Three Kings
Good afternoonGood afternoon.
Good afternoon sa inyong lahatGood afternoon to all of you.
Huwag sana kayong magagalit sa katotohananI hope you won't be angry at the truth
na maibabalita ko sa inyoThat I will tell you
dahilbecause
tila mahirap ngang tanggapin na katotohanan itothis truth seems difficult to accept
Sabagay mahirap tanggapin ang katotohananAfter all it is difficult to accept the truth
kung minsan.sometimes.
Eto nga, tungkol sa "three kings"Here it is, about the "three kings" [End Page 195]
Ang tatlong hariThe three kings
Na nagbigay ginto, insenso at mirrawho gave gold, incense, and myrrh
Kayamanan, pag-ibig ba't kapaitan ?Wealth, perhaps love, and bitterness?
Parang ganyanIt seems like it
Kung gawin ang modern version nito,If you do the modern version of it,
ano kaya ang insenso?what would be the incense?
Palagay ko cigarette lighter iyoI think that would be a cigarette lighter
Ang ginto ay gintoGold is gold
At ang mirra ay … maaring langisAnd myrrh … could be oil
Baka nga langPerhaps
Pero ang tunay kong ibabalita sa inyoAy ang malaking katarantaduhang ginawaSa paniniwala kay Melchor, Gaspar at BaltasarBut what I really want to tell youIs the utter nonsense madeAbout the belief in Melchor, Gaspar, and Balthazar
Sa katotohanan, sila ay mga prinsipe lamangIn reality, they were only princes.
Siyempre naman, kung hindi sila hari,Really, if they had not been kings, [End Page 196]
sino kaya ang magkagusto ng kuwento nila ?who would have come to like their story ?
Wala.Nobody.
Kailangan na ang mga bida ay mga hariThe heroes should be kings
Ni Diyos hindi nga puwede, eNot even God could!
Ano pa kaya sa mga ordinary citizens?What more for ordinary citizens?
Hindi puwede.It is not possible.
At ang pangalan nila ay Principe Amante, Prinsipe AbanteAt Prinsipe Florante.
And their names were Prince Amante, Prince AbanteAnd Prince Florante.2
Sila ay patungong silanganThey were heading to the East
Nang nakakita sila ng « shooting star »When they saw the "shooting star"
Natuliro silaThey were stupefied
Ang hindi natin malaman ay kung bakitWhat we cannot understand is why
Nagbigay sila ng mga handogThey gave presents
Masyadong nag-abala sila sa isang anakThey were too preoccupied by the child
Ng karpinteroOf a carpenter [End Page 197]
Gusto nilang mag-charity workThey liked to do charity work
Kung minsanSometimes
Si Principe Amante ay isang "Businessman",Prince Amante was a "businessman",
ika nga. Marami siyang negosyoas they say. He was doing a lot of business.
Guwapo siya at maaring maging aktor siyaHe was handsome and could have become an actor
sa Hollywoodin Hollywood
Mahusay siya siguro ng gumanap ngHe was really skilled in performing
eksena para sa mga role ng prinsipeprincely roles
Mabilis sa kamayA master of sleight of hand
Maraming bisyo(He had) many vices
Kaya gusto niyang magpakatinoSo he wanted to be better
Parang nararamdaman niya na kung mag-It's as if he felt that if
bigay siya ng handog sa mga sanggol,he gave presents to babies,
mababawasan ang kabiyang kasalananit would lessen his sins. [End Page 198]
Sa bagayIn any case
parang may bisa ang pagbibigay ngIt seems the giving of
handog. Si principe Abante ayan offering was effective. Prince Abante was
isang mandirigmaa warrior.
Parang hostess :He was like a hostess:3
may hindi kanais-nais na layunin nguni'tHe did not have pure intentions but
may gintong pusohad a heart of gold
Lalaki siya.He was a man.
Maraming ulo ang gumulong sa daanMany lost their heads along the way
Dahil sa kanyaBecause of him
Huwag nga nating pag-usapan iyanLet's not even talk about that.
Hindi yata bagay sa pasko angKuwentong mandirigma. MalibanThe warrior storydoes not sound like a Christmas thing. Except
lamang siguro kung pag-ibig ngperhaps if the topic is about the love [End Page 199]
Mandirigma ang pag-uusapanOf the warrior
At si Prinsipe Florante?And Prince Florante?
Tama kayo, siya ang kumakantaYou are right, he is the singer.
Gumawa siya ng kantang handogHe performed a song as a tribute
Sa ating pagsasamaFor our friendship
Magkakaibigan ang tatlo. HindiThe three were friends.
malinaw sa alamat ang kanilangpagkakaibigan. Basta na lang magkakabarkadasila. Hindi masyadong mahirapThe legend is not clear about their friendshipSuddenly they became close friendsIt is not too hard
intindihin kung bakit ang mga reino4to understand why the princes
ay may kasamahan. Lahat ayhad a fellowship. They all
naghahanap ng kapayapaanlooked for peace.
