NORTHERN MINDANAO

REPORT BY: EDGAR C. IDAGO

“ATUKON/PANONGGELENGAN”

The Manuvu have atukon, riddles, Panonggelengan, proverbs; panumanon, folktales, and
humorous tales; ituan, myths and legend; and Owaging, epics. Narratives poem lyric poem and
generally also ritual songs addressed to gods.

1. RIDDLE
 Riddles are tricky phrase or questions that have double meanings and are usually
challenging to solve or answer. Riddles come in the form of phrases and
statements and are used as a rhetorical device with literature.

Following are examples of riddle;

 Emun edtibasan nune vasag ne edlambas ne linew. (Sikan is luvi)

If you cut into it, it’s a bow; if you pierce it, it’s a pool. (Coconut)

(Kung pinutol mo ito, ito ay isang busog; Kung mabutas mo ito,ito ay isang pool.) (Niyog)

 Buntud man guntaan heyan ne emun ed-ahaan nu ne egkiramkiram da, ne

emun egkewaan nu nu egkekawe nu. (Sikan is izung)

A mountain which can only be dimly seen, yet you can reach it with your hand. (Nose)
(Isang bundok na Malabo lang nakikita, ngunit maabot mo ito gamit iyong kamay. (ilong)

The following are illianon Manobo proverbs:

 A probverb is a traditional saying or a phrase that expresses a perceived truth.

Proverbs often give practical advice and are based on the shared human
experience. An English probverb is one that is used primarily by native English
speakers. However, probverbs may be found in many languages.

 Ke etew ne kena edlilingey te impuun din ne kena ebpekeuma diya te

edtamanan din.

He who does not look back to his origins will not reach his destination.
(Ang hindi lumingon sa kanyang pinanggalingan ay hindi makarating sa kanyang
paroroonan)

 Ke mevandes ne ed-ipanenew ne melaaran ke egkeruhi.

If a man walks fast and step on a thorn, it will go in deep, but if he walks slowly, it will go in
only a little.

(Kung ang isang tao ay lumakad ng mabilis at nakatapak sa isang tinik, ito ay lalalim, ngunit
kung siya ay mabagal, ito ay papasok lamang ng kaunti)
 2. LEGEND
 A traditional story that describes the origin of the things and the word.

REGION X
(NORTHERN MINDANAO)

Example:

How Cagayan de Oro got its name.

 Cagayan comes from either the Maranao or Maguindanao word kaaya-han, or a binukid
word kagayha-an, both of which means “peace of shame” or simply, a shameful peace.
Before the Spaniards came to Cagayan (or kalambaguhan), there were already places
where on could rake in the earth.

★Settings

A place of shame

★Character

Mansicampo – The Bukidnon chieftain.

Datu bagonsalibo (Datu bagani)– a rich and wealthy man and the enemy of mansicampo, a
father of young prince.
Rajah Moda Samporna- a son of datu bagani
The princess- the daughter of mansicampo

★Introduction

Common across the oral traditions about the oral history of the name Cagayan, and one of the
most popular “oral traditions” was from the binukid, “Kagayha-an “or “kayahan” which means” a
place of shame”. The first version attributes this to the disgust of the Maranao or Maguindanao
warriors who had to come to attack Cagayan but were betrayed by their leader.

★Exposition

Legend has it that the original name was kalambagohan, inhabited by the bukidnons (led by
their Datu Bagunsaribo, Bagunsalibo, Datu bagani) and under the tributary of the Maguindanao
Rajah Moda Samporna, who persistently raided the village and demanded its surrender.

★Rising Action

Captured by his beauty, he accepted the offer and decided to marry Datu’s daughter. Instead of
conquering the Bukidnons, the result was the opposite. Because of the intermarriage, the
Bukidnons beat the maguindanaos.

★Climax

Upon the arrival at the place, he met the very beautiful daughter of the enemy chief and
promptly lost her heart to her.

★Falling action

Their chief, according to custom went to first to warn the morons to vacate kalambagohan
immediately or suffer the consequences. But, as in the first version, he saw the daughter of the
enemy chief who captured his heart. Thus, he had to go and ask for her hand in marriage.
Desiring to have such a powerful man for a son-in-law, the enemy chief agreed to give his
daughter to him who forthwith settled in the place together with some of his followers.

