REGION XII - SOCCSKSARGEN
Kingdom
of the Dead: Tiruray Creation Myth
(Myth)
The Tiruray
Indigenous beliefs and practice, customs and rituals are animistic. Tirurays who have close contact with the Muslim Maguindanao were influenced to believe the Islam faith. The Roman Catholics and the Episcopalian church have been working among them for a long time and many ‘modernized’ Tirurays have been converted. However, many still keep the old beliefs and practice indigenous rituals.
The Tiruray People of Mindanao
The Creation of the Earth
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.
The wife again sent her husband to their creator, this time to ask for a burial place for their dead son.
“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.
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The Tiruray
There are coastal, river, and mountain Tiruray clans, each of which has variations in dialect. In fact, Tiruray is a combination of tiru (“place of origin, birth, or residence”) and ray (from daya, meaning “upper part of a stream or river”). Their language, another distinct ethnolinguistic group, is structurally related to those of the Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian family but is unintelligible to their immediate neighbors. The majority of Tiruray habitations are in Upi, South Upi, Dinaig, and Ampatuan in Maguindanao (ARMM), plus scattered populations in Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato (SOCCSKSARGEN Region).
Indigenous beliefs and practice, customs and rituals are animistic. Tirurays who have close contact with the Muslim Maguindanao were influenced to believe the Islam faith. The Roman Catholics and the Episcopalian church have been working among them for a long time and many ‘modernized’ Tirurays have been converted. However, many still keep the old beliefs and practice indigenous rituals.
The Tiruray People of Mindanao
The influence of Christianity and Islam can be seen in some of their creation myths. The Tiruray ‘Creation of the Earth’ tale is no exception as it includes how woman was created from the rib of the first man. According to the second chapter of Genesis, Eve was created by God (Yahweh) by taking her from the rib of Adam, to be Adam’s companion. Some people tend to discount Philippine myths that incorporate Christian motifs, but I personally find them fascinating. As the American anthropologist, H. Otley Beyer pointed out regarding the flood myths of the Philippines, “I see no good reason why the story should not also be [seen as] a native development in spite of its similarity to the Hebrew myth.” It is likely, of course, that this aspect was taken from a biblical story brought by Christians several generations past; but it was incorporated into something uniquely native.
The Creation of the Earth
(Tiruray)
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.
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The
Legend Story of Sarangani Lake
(Legend)
Once
upon the time, there was an old couple called Grandpa
Pasir andGrandma Pasir living in the forest of Mount Lawu.
One
day, he was surprised with an existence of an egg under a big forest tree,
without consideration, Grandpa Pasir immediately took the mysterious
egg home, and gave it to his wife.
Later
on, they agreed to braise the egg and share it for two. Grandpa got back to the
field to continue his job. But he felt his body is getting warmer and painful.
By so much pain, he fell down on the ground. He had been cursed!!! His
body changed into a big giant snake.
In
other side, grandma also transformed into a giant snake and they had
makes a flutter and soil around and the water spouting and filled around the
holes of pasir’s flutter and become a lake.
The
lake named Lake pasir, nowadays they known as Lake Sarangani.
Source:
http://ghost-myths-legend-story.blogspot.com/2014/01/region-xii-legend-story-of-sarangani.html
————————————————————————————————————————
(Legend)
Once
upon the time, there was an old couple called Grandpa
Pasir andGrandma Pasir living in the forest of Mount Lawu.
One
day, he was surprised with an existence of an egg under a big forest tree,
without consideration, Grandpa Pasir immediately took the mysterious
egg home, and gave it to his wife.
Later
on, they agreed to braise the egg and share it for two. Grandpa got back to the
field to continue his job. But he felt his body is getting warmer and painful.
By so much pain, he fell down on the ground. He had been cursed!!! His
body changed into a big giant snake.
In
other side, grandma also transformed into a giant snake and they had
makes a flutter and soil around and the water spouting and filled around the
holes of pasir’s flutter and become a lake.
The
lake named Lake pasir, nowadays they known as Lake Sarangani.
