Isinays in Hong Kong (Part 2)

IN A PREVIOUS post, I wrote about the formation of a group of Isinays in Hong Kong that call themselves ISINAY TRIBE - HONGKONG.

Last July 28, the prevalently ladies group celebrated its First Anniversary. Its President, Rose Sierra, asked me to write a message for the occasion, and I came out with the following note that I sent via Facebook:

CONGRATULATIONS IRA^YU LOM-AN AN ISINAY SINA HONG KONG, IIVA! 

SAYANG, MU SIRIYE LAN 1986-87, 1991-93, ON 1997-98 OTYA, YA MARAWUM DOMO^ TAY UMALIN MI-UHLUNG, MI-AN, MI-INUM, MITAHTAHE, MIKANTA, MISING-AW, ON MITATAWA IRA^YU. 

O A TOY SI DARAREN TAW-ON YA OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKER PISYA TIYE UWA YUWAR... OT DOTDOT AN MANSERU WA^ SINA HONGKONG. 

AMPAYLAMU ATDI... ON AMPAYLAMU MARI TAU TAY NAN-IILA ON NAN-AABRASA SI PERSONAL, PANGGI^NAAR YA AMUNGLAN DAMDAMA MOT AN MAN-AAMIGOS TAU. 

MAMPAGAYHAYA AMPAY AN DIYOY SI ATTUN ORGANISASION YUN ISINAY.

 SEGUN SI PANRIS-RESEARCH UWAR, YOUR ORGANIZATION IS A HISTORY-MAKING EVENT AS THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT THERE IS A FORMALLY ORGANIZED GROUP OF ISINAYS -- NOT ONLY OUTSIDE ARITAO, BAMBANG, AND DUPAX, BUT ALSO OUTSIDE THE PHILIPPINES -- THAT IS PROCLAIMING TO THE WORLD THAT THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL AND GOOD-MANNERED PEOPLE CALLED ISINAYS AND WHO SPEAK A LANGUAGE CALLED ISINAY! 

MAVILAY AYU LOM-AN!!!

In-ator daratyen miembros si Isinay Tribe - HK ri mamisar an pantumimi^ da siren Hulio 28 an panselebrar dat Maun-unan Aniversaryo ra an uhlung si Isinay siri Hong Kong. Areeyan an miembros ya I-Bambang on Irupaj.

Pushed by the smooth flow of words above, I fired this follow-up note:

Eh, iiva an maseserot on guapo an dioy sina Hongkong, iganap yu man tay daratye: 

1) I HAVE HIGH HOPES AND CONTINUE TO LOOK UP TO THE ISINAY TRIBE OF HONGKONG AS MODEL ORGANIZATION FOR OTHER ISINAYS IN OTHER LANDS (SUCH AS SINGAPORE, EUROPE, MIDDLE-EAST, NORTH AMERICA) FAR FROM ISINAY COUNTRY. 

2) PASOREYON, PASNEYON, PAATUNGON, ON PAABBIRANGON YU TAY OTYA RI PAN-ARU, PANGISA^SAIT, ON PAN-INDARA^DA YUWAR SI OSAT-OSA SINA HONGKONG... TAMON YU MOT DI UGALE YAR AN MASE^SELAT TOY SANAT MAMERDIT BONA^ TAUWAR AN ISINAY. 

3) OSA LOHOM RI ORAWO AR IRA^YU, IIVA: MU UMULI AYU MOT SI BEVEYOY TAUWAR ARITAO-BAMBANG-DUPAJ, IVIYANG ON PAREEYON YU OTYA RI INADAL YUWAR SINA OVERSEAS AN MAVVES AN SKILLS/EXPERIENCES/VALUES/KNOWLEDGE -- TA WEYMU UMASENSO ON SUMEROT TAY RI VILAY TAUWAR SIRI BEVEYOY TAUWAR AN ISINAY!

In turn, Rose (who also founded the Isinay Global Association group in Facebook) in turn posted this message in her FB page:

Pinavle an iiva, misalamataj si innuyuar an nansakripisyo si saten ugmu^ tau... Simple get-together beyaw ot mangi-ator si gayjaya si pusu tauar...  Ditau Uweri! Neyapuan tau ot isompal tau payla! Apu tauar Diyos si manuvvet ira^yu!!! Mavilay taun Bona si Isinay situ Hongkong!!!!

According to Rose, the gathering to mark their anniversary was held at Causeway Bay. The guest speaker was Madam Josie Pingkihan, the president of the Cordillera Alliance.

For the latter, I sent one last note to Rose:

ADING ROSE, IT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO YOUR SPEAKER FROM THE CENTRAL CORDILLERA, THAT THE ISINAY LANGUAGE (OF THE SOUTHEASTERN CORDILLERA) HAS A LOT OF SIMILARITIES TO THE KANKANAEY, IBALOY, BONTOK, AND IFUGAO LANGUAGES. 

I DISCOVERED THIS THROUGH MY READING THEIR DICTIONARIES (AND BY LISTENING TO MY WIFE TALK WITH HER EASTERN BONTOC RELATIVES, AND ONE OF MY BAYAWS TALK IN MAYOYAO IFUGAO). 

IT IS ONLY SAD THAT WHILE THESE CENTRAL CORDILLERA LANGUAGES ARE VERY SAFE BECAUSE THE POPULATIONS OF THEIR SPEAKERS ARE STILL IN THE 50,000 TO 100,000 RANGE, THE ISINAY LANGUAGE TODAY IS IN DANGER OF GOING EXTINCT -- UNLESS BOLD MEASURES TO SAVE IT IS DONE NOW! -- AS IT IS SPOKEN BY ONLY AROUND 5,000 PEOPLE (MANY OF THEM IN THEIR SENIOR YEARS IN SOUTHERN NUEVA VIZCAYA). 

IT IS GREAT THAT ISINAYS LIKE YOU WHO ARE FAR FROM HOME ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO KEEP OUR NATIVE TONGUE AND CULTURE ALIVE AND FIGHTING! CONGRATULATIONS FOR STARING THE BALL ROLLING, ADING!

Rose Sierra's reply:

Salamat Uwa Charles si darasen information an inviyang Mu.. boon lojom an para bisitas miyar beyaw ot lalo mot la ira^mi ...makunkuna nga isinay ...salamat podda!