REST DAY OF OLYMPIAD --
PALAU CHESS TEAM
EXPLORE BATUMI
ON SEPT. 29, 2018
During the rest day of 2018 World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia, the 14 members of Palau Chess Team toured the city of Batumi in a rented Mercedes Benz van driven by a Georgian driver and his assistant.
The last part of the tour is where Eric and Joy rode on a cable car and we proceed to the place where they will get off and walk about half kilometer to the parking area.
While waiting there, (Left to right) Tito Cabunagan, new Candidate Master (CM) Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., Bobot Tan, Rustum Cabuso and Angelo Salvadora are talking in Tagalog when I took this photo. I thought this is the right time to tell them the "Anak" joke.
"When I was in Bahrain in 1987-1989, I noticed that there are more Sri Lankans there than Bangladeshis. Unlike in Palau, there are about 10 Sri Lankans and more or less 700 Bangladeshis in Palau.
One day, a Sri Lankan told me that he likes the song "Anak" by Freddie Aguilar. I said, "Oh yeah! You know him." He said yes and added that he likes the song "Anak" because it mentions their country in that song. I asked him how? And he sang "Nang Sri Lanka sa mundong ito".
THERE'S A LOUD LAUGHTER AMONG ALL OF THEM!!!
One of them teased Tito that I have also brought some jokes with me. Always during our gathering, like eating lunch after watching the Georgian dancers show with GM Eugene Torre and the Open and Women's Team of the Philippines, Tito is always the leading joker among us. It's the normal Tito, always down to earth and funny.
He added during my "Anak" joke that Jesus Christ is a Boholano, or a man from the province of Bohol in Philippines. He told the joke in Tagalog but when he mentioned the part that Jesus Christ is a Boholano, he spoke it in native Boholano dialect where only him could understand. The punchline is not effective.
Tito is one of the 4 judges in Palau Royal Resort's Christmas Party where the theme is "Wild Wild West" in the PRR Got Talent competition. My original partner with my group (Father and Son) Jay Orio, said he cannot perform on stage because he is shy. I replaced him with Gerry Medrano, Elizalde Madrinan and Troy Manatad. But they are also members of other groups doing dance numbers. They will not allow Eli and Troy to be with 2 groups so I asked Benny Billones and security personnel Rodney Yakuchil to perform with me with comedy skit and one of them is the joke about "Anak".
Tito knows already that joke and we practice only one time at Conference Room on the eve of the Christmas Party. We just received a consolation prize of $50.00 where I gave Benny and Rodney $15.00 each and for me--$20.00.
SRI LANKANS LIKE
FREDDIE AGUILAR'S SONG
"ANAK"
Being a musician, I know by heart the song of Freddie Aguilar "Anak", which was recorded in many other language (Japanese, English, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, etc.) When in Japan, Freddie sang the Japanese version of "Anak" which is "Kodomo" or child.
As what happened in other places where Freddie sang it in their native languages, foreigners prefer the original lyrics of the song which states: "Nang isilang ka sa mundong ito" (When you were born in this world) "Laking tuwa ng magulang mo" (How happy your parents are) "At ang kamay nila ang iyong ilaw" (And their hands are your light).
The Sri Lankan that likes this song said to me, "I like the Filipino song "Anak" by Freddie Aguilar because it mentions about our country." I asked in what way?
And he sang it--"Nang Sri Lanka sa mundong ito".
EVERY TIME I TELL THIS STORY TO A FRIEND/COLLEAGUE/FELLOW FILIPINO, IT ALWAYS ELICIT A SMILE/LAUGHTER FROM THEM.
Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
December 29, 2002 -- October 11, 2018
Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
Soon to be published as a book
Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
April 25, 2013 -- October 11, 2018
The History of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
June 09, 2002 -- October 11, 2018
