04/21/2022
"Pero, isa kasing-kasing..."
Hernan Binongkasan is a 57 year old Higaonon. He has lived up in a mountainous area of Buenavista for a long time. As I spent time with him, we started chatting about language, diversity, and well... names!
Hernan has another name: "Langan". Which interestingly enough, means "delay" in Bisaya. This was because he was a "delayed birth". I explained to him how I was called "Kulas" here in the Philippines, but am "Kyle" in Canada. Anyways, the conversation drifted towards language and diversity...
He started to explain that the letters "Q" "X" and "R" aren't common in Higaonon language. And I started to share stories of diversity and language from my adventures across the country:
"The Philippines is so diverse. Everything changes from north to south..."
But then Hernan cut in:
"Yes, I am Higaonon, and have my own language. We are all different. But we all have one heart here in the Philippines."
He said it in Bisaya:
"Pero, isa kasing-kasing."
I was just blown away. I actually get chills right now reflecting on the moment he said it... Such a powerful statement. He looked at me a d touched his heart when he spoke. Here I was, emphasizing diversity in the Philippines. But here was a Higaonon in the mountains of Buenavista, who made sure to remind me...
All Filipinos have the same heart and ability to love each other. Truly, all people do.
What made this statement even more overwhelming for me... is Hernan mentioned how in the past, people would sometimes look down on him because he is "from the mountains". Yet he just wanted to emphasize how that should never be the case, for him, as a Higaonon...
He has a big heart full of love.
And I could really feel that in the way he spoke.
One day at a time, One meaningful conversation with a Higaonon at a time...
Power On!