AMEKANO

Post 7: Lolo Ramon's story

"Timbangay, my father, died after five years and my mother, Sagay, moved the family to Babatan. Its only three kilometers away from where we used to live. Its a better place for farming. I heard my older brothers telling my mother that the soil is dark brown, soft to till and no occupants for as wide as eight hectares. They also said that a river runs from the top and would provide an easy access for water." Ramon continues.

" A land you occupy before is understood yours. Me and my brothers tilled that land for five years before we moved to 'Boted'. Another four kilometers away. We made sure that Babatan will remain ours and continued farming it."

'Boted', was the old name of Ambassdor ,Tublay, Benguet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tublay,_Benguet which means bamboo. The family made Boted their final home. The place's name was changed on 1910 by an American who settled there with his crew for gold mining.He employed many natives including Ramon and his brothers. Sagay, her two daughters and the youngest, Ventura continued doing the farm.

"Amekano is what we call him. He was tall and was so white. He was always writing and likes eggs very much. I thought his skin has something to do with eating eggs all the time. My mother would always give me cooked "lukto"(camote) for this new friend of mine. "Thank you", were my first two English words". Ramon said.

It was this American who changed my grandfather's name to Ramon and the youngest to Ventura. His Igorot name was never known to us nor by my father. Ramon was almost 15 years old when this American came and was very fond of him. He was the one who taught him how to read and write. Only for four years, the American had stopped the mines and went back home to his country. He had to go and tend her ailing wife.