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Iii Batting

Ibu Tiri (Step-mother)

Ibu Tiri

 

By Johnnie J. Lim

 

Playwright's Note:This is a Tausug play. Ibu tiri is a Malayan term means step-mother. This borrowed term has been used by Tausug in some parts of Sulu.

 

 

Cast

 

Hajija – daughter of Hamid and Suraya who is maltreated in the story.

Suraya – Hamid's first wife

Hamid – Hajija's father and husband of Suraya and Ambulda

Ambulda – Hamid's second wife

Haibatul – Hamid's mother

Lukayya – Hamid's sister

Jupuri – Lukayya's husband

Umbra – Ambulda's lover

Lady 1

Lady 2

Lady 3

Lady 4

Old woman  1

Old woman  2

 

 

Prologue

 

Hamid was married to Suraya who died after giving birth to Hajija. Five months later, he married another woman, Ambulda, who became unfaithful to him for having no enough time for her. Ambulda secretly had an affair with another man, Umbra, who most of the time comforted her and filled her sexual needs while Hamid was away for some business.

 

Hamid was a businessman who often traveled from Jolo to Malaysia by sea via back door. He made business out of shipping fruits like Durians, Lanzones, Mangoesteens, and Mangoes to Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia. In return, he would buy goods for sale and shipped them back to Jolo.

 

Scene I: In the dining room, Hamid is seated. He is reading a newspaper. A cup of coffee would be served by Suraya on a small table situated on his right side.

 

(Suraya enters. She puts the coffee on the table. She puts both of her hands on her waist. Walks to the left side of the stage, then to the right side.)

 

Suraya :(Uneasy and uncomfortable)

Tuan ku, tuan ku,

Masakit na in tiyan ku;

Mara-ih umanak na aku.

Us na kaw dayang, tabangi na aku.

 

Hamid: (Looks at Suraya. Stands. Helps her.)

Sandal-sandali na-a ba Suraya,

Pagkuwan yan gumam da;

Pa Allah dumuwa-a kita,

Kalu in batah  yan salamat da.

 

(Hamid calls his mother who is in the kitchen.)

 

Ina, kari na-a ba kaw,

Bat da aku makapanaw;

Hi dayang ku ini kita-a,

In panday kawa-un ku na.

 

Haibatul: (Enters. Hurriedly walks toward Suraya to help her.)

Tagad na-a kaw Utuh ku,

U-an baluy, hitagama ku;

Pagkulangan hi dayang mu,

Ubus ampa na kaw kadtu.

 

(Haibatul gets the mat, pillows and blanket. Arrange them on the floor.)

 

Hi indah, buhata na,

Pa baluy, pakulanga na;

In panday, pa u-sa,

Bat in batah  gumuwa na.

 

(Hamid lifts Suraya up and brings her to the bedroom. Lays her down on the mat. Then, exits.)

 

 

Scene II: The old woman enters with Hamid. The two sit beside Suraya. The old woman, panday (unprofessional midwife), puts her hands on Suraya's abdomen.)

 

Panday: (Curious)

Ay kaw utuh, tabangi kita,

In asawamu umanak na;

Pa laum bilik, buhata na,

Bat ku siya maayura.

 

(The old woman looks at Haibatul. Instructs her.)

 

Indah  isab tagamaha,

Tubig piyasuh  iban palanggana;

In dahun biyabas, lahga-a na,

Pag-ubus, mistangi na siya.

 

(Hamid and the old woman bring  Suraya to the bedroom. Haibatul goes to the kitchen. Hamid goes out of the bedroom.)

 

Scene III : Hamid is seated. Feels nervous. Walks from corner to corner. The old woman comes out from the bedroom. The baby is wrapped with a piece of cloth and is carried by Haibatul.)

 

Hamid: (Surprised)

Apuh panday, baita-i aku;

Maunu-unu na in asawa ku?

Kaina pa in susa ku,

Labi-luba na ha anak ku.

