21st Century Literature from the Regions and the World

MARAGTAS
Legend of Iloilo from 13th Century

Datu Puti and his fellow Datus (10 of them), fled from the tyranny of Sultan Makatunao of Borneo and landed at the
mouth of the Siwaragan River, now known as the town of San Joaquin, and eventually settled there. At the that time,
people called the "Atis", who were ruled by King Marikudo and Queen Maniwangtiwang, inhabited Panay. Datu
Paiburong, one of the Malay datus negotiated the purchase of the island for one gold Saduk (wide-brimmed hat),
Salakot and a Manangyad (a long gold necklace). Datu Sumakwel, Datu Bangkaya and Datu Paiburong divided the island
into three Sakups (districts):
Sumakwel: Hamtik (Antique);
Bangkaya: Aklan and Capiz
Paiburong: Irong-irong (Iloilo)
From their settlement in Panay, the Confederation of States grew to be one of the most powerful in the region, rivaling
the neighboring states – the Rajahnate of Cebu, the Kingdom of Tondo and the Sultanate of Sulu in terms of prestige and
wealth.

Iloilo City was derived from “irong-irong”, a reference to the native word “irong” which means “nose”. The term “ilong-
ilong” was popularized because of the Chinese traders who mispronounce the “r” sound with “l” sound. It later then
evolved into what is now Iloilo.

Panay Island was ruled under the Code of Kalantiao, where peace and prosperity reigned for 300 years. But this was
disrupted when the Spaniards came and established the provincial government. 1560 to 1590, Spaniards set foot in
Panay Island. During the Spanish Colonial period, Iloilo became the source of food supplies of nearby towns and Cebu.
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi setup the Spanish settlement center at Oton-Arevalo. In the years 1620 to 1650, the
Panayanons started trading textiles and tobaccos. In the late 1600s, the most sufficient supply of the island was sugar.
Between 1680 and 1740, economic transformation took over the region. The primary livelihood in Iloilo became
weaving. As early as 1855, Iloilo opened to the world of trade and became the biggest port in the Philippines and
premier province of the country because of various economic activities. Municipio de Iloilo became a city under the
Bacura Law in 1893.

Commonwealth Act No. 158

Iloilo City was finally inaugurated on Aug. 25, 1937, and was dubbed as the "Queen City of the South". Gen. Martin
Delgado became the first governor of the province of Iloilo. In the late 1800s, Iloilo City was known and was given the
title “La Muy Leal y Noble Ciudad de Iloilo” which means as “Most Loyal and Noble City.” This is an inscription in the Coat
of Arms from the Royal Decree of 1896 in recognition of the local people’s loyalty to the Spanish crown. It was believed
that the last capital of the Spanish empire in Asia is Iloilo City. It was given back in 1898 to the Filipino Revolutionary
Army.

Sources:
Piccio, Belle (2018). Iloilo: Getting to Know the Royal City of the South. Retrieved from
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.choosephilippines.com/amp/do/history-and-culture/3942/iloilo-history-royal-city
http://www.iloilo.gov.ph/history
https://archian.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/the-rulers-of-iloilo-and-the-lost-empire-of-panay/
https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/gers-on-the-pacific-a-mongolian-philippines-tl.420389
 21st Century Literature from the Regions and the World

How the World Was Created

(Panayan)
Adapted by F. Landa Jocano

In the beginning there was no earth or heaven, only bottomless deep and a world of mist.
Everything was shapeless and formless- the earth, sky, the sea, and the air were almost all mixed up.

From the depth of this formless void, appeared two gods,- Tungkung Langit and Alunsina. Tungkung Langit fell in
love with Alunsina and after so many years of courtship, they got married and had their abode in the highest realm of
eternal space where the water was constantly warm and the breeze was forever cool.

Tungkung Langit was industrious, and kind god whose chief concern is to impose order over the whole confused
set up of things.
While Alunsina was a lazy, jealous, and selfish goddess whose only work was to sit by the window, and amuse
herself with her pointless thoughts.

