Gabâ
Gabà or gabaa, for the people in many parts of the Philippines particularly among Visayans, is the concept of a non-human and non-divine, imminent retribution. A sort of negative karma, 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 languages in the Philippines. It is also translated as nemesis. The opposite of gaba is grasya, literally grace and from Spanish gracia, which pertains to blessings from Heaven. The English word which is closest to or best describes the word gabà is comeuppance.
Background
Gabà can be characterized through various Cebuano proverbs:- It is not necessarily immediate in its effect.
- It may come unexpectedly.
- It is not limited to transgressions against fellow human beings: objects considered holy can also cause gabà, such as dropping on the ground a sacred root crop of taro or ubi.. Even the least-valued object may cause it.
- It could happen to persons who are important to the transgressor. For example, people would say "gigabáàn" of a womanizing father whose daughter has a child out of wedlock.
Applications
Gabà and ''panghimaráòt''
Gabà is distinct from panghimaráòt or túnglo whereby a transgressed person pronounces a maldisyon against the transgressor. In panghimaráòt, evil is asked to befall on the sinner; with gabà, evil is sure to befall on the sinner, even if it is not asked. Sometimes Cebuanos blurt out threats of gabà, "Gabáàn ka gyod!", but it is not taken to mean that gabà 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 gabà! or ''Pwira gabà''Gabà and karma
Gabà is not synonymous with the Hindu-Buddhist law of karma: gabà is only in the negative, unlike karma which may be good or bad. Both concepts are known to the Visayan peoples, although gabà is considered purely indigenous, while karma was historically imported.; Gabà and divine retribution
Gabà is not, strictly speaking, the same as punishment from a godhead, such as the monotheisms' God or the Greek goddess Nemesis: gabà does not presuppose an Ultimate Being.
Ill-doings to one's fellowmen does not alone cause gabà but actions like wasting food, disrespecting elders, abusing animals, desecrating holy places or objects, cursing God, and destroying Nuno sa Punso cause gabà as well. An expression also common among the Bisaya and Hiligaynon is purya gabà which is believed to ward off evil when one walks in an eerie place.