Doc Ahmad Hajiri

Subtitle: "Ang Kwento ni Kristina" Story by Ahmad Musahari, Photos by Kartini Tahir "Kuya, lubog na po ba ang araw?" Ang tanong niya sa akin...  Bismillah. Minsan sa ating buhay, kelan ba tayo huling naghintay ng paglubog ng araw? Kelan ba tayo huling nagtaka bakit ang bagal minsan ng oras at minsan nama’y sadyang kay bilis nito? Ilang ulit ba natin hiniling na sana ay matapos na ang isang nakakapagod na araw?  Na sana ay tuluyan na tayong makauwi sa bahay at makapagpahinga na sa kubli ng luntiang gabi?  Si Kristina Ito si Kristina o Tin-Tin. Sampung taong gulang na bata na naninirahan sa may Pasay. Una namin siyang nakilala nung bumisita kami sa UP Diliman. Lumapit siya sa amin ng kaibigan ko upang bentahan kami ng kanyang panindang pantali ng buhok (na tig-sampung piso isa) at payong (2 makukulay na payong; di ko na natanong kung magkano isa). Dun din siya nagsimulang magtanong sa amin. “Kuya, yan po ba ang araw?” sabay turo sa may maliwanag...

        One of those days when I was in Pandami’, Sulu where my ancestors had once lived, a wonderful inspiration came to me through two of the most unusual ways: by a small stone and a little lad.         I was walking through the thick bushes that afternoon, in one of my great grandfather’s well treasured land. I was hoping to find peace in listening to birds chirping up high on the trees, or with the wind that is softly touching my face, and even by pondering at the great wonder and mystery those gigantic trees have to offer (all of these are wonderful blessings from Allah, Alhamdulillah).         Along the way, I spotted a little boy not far from where I was. He was wearing a red bandana in his head, covering his short, black curly hairs. His thin body was plastered by his white shirt that had grown old and had turned to another color which I cannot name. A small taguban (a ...

Do you want to learn how to speak in Bahasa Sug (Tausug Language)? Do you know someone who is a Tausug, and wanted to surprise them by speaking with them in Tausug fluently? Do you have some words or phrase you want to be translated into Tausug? Or Are you just someone who will enjoy learning a new Language? But, too sad there is only a few sites having an easy-to-follow, tutorial on how to learn Bahasa Sug...? Well, worry no more! Starting June 2012 (that's tomorrow!), a new site created to cater the need of those who wanted to Learn Bahasa Sug by heart is here! Introducing... "TAUSUG 101: Learning Bahasa Sug" by Anak Iluh. It's finally here! Your one-stop online tutorial site for learning Bahasa Sug--the FUN WAY!. It's a simple site having the following features: 1) GRAMMAR LESSONS = a series of easy-to-follow, subject-based lessons on Bahasa Sug directly from a homegrown-Tausug from Sulu! You don't have to know a lot of grammar rule and t...

Bismillah. For the past few months, I have received a number of emails ffrom different readers of our humble blog—at least now I know we have other readers aside from my, uhm, myself. Most of them are asking for the Tuasug (Sinug) translations of some words or phrases, some of them had expressed their interest in learning our local language. They have different reasons ranging from simply being curious to wanting to surprise their love ones who are Tausugs (or at least knows the language). Someone is even a linguist who wanted Tausug (Sinug) to be his 10th learnt language! Wow! I tried to reply to their emails as much as I can; answering their questions, translating some words, explaining some (those that I can handle)… And little by little, I found myself enjoying this kind of ‘sharing’ my own language to other people. Maybe it is not as effecting as learning from formal schools or directly conversing with one another, but at least I was able to share something, somehow…which is ...

Ha kahaba’ waktu magpaka-atud aku pa kalauran sin dagat, ha hula’ naka atawa ha dugaing lugal, di’ ku tuud kahawiran in makauyum ha pangatayan ku. Biya’ aku sapantun amuin bata’2 ampa nakabalik pa pipihan hi inah niya. Ha laum jantung ku in kahanung, kasanyang… Daran ku magkaiyan ha baran ku, “bunnal sa, in dagat ini biyah da isab sin kabuhi’ ku…” In kabuhi’ ta biya’ da sapantun sin dagat yaun; Anud madtu, anud mari. Di’ kaingatan in tubtuban ta bang hain humundung. Mataud pangasubu dih ta pa kaingatan sambungan; mataud lalabayan, sung ta pa untasun. Maladju-malawak pa in sungan ta, in manjari ta tukasun. Mataud indaginis ha lauman niya, sibu’ da hikatabang atawaka makamumula. In kabuhi’ ta biya’ da sapantun sin dagat yaun; Awn waktu ha laum kahanung, di’ maghibal-hibal. Awn waktu in kita magpa-agad na hadja ha pakain-pakain na in anuran niya. Awn waktu isab ha laum harubiru, ha laum alun malaggu’ sa’ ta atuhan. Ha laum badju, atawa unus dakula, makahanggaw manglubu sin ka...