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Biag ni Lam-ang Script

(Disclaimer: This version is a shortened one intended for an 8 minutes performace. Enjoy)

(tribal nature sounds with ancient Philippines on the background)

Good Day ladies and gentlemen. Today, the Grade 7 Students will perform a musical play of their own version of the Life of Lam-ang which is a Pre-Hispanic epic poem of the Ilocano people of the Philippines. The story was handed down orally from generation to generations before it was written down around 1640 assumedly by a blind Ilocano named Pedro Bucaneg.

(Una-una, kaya-kaya dance of Grade 7 Froebel Girls)

Narrator: Don Juan and his wife Namongan lived in Nalbuan, now part of La Union in the Northern part of the Philippines. Before Lam-ang was born, Don Juan went to the mountains in order to punish a group of their Igorot enemies.

( In the front scene, Namongan bids farewell to Don Juan after a while the dancers were in front and Namongan went to the front side and  holds the baby Lam-ang)

Narrator: When Lam-ang was born, he can already walk, talk and know how to speak. On his birth, the whole village held a big celebration and dances for days until one day…

Lam-ang: (Frantically, and is holding his spear and talks to his people) I am Lam-ang! I am the new leader of this tribe. Before I was born, my father left to punish our Igorot enemies and  was not back yet. I have conquer those enemies!

Namongan: (tries to stop his son) My son! My son! You are the only one that I have left. Your father is now far gone and I cannot lose you! You are the only memory that I have left of your father. The heaven above witness how dreadful every single day without your father has made me miserable. It is only because of you that I am happy again.

Lam-ang: Poor mother! I have to go and save our father. If he is beyond saving, it is my duty as a son to avenged his death! May the heavens above and the gods of rain be my guide to  fulfill my desire.

Namongan: And what son? You will leave me? You will leave your own mother? What kind of son does that?And what if? (starts crying) what if you will end like your father? How about me? How about your people?

Lam –ang: Mother (walks close to his mother and hugs her. I will be back. I will save father. If not will avenged him! But promise, I will be back. May the god Apolaki be with me in my journey. Just wait mother, I will be back.

(Tribal marching sounds. The  group of Lam-ang is searching the place for the other tribe. The other tribe was seen and they started their dance.After the war dance Lam-ang learned that his father was already dead)

Tribe Leader: O great warrior! Spare me! you have already killed my men! Spare me spare my life.

Lam-ang: My father!! Did you spare his life? Did you ever give mercy? No! You shall not be spared!

Narrator: Lam-ang and his men went back to their tribe and asked his mother to be married)

(The women were busy doing their things as a tribe when the men arrived. Namongan went to her son and hugs him happily)

Namongan: My son! You are back! My son! My son!

Lam-ang: I am back but I am sorry to say my father is gone! He is dead mother. But worry no more, I have avenged him mother. The war god Apolaki gave me mercy and is with me and my men.

Namongan: So you will stay here with us my son. Starting now, you will protect  our people.

Lam-ang: Mother, while I am on way home, I have heard of a lady name Ines Canoyan. I have heard of her beauty and I saw her mother. I want her to be my wife. Will you let me mother?

Namongan: Lam-ang, that is another quest for you. Everyone knows that Ines’ father leads her suitors to dangerous quests.

Lam-ang: Mother, I have to go. I need to see her, I need to make her my wife. Or else, this heart of mine will perish day by day.

Namongan: Go in peace my son. But always remember, things aren’t always what they seem.

(Tribal music. )

Narrator: Lam-ang travelled across mountains and seas to reach Sumarang. The quest given by Ines father for Lam-ang to conquer. Knowing that no one could beat Sumarang and her treachery, and expecting Lam-ang to die of its words of mockery, he sent Lam-ang to death. However…

(Lam-ang reached the cave of Sumarang. He creeps silently and was about to stab Sumarang at the back when..)

Sumarang: I have been waiting for you. You have travelled across mountains and seas just to see me? Oh wait, just to kill me? But why me? I have lived in this cage for thousands of years. In solitude, in peace and in harmony with nature and myself. (whispering and in rage) however, every once in a while you humans made me an object of your quests! Disturbing my lovely and abode! Wanting to kill me for nothing but glory for your name!!!

Lam-ang: I have to ! I have to kill you!

Sumarang: For what? Fame? Come on have tea with me. I have brewed some since you left your tribe so I bet this taste good. The man who sent you here wants you to be dead you  know… here have some tea. A tea as a cure of treachery. He sent you here not be his daughters husband but as a food for the animal around this cave. Here take this and forget all those traitors at home. Here take it. Relax and forget. Relax and forget.

(Namongan’s voice: Things aren’t always what they seem)

Lam-ang:What is in this tea?