Source:
http://ghost-myths-legend-story.blogspot.com/2014/01/region-xii-legend-story-of-sarangani.html
————————————————————————————————————————
Indarapatra
and Sulayman
(Fable)
A
long, long time ago, Mindanao was covered with water, and the sea cover all the
lowlands so that nothing could be seen but the mountains jutting from it. There
were many people living in the country and all the highlands were dotted with
villages and settlements. For many years the people prospered, living in peace
and contentment. Suddenly there appeared in the land four horrible monsters
which, in short time has devoured every human being they could find.
Kurita,
a terrible creature with many limbs, lived partly on the land and partly on
sea, but its favorite haunt was the mountain where the rattan palm grew; and
here it brought utter destruction on every living thing. The second monster,
Tarabusaw, an ugly creature in the form of a man, lived on Mt. Matutum, and far
and wide from that place he devoured the people, laying waste the land. The
third, an enormous bird called Pah, was so large that, when on the wing, it
covered the sun and brought darkness to the earth. Its egg was as large as a
house. Mt. Bita was its haunt; and there the only people who escaped its
voracity were those who hid in the mountain caves. The fourth monster was also
a dreadful bird, having seven heads and the power to see in all directions at
the same time. Mt. Gurayan was its home and like the others, it wrought havoc
to its region.
So
great was the death and destruction caused by these terrible creatures that at
length, the news spread even to the most distant lands – and all nations
grieved to hear the sad fate of Mindanao. Now far across the sea, in the
land of the golden sunset, was a city so great that to look at its many people
would injure the eyes of men. When tidings of these great disasters reached
this distant city, the heart of King Indarapatra was filled with compassion,
and he called his brother, Sulayman, and begged hem to save the land of
Mindanao from the monsters.
Sulayman
listened to the story and as heard it, was moved with pity. “I will go”, zeal
and enthusiasm adding to his strength, “and the land shall be avenged,” said
he.
King
Indarapatra, proud of his brother’s courage, gave him a ring and a sword as he
wished him success and safety. Then he placed a young sapling by his window and
said to Sulayman “By this tree I shall know your fate from the hour you depart
from here, for if you live, it will live; but if you die, it will die also.”
So
Sulayman departed for Mindanao, and he neither waded nor used a boat, but went
through the air and landed on the mountain where the rattan grew. There he
stood on the summit and gazed about on all sides. He looked on the land and the
villages, but he could see no living thing. And he was very sorrowful and cried
out: “Alas, how pitiful and dreadful is this devastation.”
No
sooner had Sulayman uttered those words than the whole mountain began to move
and then shook. Suddenly out of the ground came the horrible creature Kurita.
It sprng at the man and sank its claws at his flesh. But, Sulayman knowing at
once that this was the scourge of the land, drew his sword and cut Kurita to pieces. Encourage
by his first success, Sulayman went on to Mt. Matutum, where conditions were
even worse. As he stood on the heights viewing the great devastation, there was
a noise in the forest and a movement in the trees. With a loud yell, Tarabusaw
forth leaped. For the moment they looked at each other, neither showing any
sign of fear. Then Tarabusaw used all his powers to try to devour Sulayman, who
fought back. For a long time, the battle continued, until at last, the monster
fell exhausted to the ground and Sulayman killed him with his sword.
The
nest place visited by Sulayman was Mt. Bita. Here havoc was present everywhere,
and though he passed by many homes, he saw that not a single soul was left. As
he walked, sudden darkness fell over the land, startling him. As he looked
toward the sky he beheaded a great bird that swooped upon him. Immediately he
struck, and the bird fell dead at his feet; but the wing fell on Sulayman and
he was crushed.
Now
at this very time King Indarapatra was sitting at his window, and looking out
he saw the little tree wither and dry up.
“Alas!”
he cried, “my brother is dead” and he wept bitterly.
Then although he was very sad, he was filled with a desire for revenge. Putting
on his sword and belt, he started for Mindanao, in search for his brother.
He, too, traveled through the air with great speed until he came to the
mountain where the rattan grew. There he looked about, awed at the great
destruction, and when she saw the bones of Kurita he knew that his brother had
been there. He went on till he came to Matutum, and when he saw the bones of
Tarabusaw, he knew that this, too, was the work of Sulayman.
