Orag as Bikol virtue

by Danilo M. Gerona
At the height of the frenzied preparation for the Golden Jubilee of the Ateneo in 1990, an alumnus proudly strutted in the corridors
of the Santos Hall wearing a batch T-shirt which bore this catchy print: Ini an oragon. Arogon an oragon. A group of naughty
high school kids who saw the prints on the T-shirt gave a funny and, in some sense, an insulting remark: Ini an oragon. Arogon
an oragon. Oragan an oragon. The remark was apparently amusing to one familiar with the Bikol language. For one, the remark
sustains the rhyme: Ini an oragon. Arogon an oragon. Oragan an oragon. But other than the poetics it engendered, its rhyme and
rhythm, the linguistic gymnastic has created a curious problematic not only in Bikol linguistics but likewise in Bikol cultural
psychology. The juxtapositioning of the words oragon, arogon, oragan reveals the Bikolanos profound semantic diversity and
cultural ambiguity which centers on the word orag. For the one wearing the printed T-shirt, the word oragon has a positive
signification and one who is oragon should be emulated, thus he should be arogon or imitated. But from the remark of the kids,
an oragon draws aggresion, hence the semantic transactions it built up and the larger epistemological implications this amusing
play of words entailed, this nevertheless, paved the way for an incisive analysis of the word oragon and its possible philosophical
implications which could unravel the underlying cultural world view of the Bikolanos.
Among the Bikolanos the myriad attitudes and interpretations, oftentimes divergent and conflicting, which the word orag inspires,
seems to point to the large semantic cosmos occupied by the word in the Bikolano consciousnes. Hence, many have been
fascinated by the word that it recently became the most popular word which describes the Bikolanos, oragon. Attempts to draw
into the surface the intriguing meaning or origin of this word have been made but nothing academically substantive has come out
of these. One popular theory was that the word could have come from the name of a Spanish province of Aragon. It was said that
the Bikolanos manifested behaviors similar to the men of Aragon who were vain and adventurous. But interestingly, the word
oragon evidently antedated the advent of the Spaniards from whom the supposed Aragon word could have come. Hence, this
theory hardly possesses any merit.
Orag in the Religious Texts: The Colonialist Discourse
Both the words oragon and oragan emanate from the base word orag. The late 16th century Lisboa dictionary composed by Fray
Marcos de Lisboa, the pioneering Franciscan missionary lexicographer of the region, defined orag as deshonestidad o lujuria,"
dishonesty or lustfulness. Then side by side with the entry, Lisboa mentioned the word Maorag persona deshonesta o
lujuriosa, a dishonest person or lustful person. In the 1684 collected sermons of Fray Pedro de Avila, parish priest of Canaman in
the late 17th century, he spoke of ooragon to refer to prostitues, magna babaye na magna maooragon na dain ybang catongdan
cundi an pagpabacal baga nin saindang magna hauac sa magna boot nin magcasala sainda. In the Catecismo de la Doctrina
Cristiana of Fray Domingo Martinez composed in the early decades of the 18th century, the word orag was classified as one of
the seven cardinal sins. The catechism asked:
H: Pira asin arin an magna nagnognorog na casalan?
S: An nagnognorog na casalan pito:
1. An pagpaabao-abao
2. An pagcamaimot
3. An pagcaorag
4. An pagcamaangoton
5. An pagcapaslo
6. An pagcamaorihon
7. An pagcahogac sa marhay na guibo.
The sexual implications of the term were made more evident in the Martinez catechism when he pointed out that the opposite of
the vice of orag is kabinian. Nevertheless, despite the divergent usages and meanings of the word orag or oragon, all these
religious texts bore one common impression, the word signified an immoral act, it is sinful.
The Bikol Maguinoo as Oragon
The preponderance of the employment of the word orag in religious texts, such as in the sermones, in the explicaciones de
catecismo, and in the vocabularios composed by the Spanish missionaries, showed the apparent discursive element in the
appropriation of this term. Remarkably, the appropriation of the term was generally associated with the missionaries assaults on

the members of the ruling elite or the principales, commonly known in the native society as the maguinoo. To understand how the
concept of orag evolved as a discourse, an incursion to the pre-colonial social system seems necessary.