 

(The two women remain silent. Haibatul shows the baby to Hamid.)

 

Utuh, kita-a na ba,

In anak mu, pipiha na;

In lantik sin piluk mata,

Mapansung pa in ilung niya.

 

Ayaw na kaw masusa,

Hi dayang mu natug pa;

Ay mu na-a pukawa,

Pagkuwan mabughat siya.

 

(Hamid ignores his mother. Walks hurriedly into the bedroom. The two women remain silent. Hamid comes out of the bedroom.)

 

Hamid: (So upset)

La hawla ina ku,

Unu bahah in dusa ku?

Piyutingan niyu aku,

Nawapat na hi dayang ku.

 

Laa ilaha illallah,

Mohammadu rasul Allah;

Lasa ku napuspus na,

Kan dayang ku Suraya.

 

Kabuhi ku way na lagi,

Hi dayang ku, wayna ri;

Asal aku nag-iiyan,

Bulsit in bata-bata yan!

 

Panday: (Worried)

Utuh, panyabut ba kaw,

In mamung ay na kaw;

Ha anak mu, maulung kaw,

Sari pagsabal na sadja kaw.

 

Haibatul: (Unhappy)

Amuna baha in giyantah,

Ha-upu in ummul hi indah;

Iban anak di makapagkita,

Pagsukul kaw yari pa hi indah-indah.

(Hamid runs away. The two women exit.)

 

 

Scene IV: In Hamid's house.

 

Narrator:

 

Lima bulan in limabay,

Lasa himupay-hupay;

Kasi wala limugay,

Kay utuh awn i-mabay.

Hi Hamid, nag-asawa;

In anak piyasaran na,

Anduh ka-ilu hi Suraya,

In janji nagbaluba.

 

(Ambulda enters. Calls Hajija.)

 

Ambulda: (Gets angry.)

Hajija, Hajija!

Ay kaw hi Hajija,

In bai ini way miyumus,

Na biyah basurahan in dagbus.

 

Ari! Sawla yari hi ama niya,

Pangannal hatiku dih aku mag-ama;

Di paghalli-an in bungis ku,

Maraih mabaya hi musmus ku.

 

Hajija: (Enters)

Ibu ay na kaw mag-ama,

In aku ini tantu maglanu da;

Sin bilik mu iban sin kusina;

Manga puga, lu-unan ku ra.

 

Ambulda: (Angry)

Ay na ba kaw lumigaw,

Tumaka binasahun ta kaw.

 

(Hajija starts cleaning the floor. Ambulda takes a seat.)

 

Ambulda: (Angry)

Parayawa yan Hajija,

Bat da kaw dih magmula!

 

(Hajija washes the dishes. Accidentally drops the plates which break into pieces.)

 

Ambulda:

Laa hawla tuhan ku,

Nag-i-iyan sa aku;

 

(pinch Hajija's ear.)

 

Asalda ba in ikaw yan,

Way hinang daing sin bihayan.

 

(Pushes Hajija against the floor.)

 

Na-ubus na biyagbag mu,

In kalay-layan ku;

Maytah, awn du-un sin mu,

Hikapami ku sin bahgu?

Misan in hi ama mu,

Dih da mag-inu-inu.

 

Hajija: (Fixes the mess.)

Ibu, way ku tiyu-ud,

In magkanam, bukun maksud;

Amuna bahah in giyantah,

Aku ini tangah- tangah.

 

Ambulda: (Gets mad.)

Ay bat lumigaw pakaw!

Kaku umatu kaw?

 

(Holds Hajija on her hair. Pushes her against the floor. Kicks her….Lukayya enters.)

 

Lukayya: (Surprised. Interferes to stop Ambulda.)

Sarang na ba kakah,

Maulung na kaw kay indah.

 

Ambulda: (Continues speaking.)

Hinda way sipug ini,

Misan hi ama mu yari,

Kaku in bay ini!

