Padre Nuestro

I don’t remember ever trying to put to memory “Padre Nuestro” - the Spanish “Our Father” or oftentimes called the ”Lord’s Prayer.” But ask me to recite it and it would be like second nature to me. Not that I have any special language ability. I can’t even repeat from memory any other prose in Spanish save perhaps “Ave Maria” and a spluttering of Rizal’s “Mi Ultimo Adios,” which I spent agonizing days memorizing to make it through mandatory Spanish class in college. Spanish, these days though, is no longer compulsory education.

Now, where does my uncanny ability come from? I guess it comes from having heard the prayer oft repeatedly in childhood from saying grace, the Angelus, the rosary, novenas, and from processions, Holy Week cantatas, and almost every form of religious worship including funeral wakes.

Those were the days when prayers were said in Spanish. Those were the days when mi Abuela (my grandma) was still around. With her demise however, I noticed Spanish prayers were being said less and less, like she must have taken them with her to the grave. English prayers became the norm.

Not too long ago, I heard about the translation and publication of the Bible in Chavacano and maybe together with that, some of the well known prayers too. So much so that the “Padre Nuestro,” once akin to Chavacano would become passe.

Aside from Zamboanga, other Chavacano speaking towns in the country, I learned, have their own version of the “Padre Nuestro.” I just don’t know how and when they sprung into usage. Here are the translations:

Zamboangueño

Tata de amon talli na cielo, bendito el de Uste nombre. Manda vene con el de Uste reino; hace el de Uste voluntad aqui na tierra, igual como alli na cielo. Dale kanamon el pan para cada dia. Perdona el de amon maga culpa, como ta perdona kame con aquellos quien tiene culpa kanamon. No deja que hay cae kame na tentacion y libra kanamon na mal.

Caviteño

Niso Tata Qui tu na cielo, quida santificao Tu nombre. Manda vini con niso Tu reino; sigui el qui quiere Tu aqui na tierra, igual como na cielo. Dali con niso ahora, niso comida para todo el dia. Perdona el mga culpa di niso, si que laya ta perdona niso con aquel mga qui tiene culpa con niso. No dija qui cai niso na tentacion, pero salva con niso na malo.

Ternateño

Padri di mijotro ta alli na cielo, quida alabao Bo nombre. Lleva con mijotro Bo trono; vini con mijotro Bo reino; sigui cosa qui Bo manda aqui na tiehra parejo alli na cielo. Dali con mijotro esti dia el cumida di mijotro para cada dia. Perdona quel mga culpa ya haci mijotro con Bo, como ta perdona mijotro quel mga culpa ya haci el mga otro genti con mijotro. No dija qui cai mijotro na tintacion, sino haci libra con mijotro na malo.

There you go folks, which sounds more Spanish? Be the judge!

Spanish

Padre nuestro, que estas en el cielo, sanctificado sea tu nombre; venga a nosotros tu reino; hagase tu voluntad en la tierra como en el cielo. Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada dia; perdona nuestras ofensas, como tambien nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden; no nos dejes caer en la tentacion, y libranos del mal. Amen.