One day, Tungkung Langit told his wife that he would be away for some time to put and end to the chaotic
disturbances in the low of time and position of things. The jealous Alunsina, however sent the breeze to spy her
husband. This made the latter very angry upon knowing it.

After his return from trip, he called the act of his wife and told her that it was ungodly of her jealous, and there
being no creature living in the world except the two of them.
They quarreled and Tungkung Langit lost his temper. He divested his wife of power and drove her away. No one
knew where Alunsina went.

After Alunsina went, Tungkung Langit felt very lonely. He realized he had done wrong. Somehow, it was too late
to say sorry. The place was so quiet and became cold and desolate.
For months, Tungkung Langit lived in utter desolation. He could not find Alunsina. In desperation, he decided to
do something about his loneliness.

One day, while sailing across the regions of clouds, he decided to make a big basin of water below the sky so
that he can see the image of his wife, if she were just somewhere in the regions above.
And lo! The sea disappeared. However, Alunsina was never seen.

After a long time, the sight of loneliness irritated Tungkung Langit. So he came down to the Middleworld and
created the land; planted grasses, trees, and sunflowers.
He took his wife’s treasured jewels and scattered them in the sky, hoping that when Alunsina would see them
she might be induced to return home.

The goddess necklace became the stars, her comb the moon, and her crown the sun. However, despite all of
these, Alunsina did not come back.
Up to this time, the folks in Panay say that Tungkung Langit is alone in his palace. Sometimes, he would cry out
of his pent-up emotions and his tears would fall down in the form of rain.

That is why, some localities in the island of Panay, the first rain in May is received with much rejoice and
sacrifice. Incidentally, when it thunders hard, it was Tungkung Langit sobbing, calling for his beloved Alunsina to come
back- entreating her so hard that his voice thunders across the fields and countryside.
 21st Century Literature from the Regions and the World

HINILAWOD (A Hiligaynon Epic)

When the goddess of the eastern sky Alunsina (also known as Laun Sina, “The Unmarried One”) reached maidenhood,
the king of the gods, Kaptan, decreed that she should marry. All the unmarried gods of the different domains of the
universe tried to win her hand to no avail. She chose to marry a mortal, Datu Paubari, the mighty ruler of Halawod.

Her decision angered her other suitors. They plotted to bring harm to the newlyweds. A meeting of the council of gods
was called by Maklium-sa-t’wan, god of the plains, where a decision by those present was made to destroy Halawod by
flood.

Alunsina and Paubari escaped harm through the assistance of Suklang Malayon, the goddess and guardian of happy
homes and sister of Alunsina, who learned of the evil plot and warned the two so they were able to seek refuge on
higher ground.

After the flood waters subsided, Paubari and Alunsina returned to the plains secretly. They settled near the mouth of the
Halawod river.

Several months later Alunsina became pregnant and told Paubari to prepare the siklot, things necessary for childbirth.
She delivered a set of triplets and summoned the high priest Bungot-Banwa to perform the rites of the gods of Mount
Madya-as (the mountain abode of the gods) to ensure the good health of the children. The high priest promptly made an
altar and burned some alanghiran fronds and a pinch of kamangyan. When the ceremony was over he opened the
windows of the north side of the room and a cold northernly wind came in and suddenly the three infants were
transformed into strong, handsome young men.

Labaw Donggon, the eldest of the three, asked his mother to prepare his magic cape, hat, belt and kampilan (sword) for
he heard of a place called Handug where a beautiful maiden named Angoy Ginbitinan lived.

The journey took several days. He walked across plains and valleys, climbed up mountains until he reached the mouth of
the Halawod river. When he finally met the maiden’s father and asked for her hand in marriage, the father asked him to
fight the monster Manalintad as part of his dowry. He went off to confront the monster and with the help of his magic
belt Labaw Donggon killed the monster and to prove his feat he brought to Angoy Ginbitinan’s father the monster’s tail.

