ASBURY COLLEGE INC.

ANDA, PANGASINAN 2405 PHILIPPINES

EL 112 – Mythology & Folklore

Discussion Paper

Topic: The Legend of Maria Makiling

Presented by: Rona Mae Cerdan
Presented to: Ma’am Sherilyn Nuesca

I. Objectives:
At the end of the discussion the students will be able to:
 Know the story of the legend of Maria Makiling
 Know the tradition and superstitions of Maria Makiling
 Know the curse of Maria Makiling and;
 Define the lessons that we can learn in the legend of Maria Makiling.

II. Definition of Terms

Legends - a traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but
unauthenticated.
Myths - a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or
explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural
beings or events.
Ancient Tradition - is a custom or belief that has existed for a long time

III. Introduction
As is often the case in many parts of the Philippines and around the world,
mountains and volcanoes became associated with legends, myths and ancient
traditions and Mount Makiling is strongly associated with a mythical female entity named
Maria Makiling. She is also known as Mariang Makiling and is considered to be a spirit
or forest nymph known as a diwata or lambana in Philippine folklore. Before the
Philippines were colonized she was known as Dayang Masalanta or Dian Masalanta
who could be called upon to stop or prevent natural disasters such as earthquakes,
floods, or storms. She is also identified with the amount of fish caught in Laguna de Bay
which is part of her realm and appears to be a spirit of abundance influencing the
functioning of the natural world. She was seen as a benign spirit of nature that poor
people could approach and ask for help whenever they needed it.
It is said that it is Maria who goes through the forest after a storm fixing broken
branches and trees and repairing the nests of birds that have been damaged. She
walks through the forest healing the broken wings of butterflies and clearing away
debris from the forest floor and streams. Wherever she walks the sun shines and the
birds sing and the flowers bloom and the animals frisk and play as she tidies up the
forest after the storm.

IV. Discussion
The Legend of Maria Makiling
Maria Makiling is the guardian spirit of the mountain, responsible for protecting its
bounty and thus is also a benefactor for the townspeople who depend on the mountain's
resources. In addition to being a guardian of the mountain, some legends also identify
Laguna de Bay-and the fish caught from it-as part of her domain. She was sent by
Bathala to aid the people of the area in their everyday life.
Mount Makiling resembles the profile of a woman, said to be Maria herself. This
phenomenon is described as true from several different perspectives, so there is no
single location associated with this claim. The mountain's various peaks are said to be
Maria's face and two breasts, respectively, and her hair cascades downwards a gentle
slope away from her body.
Maria Makiling is a prominent example of the mountain goddesses motif in
Philippine mythology, other prominent examples being Maria Sinukuan of Pampanga's
Mount Arayat and Maria Cacao on Cebu's Mount Lantoy.

"Maria" or "Dayang": "the lady"

The name "Mariang Makiling" is the Spanish-Tagalog contraction of "Maria ng
Makiling" (Maria of Makiling). The term is a Hispanicized evolution of an alternate name
for the Diwata, "Dayang Makiling"-"dayang" being an Austronesian word meaning
"princess" or "noble lady". Prior to the conversion of the natives to Christianity, Maria
Makiling was already known as Makiling, an anito sent by Bathala in Mount Makiling to
aid mankind in their daily tasks. The "Maria" was added by the Spanish in a bid to
rebrand her as Catholic, after the Virgin Mary.
Professor Grace Odal of the University of the Philippines believes there is a
significant link between Maria Makiling and the mythical woman (Ba'i) for whom the
town of Bay and the lake of Laguna de Bay are named. When the lady of the lake also
became associated with the nearby mountain, the common description of her became
that of the "lady of the mountain".
Makiling: "crooked" or "bent"
As for the word "Makiling", it has been noted that the mountain rises from Laguna
de Bay "to a rugged top and breaks into irregular hills southward, thus 'leaning' or
'uneven.'" The Tagalog word for "leaning" or "uneven" is "makiling". This corresponds
with the common belief that the profile of the mountain resembles that of a reclining
woman, from certain angles.
A less often mentioned possible origin for the name of the mountain is that the
name describes the mountain as having plenty of the bamboo variety known as
"kawayang kiling" (Bambusa vulgaris schrad). By this etymology, the mountain would
have been named after the bamboo and the lady named after the mountain

Maria and the Mountain

It is not known whether Maria Makiling was named after the mountain, or whether
the mountain was named after her. However, some people think that when seen from
different locations Mount Makiling looks like the profile of a sleeping woman and this is
said to be Maria. In Philippine mythology, there are other similar supernatural entities
who are also mountain goddesses or spirits such as Maria Sinukuan who are found on
Mount Arayat, Pampanga and Maria Cacao of Mount Lantoy, Cebu.
Tradition says that Maria Makiling is a beautiful young woman in the prime of life
and never grows any older. She is said to have long black shiny hair, bright sparkling
eyes, and a light olive complexion. Her personality mirrors the enchantment and
serenity of the mountain environment she is found in and she is also associated with the
mists that often appear on Mount Makiling. In some traditions, her skin or hair is said to
be white but in most stories, she wears radiant white clothes confuses people into
believing the wisps of mist they saw through the trees on the mountain was Maria.
According to tradition she lives in a small hut sometimes situated in a village while other
traditions say her hut is on the mountain and can only ever be found if she allows it.