 

Unu in pangannal niyu,

Banyaga niyu aku?

Ay kamu maglaku-laku,

Ig na kamu madtu!

 

(Ambulda exits. Hajija and Lukayya embrace each other.)

 

Hajija:(Cries and hugs Lukayya.)

Kah dayang baita-i aku,

Unu in hinangun ku;

Bang biha ini ra in sukud ku,

Maraw pa mawapat na aku.

 

Misan in buhi hi ama ku,

Piyasasaran niya ra aku;

Misan in pagka-un ku,

Dih da siya mag-inu-inu.

 

(Lukayya and Hajija exit.)

 

 

Scene V: Hamid arrives home. He notices that Hajija is not around.

 

Narrator:

 

Dimatung na hi Hamid,

Daing pa ha untas tawid;

Atay sangat kimublah,

Tuy na naglawag kan indah.

 

(Hamids enters. Ambulda is seated on a sofa. She is cleaning her nails.)

 

Hamid: (Speaks to Ambulda.)

Ay kaw, nakapakain na hi indah?

Daing sin ka-ina way ku pa kita;

Dayang baita-i kunu aku,

Nakapakain na in anak ku?

 

Ambulda: (Replies to Hamid.)

Ay na kaw maglawag,

Lay ku iyubus biyagbag;

Nagkanam sa in nak mu,

Sipug-sipug pa aku.

 

In aku iyatuhan,

Sin anak mu kalasahan;

Maglunsul way halihan,

Biyah dih kapag-agihan.

 

Manjari siyagda ku,

Gamman aku kiyalu;

Miyanaw way namaid,

Daing kahapun pa, Hamid.

 

 

Hamid: (Down-hearted)

Piyakain na bahah yadtu?

Way misan piyalawag mu;

Manaw pa aku pa babah,

Kalu yadtu siya kanda kakah.

 

(Hamid exits.)

 

(Ambulda gets angry.Throws anything on the table. Umbra enters. Looks at the mess and tries to comfort her.)

 

Umbra:

Ay kaw na-a Ambulda,

Unu in sabab sin problema?

Gawi ku ini mamisita,

In magmulka, ayaw na.

 

Ambulda:

Langay dih hikasipat,

Hi Hamid wayna addat;

Datung daing ha tulakan,

Aku in kiyaput-putan.

 

Umbra: (Comforts Ambulda.)

Sa-ri na siya madtu,

Asalda yari aku;

Bang pikilan mu mahilu,

Ta-gi sadja aku.

 

Ambulda: (Drives Umbra away.)

Umbra, uwi na kaw madtu,

Nakaratung na in bana ku;

Ay na-a kaw magkari,

Bang in bana ku yari.

 

Umbra: (Gets angry.)

In dagbus sin bana mu,

Maytah, mabugah aku?

Bang yan kapu-tan ku,

I-gan ku san U.

 

Ambulda: (Forces Umbra to leave.)

Us na ba kaw Umbra,

Magdaratung na san siya;

Bang aku kakasihan mu,

Magad mayan aku kay mu.

 

(Umbra exits on the left side of the stage while Ambulda exits on the right side.)

 

Scene VI: On the street. Hajija is begging for money to buy food. Two persons are standing on the left side talking to each other. On the center, four persons are sharing ideas. Two of them are seated. On the right, another three persons are standing.

 

Hajija: (Enters. Lays her palm up.)

Indah, dihili ba aku,

Sin manga kiyaka-un mu;

Way aku nakaka-un

Daing pa sin kahapun.

 

Lady 1: (Gets irritated.)

Ay kaw in batah-batah ini,

Daing ha-in baha ini?

Simay kaw kunuh du-un,

Bat ta ra kaw dih sipa-un.

 

Hajija: (Turns to the man.)

Utuh kari-a na ba,

In kapin mu kakuh na;

Bang magduhul da in Allah,

Kalu kaw magkarayahan da.

 

Man 1: (Refuses to give.)

