Carabao - Cesar Buenaventura

The carabao is any Filipino farmer’s
strong, reliable and uncomplaining
companion. It is not a “beast of
burden”, as some foreign interlopers
made the Filipinos believe but failed.

They may even be in clockwise
rotation forming an oval, with
a singular bird in contrasting
colors. Their eyes are wide open
at rest , their horns providing the
counterpoint to the diagonal
foreheads as they face the viewer.
Birds are their playmates they enjoy
picking the carabao’s fleas or simpy
enjoying the warm burst of breath
from the animal’s flared noses.

(Quote of the text from the Book
Revisiting ‘Mabini Art’, published in
2013 by Transwing Art Gallery; Prof.
Zafaralla)