After the wedding, Labaw Donggon proceeded home with his new bride. Along the way they met a group of young men
who told him that they were on their way to Tarambang Burok to win the hand of Abyang Durunuun, sister of Sumpoy,
the lord of the underworld and whose beauty was legendary.

Labaw Donggon and his bride continued on their journey home. The moment they arrived home Labaw Donggon told his
mother to take care of his wife because he is taking another quest, this time he was going to Tarambang Burok.

Before he can get to the place he has to pass a ridge guarded by a giant named Sikay Padalogdog who has a hundred
arms. The giant would not allow Labaw Donggon to go through without a fight. However, Sikay Padalogdog was no
match to Labaw Donggon’s prowess and skill in fighting so he gave up and allowed him to continue.

Labaw Donggon won the hand of Abyang Durunuun and also took her home. Before long he went on another journey,
this time it is to Gadlum to ask for the hand of Malitong Yawa Sinagmaling Diwata who is the young bride of Saragnayan,
the lord of darkness.

This trip required him to use his biday nga inagta (black boat) on which he sailed across the seas for many months, went
across the region of the clouds, and passed the land of stones until finally he reached the shores of Tulogmatian which
was the seaside fortress of Saragnayan. The moment he set foot on the ground Saragnayan asked him, “Who are you
and why are you here?”
 21st Century Literature from the Regions and the World

To which he answered, “I am Labaw Donggon, son of Datu Paubari and goddess Alunsina of Halawod. I came for the
beautiful Malitong Yawa Sinagmaling Diwata.”

Saragnayan laughed. He told Labaw Donggon that what he wished for was impossible to grant because she was his wife.
Labaw Donggon then challenged Saragnayan to a duel saying that whoever wins will have her.

The challenge was accepted and they started fighting. Labaw Donggon submerged Saragnayan under water for seven
years, but when he let go of him, Saragnayan was still alive. The latter uprooted a coconut tree and started beating
Labaw Donggon with it. He survived the beating but was not able to surpass the powers of Saragnayan’s pamlang
(amulet) and eventually he gave up and was imprisoned by Saragnayan beneath his house.

Back home Angoy Ginbitinan and Abyang Durunuun both delivered sons. Angoy Ginbitinan’s child was named Aso
Mangga and Abyang Durunuun’s son was called Abyang Baranugon.

Only a few days after they were born, Aso Mangga and Abyang Baranugon embarked to look for their father. They rode
their sailboats through the region of eternal darkness, passed the region of the clouds and the land of stones, finally
reaching Saragnayan’s home. Saragnayan noticed that Abyang Baranugon’s umbilical cord have not yet been removed,
he laughed and told the child to go home to his mother.

Abyang Baranugon was slighted by the remarks and immediately challenged Saragnayan to a duel. They fought and
Abyang Baranugon defeated Saragnayan and won his father’s freedom.

Labaw Donggon’s defeat and subsequent imprisonment by the Lord of Darkness also angered his brothers. Humadapnon
was so enraged that he swore to the gods of Madya-as that he would wreak revenge on all of Saragnayan’s kinsmen and
followers.

Humadapnon prepared to go to Saragnayan’s domain. He employed the aid of Buyong Matanayon of Mount Matiula
who was well-known for his skill in swordsmanship. For their journey they rode on a sailboat called biday nga rumba-
rumba. They travelled through the region of the clouds, passed by the region of eternal darkness and ended up at a
place called Tarambang Buriraw. In this place was a ridge called Talagas Kuting-tang where a seductive sorceress named
Piganun lived.

Piganun changed herself to a beautiful maiden and captured the heart of Humadapnon. Buyong Matanayon begged with
Humadapnon to leave the place with him but the latter refused. After seven months passed, Buyong Matanayon
remembered that they have brought with them some ginger. One evening at dinner time Buyong Matanayon threw
seven slices of ginger into the fire. When Pinganun smelled the odor of burning ginger she left the dinner table because
sorcerers hated the odor of ginger. Immediately Buyong Matanayon struck Humadapnon, who became unconscious. He
dragged his friend with him and they were able to escape.