Still
searching for his brother, he arrived at Mt. Bita, where the dead bird lay on
the ground, and when he lifted the severed wing he beheld the bones of Sulayman
with his sword biy his side. His grief now so overwhelmed Indarapatra that he
wept for some time. Upon looking up, he beheld a small jar of water by his
side. This, he knew had been sent from the heaven, and he poured the water over
the bones, and Sulayman, came to life again. They greeted each other and talked
animatedly for great length of time. Sulayman declared that he had not been
dead but asleep, and their hearts were full of joy.
After
some time Sulayman returned his distant home, but Indarapatra continued his
journey to Mt. Gurayan where killed the dreadful bird with the seven heads.
After these monsters had all been killed, peace and safety had been restored to
the land: Indarapatra began searching everywhere to see if some of the people
who hid in the earth were still alive.
One
day, in the course of his search, he caught sight of a beautiful woman at a
distance. When he hastened toward her she disappeared through a hole in the
ground where she stood. Disappointed and tried, he sat down on a rock to rest
when, looking about, he saw near him a pot uncooked rice with a big fire on the
ground in front of it. This revived him and he proceeded to cook the rice. As
he did so, however, he heard someone laugh near by, and turning he beheld an
old woman watching him. As he greeted her, she drew near and talked to him
while he ate the rice.
Of
all the people in the land, the woman told him, only few were left, and they
hid in a cave in the ground from whence they never ventured to come out. As for
herself and her old husband, she went on, they had hidden in a hollow tree, and
this they had never dared to leave until Sulayman killed the voracious bird
Pah.
At
Indarapatra’s request, the old woman led him to one such cave. There he met the
headmen with his family and some people. They all gathered about the stranger,
asking many questions, for this was the first time they had heard about the
death of the monsters. When they found out what Indarapatra had done for them,
the headman gave his daughter to him in marriage, and she proved to be
beautiful girl whom Indarapatra had seen at the mouth of the cave.
Then
the people all came out of their hiding places and returned to their homes
where they lived in peace and happiness. And the sea withdrew from the land and
gave the lowlands to the people.
(Fable)
A
long, long time ago, Mindanao was covered with water, and the sea cover all the
lowlands so that nothing could be seen but the mountains jutting from it. There
were many people living in the country and all the highlands were dotted with
villages and settlements. For many years the people prospered, living in peace
and contentment. Suddenly there appeared in the land four horrible monsters
which, in short time has devoured every human being they could find.
Kurita,
a terrible creature with many limbs, lived partly on the land and partly on
sea, but its favorite haunt was the mountain where the rattan palm grew; and
here it brought utter destruction on every living thing. The second monster,
Tarabusaw, an ugly creature in the form of a man, lived on Mt. Matutum, and far
and wide from that place he devoured the people, laying waste the land. The
third, an enormous bird called Pah, was so large that, when on the wing, it
covered the sun and brought darkness to the earth. Its egg was as large as a
house. Mt. Bita was its haunt; and there the only people who escaped its
voracity were those who hid in the mountain caves. The fourth monster was also
a dreadful bird, having seven heads and the power to see in all directions at
the same time. Mt. Gurayan was its home and like the others, it wrought havoc
to its region.
So
great was the death and destruction caused by these terrible creatures that at
length, the news spread even to the most distant lands – and all nations
grieved to hear the sad fate of Mindanao. Now far across the sea, in the
land of the golden sunset, was a city so great that to look at its many people
would injure the eyes of men. When tidings of these great disasters reached
this distant city, the heart of King Indarapatra was filled with compassion,
and he called his brother, Sulayman, and begged hem to save the land of
Mindanao from the monsters.
Sulayman
listened to the story and as heard it, was moved with pity. “I will go”, zeal
and enthusiasm adding to his strength, “and the land shall be avenged,” said
he.
King
Indarapatra, proud of his brother’s courage, gave him a ring and a sword as he
wished him success and safety. Then he placed a young sapling by his window and
said to Sulayman “By this tree I shall know your fate from the hour you depart
from here, for if you live, it will live; but if you die, it will die also.”