Kaya ng makita nila ang shooting starSo when they saw the shooting star
may kutob sila na ang bituin na iyonthey had a hunch that the star
ay mag-bibigay ng tunay na direksiyonwould guide them to the right place [End Page 200]
sa kapayapaan.to peace.
At napatungo sila sa daan ng mgaAnd they followed the way of the
bituin. Naglakbay sila.star. They went on a journey.
Hindi nila malaman kung saanThey did not know where
sila pupunta, kung tumataas sila o bumababa.they were going, if they were going up or down.(4)Hindi sila nahirapan sa paglakbay.They had no difficulty in their journey
Mamaya na lang e lumalapit sila sa buwan.It was only later that they came close to the moon.
Wala silang dalang bandilaThey hadn't brought a flag
Kaya wala silang tanda.So they had nothing to identify themselves.
Doon nila nakita na ang kanilang mundoThere, they saw that their world
Ay maliit pala.Was small.
Ngayon ay nasanay na sila sa kalawakan.Now they were used to the vast space.
Napansin nila ang paglipas ng Andromeda.They noticed the passing of Andromeda
Malayo pala.It was really far. [End Page 201]
At walang daan patungo doon.And there was no way to go there.
Lumampas sila sa bilyong bituinThey exceeded a billion stars
Ngunit mayroon pa ring nasasalubongBut they kept meeting others
Alam nila na ang mga bituin at planetaThey already knew that the stars and the planets
Ay hindi mga bola na ibinabatoAre not balls which are thrown
Sa mga bowling pinsAt bowling pins
Apoy, langis, bato, tubigFire, oil, rock, water
Ang mga elementos ng buhayThe elements of life
Ang mga elementos ng pagsimulaThe elements of the beginning
Mga elementos ng lakasThe elements of force
Marami silang naunawaanThey understood a lot
Marami silang napag-aralanThey learnt a lot
Kapag nadagdagan ang inyong nalalaman,When you increase your knowledge,
Nadadagdagan din ang mga alam moYou also increase your knowledge
Sa misteryo ng mundoOf the mystery of the world [End Page 202]
Nagbigay sila ng handog – iyon na langThey gave the only thing
Ang maibibigay nila.they could give.
Naubos lahat sa paglalakbayThey were all exhausted by the journey
Nahanap nila ang kapayapaan.They found peace(5)Naging masaya silaThey were happy
Mahalaga sila sa belenThey were important in the nativity.
Ngunit ang masama na naman sa atingBut what is bad about our consciousness
Nalalaman ay ang external thingsare the external things
Palagi ang mahalagaIt is always what matters
Dahil siguro medyo dramatic makitaMaybe because it is quite visibly dramatic
Ang tatlong prinsipeng nagbibigay ngThe three princes who gave
Ginto na kumikinang, insenso naThe glittering gold, smoking incense
Umuusok, at mira na nasa makortengAnd myrrh inside a beautifully made
Kahon. Ang hindi natin malamanBox. What we do not know
Ay kung paano si Abanteng nakipag-Is how Prince Abante had fought in duel [End Page 203]
Duel sa mga bayan para lamangIn the towns so they could
Makaraan sila. Si Amante ay nahirapangpass through. Amante had difficulties
Bumola sa mga tao upang may discountsweet-talking the people so that they would get discounts
Sila sa mga hotel. At si Florante –At the hotel. And Florante –
Huwag na nating idamay si Laura – ayLet's not include Laura5–
Naging idolo sa kanyang pag-awitBecame an idol in his singing
Ng mga balladOf the ballads. [End Page 204]
Elsa Clavé is an assistant professor of Austronesian Studies at the University of Hamburg where she co-organizes the study program, the Philippines in Austronesian Studies. She specializes in the social and cultural history of the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia and has recently published her first monograph Les sultanats du Sud philippin – Une histoire sociale et culturelle de l'islamisation (XVe-XXe siècles) (Paris: EFEO, 2022)
Judy Freya Sibayan is a conceptual artist doing self-instituted projects as Institutional Critique. She is the director of the Museum of Mental Objects which she embodies and performs. Her autobiography, The Hypertext of HerMe(s) was published in 2014 by KT Press with a grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. She is also co-founding editor and publisher of the online Ctrl+P Journal of Contemporary Art (https://www.ctrlp--artjournal.org).
NOTES
1. The Three Kings script was written by Ray Albano. As editors of this edition, we want to bring people into a dialogue regarding translation, artistic practice and academic expertise. The translation of the script from Filipino to English was a collaborative effort between Judy Freye Sibayan and Elsa Clavé between 2021 and 2022.
