Mindanao's Folklore (Region IX–XI)

The stories in this blog are researched and compiled by the members of Group 4 in requirements in 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World (Grade 12) under Ma'am Pinca. The stories written in this blog are the folklores of Region 9 to 11. Nowadays, people are much more exposed to the literatures internationally. They are more eager in reading the works of known authors worldwide. Now, we are tasked to upload the folklores of the selected regions: Region 9, 10 and 11, so that people can have full access to it. The stories include myths that make each province unique to one another. In this way, the stories will be much appreciated for the next generation. Members: Abrio, Miguel Adrian Barcebal, Zye Abigail Eduyan, John Allen Emata, Reanick Enriquez, Dana Maxine Galit, Glen Danielle Gelladuga, Kyle Gabriel Seda, Merierose

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The Hairless Apo of Mount Akir-akir

‬The parents of Apo were both walian or healers.‭ ‬After he was born,‭ ‬they soon became weak and sick.‭ ‬They eventually died,‭ ‬leaving Apo an orphan.

In his young age,‭ ‬he lived with his uncle.‭ ‬The wife of his uncle was cruel.‭ ‬When his uncle was away,‭ ‬his aunt would scold him.

His aunt refused to take care of his health.‭ ‬He acquired many skin diseases.‭ ‬He became so dirty that flies would flock to him.‭ ‬He could no longer stay in the house,‭ ‬and he was treated by his aunt as a servant.

His uncle had a cornfield which was being destroyed by monkeys and pigs.‭ ‬There the boy would stay until the afternoon to drive away the monkeys and pigs.‭ ‬Sometimes,‭ ‬his aunt refused to give him food.

As he grew to manhood,‭ ‬his diseases healed but his hair started to fall.‭ ‬Surprisingly,‭ ‬those who pitied him got healed when they came to him.‭ ‬His healing powers grew stronger the more his aunt oppressed him.

By the time he became an adult,‭ ‬his family brought him to the mountain of Akir-Akir.‭ ‬It turned out that the trials he had undergone were actually the test required of a healer.‭ ‬He surmounted all the trials.

That was the time that he acquired the familiar.‭ ‬At first he did not stay permanently on Mt.‭ ‬Akir-Akir.‭ ‬He would go home occasionally.‭ ‬The people in his hometown got used to his periodic disappearances.‭ ‬Then he told them he would no longer come back.

‭”‬If you truly trust God,‭ ‬you will come to me because I will be on top of that mountain.‭ ‬When you come,‭ ‬make your offering of betel nut.‭ ‬My friend will tell me what you should do if you ask for help.

The people obeyed all his words.‭ ‬If they had problems,‭ ‬they would come up and make him an offering on the mountain.‭ ‬What looked like a mountain was actually a big palace.

Because he was really human,‭ ‬he did not disappear all at once.‭ ‬Time came when only his arm appeared to them.‭ ‬Then only his voice could be heard.‭ ‬Later,‭ ‬it happened that he could only be heard speaking through a faith healer.

He was called‭ “‬Apo without Hair.‭” ‬Because of his experience of cruelty,‭ ‬the gods took pity on him and turned him into a supernatural being.

Source: https://dagmay.com/2016/04/17/manobo-folktales/

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Lambana or Diwata

A flag-raising ceremony in February 2009, about sixty students of a the Lun Padido National High School in Malapatan town in Sarangani province were believed to be bedeviled by an evil spirit, ordiwata, that guarded the trees in the compound. A diwata or lambana can bring fortune to those who look after its domain and will harm those who destroy it. After praying, the mostly female, students collapsed instantly. The principal of the school announced that the students went berserk; exclaiming hardly understandable words and about a dozen pupils were acting unnatural. Priests, teachers, pastors and parents prayed together for the recovery of the scholars. It is speculated that the students became haunted by vicious phantoms that were seemingly angered after cutting of bamboo and tamarind trees inside the school compound.

Source: https://jessamaemontealegre.blogspot.com

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The Legend of Tinago Falls

JessaTheExplorer, Philippine legend

(April 29, 2016)

Legend has it that there once lived an influential and powerful Sultan Agok and his wife. They were appointed by their people as their king and queen. But they became too proud of themselves and became selfish rulers of their kingdom. When the sultan's wife was pregnant, an enchantress, disguised as a beggar, begged for their help but instead they exiled and rejected her. Because of this, the enchantress cursed the couple that the child will become ugly but they did not take it seriously and permanently banished the enchantress.

The child did become ugly. The couple was sad and disappointed, expecting the baby to be as lovely as her mother. They hid the child in a cave to avoid embarrassment and named the baby Tin-ag, which means "hidden face". They visited and took care of the baby in the cave.

When the child grew up, she came out of the cave and became amazed at what she saw. The enchantress, who cursed her parents, saw her and made an offer to transform her into something of great beauty and splendor. She accepted the offer and became the Tinago Falls.

