Gabâ
Gabà (Cebuano: /ˈgabaʔ/) or gabaa, for the people in many parts of the Philippines particularly among Visayans, is the concept of a non-human and non-divine, imminent retribution. A sort of negative karma, it is generally seen as an evil effect on a person because of their wrongdoings or transgressions. The word has later been recycled for translating "divine retribution" or "divine fury" in the translations of the Bible to many local languages in the Philippines. It is also translated as nemesis. The opposite of gaba is grasya, literally grace in Spanish, which pertains to blessings from Heaven. The English word which is closest to or best describes the word gabà is comeuppance.
Background
Gabà can be characterized through various Cebuano proverbs:
- It is not necessarily immediate in its effect. (Ang gabà dili sama sa sili nga mohalang dayon.)
- It may come unexpectedly. (Ang gabà dili magsaba.)
- It is not limited to transgressions against fellow human beings: objects considered holy can also cause gabà, such as dropping on the ground a sacred root crop of ubi. (The concept was later extended to religious icons such as bibles or rosaries). Even the least-valued object may cause it. (Bisan ang ubi makagabâ.)
- It could happen to persons who are important to the transgressor. For example, people would say "gigabáàn" of a womanizing father whose daughter has a child out of wedlock.
Sources
The source of gabà is not a god or God or an absolute karmic principle, but in the spirits of nature. It must have arisen out of the
Applications
Gabà and panghimaráòt
Gabà is distinct from panghimaráòt (curse) whereby a transgressed person pronounces a maldisyon against the transgressor. In panghimaráòt, evil is asked to befall on the sinner; with gabà, evil is sure to befall on the sinner, even if it is not asked. Sometimes Cebuanos blurt out threats of gabà, "Gabáàn ka gyod!", but it is not taken to mean that gabà is being asked; it is only a reminder to the transgressor that no one is excluded from it. Sometimes sinners also ask for exclusion in pidgin Spanish: Puyra gabà! (Fuera gabà)
Gabà and karma
Gabà is not synonymous with the
- Gabà and divine retribution
Gabà is not, strictly speaking, the same as punishment from a godhead, such as the monotheisms' God or the Greek goddess
Ill-doings to one's fellowmen does not alone cause gabà but actions like wasting food, disrespecting elders, abusing animals, desecrating holy places or objects, cursing God, and destroying
Social effects
Some sociologists believe that gabà is one of the causes of the complacency of Cebuanos: because of their belief in it, they prefer to be silent on abuses. It gives hope to the oppressed that someday the abuses will be paid for.
In popular culture
The concept of gabà features prominently in the 2022 Irish-Filipino horror film
See also
References
- ^ Rivera-Yuvallos, Marie Janice. "Nocebo is the Cure for Your Horror Movie Withdrawals". keeta. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
- Fernandez, Guiraldo C., "The Understanding of Gabà and its Relation to the Doctrine of Karma", USC Graduate Journal, University of San Carlos (Cebu City), 2004. Vol XXI, No. 1, pp. 33–45. Online: http://research.usc.edu.ph/research_journals/tools/process_specific_request.jsp?table=theses&search=4[permanent dead link]
- Garcia, Lilian, "Some Observations of the Gabà Phenomena", Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society, 1976. Vol. XV, No. 1, pp. 309–410.
- Lomoljo, Luz, "Gabà in the Christian Perspective: Suggested Themes for Religious Education", unpublished master's thesis, University of San Carlos, 1994.