Why Ilokano?
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| He is upside down on the couch. |
Get ready to meet the ultimate mixed-race power couple! I'm a Pinay from Ilocos who fell head-over-heels for my high school sweetheart- a tall, dashing American. Who would've guessed that my best bud would one day become my hubby? Together, we have a little bundle of joy- the most adorable Filipino-American kiddo in town! Don't you agree?
So why Ilokano?
Back in the good old days of dating, we never had a language barrier. I chatted away in English, and he was more focused on learning the naughty words than anything else. But, by our senior year, my love finally mastered his first Ilokano phrase! Though, I can't take all the credit because he picked it up from his mom's old boss, who was an Ilokano himself.
" Ayayatin ka "
which means..... I love you.
Awww, how sweet!
That is as far as he got.....
Then....
My partner fell head over heels for the Philippines - the people, the culture, and the sun-kissed beaches. If you haven't experienced a third-world paradise like this, do yourself a favor and book a ticket ASAP! You won't believe how much this trip will make you appreciate all the good things we often take for granted. And despite the tough circumstances, the Filipinos have a contagious joy for life that's hard to miss.
Now, my hubby set a new mission for himself: to learn the Ilokano language and converse fluently with my lolas on our next trip. But, finding study materials online was like a needle in a haystack. Luckily, he had me to help with definitions and pronunciations. With a little bit of effort and a lot of passion, he became a self-taught Ilokano speaker.
So why Ilokano?My family's roots stretch back to the Philippines, where my big family tree blossoms with Ilokanos, and our gatherings are legendary. However, most of my kin still reside there, conversing in their mother tongue. So, when my hubby set his sights on chatting with my lolas, I knew it was time to teach him our native language. After all, it's a crucial part of my heritage and brings us all closer together.
Why not Tagalog?
In addition to his Ilokano studies, he's also learning Tagalog, which he's able to practice more frequently as he interacts with the Filipino community. Resources for learning Tagalog are abundant, but there seems to be a scarcity of resources for Ilokano. As a means of providing support to others, we established the Ilokano Learner Blog. Our objective is to assist those who aspire to learn Ilokano. Furthermore, we aim to incorporate these lessons into our son's education, in the hopes that some of it will be retained.
Now you know...
As you are now aware, we have elected to prioritize the Ilokano Language. Our objective is to furnish study guides and other valuable resources to those seeking to acquire proficiency in Ilokano.
Until next time - Ditakayon.
