FOLK TALES OF PANAY

When the world is young, the form of relaxation such as television, computers and internet, gadgets, movies, radios and others is far from the imagination of human. During the time of our ancestors, their only form of leisure during their past time is the entertaining folk tales. In any gathering, the narration of folk tales will always be a part and never forgotten. There is a wide scope of topics in it. The themes of the folk tales are something that can give you goosebumps like the movements of the aswangs, mantiws (giants), kama kama (elves), tamawo (fairies) and others or heart pumping stories of romance, adventure or uncovering mysteries. The entertaining and pleasurable moments  of Juan Pusong's misadventures. All these stories are passed through generations but could no longer traced the authors or original storytellers. Folktales are narrative prose and considered fiction.

The folktales presented in the succeeding articles are about: 1. heroes whose accounts were classified in different categories like saints, brave and strong individuals or possessing power or unusual strengths, and comic characters 2. mythical creatures like aswang, kapre (ogre), kama kama (elf), katao (mermaid), tamawo (fairies) 3. mystery like spirits, people, objects, places. Let's take a look and read some of Ilonggo folk tales.



Photo Source:

http://www.vibebookstore.com/fiction/folklore-mythology/kwentong-bayan.html

The Legend of Pineapple

Once upon a time, there lived in Panay Island a very good leader named Datu Pinyang. Datu Pinyang is the richest and most powerful among all datus of other races in the land in those days. He is a just man and kind to people so he was loved and respected by his people.

The datu has a beautiful daughter named Mayad-ayad. A lot of datus and maharlikas or noblemen fell in love with Mayad-ayad including Datu Mapahitas, a datu of a race in nearby parts of Panay. However, Mayad-ayad preferred is a warrior of her father named Maisog (which means brave),and even if he has no nobility, Maisog is a strong and brave young man. To the young man chosen by the lovely lady to marry her father has no disagreement.

The relationship of Mayad-ayad and Maisog agreed by Datu Pinyang brought anger and fury in the heart of Datu Mapahitas because he really wants to marry Mayad-ayad and obtain the vast wealth of Datu Pinyang. Shortly after, Mayad-ayad got sick and her father called a doctor but she was not cured instead she got worse. Datu Mapahitas heard the worsening condition of the lovely lady. He decided it was the right time to carry out his plan of revenge.

Datu Mapahitas disguises and pretended to be a doctor and upon meeting Datu Pinyang he said he wants to cure the illness of Mayad-ayad and he will cure in the condition that they will follow his judgment.

Datu Pinyang asked what should be done and the pretending doctor said "It must," he said "is the roots of dita and sap of that wood." And the fake doctor continued that the one who should get those solutions is the person who has a pure love to the sick patient.

Datu Pinyang responded: "If that is so, me and Maisog will go now and find those things in the forest."

Datu Pinyang immediately went to wilderness. All of a sudden Mapahitas henchmen surfaced out of nowhere who hid behind the trees and pierced Datu Pinyang until he died.

When Maisog saw that Datu Pinyang is dead, he escaped, gather all the men of his race and presided the attack against the henchmen of Datu Mapahitas and to save Mayad-ayad.

In the battle, Datu Mapahitas was killed and many of his men and those remaining alive escaped. When the enemy troops were defeated, Maisog looked for the body of Datu Pinyang, buried in front of his house and Mayad-ayad planted some beautiful plants around it which she sprinkled with water everyday.

A peculiar event took place that the site where Datu Pinyang was buried surfaced a shrub that resembles a head with a crown and decorated around with something that looks like small arrows in the form of a saw and when it grows and ripen really resembles the head of Datu Pinyang and it was now called Pinya or pineapple by the people of the race in honor of the named datu.

The story is also widespread about a mother and child that the stupidity of the child is the root cause of the pineapple plant. It seems that her daughter is not using her eyes. Each time she was asked by her mother to get something, she just always asked her in return. This is her habit. Until her mother got sick her daughter is still doing the same thing so the old woman unintentionally wished that she will have several eyes. Pinya suddenly disappears. When the old woman recovered and got healed from her sickness she saw an unusual plant having something that looks like eyes in their garden while searching for her daughter while Pinya suddenly disappears like a bubble. Eventually, she realized that the plant was her daughter.

The Origin Of Makapuno

Long time ago, there is a couple who has a very beautiful daughter named Makapuno. The couple lived in a secluded place near the river where they have a farm. Shortly after, a young man from a neighboring town heard of the beauty of Makapuno. He decided to visit the beautiful lady. When he arrived at the house of the lady, he saw that she has a suitor. Despite of this, he did not lose hope to woo the lovely woman. In his determination he obtained the nod of the lady in her desire. They scheduled the wedding. When the young man's rival to Makapuno heard of this, he returned to destroy the lovers.

One day while Makapuno and her boyfriend is strolling along the river, came the rival to her love who has evil intention a suitor of the lady mingling in their conversation. Without hesitation, he pulled a dagger in his pocket and continuously stabbed the lover of Makapuno. The lady thought it better to face death than to be in the hands of an evil suitor. A bloodbath event took place thereafter. Makapuno was buried by a grieving parents. After a few days, a plant emerges from the place where the beautiful lady was buried. When it bore fruits, it has produces a lot. So they name the plant Makapuno in memory of their beloved daughter. Furthermore, the word puno means full so the name of this fruit is appropriate. 




Photo Source:

http://www.marketmanila.com/archives/macapuno-preserves-a-la-marketman

The Legend Of The Sampaguita Flower

The Sampaguita flower is a delight to everyone because of its pleasing fragrance. The Ilonggos has kept a legend about the origin of the national flower of the Philippines.

