Gwatsinongo

G’watsinongo: A Bilingual Folktale of Loss, Blessing, and Becoming An Ilocano-English Story Inspired by an Original Oral Tradition G’watsinongo was a story my (Grandmother) Lola Rose told me nearly every day growing up. I loved it so much I’d beg her to tell it again and again. For years, I believed it was a traditional Filipino folktale passed down through generations. But as I grew older and studied pre-colonial Ilocano folklore, I discovered something surprising—no one else had heard it. Not even my grandmother’s children or cousins recognized the name. Linguists and historians couldn’t place “G’watsinongo” either. Eventually, I realized: maybe Lola had made it up just for me. G’wat—short for gaw-at—means “to reach” in Ilocano, while gáwat in Pangasinan refers to a farmer facing poverty due to an unprepared harvest. These meanings mirror the heart of the story: a man’s struggle with grief, poverty, and the consequences of a single choice. This book is a faithful retelling of that story, preserved in poetic English and Ilocano across nine chapters. G’watsinongo tells the tale of G’wat, a man left alone after a divine fire consumes his family. When an elder gifts him a goat and asks only for its liver in return, G’wat is pulled into a test of character that will change his fate forever. With mythic beings, ancestral spirits, and a haunting transformation, this story explores themes of greed, grief, and the longing to belong. Perfect for readers interested in: Indigenous Filipino storytelling and oral tradition Bilingual (Ilocano-English) folktales Mythology, cultural memory, and ancestral wisdom Pre-colonial values and the moral imagination This is more than a story - it’s a gift passed down from my grandmother’s voice to yours.
ASIN: B0FKZ1RTVY
VSKU: BVV.B0FKZ1RTVY.A
Condition: Acceptable
Author/Artist:Corpuz, Janelle Punzalan|Ganibe, Joel Wayne A.|Macutay, Derrick|Punzalan, Rosalia Yabes Vallejos|Fabian, Rommel M.|Wu Hsih, Ajarn
Binding: Paperback
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: The item is very worn but is perfectly usable. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Page edges may have foxing age related spots and browning . May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.