chapter 4-Central Luzon

Luz Dayrit Navarro is a native of Bamban, Tarlac, Philippines. She studied at Holy Angel College (now, Holy Angel University) in Angeles City, where she was the Editor-in-Chief of the school organ, the Angelite. She also attended the University of Santo Tomas College of Pharmacy in Manila, Philippines. She married Dr. Honorio Navarro ( University of the Philippines Medicine '55) in May, 1953. They have four children, two boys and two girls. The family went to live in the US and they are all US citizens now.  All her children are married and live in different states with their own families. Now a widow, Mrs. Navarro resides in San Diego City, California.

She is retired, and spends her time writing her autobiography, reading her beloved books and collecting her writings done when she was still in the Philippines. She also wrote the family history as it was handed down from previous generations by word of mouth. She wrote the family tree on her maternal side and encouraged her elder cousin to write the family history on her paternal side. She believes that any one who can remember the story of their lives must tell it to the succeeding generation and leave it as a legacy to future generations, that they may know how their ancestors lived during their time on earth.

Ing Balen Cung Bamban by Luz Dayrit Navarro

                      Siglong labing lima, lugal meguing Bamban,
                      Ding bunduc Caraballo, banda lang albugan
                      Ding tau canita, Baluga la't Zambal
                      Mabibie caring bunduc at pulung macapal,

                      Siglong labing-anam, ibat Capampangan,
                      Taung mangatapang manintun pitamnanan,
                      Quinurus lang ilug a ausan dang Parua,
                      Capatagan iquit da, bistaman gubat pa.

                      Miglinis la qng gubat, carelang pitucnangan,
                      Dacal lang tanaman a ausan dang "bamban";
                      Inia Bamban na rin ing pepalagyu ra
                      Ba reng atandanan itang lugal a ita.

                      E binang melambat, meracal la ring tao,
                      Pati na magtindang Intsic a viajero
                      Siglong labing-walo, dacal nong Cristiano,
                      Meminyag Castila, frayleng Agustiano.

                      Fundadores Bamban, Sibal ing lahi ra,
                      Mialiwang familia, Bamban, memalen na,
                      Rivera, Lugtu, Dayrit, Macale, Vergara,
                      Manipon, Dela Cruz, Lumboy, Maristela;

                      Punsalang, Sangalang, Campo, Santos, Megia,
                      Navarro at Lagman, Manio at Tolosa,
                      Tiglao, Lacanlale, Diaz, Dimalanta,
                      Canlas, Pangan,Sison, Pamintuan, Arcilla.

                      Gobernadorcillo, cayang cautusan,
                      Guewa na neng balen, ing lugal a Bamban,
                      Fecha mil ocho cientos treinta y siete ya
                      Lubus meguing balen, ing Bamban canita.

                      Revolucion '96 Bamban Katipunan abe la,
                      Serviliano Aquino ya ing Heneral da.
                      Siglong labing-siam iniang meyari ya,
                      Meco lang Castila, Americano panyatang da.

                      Siglong aduang-pulu, Bamban miunlad ya,
                      Central Luzon Milling Company, ya ing telacad da;
                      Dacal pupul atbu, pale, mialiwa pa,
                      Ding Americano, progreso ing binye ra.

                      Abe-abe la ngan dening taga-Bamban,
                      Circulo Bambanense carelang aguman.
                      Nula man miras, Sibal a familia
                      Qng Sibal Reunion, maquipagtipun la.

                      Caduang Guerra-Mundial, Hapon dinatang la,
                      Apat banuang singcad, memalen pibata ra,
                      Iniang Liberation, Americano mibalic la,
                      Independencia ya ining pigcalub da.

                      Fechang '91 ning siglong aduang-pulu
                      Mitdas ya ing vulcan ausan dang Pinatubo
                      Barrio da qng bunduc, minta lang memalen,
                      Dios ya ing magligtas, e nala paburen.

Qng Aldo Mung Beitan
Diciembre 18
by Gory Dary (Talipanpan neng Gng. Gregorio C. Dayrit)

Ua baluan mu qng minuna, pilcaran mu neng patanid,
Ing mebigu mung Poetang migale qng "Ecu Malit."
Dapot nung deang bulaclac ilang cacu misisitsit
Qng aldo mung quebaitan, macananung ecu dalit?

Sisitsit da man canacu, picamuan, sana emula,
Uling era naman balu, sinabi ramu karela,
Deang maralas daralo, munta queni, munta queta
A balisang limpad, limpad, masalitang mariposa.

Tabalu ding mariposa ba't carelang camalayan?
Ing malijim nang panaslag ning aldo mung quebaitan?
Dapot, canitang sabi ra, carela mu namang dimdam,
Caring malagu nang Hadas ning lebasan dang caqueuan.

At ding Hadas quitnan cula, tajimic la't e bubulad,
Nune, ing cacu ra tiru, ing bunduc ning "Nabanlag."
Memintu cu't pintalan que, at layun cu pang minuquiat,
Uling ing canacung nasa magcang carin cu amalas.

Nanuman, ala cung disan pangaras cu cababauan,
Balacu, miras na cacu, wakas ning sablang lelangan,
Dapot cabud meliquid cu qng planas banda cung wanan,
iquit que ing larawan mu, lalauan nacu't titimanan!

Guinalang que't delanginan, dapot biglang merine cu,
Uling ala cu mang bitbit para qng beitan mung aldo.
Dapot ngening balu muna qng yamu ing caguiuan cu,
Damutan me't daraun que ing "pusu" ning calulu.

___________

The English Translation

USTANG
Translated by Luz D. Navarro

Yes, I remember that you gave a reply
To your forsaken Poet who sang "I Knew Not."
But if those flowers themselves whisper to me
The day of your birth, how could I not sing it?

Though they whisper to me, reprove them not,
They are innocent, it was whispered to them
By their frequent visitors who flit here and there,
Those busy fluttering, gossiping butterflies.

I know not how those butterflies ever knew
The mysterious dawn of your birth!
But they also told me that they only heard it
From the beautiful Naiads they passed in the wilderness.

When I asked the Naiads, they were silent
And pointed to me the mountain of Nabanlag.
So, off I went and climbed the mount
That I might see what I have hoped for.

But when I reached the top, there was nothing.
I thought it was the end of everything---
But when I turned to look at my right side---
There, smiling at me, was the image of you!

I gave obeisance, but suddenly, I was embarrassed,
For I brought no offering on this day of your birth,
But now that you know how deeply I feel,
Please accept my sole offering--- my poor heart.

About the poem: The original Pampango poem was written by the poet, Gory Dary in December 1925 and published in the Lirang Capampangan, a magazine circulated in provinces of Pampanga and Tarlac. At that time, the writer was courting the young lady, Ustang (Fausta M. Sibal) whom he later married in 1927. When the family of Ustang read the poem "Ecu Malit," the lawyer brother of Ustang made a poem supposedly written by her entitled "Malit Mu na" and also published it in the Lirang Capampangan. In "Ecu Malit," the poet was asking what the smiles and meaningful glances of Ustang meant. In "Malit Mu Na," Ustang hinted that her glances were meant to measure or size up her suitor if the suitor will pass her strict scrutiny. This surviving Pampango poem was found among the personal papers and documents of the late Fausta S. Dayrit upon her demise in 1988. It is now in the keeping of Ustang's son, Eduardo, who supplied us a copy.