Pag-usaha ba kaw indah,

Bat kaw awn masupah;

Misan in kami ini,

Wayra sin labi-labi.

 

(Hajija moves to the three persons.)

 

Hajija:(Begging)

Ma-ulung na kaw bapah,

Aku ini nalawah;

Sin dihili kita,

Misan pila-pila na.

 

Man 2: (Refuses to give.)

Unu in panghati mu,

Ta-u barkanan aku?

Ig na kaw du-un hayan,

Dih tara kaw dihilan.

 

Lady 2: (Speaks to the man.)

In ikaw isab ini,

 

(Looks at the man.)

 

Way tu-ud tumbukan kasi;

In ta-u dih magpangdihil,

Ha mahuli way makussil.

 

(Looks at Hajija.)

 

Tabuka ini indah,

Bat kaw awn masupah.

 

(Gives the food to Hajija.)

 

Hajija: (Gets the food.)

Magsukul tu-ud kaymu,

Makaka-un na aku;

Kalu mura-murahan,

Tungbasan da kaw sin tuhan.

 

(Hajija moves to a corner. Sits. Eats the food. Ladies and men exit.)

 

Hajija: (Talks to herself.)

Bang hadja buhih hi inah,

Tantu dih mag-asawa hi amah;

Aku dih pasaran,

Matug ha karandanan.

 

Anduh kailu hi inah,

Piyag-ganti na siya hi amah;

Inday ku mayta bahah,

Walah kami misan nakapag kitah.

 

(Sings these lines. Then sleeps.)

 

O, inah ku kalasahan,

Mahunit kaw tungbasan;

Bang kaw inah pagkatumtuman,

Sah in luha pahiran.

 

 

Scene VII: Hajija is dead. Lying on a corner of a street. Three women pass by.

 

Woman 1:

Ay kaw in batah-batah ini,

Nangangalum na in siki;

Sung ba kamu mari,

Anak hi siyu baha ini?

 

(The two women come closer.)

 

Woman 2:

Maraih nakakaun lassun,

Pasari niyu na ru-un;

Ikaw man in kala-ugan,

Taga lasiyah da sayan.

 

(Four men look closer. Whisper to one another. Hamid fortunately passes by. His attention is driven to find out what the people are looking at, and be surprised.)

 

Hamid: (kneels)

Laa hawla hi indah,

Maytah na ba kaw indah?

 

(Hugs Hajija and cries.)

 

Indah batih na ba kaw,

Liyalawag ta sa kaw;

Laa ilaha il Allah,

In anak ku nawapat na.

Bang ku sadja kiyatalusan,

Dih ta sa kaw pasaran.

 

(Looks at other people.)

 

Tabangi niyu ba aku,

Magda kan dayang ku;

Pa bay hi kakah ku,

Bat da siya ma-idjatu.

 

(Other people help him to bring the corpse. Exit.)

 

Scene VIII: Lukayya is seated with her husband, Jupuri. Hamid enters.

 

Hamid:

Tabangi aku kakah,

Kiyabakan ku na hi indah;

Utuh pagsakap na ba kaw,

Kagunahan tu-ud ta kaw.

 

Jupuri: (Surprised)

Hamid, lingkud na-a ba kaw,

Mahabah pa in adlaw;

Bang biyah dih matarasaw,

Hali-hali na-a kaw.

 

Hamid: (Remains standing.)

Anduh ka-ilu utuh,

Susa ku sangat  limanduh;

Ay man kamu kubla-an,

Subay niyu aku ta-uran.

 

Lukayya: ( Stand to verify about the news.)

Biyah kaw isab maka kublah,

Maytah na-unu hi indah?

 

Hamid: (Takes his face away.)

In anakun mu kakah,

Hi tanum na pa lupah.

 

Lukayya: (Surprised.)

Astagfirulla Tuhan ku;

Haunu na hi indah ku?

