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Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Tuktoga-ok - Morning Call

It’s not Tagalog version of tiktila-ok, not an English cock-a-doodle-doo, or a German kikeriki in Libjo when you hear a rooster you should hear it crowing TUKTOGA-OK. A unique sound you couldn't hear anywhere else. :-) Last summer when we had our vacation, my son always complained for not sleeping, "Rooster keeps me awake" he says. It's the morning call, but my son still adjusting to his sleep. It is supposed to be his sleeping time and is already wake-up time here.
Once, my father partly owns the sabongan in Libjo. (from the word sabong - fighting
roosters). We have a poultry fence in our home backyard. I was assigned to feed the chickens every afternoon before dark. Unfortunely not on time. Hmm, most the time I would say. Sometimes I fed them late like nine o’clock in the evening, with kerosene lamp since we have no electricity way back then. Roosters end up starving. My father was furious, as a consequence he let me write, "Feed the rooster, feed the rooster, feed the rooster" on all my school notebooks. Except for one (notebook), which I could not find that time. Everything has a print on both sides of the covers. Reason? So I won't keep forgetting to feed the rooster after school. That's funny.
Sabong happens every Sunday and on Holidays here in Libjo. And even on Good Fridays. It is people’s favorite pastime.

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