Vitula eligans sanctus -- Year of the Ox



Minsan may isang antropologo ang nagtanong: Ano kaya ang kahihinatnan ng sangkatauhan kung hindi napaamo at nagamit sa mga gawain ng tao ang baka (ox, buey) at ang iba pang mga kalahi nito gaya ng kerbau - kalabaw o damulag?
Ang relasyon ng tao sa hayop na nabanggit ay nahahayag din sa literatura maging sa relihiyon at katutubong paniniwala. Halimbawa, sa isang popular na taurine myth ng mga Griyego, sinasabing sa anyo ng makisig na puting toro nagpakita si Zeus sa magandang dilag na si Europa. Upang siya ay lansiin at tangayin-- Gaya ng pinapakita sa kwadrong pinta ni Tiziano, "The Rape of Europa".
Sa mga Hindu naman, ang baka ang siyang nagsisilbing "vahana" o sasakyan ni Shiva. Ganun din si Lord Krishna, na may kasama din bakang si Kamadhenu. Ang baka sa paniniwalang Hindu ay simbolo ng buhay -- tulad ng inang kalikasan umaaruga sa mga nilalang. Ang kanyang gatas na sumasagisag sa mga unang pagkain ibinigay sa atin ng ating mga ina. Kaya nga ang baka ay may figura maternal sa paniniwalang Hindu -- banal at hindi nila kinakatay at kinakain. Holy cow!
Ngayon gabi, papasok na ang bagong lunar year at gayun din ang bagong hayop sa zodiac cycle ng mga Tsino, pangalawa sa mga hayop na hinilera ni Buddha, walang iba kundi ang baka na ayon sa mga Tsino ay sumasagisag sa kasipagan at pagpupursigi ng tao marating ang kasaganahan.
Sa huli naalala ko si Hemingway sa "Death in the Afternoon" --Ang kanyang naratibo tungkol sa kultura ng corrida o bullfighting. Sa loob daw ng arena, sa labanan ng toro at tao, hindi daw talaga ang torero ang pinupuri o hinahangaan. Lingid sa kalooban ng manonood nakikita nila ang kanilang sarili sa duguang toro -- sugatan, habol hininga, hapo sa pagod at nasa bingit ng kamatayan. Subalit nadoon pa rin ang tapang upang sumugod at lumaban. Sa huli ang katapangan pa rin ng toro daw ang pinupuri. Ewan ko, ang alam ko lang ay pinasabog ni Hemingway ang kanyang ulo sa pamamagitan ng isang riple. Depressed?
Vitula eligans sanctus..holy cow! Hindi natin alam kung ano ang darating sa taong ito. Happy New Year na lang sa mga Tsino!

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