For the Spanish friars, the maguinoo class constituted as the bulwark of colonial resistance. Since the dato or the village chieftain
belonged to the maguinoo class, this class was therefore held as the repository of powers, both natural and supernatural. Natural
because they possessed what Foucault refers to as the instruments of power, such as women, gold, land and slaves. But the
acquisition of these possessions was merely the material confirmation of their more important powers, the supernatural or
mystical powers. Contrary to popular belief in Philippine pre-history, the pre-colonial dato did not receive his political office merely
on the basis of inheritance, but, likewise, he received such office because of some qualities which set him apart from the rest.
One of these qualities was bravery. Lisboa mentioned of some men in ancient Bikol whom the natives referrred to as bathalaan.
The bathalaan, which literally means men who possessed bathala, were believed to be invulnerable to any harmful instruments.
According to this belief, the possession of such gift, however, was never gratuitous. He should be a man possessing unusual
courage. This explains why stories regarding acquisitions of anting-anting were always involving the test of courage, as one had
to wrestle his anting-anting from a monster, a giant, or any fearsome strange creatures. The possessor of anting-anting was also
required to undergo a periodic ritual called lubos to recharge his powers. The ritual of lubos, which was carried out in the
recesses of the forest or deep into the inacessible portion of the cave, was not a form of spiritual retreat but as a continuing test
of ones courage, as he would be exposed to many unheard or unseen creatures found in these places. Hence, the man worthy
of anting-anting or the power of bathala was the one who has enormous willpower, panong boot, one who is full of boot or one
who is ma-boot. It should be pointed out that the belief in such men, whom an American scholar referred to as men of prowess,
was somewhat strong in Southeast Asia.
The most conspicuous proof of their courage or their power was displayed in the arena of battles. In their pangayaw or raiding
expeditions which they led, they were regarded as icons of invulnerability. Since they were invulnerable, they were feared by their
enemies and looked upon among their villagers as their local heroes. Their exploits immortalized through their tattoos, they
enjoyed the privilege of wearing a specific colored potong, a badge of courage, which revealed their social status in their
respective village. Generally, they were the ones who received the greatest booty in their raiding expeditions, women. Some of
the more renowned chieftains of Bikol were famed for their numerous wives whom they acquired by way of their inter-village
raids. This practice apparently gave birth to polygamy and to other forms of sexual promiscuity among the male elite. This
unusually liberal attitude toward sex among the native elite stemmed from the belief that sexual prowess constituted as another
important attribute of a possessor of supernatural power. This was probably the reason why a possessor of anting-anting was
sometimes referred to as may kabatiran or may kaoragan. As late as the second world war, most of those regarded as
possessors of anting-anting became guerilla leaders and most guerilla leaders were likewise suspected as possessors of antinganting. Remarkably, many of them earned their notoriety for womanizing.
Since the power of the maguinoo class rested on this particular ideology that the Spanish friars regarded as mere superstitious
nonsense, the missionaries directed their vigorous discursive assault to this social class. One of their means to denigrate this
social class was to suppress any display of social prestige which could sustain the hegemony of this class to the rest of the native
populace. The missionaries suppressed the performance of the ritual of arang to the deceased maguinoo. Performed by a group
of hired professional women weepers called para-arang, this ritual was a mournful chanting of the maguinoos lifetime kaoragan
or achievement. From this ritual evolved the pasyon which was chanted to mourn the death but extol the virtues of whom they
considered as the epitome of virtue, the true maguinoo, Christ. In exchange for the sexual incontinence or the orag of the
maguinoo, the friars preached abstinence and mortification. In the Martinez catechism, the friar placed the opposite of orag as
kabinian or modesty. The maboot, full of boot, the courageous of the pre-colonial times was replaced by the maboot of the
Spanish regime who was kind and obedient. They deprived the maguinoo of their honorific title of Cagurangnan and reserved the
title only to the heavenly family of Christ and the Virgin mother, hence, The Hail Mary was translated Tara Cagurangnan Maria.