★Resolution
The others, upon hearing such a happening turned back in disgust and in remembrance of such
a shameful incident, change the name of kalambagohan to kagayha-an, and retired
permanently to the mountains where they are now known as Bukidnon.

3. EPIC

» An epic is defined by heroic or legendary adventures that acts or exploits of a legendary hero
to save his country, race and community from a savage creature. The hero of an epic imbued
with idealism, courage, wisdom, beauty, endurance chivalry and justice.

Darangan - The Darangen (Darangan) is a Maranao epic poem from the Lake Lanao region of
Mindanao, Philippines. It consists of 17 cycles with 72,000 lines in iambic tetrameter or
catalectic trochaic tetrameter. Each cycle pertains to a different self-contained story. The most
notable of which deals with the exploits of the hero Bantugan.

Examples:

★ Setting

» Kingdom of Bumbaran

» Kingdom Between Two Seas

★Characters

» Prince Bantugan - the good, brave and handsome prince of the kingdom of bumbaran

» Prince Madali - a loving brother of prince bantugan

» The evil king - the king of the kingdom of bumbaran ; prince bantugan's elder brother.

» King of the kingdom- between- two seas - a good king who helped prince bantugan.

» Princess Datingbang - a princess the beautiful younger sister of the kingdom between- two-
seas.

» The parrot - the loyal servant/messenger

★Introduction:

There is a kingdom called bumbaran. The kingdom was prosperous, the people were good and
the king should have been very happy. But the king was not contented. His heart was full of
envy toward his younger brother, prince bantugan. Every time someone praised bantugan, the
king was frowned and looks angry.

★Exposition

» In the kingdom of Bumabaran, there's a king who has two sons named Prince Madali and
Prince Bantugan. At the very young age, people of the Bumbaran noticed that Prince Bantugan
is better than Prince Madali. Prince Madali is the heir of the one, in other words he will be the
next king. The people of Bumbaran favored Prince Bantugan because he’s a great fighter and a
great in leading their troops plus he’s handsome. One day, the father of the two-prince died,
Prince Madali automatically became the new king of Bumbaran. A lot of silent protests coming
from the people happened, saying that Prince Bantugan deserves the crown not Madali.

★ Rising Action

» One day, the father of the two-prince died, Prince Madali automatically became the new king
of Bumbaran. A lot of silent protests coming from the people happened, saying that Prince
Bantugan deserves the crown not Madali but the mandatory crowning took place. King Madali
was jealous of Prince Bantugan ever since he was born and because of this jealously he
created a law where no one is allowed to associate neither talk him. Prince Bantugan did not
pay attention and started travelling on his own.

★ Climax

» Prince Bantugan decided to travel to the Kingdom-Between-Two-Seas. But because he’s so

tired in his travels, he died in the front gate of the kingdom. The said kingdom is ruled by a good
king and his sister, Princess Datimbang. When they heard that a stranger died in their front
gate, they went to see the body. Princess Datimbang has a love-at-first-sight moment when he
saw Prince Bantugan’s body, because even in his death Prince Bantugan is still handsome.
They took the body of Prince Bantugan in and treated it like a royal person. Because nobody in
that island knew Prince Bantugan, the king made an announcement to other kingdoms to look at
the body of Prince Bantugan. Somehow, the kingdom of Bumbaran knew what happened to
Prince Bantugan. The people grieved, even King Madali was stricken with remorse and pain. He
even blamed himself for the death of his brother. On the other side, the king of the Kingdom-
Between-Two-Seas already knew that the body in their kingdom belong to Prince Bantugan.
And decided to give it back to the Kingdom of Bumbaran. Because of the guilt he felt, King
Madali went to the Land of Death to retrieve his brother’s soul. But before that he needs to face
the Angel of Death and tricked her.

★ Falling Action

» King Madali got back to his kingdom with the soul of Prince Bantugan with him. While the king
of Kingdom-Between-Two-Seas and Princess Datimbang travelled by their vita to return the
body of Prince Bantugan. When they reached the kingdom, King Madali transferred the soul to
the body of Prince Bantugan.

