Gabâ or gabaa, for the people in many parts of the ebuparticularly among

Visayans Visayans ( Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group ...

, is the concept of a non-human and non-divine, imminent retribution. A sort of negative

karma Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively ...

, 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 dialects in the Philippines. It is also translated as

nemesis In ancient Greek religion, Nemesis, also called Rhamnousia or Rhamnusia ( grc, Ῥαμνουσία, Rhamnousía, the goddess of Rhamnous), was the goddess who personifies retribution, a central concept in the Greek world view. Etymology The ...

. The opposite of "Gaba" is ''Grasya'', literally ''Grace'' in

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

, which pertains to ''blessings from the Heavens''.

Background

The gabâ can be characterized through various Cebuano proverbs: * It is not necessarily immediate in its effect. (''Ang gabâ dili sama sa sili nga mohalang dayon.'') * It may come unexpectedly. (''Ang gabâ dili magsaba.'') * It is not limited to transgressions against fellow human beings: objects considered holy can also cause gabâ, 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 ube makagabâ.'') * It could happen to persons who are important to the transgressor. For example, people would say "''gigabâan''" of a womanizing father whose daughter has a child out of wedlock.

Sources

The source of gabâ is not a god or God or an absolute karmic principle, but in the spirits of nature. It must have arisen out of the

animism Animism (from Latin: ' meaning ' breath, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things— animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather syst ...

of pre-Spanish Cebuanos. With the coming of Christianity into the Islands, gabâ became "absorbed" in the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. In-depth examination, however, would show that it is incompatible with

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

dogma Dogma is a belief or set of beliefs that is accepted by the members of a group without being questioned or doubted. It may be in the form of an official system of principles or doctrines of a religion, such as Roman Catholicism, Judaism, Islam ...

Applications

Gabâ and ''panghimaraot''

Gabâ is distinct from '' panghimaraot'' (curse) whereby a transgressed person pronounces a ''maldesyon'' against the transgressor. In ''panghimaraot'', evil is asked to befall on the sinner; with gabâ,

evil Evil, in a general sense, is defined as the opposite or absence of good. It can be an extremely broad concept, although in everyday usage it is often more narrowly used to talk about profound wickedness and against common good. It is general ...

is sure to befall on the sinner, even if it is not asked. Sometimes Cebuanos blurt out threats of gabâ, "''Gabâ-an ka gyod!''", but it is not taken to mean that gabâ 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 gabâ!'' (Fuera gabâ)

Gabâ and karma

Gabâ is not synonymous with the

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

law of

: gabâ is only in the negative (a punishment), unlike karma which may be good or bad. Both concepts are known to the Visayan peoples, although gabâ is considered purely indigenous, while karma was historically imported. ; Gabâ and divine retribution Gabâ is not, strictly speaking, the same as punishment from a godhead, such as the monotheisms' God or the Greek goddess

Nemesis In ancient Greek religion, Nemesis, also called Rhamnousia or Rhamnusia ( grc, Ῥαμνουσία, Rhamnousía, the goddess of Rhamnous), was the goddess who personifies retribution, a central concept in the Greek world view. Etymology The ...

: gabâ does not presuppose an Ultimate Being. Ill-doings to one's fellowmen does not alone cause Gaba but actions like wasting food, disrespecting elders, abusing animals, desecrating holy places or objects, cursing God, and destroying ''

Nuno sa Punso A nuno sa punso ("old man of the mound"), or simply nuno ("old man" or "grandparent" "ancestor"), is a dwarf-like nature spirit (''anito'') in Philippine mythology. It is believed to live in an anthill or termite mound, hence its name, litera ...

'' cause Gaba as well. An expression is also common among the Bisaya and Hiligaynon, ''Purya Gaba'' which is said when one walks in an eerie place, this is believed to ward off evil.

Social effects

Some sociologists believe that Gabâ 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.

References

* Fernandez, Guiraldo C., "The Understanding of Gabâ 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 * Garcia, Lilian, "Some Observations of the Gabâ Phenomena", Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society, 1976. Vol. XV, No. 1, pp. 309–410. * Lomoljo, Luz, "Gabâ in the Christian Perspective: Suggested Themes for Religious Education", unpublished master's thesis,

University of San Carlos The University of San Carlos, also referred to by its acronym USC or colloquially shortened to San Carlos, is a private, Catholic, research, coeducational basic and higher education institution administered by the Philippine Southern Province ...

, 1994. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gaba Cebuano culture Visayan mythology Religion in the Philippines Austronesian spirituality