A storybook titled, “Sina Baket An-anus at Baket Ung-unget” written and illustrated by educators in the heritage province of Ilocos Sur snagged first place for the Grade 5 category in the regional level of the Gawad Teodora Alonso 2023, a storybook writing competition of the Department of Education (DepEd) recently.
“Baket An-Anus” translates to persevering grandma, while “Baket Ung-unget” is to grumpy grandma.
This was written by Pricilla L. Ordoño and illustrated by Aldrin Ferdinand P. Hadlos of the DepEd Schools Division Office in Ilocos Sur.
A piece that attempts to bridge today’s generation and the older through the living traditions and cultural values of an Ilocano.
Subjected to quality assurance by the DepEd Central Office, this book has yet to be published but children will be able to access this online soon.
Hadlos, however, was gracious enough to provide a glimpse of the storybook and it features Ilocano terms that our ancestors use daily.
An endearing aspect of the storybook considering how at present, we are arguably fascinated by a lot of foreign languages that we may take our own for granted.
Hadlos passionately discussed the concept of the story and its inspiration.
“It is a folk story about the municipalities in the Amburayan River namely, Tagudin, Sugpon, and Alilem. The story is a familiar tale, it is a story in our locality, where the Amburayan river flows,” he said.
The story revolves around two old women who differ in personalities – one possesses kindness while the other is consumed with envy.
The young illustrator explained, “It teaches children about the repercussions of their actions; if they do good, something nice will happen to them, and if they act harshly, misfortune may befall them, however, there is always a time for reflection and they can learn from past mistakes.”
He mentioned that they are also promoting cultural preservation through this competition and this was a great avenue to show the “agtutubo” or the young how the Ilocanos lived.
The story follows the two main characters in their daily life, giving a perspective on how our ancestors leaned on natural resources for their food.
“These cultural narratives are the way of life of our people, it is part of our identity as an Ilocano, the underlying values that we can get from this story should be nurtured and taught to our children,” Hadlos said.
He went on to reminisce about the bedtime stories told by grandparents, which he points out are packed with great values.
“We were products of the stories of the past, and we learn a lot. These stories are part of who we are today, and these learnings are what we should imbibe in our lives,” he said.
These, Hadlos passionately expressed, should be taught to young learners, not only for cultural preservation but also for them to grow into well-meaning individuals.
With renewed inspiration after this win, Hadlos encouraged teachers, illustrators, and story weavers to put their stories into light.
“We encourage them to be a champion in the promotion of cultural values and Ilocano traditions, in engaging our youth, and in promoting genuine enthusiasm for reading, which is the most important,” Hadlos quipped.
Stories like Ordoño’s and Hadlos’ “Sina Baket An-anus at Ung-unget” are simple yet timely reminders of the essential role of reading in shaping the values of young learners and showing them how we take pride in our colors.
As Hadlos said, may we continue to share such stories and propagate a more humane society as the world moves forward. (JCR/AMB/ATV, PIA Ilocos Sur)
