Balaguan

Balaguan

Ismael K. Isikel 14/12/2017

This is a Christmas mood post for 2017 on the word balaguan and related terms.

Tagete is used in many balaguan decorations

A feast is called a balaguan. Warwakai is a word that is frequently used to mean balaguan. Balaguan is a time to be happy (gugu); a time to mark an occasion (matamatanai); a time to display wealth in honor of dead relatives (nuk midimidi); and a time to close the balaguan (riat kaur). Sometimes bamboo poles are erected and decorated during a balaguan. The setting up of bamboo poles is known as watut kaur. Depending on resources and time, a watut kaur and riat kaur are performed at the same time or at different times. Some balaguan do not involve the erection of bamboo poles for decoration.

Matamatanai evokes terms such as nuk warpa, nuk midimidi, pite warpa. Nuk warpa is to remember and nuk midimidi is to remember by conducting a feast. Pite warpa is praise.

Another word synonymous with balaguan is lukara. It is also used to mean food and other items used in a feast.

Lukara na warbean is a wedding feast; a marriage ceremony. And lukara na kinakawa is a time to remember and celebrate the time of birth.

Relatives and friends express best wishes to the person or people celebrating by saying:

Bona lukara na warbean

Bona lukara na kinkawa.