Satur P. Apoyon's "Anak sa Wakwak"

Abstract

 In A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan (1972), John U. Wolff defined wakwak as “bird which comes out at night, so called from its call. Its call signifies the presence of a vampire (unglo) or in some beliefs, it is a form the vampire takes himself.” The supernatural wakwak is prevalent in Philippine folklore, and even today, many people in the rural areas still believe in its existence. In Satur P. Apoyon’s “Anak sa Wakwak,” the wakwak maintains a firm grip in the imagination of the rural folk. Set in this milieu, a young boy comes of age and confronts his desire for the daughter of an alleged wakwak. Originally published in Bisaya Magasin in 2002, the short story was finally collected in a slim volume entitled Ang Gakit ni Noebong ug Ubang mga Sugilanon (Noebong’s Raft and Other Stories) in 2008, published by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. The journal would like to thank the estate of Satur Apoyon for permission to publish the original story together with the English translation.