Indeed, the Spanish missionaries succeeded in deconstructing the maguinoo who was the oragon and transformed him into the
outwardly pious maguinoo gentleman. The 16th Century maguinoong oragon became the maguinoong bastos in the religious
discourse. Thus, as a result of this onslaught of colonialism, the word oragon assumed a very unsavory meaning, especially
among the more pious and religious Bikolanos.
The Revival of Oragon
Throughout the Spanish period and until recently, the word was considered vulgar, and its user supposedly reflects his lowly
social background and his poor moral orientation. Thus, the circulation of the word was greatly restricted in social intercourse and
was almost suppressed in any formal linguistic transaction. But by the second half of the previous century, there was an

increasing appropriation of the term, resulting in the explosion of words which originated from the word orag. Among these words
are:
orag-orag tantrums
oragan to hit, to strike, to injure, or harm
kaoragan vanity, whims
orag-oragon wild, irresponsible
orag power, ability, talent
pahingorag abundance, plenty, numerous
pag-oorag or nag-oorag improving or developing
nangongorag to be brutal
nakakaorag irritating, annoying
paororagan contest of ability
inooragan to be obsessed, to be overwhelmed by something or someone
Evidently, unlike in the previous centuries when it carried a singular meaning, and was always associated with vice or immorality,
today the word is gradually acquiring a variety of implications, even more positive ones. Although it still retained within its
semantic cosmos, the less palatable significations, nevertheless, it could now imply more positive attributes, such as skill and
even greatness. In the early 80s a Bikolano publication which had its circulation throughout the Philippines and even in some
Bikolano communities abroad, has taken the word Oragon as the title of its publication, something quite unthinkable in the 19th
century. Unfortunately the newspaper eventually folded up, showing that it failed to live up to its title.
Indeed, in the contemporary setting, the word oragon is increasingly associated with achievements, but still confined within the
male gender. Today an oragon could mean an achiever, one who is never daunted by the adversities he encounters in life. He is
calculating and yet aggressive. He is creative and resourceful, cunning and illusive, audacious and vain, romantic and playful. He
easily finds ways and means to escape snares and straits, to circumvent policies and rules. With whatever meaning it now
carries, the word orag or maorag or oragon has definitely become the most favorite symbol of the best in the Bikolano. In fact, last
December 30, to mark the turn of the century and the millenium, a local radio station launched an award which rendered honor to
prominent Bikolanos who had brought fame and honor to the region for the past five hundred years. The award was named
Millenium Oragon Award.
__________________
Full text copied from HINGOWA: The Holy Rosary Seminary Journal, Volume IV, Number 2, March 2001 Issue. I asked the
permission of Professor Danilo Gerona to allow me to publish this article in my literary blog. Sa hiling ko, dapat lambang bikolano
basahon ini, tanganing masabutan ninda asin mahiling an etymology asin ebolusyon kan tataramon na Orag.
Professor Danilo Gerona holds an MA in Philosophy at the Ateneo de Manila University and PhD in Philippines Studies: History
at the University of the Philippines. He is an Assistant Professor of the Department of Social Sciences at the Ateneo de Naga
University. He is a well known Bikol Historian and has delivered various lectures and seminars regarding Bikol Culture and
History. He authored the books From Epic To History: A Brief Introduction To Bikol History (City of Naga:Ateneo de Naga, 1988)
and Naga: The Birth and Rebirth of a City.
Victor Denis T. Nierva
SA IKA-PIRANG RIBONG PAGKAKATAON, kan Sabado igwa na naman katood na bakong Bikolano an naghapot kun ano man
nanggad na an kahulugan kan tataramon na oragon. Sa pirit na pagpapasimple kan komplikadong natura kan tataramon,
sinimbag ko an hapot nin sarong simbag na sa hiling ko husto sana sa pagrespeto sa yaman kan tataramon: "Sarong lektyur
iyan!" Sabay ngirit. Alagad totoo. Sa mga pagkakataon na siring kaini, minalaog tulos sa isip ko an "Orag Bilang Birtud nin
Bikolano" kan midbid na historyador na si Dr. Danny Gerona. Huli ta daing hustisya kun saro sana an pagbabasehan ta sa
pagtaong kahulugan sa sarong tataramon na nagsapo nin mga pirit napagbabago sa mga kamot kan mga dayuhan asin magin
man mga Bikolano. Sa puntong ini naroromdoman ko an mga pelikulang pinagbidahan ni Eddie Garcia na pirming may tarom an
pagsayod kan tataramon na oragon.