Source: JessaTheExplorer, Mindanao Folklores ( April 29, 2016)

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The Sun and the Moon- Mandaya

Cole, Mabel Cook. Philippine Folk Tales. London: Curtis Brown, 1916.

The Sun and the Moon were married, but the Sun was very ugly and quarrelsome. One day he became angry at the Moon and started to chase her. She ran very fast until she was some distance ahead of him, when she grew tired and he almost caught her. Ever since he has been chasing her, at times almost reaching her, and again falling far behind.

The first child of the Sun and Moon was a large star, and he was like a man. One time the Sun, becoming angry at the star, cut him up into small pieces and scattered him over the whole sky just as a woman scatters rice, and ever since there have been many stars.

Another child of the Sun and Moon was a gigantic crab, named Tambanokano. He still lives and is so powerful that every time he opens and closes his eyes there is a flash of lightning. Most of the time the crab lives in a large hole in the bottom of the sea, and when he is there we have high tide; but when he leaves the hole, the waters rush in and there is low tide. His moving about also causes great waves on the surface of the sea.

The crab is quarrelsome like his father; and he sometimes becomes so angry with his mother, the Moon, that he tries to swallow her. When the people on earth, who are fond of the Moon, see the crab near her, they run out of doors and shout and beat on gongs until he is frightened away, and thus the Moon is saved.

Source: Cole, Mabel Cook. Philippine Folk Tales. London: Curtis Brown, 1916.

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Tinuyan (The Creation of the Earth)

Countless ages ago, there was no land throughout the world. There were only the sky and the sea.

In those days of long, long ago, there already lived in heaven a being whom the Tirurays knew as Sualla (or Tullus-God). Sualla had a sister who lived in Bonggo, the kingdom of the dead. Both Sualla and his sister were very powerful, and were able change any object to other forms.

One day Sualla went to the palace of the rising sun to visit eight khnenentaos (statue) which stood against the walls of heaven. The eight khnenentaos were made from the pith of a very hard wood, and had been there since the beginning of time. When he arrived, Sualla touched one of the central figures. The khnenentao he touched was given life and thus the first man was created. Sualla left the man he created. But the first man was always sad and lonely, he took one of the man’s ribs and made a woman of it. Sualla married the man and the woman. Not long afterwards a very good looking son was born. But, alas, the boy would never stop crying. His cry was so loud that it was heard throughout the universe. He became sick, and the parents were much worried. The woman sent her husband to Sualla to ask medicine for their sick child. When Sualla heard that his omat (man-creation) was in distress, he was sorry and said that he would never again directly increase his human creations. He gave the necessary medicine for the sick boy.

Before sending the man away, however, Sualla said, “You will meet a man on your way. Do not let him see or take hold of the medicine I have given you.”

On his way the omat met the king of the demons who had been sent by Sinonggol, the sister of Sualla.

“What do you have in your hand there?” the king of the demons asked.

The omat did not answer, so the king of the demons grabbed the medicine and deftly changed it. As soon as Sualla’s creation had back what he thought was his medicine, he hurried on.

When he arrived home, the omat gave the medicine to his boy. The boy died immediately.

The wife again sent her husband to their creator, this time to ask for a burial place for their dead son.

“What did you do to the medicine I gave you?” Sualla asked.

“The king of the demons took it away from me,” replied the man.

“My sister has been envious of my works again,” muttered Sualla, and he felt sorry. Then he called for his four brothers from the four corners of the world. Their names were Mentail, Micael, Mintlafis, and Osman Ali. When his brothers arrived he ordered them to buy soil from Navi (Prophet) Mohammad so that Mentalalan, the boy who was dead, might be buried.

The four brothers of Sualla proceeded to Navi Mohammad’s place, which was and is, also, in heaven. When they arrived, and were asked their mission, they replied that they had been sent by Sualla to buy some soil. They were immediately given freely what they asked for.

It was a fine morning when they reached the place of Sualla. After deciding the location, Sualla went to Colina, the center of the world, and planted the soil. This soil has now grown and spread throughout the world. After planting the soil, Mentalalan was buried.

From different parts of the body of Mentalalan various food crops grew. The first corn grew from the teeth of Mentalalan. From the navel the first rice sprouted. The hands grew as the first banana trees. God is really a loving and wonderful Being.

Sualla’s sister, Sinonggol, was so jealous of her brother’s work that she threw down her comb, which became the first pig—to eat and destroy the first bananas and other crops. She also spit out her buyo (betel nut chew) and threw it away. The buyo became the first rats, and thus to this day the rats eat and destroy our rice and corn.

It is said that had it not been for the jealousy of Sualla’s sister we should all be living now as immortals. We should never be hungry because the crops would not die away. The bananas, the rice, the corn—all things that Sualla made for us— were changed or modified by Sinonggol.

But we must also take into consideration that Sinonggol did all these things because she loves us. Persons, beasts, insects, plants, and all other things have to die, because she wants them in her abode at Bonggo, the kingdom of the dead.