Sandati

Paulo Avelino from Baguio is this year’s lone Igorot contender for the annual StarStruck artista search. Through TXT, some learned that his mother is from Bangaan,Sagada/Bagnen, Bauko/Bontoc all in Mountain Province. But when Paulo was given the chance to introduce himself during the New Year’s eve elimination, he spoke in English (or was it Tagalog). The other contestants spoke in Kapampangan/ Cebuano/ Ilonggo/ etc. Some (Igorot) viewers got disappointed. Now comes the question: Ikinakahiya ba niya na Igorot siya?

Here’s one point of view:

I knew Paulo before he was circumcised. He was such a handsome boy. I still have pictures of him and his siblings taken in 1994 in Besao. I think this was the time we were entertaining the World Bank resident manager and his wife. I will try to scan some and post them here.

I have not been watching Starstruck but if Paulo did sound coño, what is essential is invisible to the eye. I think the boy attended SPED as my nephews and nieces did. In fairness to Mng Jenni, I do not think she ever raised her boy as a coño kid. Most of the SPED kids really do speak almost impeccable English. My daughter is also a SPED kid. While my nephews, nieces and daughter use English (their first language), they also speak our native tongue. It is understandable that Paulo does not because Mng Robert, his dad, is not an Igorot. I suppose she and Mng Jenni do not use Kankanaey to speak to each other. Sadly, Paulo was denied the opportunity to be acquainted with his mother’s native tongue. What is important though is that he acknowledges his ethnic origin.

Mng Robert is a simple guy. He is not the stereotyped Spaniard (the haughty one who uses the words tonto y tonta at every turn). Soft-spoken and always smiling. Guapo pay. Bagay da ken Mng Jenni. I remember that he used to drive a jeep -the vehicle for the family as well as the one for the delivery of his wares to his customers. I do not know if he is still in sales. I do know however that he mingled with Igorots. In fact, for a time, they were renting a place in Puliwes or San Vicente, where the language spoken is Kankanaey. [source: bibaknets]

Did he ever acknowledge on TV that he is an Igorot?

This entry was posted on Friday, January 5th, 2007 at 4:11 pm and is filed under Igorot. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.