Mga Hiwaga ng Kasaysayan: Unang Baul

Kabanata 11

11

Tulad ng nakagawian tuwing Sabado ay nasa Tree House si Monroy at Richard. Dito sila magku-kwentuhan at magpapalipas ng gabi,isang panata na ilang taon na nilang ginagawa. Tinanggihan ni Monroy ang alok ni Richard na maglaro ng Scrabble dahil kailangan niyang matapos ang pagbabasa ng diary. Nakahiga ang dalawa. Si Richard ay kumakain ng tsokolate at si Monroy naman ay nagbabasa. Nasa tabi niya ang isang maliit na kwaderno at bolpen.

March 19, 1906

Summer has set and the weather is humid. I do not mind it.In fact, I would trade this hellish summer over the freezing winter any time of the day. I notice that my brothers and sisters have been staying in their dwellings all through out the day. And at noon, the village looks like a ghost town. It is so quiet and every body is sleeping or under blankets. I consider it as the perfect time to scout the place and take pictures.

March 22, 1906

Many of the young Sagwans develop an eye infection. This is probably due to their weak immune system. I requested antibiotics and boxes of chocolates from my colleagues. They must arrive in no time now. I can not wait to give Tadakan and the tribe these treats as well as administer the medicines to the kids.

March 26, 1906

The cases of Sagwans developing conjunctivitis has surged. I gave them antibiotics but it did not improve the conditions. Tadakan and other elders, specifically the hunters developed red eyes but they do not seem to be infected at all. It is the youngs that worry me. Their eyes glow like burning charcoal that strike me whenever I look at them in the day. Thankfully, the redness seems to pipe down at night or the scene will absolutely creep me out. I can not imagine being surrounded by people with blood shot eyes as red as the full moon at night. Not to mention the weird sound that they make whenever they go hunting.

March 30, 1906

 This morning, I conducted a medical examination and I found out that the eye disease is not a conjunctivitis. This for the reason that they do not have the yellowish substance that our lachrymal glands produce to combat eye infections. The kids complain of burning sensation only in the day especially in the hottest part of it (between 11:00 am to 2:00 pm), but at night, kids go out and play under the light of the moon. I play with them.

"Anong yellowish substance?" tanong ni Richard.

"Nakakagulat ka naman! Akala ko ay kumakain ka lang dyan ng chocolates!"

"Kumakain ako at nakikibasa."

"Conjunctivitis and medical term for sore eyes." sabi ni Monroy.

"Alam ko yun. That means yung yellowish substance ay yung muta." sabi ni Richard. "Par, may muta ba ako?"

"Wala naman." sagot ni Monroy.

"Buti ka pa meron." sabi ni Richard. "Hahaha!"

"Ubusin mo na yang chocolates at ng makatulog ka." sabi ni Monroy. Alam niya ang ugali ng kaibigan  na kumain bago matulog. Bumaling siya pakanan at itinuloy ang pagbabasa.

April 15, 1906

An old woman died. She died of a severe eye infection. Romano told me that the normal life span of a Sagwan is around 55 to 58 years old. Tadakan invited me to the burial ceremony. Majority of the population were present. The family members of the deceased were present, too. I found out that the widower is also blind. As an scholar, I took an extensive notes of the ceremony. A fact struck me, most of the old members of the village are blind or have severe eye infections. Moving on, the cadever is placed on a huge rock which is 6 feet long and 3 feet wide. A chant was recited and Tadakan asked the widower to lie beside his dead wife. Romano told me that the husband is not allowed to leave his wife for 5 days except for personal necessity such as using the toilet. I was simply awed by the ceremony.