Analyn Villanueva, one of the finalists of the Photo Essay Contest organized by ASCCA-Romblon, shared photos of her husband’s livelihood—fishing with many hooks—or kitang. Read her entry written in her mother tongue and translated into English:
Kitang
Kitang is a kind of fishing method here in Romblon or anywhere in the Philippines. Kitang is made of long lines of fishing line with many hooks. It’s about how many kilos of fishing line and it depends on your choice. You have to invest much in making Kitang because you need some materials like rope and floats. You’d also need a kilo of fresh fish for the bait.
This is one of our sources of income aside from making sofa sets. My husband sacrifices himself in doing this livelihood to have an income. Every day he would go fishing using the Kitang method to catch some big fishes, but sometimes he isn’t fortunate.
One of our problems is that sometimes if we don’t have catch, we are losing in buying the bait for the “Kitang.” My husband’s spot in Kitang fishing is in the deep side of San Pedro in Barangay Ginablan, just at the edge of Barangay Lunas. In dropping kitang, it must be 90 meters below the ocean to catch big fishes like trevally, Lapu-Lapu, and Emperor fish.
It’s perfect to feel that sometimes this Kitang can catch big and many fishes to buy at least 10 kilos of rice and another bait for the next fishing. But when there’s no catch, I’d feel sad because I know it’s another loss.
Kitang
Ining Kitang na ginasiling ay isa ka klase na pagpamunit diri sa Romblon o sa diin man na lugar diri sa Pilipinas.Ang Kitang ay himo sa kung pila ka kilo na nylon o tansi kag ginakabitan ini ning mga taga minimumnia hay isa ka gatos bilog na taga , nasa sa imo na tag iya kung damuon mo pa. Mahay da ang ining paghimo ng Kitang kay halos maabot singko mil ang balor ini.Yara ang pondo kahinangyanon ang kung pila ka metros na pisi, pataw o boya kabuakan ng ining Kitang.
Kailangan iwga gid siya butangan para indi magumok kag bago ini iladlad hay butangan ning lab- as na isda na paon. Isa ini sa ginakinabubuhian ng amon pamilya arinian lalo na kung waya kami order sa amon negosyo na paghimo ng mga sofa set. Ang akon asawa ay gatiis tiis magpalawod aber mabaskog man para lang makadawi dagko na isa.Adlaw adlaw aga kag hapon imaw iya gina obra. Ugaling lang kung kaamat hay waya gid dawi aber isa pero kung gina swerte hay dagko man ang nabubuoy.
Imaw lang ang ginaproblema kung kaamat kay kailangan gid may puhunan para sa paon ng ini na Kitang.Ang iya timanaan ng pagbutang ng ining kita hay sa lawod ng San Pedro sa Ginablan , katungaw ang tangkap ng Lunas.Ining pag huyog ng kitang ay dapat mga 90 brasas ang dayom para ang kumaon hay mga Mabilog, Banahan kay Dugso na isda.
Maayo da kung madamo kag dagko na isda ang nabubuoy para maibalik ang puhunan kag may pantingi na aber 10 na bugas hay maayo na pamatyagan ng asawa na gahuyat sa pag abot ng iya kaibahan. Pero kung waya dawi, abang kahuga sa dughan na pamatyagan.
“Ang pagpangabuhian ay pana panahon lang minsan igwa, minsan waya man.”
About Asi Studies Center for Culture and the Arts (ASCCA) – Romblon
ASCCA – Romblon is a chapter of Romblon Discussion List – Cultural, Livelihood, and Educational Assistance for Romblon (RDL-CLEAR), established in 1998. This non-profit organization aims to restore and promote the culture and heritage of the Bantoanon community. ASCCA has already hosted many workshops, conferences, cultural activities, and competitions to preserve Romblon’s nature, local languages, culture, and heritage and empower its community to pass its values to the next generation.
Press Contacts ASCCA – Romblon
Email: asilanguagewarriors@gmail.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/asilanguagewarriors/
Ismael Fabicon
Email: fabicon@msn.com
The Photo Essay Contest was organized by the social media arm of ASCCA-Romblon. It started to hold monthly online contests last February 2021 on its official Facebook page for the Romblon community. Each contest aims to inspire fellow kasimanwas to showcase their talents and promote their own language, culture, and heritage at the same time. Follow our FB page at https://www.facebook.com/asilanguagewarriors/ for future contests and updates.
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