Tradition and Superstitions of Maria Makiling

Maria Makiling stories were part of the Philippines oral tradition long before they
were written down. Some are not actual stories but more like superstitions which
abound about her. One tells how that every now and then men who went into the forests
on the mountain would not return. It was believed Maria had lured them away to her
home hidden somewhere in the mountain wilds to be her husband. There they would
spend the rest of their days in happiness and marital bliss alone with Maria in her hut
hidden on the mountain.
 There is another tradition that says that although anyone can go into the forest to
pick and eat fruits no fruit should be taken home because this may anger Maria.
Offenders have been known to lose their way and this is believed to be caused by Maria
changing the paths to take them into thick thorn bushes, or become beset by stinging
insects she has sent or led them into. If this happens the only thing the victim can do is
leave the fruit in the forest and reverse all clothing which is seen as proof that they no
longer carry the fruit of the forest with them.

The Curse of Maria Makiling

Another version of the story was supposed to have happened during the later
years of the Spanish occupation. This tells how Maria was wooed by three suitors. One
was a Spanish soldier named Captain Lara. Another was a student named Joselito who
was studying in Manila and the third was a poor farmer named Juan.
Of the three, Maria Makiling preferred Juan despite his humble status. The two
rejected men plotted together to frame Juan for the crime of setting on fire the Spanish
barracks. Juan was taken and tried and sentenced to be shot as an enemy of the
Spanish. As he was about to be shot he called out Maria’s name.
High up on the mountain she heard his cry but was too late to save him. Fearing
her anger Joselito and Captain Lara fled to Manila. On discovering how Juan had been
framed and shot she placed a curse on Joselito and Captain Lara and all men who
cannot accept rejection in love. Maria’s curse quickly took effect and Joselito fell sick
with an incurable illness and died and Captain Lara was killed fighting revolutionaries.
According to the legend from that time onwards Maria was never again seen by
humans and whenever someone loses their way on the mountain they remember the
curse of Maria Makiling and also of the great love she had for Juan.

Analysis of The Legend of Maria Makiling

Setting and Characters

The setting of the Legend of Maria Makiling was in Mount Makiling in Laguna.
Laguna is a province in the Philippines. In the story, it is where Maria Makiling resides
and where most of the story took place. At present, Mount Makiling in Laguna is a
tourist destination.

Characters
Maria Makiling - the main character and protagonist of the story. She was a beautiful
and helpful diwata who lived in a mountain of Laguna. She was always wooed by many
suitors.
Gat Dula – the mortal, lover of Maria Makiling
Gat Panahon and Dayang Makiling – parents of Maria Makiling

Plot
I. Introduction
Long ago in Mt. Makiling, a place located in Laguna, Philippines. There lived a
beautiful mysterious woman named Maria Makiling. She was believed as a fairy, a
goddess, a nymph or anything that made her identity as an extraordinary dweller of the
place. She was the daughter of Gat Panahon and Dayang Makiling who was also
known in the place.
Maria has extraordinary beauty. Her long, black and abundant hair grows very
long where it measured up to her heel decorated with pomelo flowers as it extends
downward. She has a beautiful bright eye which makes her become attractive even to
her fellow women who loved to see her. She is tall and she was always wearing a white
dress as she wanted to appear to people.
People often see her as she goes down to buy everything she needed along with
her two helpers that carry all things they have brought. As people saw her, they bowed
down to greet her.
II. Rising Action
One day while Maria was on the talipapa she accidentally met a man named Gat
Dula When their shoulders accidentally touched. It started their friendship until the deity
fell in love with the mortal.
III. Climax
The climax of the story of Maria Makiling is when she fell in love with a human.
She secretly hid their relationship with her parents. She is an immortal and had so many
differences from a human. Her father out of anger knowing she had lied to them made
an earthquake. Maria confided to her mom. And as a result, she couldn't meet the man
she truly loved. Her father decided that the gods couldn't live with ordinary people.
IV. Falling Action
Maria's parents took her enchantment away and was forbidden to go the land of
the mortals and forbidden to see her love of her life, Gat Dula. Despite being forbidden,
Maria still showed her love by praying to the gods for the safety of Gat Dula during his
fight with Lakan Bunto and asked for his soul to be given to her when he died.
V. Denouement
With Gat Dula’s death, Maria asked his soul from the gods and her request was
granted. Maria and Gat Dula reunite in the after life.
Theme
The theme of The Legend of Maria Makiling is about loving your fellow people. If
you have a grudge to someone and carry it throughout your whole life, it has a no good
destination. It also would not be good for you. We must learn how to accept failure or
defeat, and forgive someone.

V. Conclusion
Mount Makiling still abounds with superstitions and stories concerning Makiling.
When people get lost on the mountain, the disappearances are still attributed to the
diwata or to spirits who follow her.

VI. References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Makiling
https://ztevetevans.wordpress.com/2017/08/30/philippine-folklore-maria-makiling-
of-mount-makiling/
https://whatisliterature001.blogspot.com/p/the-story-of-maria-makiling.html