2. Prinsipe Amante was the hero in the comic book series Prinsipe Amante published by Aksiyon Komiks in 1950. Prinsipe Abante, on the other hand, was the lead character in the slapstick film comedy titled Prinsipe Abante released in 1973. Florante (Florante de Leon) was a singer-songwriter in the 1970s and a pioneer and leading exponent of Pinoy (Philippine) folk rock. One of his most popular songs was the ballad Handog (Offering), a tribute to his fans. Ray Albano was a fan of his and designed the publicity materials for Florante's concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
3. Hostess (feminine) is a euphemism for a waitress in a sex club, and at times for a prostitute.
4. It is possible that Ray Albano intended a masculine version of the feminine reyna or queen. Reino means kingdom.
5. Laura is the object of Florante's love in the epic poem Florante at Laura by Francisco Baltasar, whose pen name was Balagtas. It was written while the poet was in prison and published in 1838 when he was freed. Considered a classic and a masterpiece in Philippine literature, this work of 399 stanzas is an allegory of Baltasar's life, particularly when he was imprisoned. According to Filipino scholar E. San Juan, Jr., Florante at Laura "is a sustained poetic interrogation about the nature of justice, truth and the human commitment to socio-political equity. It concerns the meaning of oath and contract, promise and betrayal, individualism and solidarity. It concerns historical relations: between father and son, ruler and ruled, lover and beloved, Christian and Muslim, man and woman. Love (piety) and force (heroism), passion and society are counterpointed to the mutable response of the characters. Balagtas wrestles ultimately with the dialectic interaction between reason and reality, being and consciousness. What is actual and what is possible." https://panitikan.ph/2014/06/23/reintroducing-balagtas-and-his-work/ [accessed 20 May 2022].
Theatre actor Peng Olaguera reading the 'scripts' for the performances Three Kings and Sound Bags at the End Room of the Main Gallery at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), 6 January 1979. They were written by Ray Albano, then Acting Director of the CCP Art Museum. The End Room was actually the space at the end of the Main Gallery, which when not in use for art exhibitions was used for staging intimate theatre plays produced by Samahan sa Dulo, a group of theatre and visual artists organized by Albano. Seated at the back of Olaguera is Huge Bartolome, waiting for Karioka to perform. Karioka's members were Albano, Bartolome and Judy Freya Sibayan. These performances were part of the activities of the 1978 CCP Thirteen Artists Award (a funding and exhibition award). The award was not given to artists for their body of work but for showing potential for contributing to Philippine contemporary art. Bartolome and Sibayan received the same award two years earlier. Interesting to note here is that the paintings by Mercy Grace Acosta, one of the Thirteen Artists awardees, became the backdrop of the performances, which occupied the whole space, negating the area for proper viewing of the paintings. Yet, the event was announced as being held at the End Room. The event was a conflation of species or the loss of species—performance art, theatre and art theory: a theatre actor not acting but merely reading scripts that were not enacted by the performers who were not actors but were visual artists; a staging of a performance in a space that was not a stage but an art gallery which was called the End Room and traditionally was a space for intimate theatre plays; the reading of a discourse on art no matter how ludicrously parodic of art theory, rendering the art exhibition space as discursive site. Courtesy of Judy Freya Sibayan Archive.
A page from Judy Freya Sibayan's article "Performance", published in Philippine Art Supplement 2, no. 6 (November–December 1981). The illustration used here is a photocopy of a photograph of Peng Olaguera lighting sparklers with the museum staff to mark the end of the performance of Three Kings and Sound Bags. The lighting of fireworks in a state museum gallery, to say the least, broke all museum protocols at the time. Courtesy of Judy Freya Sibayan Archive.
Three Kings, written by Ray Albano, was technically not a script for artists Ray Albano, Huge Bartolome and Judy Freya Sibayan (members of Karioka) to enact, since it was read solely by Peng Olaguera while the three artists sat it out waiting for the next script to be read. Courtesy of Judy Freya Sibayan Archive.
Sound Bags was the second script read by Peng Olaguera, but this time Ray Albano assigned pages to each of the members of Karioka. Each was provided with a microphone on a stand. The first page was labelled Huge, the second, Judy, and the third page, Ray, with the succeeding pages labelled with their names in the said order. After Olaguera had read page one, he paused as a cue for Bartolome to take out an object from a paper bag to make sounds with, which was amplified by the microphone. After the second page was read by the actor, Sibayan did the same, and the artists continued to take turns in an act of 'gifting' the audience with sounds like the strumming of a comb or the crumpling of pieces of paper. Note here, traditionally the closing remarks should have been the welcome remarks. As in all parody, not only is the story rewritten as commentary on the original, but even the form is transformed. In both 'scripts' Albano, the homo ludens, is present. Courtesy of Judy Freya Sibayan Archive.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