It was said during the early times, there was a king who was known for his wealth and cruelty. He has a daughter named Guita. Guita is known for her beauty, kindness and humility. Though she possess and experience beautiful things and admired by everyone she was not happy. Her father is not thoughtful and helpful to the poor and forbid Guia to socialize and mingle with them and even strolling in the garden is not allowed by her father.

One day when her father is away, the lady went to the garden. She was playing with the flowers when she heard the whistle of a young man. The young man is Sampa, son of a planter. Guita asked the young man what he needs who in turn responded that he only wants to befriend her. The two made a mutual understanding.

They are currently conversing or chatting when the king passed by and saw Sampa holding the hands of Guita. In the eruption of fury and anger of the king he instantly ordered the killing of the two and buried them together.

About three months had passed and one day the king passed by the tomb of the lovers. He was shocked to see on top of the soil the beautiful, attractive white flowers which possesses fragrance. Tears fell down his eyes in regret for what he has done before. He cried and cried while saying:

   "Ay Guita, ay Guita, Sampa and Guita. Where are you?"

In his grief, the King lost consciousness. When he regained his consciousness, he ordered to call Sampaguita the flower in remembrance of the unfortunate lovers.


Photo Source:

http://www.flowermeaning.com/sampaguita-flower-meaning/

The Legend Of Katao (Mermaid)

The sirena or mermaid of the Tagalog is equivalent to the katao of the Ilonggos. It is narrated in the following story the origin of the katao.

A maiden attempted to commit suicide because her lover married another woman. The broken-hearted woman in love jumped over the river from a cliff. In an unexplained phenomenon, when her feet touches the water she immediately got a tail just like a fish and she did not die.




Photo Source:

http://m4rl0.deviantart.com/art/Sirena-367131386

The Origin Of The Fairies Or Tamawo

Tagalog people has created some fairies called diwata or goddesses known as engkantada in haraya; the Ilonggos have what we call tamawo. The following stories was said to be the origin of these supernatural beings.

When Adam and Eve has not yet left the paradise, they were told by God.

"Go forth and never forget my order. Bore just three children and with the birth of the third child, bring them to me so I can baptize them."

Adam and Eve left the paradise and started a new life. However, they momentarily forgot what God had told them about having children. They were very happy with their seven children.

One day while strolling, the couple met God and asked: "Adam and Eve, I've been looking for you and your children for so long, where are they now?

The two was immovable after what they heard. They could not give an explanation to God. They forgot that they should only have three children because they now have seven children.

"Bring to me your three children at the soonest time so I can baptized them." And God left.

The tearful Eve asked Adam, "What will we do now? And continued with a shivering voice, "I'm scared, Adam. We did not obey the orders of God. What will happen to us?"

"Have peace, Eve, we will find ways to keep the truth from God."

The next day, Adam and Eve dressed their first three children to bring to God and hide the four in the wilderness of the forest so God will not see them.

"Where are your other kids? Why are they the only ones you brought to me? Where are the rest of your children? the gentle and soft speaking God asked the couple.

"Our beloved God, we only have three children. Isn't this what you told us?"  the continuing denial of the two.

"Don't lie to me. Where are your four children?" God inquires.

"Señor, nothing else. We only have three children."

"You both lied to me. You have seven children but you only showed me three. If you only brought them all here I could baptized them all. I will baptize the three you showed me but you will no longer see the four you hide. They are alive but you could no longer see them. You can only hear their voices. They will not show to you while the food they will eat will come from you," the final words of God.

 And the four children of Adam and Eve which they kept and hide became the ancestors of the fairies or tamawo. They are around in the surroundings but invisible while they freely observe the people.





Photo Source:

http://www.deviantart.com/morelikethis/5281773

The Legend Of Sta. Cruz

The Holy Cross in Arevalo District, Iloilo City

If there is an image honored, venerated and consecrated by the elders of Arevalo, it is the Santa Cruz. There are lots of peculiar stories which are mysteriously attractive to narrate about this.

Long time ago, it was said that, there is a mananguete, a person climbing a coconut tree who saw the cross. He observed that the said cross grows bigger everyday. He took the attention of the natives about this. They plan to build a chapel for the cross. According to the elders, the wooden cross never dried up. It's tree is always moistened by the juice or sap that came from the living tree.

According to a statement, this cross was planted or erected by the Spanish missionaries on their first landing in the shores of Panay. The mysterious cross continues to grow. Others believed that the cross emerge from the shores to stop the Mohammedans of the South which frequents the area and  ransack the town in those days.

Whatever is the truth, each story strengthens and fortify the belief of the people in the sacred symbol. The elderly has kept attractive stories about the mysterious cross.

Many years had passed, they said that if the feast of the Holy Cross could not be celebrated properly or appropriately because there is no Queen Helena and King Constantine in the holy procession, the cross could not stand upright strongly no matter how tough is its nailing. In the whole duration of the procession, it moves as if it will fall from the decorated crate. It will only stand strongly if there is a complete colorful pageantry by the next day. According to the rumors, when the town attempted to abandon and forget  the celebration, a deafening thunder and a terrifying line of a lightning hit the place. This continued until the people decided to celebrate the feast of the Holy Cross.

In the celebration where the colorful pageantry or presentation lacks the presence of a king and princesses, a great fire or conflagration mysteriously took place which engulfs several houses while the procession is continuously happening.  

The men and women who were chosen to participate in the procession to portray the characters in the colorful presentation or pageantry could not refuse in the fear that they will meet misfortunes or bad omen. According to the rumors of the elders, if a beautiful young lady dared to refuse to be dressed as Queen Helena or Reyna Elena, she became insane, crazy or mentally ill, sometimes becoming blind some others are crippled. while others met an unfortunate accident.



Photo Source:

http://localphilippines.com/attractions/santa-cruz