Pulang-Angui: The Legend

Sasabi na kan Polangui ay ali sa ngaran na Angui, usad na malanggayun na babay, na laka gusto kan kulur na pula. Nung mga panawn, si Angui ay laka-bisto sa lugar na kadtu sa bansag na Pulang Angui.

(The town Polangui is named after Angui, a very beautiful maiden, who loves everything in red. During that time, she was well-known in the place as Pulang Angui)

Nang dayl sa sanyang gayon mi kabu'tan, nagkagustu kan usad na pararakup ning mga ayup sa bulud. Nagkagustu man si Angui sanya. Naging maugma sinrang duwa mi nagpayabaan.

(Because of Angui's beauty and goodness, a couragous hunter in the woods fell in love to her. Angui also was love struck to the man. They both loved each other and became happy.

Sa sanrang pagyabaan, usad na aslu kan naingut ta pawno nagkagustu man siya sa pararakup nin mga ayup. Naingut siya kay Angui. Kinulam nya si Angui dara nin sanyang pagkaibug mi ingut, para mapasaynya su lalaki. Nangruluya si Angui.

(Their love with each other suddenly became a reason of the anger of a witch, who is also inloved with the hunter. The witch cast a spell to Angui due to her jealousy and anger and made sure the man will fell in love to her. Angui became weak.)

Pinasantigwaran si Angui tanganing magbalik sya sa dati nyang kusug. Naray si Angui. Nanruluya man su aslung naingut kay Angui nang dayl sa santigwar. Nanggana kan karayan sa lugar asin nag-urugma kan ngamin na taw.

( The people in the place was concern to Angui's situation, they brought her to a fate-healer. Angui got well and the witch in turn became weak because of the the ritual. Evil is defeated and the people rejoiced in the place.)

Nang uminabot su mga Espanyol sa lugar, inungaan su mga taw kun unung lugar kadi. Da sinra masimbag, kan ginibo ninra, kinulawan ninra si Angui ta sya kan bistado kan ngamin. "Pulang Angui! Pulang Angui!" Amu kan pinunan kan ngaran ning Polangui.

(When Spaniards came, they asked what's the name of the place. People during that time, didn't know what to answer so they called Angui whom they all knew. "Pulang Angui! "Pulang Angui!" And that's the origin of the name of the place Polangui.)

The signature

Profiled Bern

Downtown Polangui: Angles in Monochromatic Red

A small town and the gateway, Polangui is now one of the progessive municipalitiies in Albay. Red as it is, Polangui is a hot spot this June as Pulang-Angui Festival 2011 kicks-off.

Pulang-Angui Festival

Polangui, Albay, Philippines

June is not a blue rainy month of Polangui, Albay. It is the hottest and the reddest time of the town as Pulang-Angui Festival kicks off the locality. Celebrated annually, Pulang-Angui Festival is the grandest fiesta of the 3rd district of Albay. This is the Polanguenos' way to bring back the story of a maiden who loves everything in red and well-known in the place as Angui. The legend of love and courage sets as the origin of Polangui. The festival is also in honor of the patrons of Polangui, Sts. Peter and Paul.

Visit Polangui's Facebook page for more updates

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Municipality-of-Polangui-Albay/209608132397872

http://burning-arts.blogspot.com/2011/06/pulang-angui-festival-streetdance-2011.html

Pabakal

Pabakal (Pabili/ Let me buy)

Acrylic on Canvas 15'x19'

Second to my untitled Pinoy gallery, Pabakal is so far the hardest one I painted. I challenge myself to make a painting with lots of details, because adding details is one of my weakness in doing a masterpiece.

Pabakal is a Bikolano term meaning pabili in Filipino. When translated in English, it means "let me buy" or a direction to purchase. The word is commonly used when buying in a sari-sari store or a variety store. Sari-sari store is a convenient store of every Filipinos in all social classes. Most of it can be found along the neighborhood or in every street. Sari-sari store is already part of the Pinoy Culture that's why I decided to paint such a scene.

Repacked mixed nuts and junkfoods.

Chips and snack foods, sachets of shampoos and laudry soap

A phrase saying "Bukas pwede ang utang!" meaning "tomorrow you can lend".

This phrase is can be seen in almost sari-sari store ("Bawal utang ngayon, bukas pwede"). The point is you cannot lend today but you can come back tomorrow. Then,

when you're back, read it again and you cannot lend but tomorrow. Very funny and witty way to avoid mangungutang (borrower).

Canned goods, cooking mix,

bottled soy sauce and vinegar

bottled softdrinks

candies

This painting is not a promotional painting or whatsoever because of the brand names and products I put. I just want to show what's a typical Filipino sari-sari store looks like in an almost reality in painting. A typical sari-sari store is colorful because of these commodities.

I decided to put two children buying for something in the pink sari-sari store. Actually, my aunt's store is painted with pink so I just made my store in canvas pink. I know, almost all Filipino children experienced buying in a sari-sari store and repeatedly shouted "Pabakal!" while knocking using a coin they were holding until the store owner comes. This is part of the transaction in buying in a sari-sari store. Children are the most of the buyers because, first, parent's errands, and second, for the sweets and snack foods.

Pabakal is a masterpiece that I can say a worth full of childhood memories and a colorful way to value our own economically and always ready sari-sari stores.