A Voice from the Past

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.”

 

Never had I dreamed that I would hear her voice again.  She had been my daughter’s dedicated yaya from the time my daughter was born until my daughter turned twelve.  She had become part of our family.  Our worries were hers and her worries were ours.

Just as my daughter had started to test her young wings, her Yaya Nita thought it time to spread her own wings and decided to marry.  It was a sad day when Yaya Nita packed her bags and we reluctantly said our good-byes.

 Luckily, she and her husband settled in a town close to my grandmother’s farm in Leyte.  Despite my frequent visits to my grandmother’s farm, I never was able to meet her.  I would ask about her from the helpers in the farm, but all they could offer were unclear stories of Yaya Nita’s whereabouts and what she was doing.  I learned that she eventually had four kids of her own to take care of and life was quite difficult as her husband could not be relied upon to provide for their daily needs.    

Then last Monday, I got a call from my mother.  Yaya Nita was in my mother’s house.  After an excited exchange on the whys and hows, my mother passed the phone to Yaya Nita.

With held my breath with anticipation until she said, “Hello ‘Day.”

Unmistakably it was Yaya Nita in her sing-song dialect.  Her cheerful intonation belied the hardship she had gone through and continue to go through.  She narrated how Typhoon Yolanda blew her tiny house down; how she lost her job as a janitress in the town’s hospital; how she was doing odd jobs to be able to send her children to school.

All the time we talked, not once did she asked for my help.  It seemed like it was enough that she was able to talk to me and hear stories about my daughter.   I offered to help her get a job in Cebu or Manila but she gracefully refused.

“Bahala na ‘Day. Pero dili nako mabiyaan akong mga bata.  Buhaton ko ang tanan basta makahuman lang ug eskwela akong mga anak.”, Yaya Nita told me. (I leave it to God. But I cannot leave my children behind. I will do all I can to ensure that my children finish their schooling.)

“Ngano dili nimo biya.an ang imong bana?”, I asked. (Why don’t you leave your husband?)

“Ay ‘Day, mao man gi-andan. Agwantahon nalang nako.”, she replied with no bitterness or regret. (It’s fate and I accept it and will persevere. )

And so our conversation went on for twenty minutes reminiscing about the past and guessing what the future held for us. Too short to cover all that had gone on our lives but enough to have the comfort of knowing that the familial bond continued to be strong.

Toward the end of our conversation, she told me that she was off to visit her mother and siblings in a southern town in Cebu.  She had brought her children over with her for a short visit.  A visit she hoped would ease the children’s trauma over what they experienced during the typhoon.

As we bid each other Merry Christmas, I told her I will always be ready to help in whatever way I could.  Because deep inside, I knew she would do the same if I needed her. 

I then asked to speak to my mother.  

"Mommy, I would like to help Yaya Nita.", I began.

-----xoxoxox-----

While my children were young, they each had their own yaya.  Yaya Nita took care of my daughter, while Yaya Gemma took care of my son.  I was blessed to have these two persons in my life as a young mother.  I had the peace of mind knowing that my children were in good hands as I went to work each day. I could count of these two angels to protect and care for my children and knew if need be, they would put their lives on the line to make sure my children were safe from harms way.

Both enjoyed harmonious relationship with each other.  Laughing and always chatting away.  I cannot recall a time when they were fighting or arguing with each other.   Best of all, I recall how both were good cooks.  Delicious and nutritious dishes were always ready when we got home from work.  It surely put the joy in coming home.

And it was during Christmas that both worked extra hard to prepare goodies I would proudly give to my friends: polvoron, leche flan, and biko. 

When both had left my home, I had to learn how to prepare these delights myself.  In keeping with the season, I would like to share with you how to make bico.  Sure, you can buy bico easily from many food outlets.  But your family will attest that nothing taste as sweet and as delicious as one prepared by you.

Biko (Sweeten Sitcky Rice)

2 cups malagkit (glutinous rice)

2 cups water

1/2 t salt

1 can coconut cream (400 ml)

400-450 grams muscovado sugar (or brown sugar)

1 t vanilla or anise extract  (optional)

For the Coconut Crunch Topping

½ can of coconut cream

Procedure:

Rinse the rice. Add the water, salt and steam as directed in a rice cooker.

While the rice steams away, in a kawali or wok, stir together the coconut cream and sugar over medium heat. Add the vanilla or anise extract if using. Stir until mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon.  Set aside about half a cup of the sweetened coconut cream.

Add the cooked sticky rice to the rest of the sweeten coconut cream.  Mix until all the rice turns a uniform dark warm brown color. Set aside.

Prepare the coconut crunch topping by placing the ½ can of coconut cream in a kawali or wok.  Bring to a boil then lower the heat.  Stir occasionally.  Continue until coconut cream is cooked down to oil and brown bits of crunchy coconut curd.  Strain the bits from the oil and use as toppings on your Biko.

 Line a shallow glass container with banana leaves and coat the coconut oil.  (If no banana leave, coat directly the bottom of the glass container) Pour rice mixture into the container and pat down. Divide into squares or wedges and sprinkle the coconut crunch on each square or wedge.

Serve your biko together with the reserved sweetened coconut cream— for those who wish for a sweeter treat.

Enjoy with hot tsokolate or hot ginger tea (salabat).

Note:  Rub  the coconut oil to your scalp and cover your hair with a shower cap.  Go for a walk or exercise and work up a sweat.  Wash your hair with warm water and shampoo as usual.  Repeat and rinse hair.

You will have healthy and thick hair just like your grandmas and you would have gotten rid of the calories brought on by the biko.  Double win!