So
Sulayman departed for Mindanao, and he neither waded nor used a boat, but went
through the air and landed on the mountain where the rattan grew. There he
stood on the summit and gazed about on all sides. He looked on the land and the
villages, but he could see no living thing. And he was very sorrowful and cried
out: “Alas, how pitiful and dreadful is this devastation.”
No
sooner had Sulayman uttered those words than the whole mountain began to move
and then shook. Suddenly out of the ground came the horrible creature Kurita.
It sprng at the man and sank its claws at his flesh. But, Sulayman knowing at
once that this was the scourge of the land, drew his sword and cut Kurita to pieces. Encourage
by his first success, Sulayman went on to Mt. Matutum, where conditions were
even worse. As he stood on the heights viewing the great devastation, there was
a noise in the forest and a movement in the trees. With a loud yell, Tarabusaw
forth leaped. For the moment they looked at each other, neither showing any
sign of fear. Then Tarabusaw used all his powers to try to devour Sulayman, who
fought back. For a long time, the battle continued, until at last, the monster
fell exhausted to the ground and Sulayman killed him with his sword.
The
nest place visited by Sulayman was Mt. Bita. Here havoc was present everywhere,
and though he passed by many homes, he saw that not a single soul was left. As
he walked, sudden darkness fell over the land, startling him. As he looked
toward the sky he beheaded a great bird that swooped upon him. Immediately he
struck, and the bird fell dead at his feet; but the wing fell on Sulayman and
he was crushed.
Now
at this very time King Indarapatra was sitting at his window, and looking out
he saw the little tree wither and dry up.
“Alas!”
he cried, “my brother is dead” and he wept bitterly.
Then although he was very sad, he was filled with a desire for revenge. Putting
on his sword and belt, he started for Mindanao, in search for his brother.
He, too, traveled through the air with great speed until he came to the
mountain where the rattan grew. There he looked about, awed at the great
destruction, and when she saw the bones of Kurita he knew that his brother had
been there. He went on till he came to Matutum, and when he saw the bones of
Tarabusaw, he knew that this, too, was the work of Sulayman.
Still
searching for his brother, he arrived at Mt. Bita, where the dead bird lay on
the ground, and when he lifted the severed wing he beheld the bones of Sulayman
with his sword biy his side. His grief now so overwhelmed Indarapatra that he
wept for some time. Upon looking up, he beheld a small jar of water by his
side. This, he knew had been sent from the heaven, and he poured the water over
the bones, and Sulayman, came to life again. They greeted each other and talked
animatedly for great length of time. Sulayman declared that he had not been
dead but asleep, and their hearts were full of joy.
After
some time Sulayman returned his distant home, but Indarapatra continued his
journey to Mt. Gurayan where killed the dreadful bird with the seven heads.
After these monsters had all been killed, peace and safety had been restored to
the land: Indarapatra began searching everywhere to see if some of the people
who hid in the earth were still alive.
One
day, in the course of his search, he caught sight of a beautiful woman at a
distance. When he hastened toward her she disappeared through a hole in the
ground where she stood. Disappointed and tried, he sat down on a rock to rest
when, looking about, he saw near him a pot uncooked rice with a big fire on the
ground in front of it. This revived him and he proceeded to cook the rice. As
he did so, however, he heard someone laugh near by, and turning he beheld an
old woman watching him. As he greeted her, she drew near and talked to him
while he ate the rice.
Of
all the people in the land, the woman told him, only few were left, and they
hid in a cave in the ground from whence they never ventured to come out. As for
herself and her old husband, she went on, they had hidden in a hollow tree, and
this they had never dared to leave until Sulayman killed the voracious bird
Pah.
At
Indarapatra’s request, the old woman led him to one such cave. There he met the
headmen with his family and some people. They all gathered about the stranger,
asking many questions, for this was the first time they had heard about the
death of the monsters. When they found out what Indarapatra had done for them,
the headman gave his daughter to him in marriage, and she proved to be
beautiful girl whom Indarapatra had seen at the mouth of the cave.
Then
the people all came out of their hiding places and returned to their homes
where they lived in peace and happiness. And the sea withdrew from the land and
gave the lowlands to the people.
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