Alagad, kaipuhan kong rumpagon an abstraktong simbag asin tawan an naghahapot an mga katood nin kongkretong

kasimbagan-o sa tataramon na ini, mga kasimbagan, nin huli ta bako sanang saro an gamit kan orag o oragon. Ini igwang
makolor na katungdan sa satong bokabularyo, katungdan igwang kasabay na kamawotan na logod padagos naman na mapara
an paagpapangalad sa pagtaram kaini asin matalingkas na makaayon na sa pangaroaldaw tang pagtaram bilang mga Bikolano.
Kun kaya nagparalaba an pag-osip mi kan katood na naghapot. Kadakol an mga simbag, an iba maogmang napag-ulayan, an iba
man pinaghuyuman sana asin rinimpos sa sakong paglaom na ini magamit man kan kadaklan sa siring na pagpapakahulugan.
Uya an nagkakapirang mga kahulugan asin iba-ibang gamit kan tataramon na oragon o orag para sa mga Bikolano:
Oragon or maorag (human): brave, highly skilled, ingenius, top-of-the-line, best, great, exemplary, incomparable, intelligent.
When oragon is used to describe negative traits or deeds such as being lazy or lying, the use of the word is sarcastic.
Hence, Oragon ka man sana sa karakanan (You're only good in eating.)
Oragon or maorag (object or event): high quality, spectacular, commendable, amazing, beautiful,admirable, thrilling. Oragon baga
si kawat, taki-taki si laban (The game was thrilling, it was a close fight.).
Oragan: to hurt, to hit, to inflict pain on someone or an animal. Oragan mo ta baka ika pa an kulugan(You should hit him for he
might hurt you if you don't.).
Orag-orag (human): not in the right (bad) mood, mood swing, tantrums. Nag-oorag-orag baga an tugang mo (Your sister is having
her mood swing).
Orag-orag (object): not working well, having trouble operating, problematic. Nag-oorag-orag an makina kan baroto (The engine of
the boat isn't working well).
Paororagan : competition, race, game. Nagpapaororagan an mga aki sa paglangoy (The children are competing with each other
in a swimming).
Nahingoragan : learned one's lesson in a not-so-good experience. Nahingoragan kagagastos si Lola ta gastador si Ate (Grandma
lost lots of money because my sister is a heavy spender).
Pahingorag : too many, large number. Pahingorag bisita si Papa subagong aga (Papahad too many visitors this morning).
Pandiorag : in great shape, competitive, world class, very good quality. Pandiorag talaga an mga tukawan na gibo sa banwaan
mi (The chairs made in our town are really of very good quality).
Nangongorag : Very much capable to inflict hurt on. Likayan mo tabi an magrani sa ido ta ngangongorag iyan (Please avoid
getting near the dog, it might bite you).
Orag-oragon : someone who brags, a person who makes him/herself appear that he/she is of good stature when in fact he/she is
not, pretender, bully. Nakakauyam an tawong orag-oragon (A person who keeps on bragging irritates me).
Kaoragan : whim, unnecessary want. Kaoragan mo sana man an magarbong piyesta (A lavish fiesta is just a product of your
capriciousness).
Sa totoo sana, kadakol pa an mga pagpapakahulugan na mahihimo sa mga tataramon na oragon oorag. Minapahiling ini an
pagiging makolor kan satong mga kaisipan bilang mga Bikolano. Alagad, dakulang parte kaini an historya kan satong lenggwahe,
kaiba na an historya kan orag.
Sa bulan na ini na inaapod man na bulan kan tataramon, magin parte man logod kan satong mga kamawotan an pagpapayaman
sa satong kulturang-pataram (oral culture). Huli ta bilang mga Bikolano, an Bikol, siring sa katungdan kan arin man na tataramon
sa kulturang pinaghahalian kaini, minapamidbid bako sana kan satong kolektibong pagkayaon, kundi man kan indibidwal, kan
tawo-ika, siya asin ako.

