiliar writing on it, the man tried to sell it to collectors he knew but none recognized it and would not take it. His last resort, the last resort to many treasure hunters, was the Philippine National Museum, which bought the plate for 2,000 pesos. The copperplate stayed in the museum untried and undeciphered until 1990 when a Dutch expert on Philippine script Antoon Postma successfully translated it. It is the most important find in regards to the ancient Philippine culture, and is the oldest artifact of pre-colonial writing dating as far back as 900 CE. The Laguna Copperplate Inscription is a mixture of old Sanskrit, old Javanese, old Malay and old Tagalog.


...


Long Live! Year of Siyaka 822, month of Waisaka, according to astronomy. The fourth day of the waning moon, Monday. On this occasion, Lady Angkatan, and her brother whose name is Buka, the children of the Honourable Namwaran, were awarded a document of complete pardon from the Commander in Chief of Tundun, represented by the Lord Minister of Pailah, Jayadewa.
By this order, through the scribe, the Honourable Namwaran has been forgiven of all and is released from his debts and arrears of 1 kati and 8 suwarna before the Honourable Lord Minister of Puliran, Ka Sumuran by the authority of the Lord Minister of Pailah.
Because of his faithful service as a subject of the Chief, the Honourable and widely renowned Lord Minister of Binwangan recognized all the living relatives of Namwaran who were claimed by the Chief of Dewata, represented by the Chief of Medang.
Yes, therefore the living descendants of the Honourable Namwaran are forgiven, indeed, of any and all debts of the Honourable Namwaran to the Chief of Dewata.
This, in any case, shall declare to whomever henceforth that on some future day should there be a man who claims that no release from the debt of the Honourable...


...
Morrow, Paul. “The Laguna Copperplate Inscription” in The Laguna Copperplate Inscription at http://www.mts.net/~pmorrow/lcieng.htm. Canada, 1998.
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