They continued with their trek and everywhere they went they exacted revenge on all of Saragnayan’s people and
relatives. One day they reached a place called Piniling Tubig who was ruled by Datu Umbaw Pinaumbaw. There was a big
gathering in the village and when they asked what was going on they were told that the datu was giving his daughter for
marriage to whoever could remove the huge boulder that rolled from a mountain into the center of the village. Many
men tried their luck but no one so far was able to even move the stone.

Humadapnon took off his magic cape and used it to lift the stone and threw it back into the mountain. The datu kept his
word and Humadapnon married his daughter. During the wedding feast Humadapnon heared about the beauty of the
goddess of greed Burigadang Pada Sinaklang Bulawan from a guest minstrel who sang at the celebration.

After the wedding Humadapnon went to seek the hand of the goddess in marriage. Along the way he encountered
Buyong Makabagting, son of the mighty Datu Balahidyong of Paling Bukid who was also travelling with the same purpose
in mind. Upon learning of Humadapnon’s intent, Buyong Makabagting challenged him to a duel. They fought and Buyong
 21st Century Literature from the Regions and the World

Makabagting was no match to Humadapnon’s strength and skill. The fight ended when Buyong Makabagting
surrendered and even promised to aid Humadapnon in his quest. Humadapnon married the goddess and brought her
home.

Meanwhile, right after Humadapnon left to seek Saragnayan’s followers and relatives his brother Dumalapdap left for
Burutlakan-ka-adlaw where the maiden Lubay-Lubyok Hanginun si Mahuyokhuyokon lived. For the trip he brought along
Dumasig, the most powerful wrestler in Madya-as.

Several months later they came to a place called Tarambuan-ka-banwa where they encountered the two-headed
monster Balanakon who guarded a narrow ridge leading to the place where the maiden lived.

With the aid of Dumasig, Dumalapdap killed Balanakon. However, upon approaching the gate of the palace where the
maiden lived he was confronted by Uyutang, a bat-like monster with sharp poisonous claws. There ensued a bloody
battle between the Dumalapdap and the monster. They fought for seven months and their skill and prowess seemed to
be equal. But on the seventh month, Dumalapdap was able to grab on to Uyutang’s ankle and broke it. Then he took his
iwang daniwan (magic dagger) and stabbed Uyutang under the armpit. Uyutang cried out so loud that the ridge where
they were fighting broke into two and there was an earthquake. Half of the ridge became the island of Buglas (Negros)
and the other became the island of Panay.

Dumalapdap married Lubay-Lubyok Hanginun si Mahuyokhuyokan and then took her home. Datu Paubari was very
happy when he was reunited with his three sons and he prepared a feast in their honor. After the celebration, the three
brothers left for different parts of the world. Labaw Donggon went to the north, Humadapnon went south, Dumalapdap
to the west and Datu Paubari remained in the east.

Source: https://hinilawod.wordpress.com/the-story/

Hinilawod is an epic poem orally transmitted from early inhabitants of a place called Sulod in central Panay, Philippines.
The term "Hinilawod" generally translates to "Tales From The Mouth of The Halawod River". The epic must have been
commonly known to the Visayans of Panay before the conquest, since its main protagonists, like Labaw Donggon, were
noted in the accounts of the Islanders' beliefs and recorded by early Spanish colonizers. One of these Westerners'
accounts says that the adventures of this ancient hero of Panay were recalled during weddings and in songs. It was
noted that there were still native Mondos of Dingle, Iloilo who worshipped Labaw Donggon even until the last years of
the Spanish rule in the Philippines. These worshippers would stealthily enter a certain cave in Dingle in the evening of a
certain day of the year, in order to render homage and to offer chickens, doves, rice, bananas, and pigs to the ancient
Visayan god.

Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinilawod
 21st Century Literature from the Regions and the World

The Epic of Labaw Donggon (of the Sulod people of Central Panay)

Labaw Donggon is one of three handsome sons of the "diwata" Abyang Alunsina and her mortal husband
Buyung Paubari, the other two being Humadapnon and Dumalapdap. Being of semi-divine birth, the three possess
extraordinary powers. Labaw Donggon, for instance, miraculously grows into a sturdy young man shortly after his birth
and embarks upon the first of his three courting adventures.

The first object of his affections is Abyang Ginbitinan, who lives "by the mouth of Handog, by the river Halawud."
Dressed in his best clothes, Labaw Donggon goes to Ginbitinan’s house to visit her and to tell her that he will send his
parents to arrange the marriage. This is done, the dowry is agreed upon and given, the wedding is held.

Not long after his wedding to Ginbitinan, Labaw Donggon hears about another beautiful woman, Anggoy
Doronoon, of the underworld, and conceives a desire to court her. So he visits her and wins her without any difficulty.
Presumably [the text does not say so] he stays with her for a while and then returns to Handog.

Very soon, however, Labaw Donggon is again restless with desire for another woman. This time he chooses a
married woman, Malitung Yawa Sinagmaling Diwata, "who resides where the brilliant light of the sun starts," for she is
the wife of Saragnayan, who takes charge of the course of the sun. Labaw Donggon dresses in his best, as usual, and
after gazing into a "crystal ball" to know how Malitung Yawa looks, sails upward in his magic boat to the land of the sun.
His coming is, however, detected by Saragnayan, who intercepts him. Upon learning Labaw Donggon’s intentions upon
his wife, Saragnayan sternly tells him: "You can have Malitung Yawa … if I do not have life anymore." A long, hard fight
between the two men follows, first, by using their respective charms, and later by using their own native strength. But
though Labaw Donggon submerges Saragnayan into the water for seven years and puts him on top of a stone and beats
him with coconut trunks, he cannot kill Saragnayan. The reason is that Saragnayan’s life is not within his body but kept
inside the body of a pig. After many years of fighting, Labaw Donggon weakens and Saragnayan eventually defeats him,
binds his arms and feet, and puts him inside a pig pen below his kitchen.

Meanwhile, in Handog, Anggoy Ginbitinan has borne a son, Asu Mangga, who asks his mother about his father.
And down below in the underworld, Anggoy Doronoon has also given birth to a son, Buyung Baranugun. Though his
umbilical cord is still uncut, Baranugun asks about his father and insists that his mother allow him to search for him. He
dresses up and asks his mother for his poisoned arrow "which with one shot pierces through seven men." Asu Mangga
has likewise decided to go in search of his father and dresses up in his best clothes. Ginbitinan warns him that he is likely
to meet his young brother and that if he does, they should not fight each other.

The brothers do meet, Asu Mangga riding on a magic boat and Baranugun walking on the sea. The latter joins his
brother in his magic boat and they plan their search. Looking into the crystal ball, they learn the whereabouts of their
father and see the pitiful state into which he has fallen: he has become hairy all over. Vowing to avenge their father’s
humiliation, the brothers steer their boat to the land of darkness. By invoking the power of their "pamlang", the boat is
able to soar to the Land of the Morning Sun. Their arrival does not escape the notice of Saragnayan who wonders who
they may be. The two brothers recover their father’s boat, find where he is imprisoned under Saragnayan’s house, break
the iron bars of his cage by invoking their "pamlang", and lead him out of his cage and to their magic boat. There they
wash their father clean until he is handsome once more. Labaw Donggon tells them of his long and futile fight with
Saragnayan. The two sons then shout their challenge to Saragnayan – ten times. It is so loud that Saraganayan loses his
courage.

