Journal of August 24/The Burial of Claire Sumahit

THE BURIAL OF CLAIRE SUMAHIT, BANNAWAG WRITER

     Claire Aguirre Sumahit who died of cancer--she was diagnosed of disease five years ago-- was buried today at the family compound at No. 9, Tadiangan, Asin, a village of Baguio. Earlier, a service was held at the Funeraria Paz, where her body has been lying in state since she died last Monday. Rey Acacio, an Elder of the Jehovah's Witnesses in which Claire was a member, delivered a eulogy. Olga, Claire's her eldest daughter, gave the response, a brief one. She thanked those who came. She said she regretted she did not inherit her mother's writing prowess. She revealed that during her final days, she asked her mother what she would say during the occasion Her mother dictated to her a sort of a quatrain, which Olga read, in the original Iloko: "Nagbiag a nakurapay,/ kanumuan kadagiti amin a tattao,/napnuan iti biddut ken basol /ngem naaddaan iti puso a makaammo nga agayat."

     The final words could have been the epitaph on Claire's tomb, which is on top of a low hill with trees--pine, alnus, marunggay- and flowers. The place is a few meters away from Terry's house. There is a path to the hill. After lowering the casket on a pit, the men put the slab of cement over the casket , and sealed the tomb. It was past 11 in the morning. We and Pedro Sanidad, a Gunglo dagiti Mannuratl member, went down, while others lingered around the area where a makeshift shed has been constructed.

   Lemuel, Claire's youngest son, distributed pink and white balloons which were released at the count of three.

    Goodbye, Mama, said Lemuel. Two of the balloons got caught below the second floor of Terry's 3-story concrete house and stayed there for sometime.

     Ilocano writers and broadcasters attended the burial:

  Crisostomo Ilustre, who has been blind for 20 years came all the way from Vigan, accompanied by his alalay, Patricio Virtudez; Luvimin Aquino, president of Gunglo dagiti Mannurat nga Ilocano-Baguio chapter and other members of the group like Lety Astudillo-Aquino, Mrs. Jurabon, a teacher at the Baguio City Boys High; Dr. Lito de Francia, formerly of the University of the Cordilleras; Pedro Sanidad and this writer. Jehovah's Witness member Gobleth Moulic of Philippine Daily Inquirer Northern Luzon Bureau was also there by her lonesome.