Let’s Talk Pinoy!

Happy New Year! Naragsak Nga Baro a Tawen! (Ilokano) Manigong Bagong Taon! (Tagalog) Maayong Bag-ong Tuig! (Cebuano) Malipayong nga Bag-ong Tuig! (Ilonggo) Magayaya ka ta bagu nga dagun! (Ibanag) Masaplalang bayung Banwa! (Kapampangan)

That’s a wrap! We survived your ups and downs and we are still standing, smiling and waving you goodbye 2022.

Hello and welcome 2023. We have great hopes for you. We hope you bring us many blessings.

How did you welcome this year of the rabbit in the Chinese calendar? Did you do any of the traditions like wearing polka dots, having coins in your pockets or jumping at the stroke of midnight? Well, I didn’t do any of those to make a difference this year. I wore stripes so I will have bills and not coins. I had a variety of dollar bills in my pocket and lifted my left foot at the stroke of midnight to make sure I step into the new year with the right foot. Anyways, whatever you did, I hope it will bring you good fortune or good luck this new year.

Shout out to our January birthday celebrants: Bessy Evangelista, Kallie Keith-Agaran, Roxanne Mae Alibin, Camille Rhianna Butay Hayen. Happy, Happy birthday to you! Maligayang bati sa inyong kaarawan! (Tagalog) Naimbag nga panagkasangay mo! (Ilokano) Makapagayaya nga aggaw na nikeyana mu! (Ibanag) Masayang kebaitan queca! (Kapampangan) Masadya gid nga adlaw sa imo pagkatawo! (Ilonggo)

Let’s visit our friends Angel and Michael and see what’s going on with them this month, shall we?

“We know ana (what) you did to that officer, Angel. Just let my son go. Please, I am asking you,” she pleads to her.

“Officer?” Angel asks herself.

Mom’s voice shatters. “He doesn’t deserve this. He is a good person. Just let him go! I’m begging you, please.”

“Ano (What) are you talking about lady?” Angel couldn’t control herself anymore.

“You know hani (what) you did,” says the Mom.

“Ana (What) did I do?” she asks confusedly.

“You are on video. They are coming after you!” the Mom exclaims.

“Nanoyin?! (What?!)” Angel asks.

“You killed that cop!” exclaims the Mom.

Angel gasps. “Ano? (What?) Killed ano? (what?) Ana (what) cop?” Angel asks confusedly.

“The cop you killed in Honolulu. I know you did it,” the Mom says so surely.

Angel is hardly able to breathe … her kasingkasing (heart) skips a beat. “Uh … uh … uh …” is all Angel manages to murmur from her lips. Wala (Nothing) comes out from her mouth to say.

“Angel, turn yourself in. There are detectives out looking for you. Where are you?

Please bring my baby home now and turn yourself in ngayon (today),” the Mom says so calmly even if it feels like her puso (heart) is racing.

“Baby? Sino (Who) is your baby? I did not kidnap anybody. I did not kill a cop.

Why would the detectives be looking for me?” Angel asks confusedly.

“My baby … my Mikey … please let him go …” the Mom pleads to her.

“Uh, uh, uh,” Angel is completely frozen. Her nawong (face) turns white.

“Where is Mikey? Please put him on the phone right now!” Mom says firmly.

Angel cries a deep painful sound.

“Angel?” Mom says and stops for a moment to listen to the person on the other line. She hears Angel cry.

Angel’s cry is deep and pure. Laced with pain and torture. Flooded with fear and sorrow.

Mom stops in a frozen moment as her cry pierces her korason (heart).

“Angel?!” Mom says.

But Angel continues to cry, she cannot hear the other person.

“Angel… stop crying” Mom says calmly. “What happened?” she asks as Mom’s natural motherly instincts kick in.

Angel’s cry begins to make Mom cry as well.

Michael’s Dad looks at his wife as she gets teary eyed. “What the heck is going on here?” he asks.

“Angel, what happened? Is Mikey ok?” Mom says with a shaken voice now. “We are in the balay (house) right now. Bring him here and we all can talk here,” Mom says.

Angel, with tears falling in her eyes, shakes Michael to wake him up. Michael opens his eyes and his goya (face) looks confused. The mukat (face) of Angel looks terrible. Michael quickly sits up straight and realizes something is wrong. He naturally lifts his hands to touch her arap (face). His tutu (heart) is pierced from seeing her crying.

“Ana (What) is wrong, my love?” Michael asks.

Angel mutts out words nobody can understand.

“Ah oh ah oh ah ah,” Angel says but awan (nothing) comes out from her mouth.

“Huh?! Nanoyin (What) are you saying?” Michael asks.

Angel lifts her kamut (hand) and points her other kamay (hand) with the phone.

He sees the light on his phone. It is on. He takes it from her ima (hand) and looks at who is on the other line.

It says, MOM.

His mukha (face) turns white.

Mom is on the phone, he says to himself.

“Mikey! Mikey!” Mom screams.

Angel gives the phone to Michael.

Michael stares at the phone. He is blank.

Angel grabs his kamay (hand) and gives the phone to him.

He stares at her blankly.

What is Michael going to do with the phone? Is he going to talk to his Mom? What is he going to say?

Anyways, that’s all I have. Keep an eye out for my column in every issue. I’m Dulce, helping you to master your Filipino Languages. Like always, let’s laugh, let’s makinig (listen), and Let’s Talk Pinoy! Hanggang sa muli! (Until next time!) Ingat! (Take care!)

Dulce Karen Butay was graduated from Maui High School and received her Associate in Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Maui Community College. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, specializing in Accounting, from the University of Hawai‘i – West O‘ahu. She is currently the Administrative Officer at the County of Maui, Department of Finance. Butay is a licensed Resident Producer of Life Insurance with World Financial Group and an Independent Consultant of Saladmaster. She is now part of Saladmaster’s Travel Club and won an all-expenses paid trip to Cancún, Mexico. Butay has traveled to Texas, the Philippines and Thailand as one of the delegates from Island Healthy Solutions, a Saladmaster dealer here on Maui.