In his fear, Saragnayan summons help from all parts of the universe – from the underworld, the upperworld, etc.
Faced with a huge army of helpers, Asu Mangga and Baranugun advise them to go home since their fight with
Saragnayan does not concern them. But the men insist on fighting, so the two brothers start shooting them down with
 21st Century Literature from the Regions and the World

their poisoned arrows until only Saragnayan is left. When they cannot kill him, Baranugun sends Taghuy, his spirit friend,
to his grandmother Abyang Alunsina in the eastern sky, for advice. Alunsina sends back the information that
Saragnayan’s life is kept inside the wild boar in the mountain, in Paling Bukid. She further gives them the charm that will
put the boar to sleep so they can get its heart. The two brothers find the boar, put it to sleep and remove the heart
which they then roast and ate whole. They then return to resume the fight with Saragnayan.

All of a sudden, Saragnayan feels a weakness all over his body. He weeps, knowing that he will be killed by
Buyung Baranugun. He therefore asks for time to enable him to say good-bye to his wife. A tender scene follows in
which Saragnayan cuddles his wife, while rocking her in the hammock, tells her of his defeat by Baranugun and advises
her to obey Labaw Donggon and to try to get along well with his other wives. He leaves her only after she has fallen
asleep and after instructing the servants to watch over her carefully and drive away the flies so that her sleep will not be
disturbed.

The fight between Baranugun and Saragnayan is violent but brief. Baranugun succeeds in climbing Saragnayan’s
head and, standing on top of his head, Baranugun strikes Saragnayan’s eyes with his poisoned arrows. With a great cry,
Saragnayan falls, his death struggles sending the whole world a-tremble, for it is in Saragnayan’s body that the
earthquake is kept. After killing Saragnayan, Baranugun returns to their boat to take his father home, but Labaw
Donggon is nowhere to be seen. He has run away and hidden inside a fishing net. The two brothers sail home happily,
thinking to find their father already there.

But Labaw Donggon is not at home, so his two brothers, Humadapnon and Dumalapdap go on an intensive
search for him, the former going inland and the latter seaward. They finally find Labaw Donggon inside the fish net,
"covering himself and shivering with fright." They take him home, first to Anggoy Ginbitinan at Handog and next to
Abyang Doronoon in the underworld. But Labaw Donggon can no longer hear, his ears having been stopped by some
substance, and is out of his mind. The two wives pity and wish to rehabilitate him although Ginbitinan cannot help
blaming him for what happened, reproaching him for desiring other men’s wives. Humadapnon, however, defends
Labaw Donggon by saying: "Well, that’s how the older one/ Dear Sister, should behave/ that’s what the skilled one/ the
fighter should do."

Then Humadapnon asks whether Nagmalitong Yawa has any other sisters, and when told that she has two lovely
ones, the two brothers happily announce that they will each court one of them. Upon hearing this, Labaw Donggon
speaks up, reminding them that they have to fetch Malitong Yawa as his wife. The first two wives momentarily feel
jealous and threaten not to restore Labaw Donggon’s powers, but upon the latter’s assurance that he will love all three
of them equally and his explanation that he needs children to inherit his name, they are appeased. They let Labaw
Donggon lie down and, as the two women jump over his head and feet, they invoke their "pamlang" to restore Labaw
Donggon to his full power and bravery. This completed, they help him rise and ask him to give out a loud cry. Labaw
Donggon gives out a cry so powerful that branches break off from trees and the nearby bridge splits, a sigh that his
power has been fully restored.

"The Epic of Labaw Donggon" is one of two related epics from Panay Island, in the Visayas, both recorded by F.
Landa Jocano. With its length of 2,325 lines in its printed version, it is much shorter than the second epic, The Epic of
Humadapnon which runs to 53,000 lines.

Retrieved from: https://www.kapitbisig.com/philippines/english-version-of-epics-mga-epiko-the-epic-of-labaw-

donggon-of-the-sulod-people-of-central-panay_1183.html/page/0/1