Sumarang: Things for you to relax and forget. Here take a sip. Just a sip. A sip of oblivion will ease the pain that those traitors have inflicted on you. Take one dear. And forget Ines Canoyan..

Lam-ang: Ines? Ines? I don’t want your tea, I thirst has been quench by the though of Ines alone.

Sumarang: So you will not take my tea? So you want to kill me too? Outrageous!! Ungrateful! Good for nothing humans!!!

Lam-ang: No. I will not. I will leave you in peace. And I will ensure that no one will destroy your peace.

Sumarang: Oh humans! I will forever be grateful if that will be the case. Here take this tea with you and gave it to Ines’ father as a proof  that you have been here.

(Dalton Girls Celebration dance and in front Lam-ang gave the tea to Ines’ father and asked them to get married. Lam-ang and Ines’ wedding is presented in front while the Dalton girls are dancing.

Ines Canoyan: For being brave and fearless and showing your wisdom despite the challenges given to you by my father. I hereby offer the remaining days of my life as your wife and will be forever grateful for the tea of life that you have brought back from Sumarang. Thank you Lam-ang.

(The Froebel girls came and positioned themselves in front with the warrior boys at the back with the words (The Life of Lam-ang)

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Holidays for Unfestive People.

Everything around you is festive. Lights illuminating the dark streets that your barangay officials did not bother to pay attention before the season, children singing at your neighbor’s house making their own version of famous Christmas carols and purposely skip your house due to the fact that you don’t even bother to put Christmas lights or any other sign that you are acknowledging it. Your social media is full of people living their good life with their family or anywhere for a vacation to a beach, tourist spots or just a condo in Tagaytay to spend their two week vacation.

Indulging in these things made you feel miserable. Why? You are alone in your house. Alone. No Christmas lights or any deco that will make your two week stay inside a more enjoyable. You don’t even have anything instagram worthy photo to par with your social media friend’s vacay photos. You don’t even have enough money to eat out or have a vacation away from home. So before you cry your eyes out as you wake up in the morning thinking how miserable your life is (like what I did). Here are some tips that I have applied ease loneliness or boredom  this holiday season.

Read

Wow read? Really? Yeah. Really. This will help. After crying I said, I’ve had enough and I have to get my shit together. I washed my face and read. The book adulating accomplice by Lianne was such a great help during that postbreakdown moment. It is your choice really of what type of book you would want to read. It could be something that you have put off for a while now thinking that you don’t have the time to do it. Or your childhood favorite to comfort you during your melodramatic stage.

Take a long bath.

Taking a bath is refreshing. But in this desperate times take a bath longer than your normal minutes of selfcleaning. It may sound so odd for taking a bath as a remedy for loneliness but it is effective. We always tend to overlook the simple things in life as we tend to think of things to be more complicated of what they really are.

Write your feelings.

A lot of things may be in your head right now. Why am I here alone? Why cant I be with my family like my social media friends are right now? Why cant I have enough money to take a vacation and cool photos to post on insta? What am I doing in my life? Am I really happy? Write those things down and even make list of why being alone in your house is a good things. Write the pros and if you have your cons, write it as well. Taking things out of your mind and putting it in something tangible can be helpful to make you analyze the things that are bothering you. You can even make it enjoyable like lists of your favorite drama, singers and even badmouth people as no one will read it anyway. Just don’t forget to burn that paper afterwards.

Learn something new.

With all the time in your hands now, you can make something productive out of it right? It could be learning a new language Korean to be exact so you don’t have to read the subs to watch their drama, a new skill, hand lettering is enjoyable and pleasing too, develop a system to your things or make those diy vids that you enjoy come to life.

Develop a system

It does not matter where you are going to apply the system as long as you are the one who did it. You want to make capsule wardrobe? Do the konmari method? Try to be a minimalist for a week? It is all up to you. Even arranging your clothes is satisfactory if that is what you want. The system that you develop during these times will be helpful when the holidays season is over and you are back to your hectic workspace and environment.

Cry.

Yeah. It is really okay to cry. You did everything but still you don’t feel okay? Do it, just cry. At first, I was in denial and did not want to succumb to crying since I believe I am a strong independent woman who can’t have any signs of weakness even in my own company and to admit that I was lonely. I even watched a real tearjerker movie just to ease my pain by watching another’s pain. However, one morning I woke up with an urge to cry and I did. Three hours of bawling and ugly crying was seen by my cat and I believe it was not a nice sight to witness. And after that? Well I am okay. Take this time alone to let those feelings out and cry yourself till you cant. Just remember that it is okay and you are normal.

Overall, we are not aiming to be productive during these days as it is your earned right to rest. But, if the loneliness and silence is overwhelming and you don’t have any available friends to call to come over, these things will be helpful. It worked for me, and probably to you too? What do you think?