PANON NAN MGA PIJANGA

"Ajaw pagsalig bansilay sa imo pagkapiskay kay kun di ka dutlan sa wasay, an bukbok o anay an mupatay."
-Minainitnon proverb (according to Mano Borming Modanza)

Such word of wisdom seemed to reflect the inactivity of the oldest Surigaonon in Metro Manila: Kahugpongan ng mga Mainitnon sa Manila (KASAMA)founded in 1971. For varied reasons, which mainly, due to lack of active cooperation of the members, KASAMA became dormant and eventually ceased to hold the same passion natural among its members.

On 19 October 2008, through through the initiatives of Col. Locloc Juan, Cenon Japay, Borming Modanza, Daday Castro, Gigie Reyes, Zimm Mosende, Brando Juan, Eddie Mojar, Lolong Calang, and this blogger, Mainitnons in Metro Manila and as far as Bulacan, Laguna and Cavite flocked to Mano Cenon's house and assembled to rebuild the new Danaw in the megapolis. (for pictures and more details pls. see Zimm's Pijanga' blog article on the event:http://pidjanga.blogspot.com/2008/10/kasama-ka-board-members.html#links)

Yesterday, the Board held an emergency meeting. For this blogger, it was not just a business meeting but a learning session on his maternal roots, heritage and the Danaw's ecosystem.

Mano Borming's animated recollection of the bilabid (mangrove forest) of Lake Mainit
was like Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth environmental documentary.

He reminisced how the diversity of endemic fauna and flora species once thrived in the lake.

"Sa bilabid mingtubo an mga bansilay, lanipao, susot, gitan-og, catmon, puyangi, hagashas sanan iban pa na mga kahoy. Didto sab nagtago an mga buaja..." said Mano Borming.

He also mentioned the endemic fish and other water species: bakang, kayambuway, and pangi.

He, Mano Locloc and Mana Gigi remembered how a flock of gamaws (wild ducks) flying above would cause temporary darkness in the lungsod proper.

"Iton mga kasili mugawas man ton sa Danaw sa malajo na mga lugar pero mubalik ra sab ..." quipped Mano Borming.

Maybe it is also true to us children of the Lake. Our rebuilding of the virtual danaw is our way of giving back the blessings of the Lake...