The Clamor of Kalinga - A Novel - Chapter 1

Chapter 1:  The Calling

 The mournful chant reverberated through the small four walls of the hut…” Aieeeee”.

           Guinnaban - 9 at that time - was cowering in the eerie shadows. He was staring at the wiry, old woman who was weeping for the gaunt, pale corpse laid on the long table. The head of the corpse was at a grotesque angle, almost totally severed from his body.

“Uma nangwa kansika anna?” (Who have done this to you?) The woman wailed even louder.

“Aiieeeeee…..” everyone joined in, and the hut became a cacophony of mournful cries.

The barrio captain motioned to the elders for a conference and they filed outside, their faces grim and murderous. Under the shades of a tamarind tree, a heated and frenzied debate took place.

Finally, the barrio captain raised his arm and shouted amidst the din, “Intakkon no, umma uwayon yo, ittod tako kanida de kingwada.”(Then, what are we waiting for? Let’s avenge his death.)

And so a full blown tribal war had begun.

Guinnaban, grew amidst this bloody chaos. The tribal war was between two warring tribes, who both fought for domination over the municipality. 

Nevertheless, he accepted it as a way of life: the constant refuge in the deep forest in the stillness of the night when the enemies had come to attack, and the strict observation of the code of silence, even when all he had wanted was to shout at the top of his voice at the injustice of it all - these had become routine occurrences for him.

And at age 10, he had stood as a sentinel during one of the night watches, keeping an eye of any attack from the other tribe.

The enemies did not select their victims. Women and children were not spared by their avenging spears and bolos. Men had their heads always severed from their bodies, as a symbol of victory. 

The victor would bring home the grotesque, bloody head and would proudly display it like a trophy in their barrio plaza. Then, the warriors would dance gleefully around it till the wee hours of dawn. During those ancient times, head-hunting was normal and considered a warrior's noble deed.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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