 

Hamid:

Ay na kamu maglugay,

Sung na kita niyu pa bay.

 

(Hamid, Jupuri and Lukayya exit.)

 

Narrator:

Limabay hangka bulan,

Sambil na hinang kapatan;

Wah pa kiya mamattanan,

In asawa hi Hamid lalihan.

 

Bang bana ha panawan,

Kabit, tuy na gumaban;

Lumag sin katanaman,

Dih mabugah abutan.

 

Anduh ka-ilu in bana,

Landuh nasiya-siya;

Tuyuh na mag-usaha,

Diyurupang da sin asawa.

 

Ubus ampa na nag-isun,

Maksud bana lassunun;

Sah in Tuhan adil,

Maksud walah tiyakdil.

 

Higung-hagas sin ta-u,

Dungugun makahilu;

In unu-unu katan,

Tuhan dih da kaliyuhan.

 

 

Scene IX: In the house of Lukayya. Hamid asks his sister concerning his wife.

 

Hamid:

Kakah bayta-i aku,

Pasal sin asawa ku;

Ini awn diyungug ku,

Langay bukun na jatu.

 

Lukayya: (Reluctant.Uneasy.)

Inday ku bang maytah,

Dih ku agun hika-tugilah;

Anak mu in nagbaytah,

Dih mapatut in kitah.

 

Jari namanaw-panaw aku,

Tudju madtu kaniyu;

Amu sa in kitah ku,

Bilik mu taga ta-u.

 

Wah sa aku naghibuk,

Asawa mu nahahaluk;

Pagkitah ku pagsu-uk,

Hiyuhuliran sin usug.

 

Hamid: (Annoyed)

Astagfirullah Tuhan ku,

Maytah walah piyabunuh mu?

Dakulah san kasipugan,

Subay ku pagsabilan.

 

Lukayya: (worried.)

Magpitna dih sa aku,

Pa Tuhan mabugah aku;

Utuh maapa aku,

Narkah in kiyabaytah ku.

 

(Hamid exits. Lukayya feels so scared. Then exits.)

 

Scene X: In Hamid's house. Ambulda hurriedly comes out of the bedroom bringing her bags. Fixes her things. Umbra is still in the bedroom. Comes out later.

 

Ambulda: (Rushing)

Us na ba kaw Umbra,

Bag ku ini da-ha na;

In maglugay ayaw na,

Sung na, mig na kita.

 

Umbra: (Comes out bringing the bag.)

Ayaw ba kaw masusa,

In waktu mahaba pa;

Bang wayra baya-baya,

Mahambu-uk da kita.

 

(Hamid arrives home with a bolo. Enters.)

 

Hamid: (Amazed)

Bunnal na in sambatan,

Way tuwih sipug niyu yan;

Bang ku dih pag-imanan,

Dih ta kamu kasayuhan.

 

(Turns to Ambulda)

 

Unu in nahinang ku?

Diyurupang mu tuwih aku;

Walah kaw nakasayu?

Dih maampun in dusa mu!

 

(Umbra tries to run, but Hamid successfully hacks him at his back. Ambulda begs for pardon. Cries, but Hamid kills her, too.)

 

Ambulda: (Begs for apology.)

Hamid, maapa aku,

Umisab dih na aku;

Daing da san kaymu,

Hipag bin mu aku.

 

Hamid: (Gets angry.)

Laa ilaha il Allah,

Di kaw tu-ud makila-kila;

Maksud ku mag-usaha,

Pagsayu-sayuha ra!

 

(Ambulda attempts to escape. Hamid stops her. Kills her. After killing Ambulda, Hamid looks at his bloody hands.)

 

Hamid: (Confused)

Ya Allah Tuhan ku,

Ampuna in dusa ku;

Bang mangi in maksud ku,

Wayra lumiyu kay mu.

 

(The police come and haul off Hamid to jail.)

 

 

******TAMMAT (THE END) **************

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Manny Reyes III Batting Practice

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