The truth is Oragon was originally Spanish. It was Aragon, referring to a culture group in Spain, the same way we say Bikol, Bisaya,
Tagalog. For the Spaniards were not all Kastila or from Castille. Some were Basques. others wee Catalans. Aragones. (Sosog sa tunay

na pagkakasurat) The haughty, swashbuckling Spaniards was from Aragon. The Prince of Aragons character is an example from
literature in Shakespeares Merchant of Venice.[4]
Ano ta imposible? Natala' na ini ni Marcos de Lisboa sa saiyang Vocabulario de la Lengua Bicol kan siya nagpompon kan mga
Bikol na tataramon sa pag'ultan kan taon 1600-1611. Sa mga taon na iyan an kultura kan Espanya, ni an literatura kan Kastila, ni an
pakaaram kan mga lugar sa Espanya mayo pa sa agimadmad (consciousness) kan mga gugurang na taga-Bikol.
Seguro an paggagamit nin sarong tataramon na ayog sa sarong lugar kaipohan an mahiwas asin hararom na pagkasabot kan kultura kan
lugar (na pwede magono sa pagbasa kan literatura niya) kan mga parataram sa sarong komunidad ngani marorop an dinadara niyang
kahulogan. Sa konteksto kan soanoy na mga duluhan igdi sa Bikol (vide: Barangay) garo harayo man na mangyari an siring.
Sa hayokong na pagtaram, kun sa Ingles, masasabing far-fetched an siring na etimolohiya. Kun sa linggwistiks, "false friends" an apod
kan mga siring na termino: magka-agidan an mga tanog kan duwang kataga pero magkaibang maray an saindang kahulogan.
Susog ki Lisboa an simpleng kahulogan kan orag, sa Kastila, lujuria na kun sa Ingles, lust, lechery. Vide, Vocabulario ni Lisboa, p.
262.[1]
Kun siring iyo ini an pinaka-orihinal na sentido kan tataramon na orag. Kaya sa mga gurang usmak asin may pagkarigsok talaga kun
magparagamit kaini ta bakong harayo an sentido kaini sa ibang ka-aragid na mga tataramon arog kan hinahabagat' (hale sa,
habagat), kinikiragan (hale sa , kirag), dinuduratan(hale sa, durat). Maraoton pag sinabihan mo an sarong mabini' na daraga na "durat
ka talaga!"
Sa Bikol na Biblia, masasabatan mo an patanid na "dai ka magpakalalaw sa dalnak nin kaoragan." Sayod na gayo igdi na an boot
sabihon iyo idtong girok nin laman.
Kaya lang sa modernong konteksto nin paggamit kan mga Bikolano, dakulon nang maray an pigsarangang kahulogan asin pag-usar kan
katagang ini.
Sa sakong blog [2] ini ngani an nabanggit ko mapadapit kan orag:
"Its primal meaning associated with sex to denote virility, lust, sexual prowess, masculinity thereafter got linked to the concepts of
bravery, foolhardiness, fortitude, rashness, impudence, recklessness, temerity, venturesomeness, boldness, audacity, courage,
intrepidity, rudeness, sauciness, insolence, and related patterns of behavior.
"Now, oragon has morphed many times over. You find variants of the word of varying degrees of application and nuances:
Orag-oragon, one who swaggers and shows off
Naoorag, one who is extremely irritated
Inoragan, one who gets his come-uppance; or one who is beaten black and blue
Nagoorag-orag, appearing bold and impudent; one who is flip-flopping; also to mean not *functioning properly
Oragan, to beat up a person
Oragan!, an expression of disbelief
Inooragan, subject to intense vexation, or intense urge or feeling
Naorag, got put off, get pissed off
Maorag ka?, to mean,will you take my dare?
Maynoragan ka pa!, meaning you be damned!
Payngorag. Plentiful, in great abundance
Oragi, an order to beat up or maul a person
An orag nagigin man orastig, orati, o kun habong sayodon nasabi, talagang may O! o "talagang ma0--- !"
Ngonyan igwa na kitang Oragon Award, magasin na Oragononon , asin websayt na Oragonrepublic.