★ Resolution

» Prince Bantugan woke up like nothing happened.The people of Bumbaran celebrated the
comeback of their favorite Prince. Prince Bantugan married Princess Datimbang.

★Theme

» Jealous and power

 Baltog- Baltog was the first white man or tawong-lipod to come to Bicol. Born in India
(although India is called “boltavara” in the epic) to the brave clan of Lipod, he introduced
agriculture to Bicol by planting linsa or lapay, which was a characteristic of early Indian
colonizers.

★Settings-

The Bicol region of the Philippines

★Characters

Baltog-ang nagpaunlad ng mayamang lupain ng Bicol, sa pamamagitan ng pagtatanim ng

linsa.

- Ang tumalo sa dambuhalang baboy ramo.

- Ang humingi ng tulong kay handyong upang patayin ang mga halimaw.

Tandayag- ang baboy ramo na sumisira ng mga pananim sa lupa ng ibalon na pinatay ni
baltog.

Panikwason/Asog Tribe
 - ang tribong sumaksi sa napatay ni baltog na baboy ramo na mapaminsala sa kabukiran.

- Ang nagpahayag na ang tawag sa baboy ramong iyon ay “Tandayag”

-Nakisaya sa mga taga ibalon sa tagaumpay ni Baltog sa pag paslang sa tandayag.

Handyong - Second hero who fought thousands of battles and defeated lots of monsters
particularly the One-eyed monster, Triburon, the Giant Carabaos, Sarimao, Crocodiles, and
Serpent Oryol.

Bantong - Third hero of Ibalon; a good friend of Handyong.

Kimantong - He made the farming tools.
Hablom - He invented the first loom for weaving abaca clothes.
Dinahong - an Agta; created the kitchen utensils.
Sural - he is the one who brilliantly thought of syllabary; he started to write on a marblerocks.
One-eyed monster - a monster with three necks killed by Handyong.
Triburon - a giant flying shark at the same time defeated by Handyong.
Giant Carabaos & Crocodiles - monster enemy killed by Handyong.
Sarimao - a monster with sharp fingernails.
Rabot- ang kalahating tao at kalahating halimaw na nilalang na may kakayahang gawin bato
ang lahat ng ng nabubuhay.

INTRODUCTION:
The Ibalon epic portrays the heroic deeds of Baltog, Handyong and Baltong in freeing
the Bicol Peninsula of beasts and monsters. They implemented developments in agriculture,
technology and laws.

EXPOSITION:
Baltog, a mighty warrior of Boltavara, came by chance upon the lush and virginal beauty of
Ibalon. Extensive in area, rich in soil, and free form typhoons, Ibalon attracted Baltog's men to
found a kingdom. In the course of time, Ibalon became prosperous and peaceful.

RISING ACTION:
But one day, the peace and prosperity of the land was threatened not by conquering strangers
or black men but by a huge man-eating wild boar. The ferocious beast destroyed the crops and
killed the people on its path. Vast areas in Ibalon were soon reduced to waste and countless
people were killed.

CLIMAX:
He was able to pin down the monstrous wild boar and tear out its mouth. Fortunately, Baltog
was able to pin down the beast and, summoning all his strength, he finally subdued the boar.
Baltog’s victory put an end to a terror that had ravished his kingdom for a time.

FALLING ACTION:
One day, huge carabaos followed by winged sharks and giant crocodiles rushed to Ibalon.
Every mortal was in fright. Luck, however, was still with Ibalon. On that day, Handiong, a mighty warrior of the
neighboring kingdom, happened to pass by Ibalon. Apprised of the plight of the people, Handiong
came to their rescue. One by one the beasts were slain. Only one monster
escaped Handiong’s mortal wrath; this was Oriol, the serpent who could transform itself into a
beautiful woman. Luck again was with Ibalon. Handiong had mighty friend, a young warrior
named Bantong.

ENDING:
Bantong, in command of a handful of men, trekked one day into the monster’s lair and found
the enemy taking its nap. With cat-like agility, Bantong came near his prey and with a mighty
stroke delivered mortal blows at the monster’s neck. The wounded monster writhed in agony
and in his struggle for breath, the earth shuddered and cracked and the waters of the sea
heaved and rolled landward. With the death throes of the monster over, the dust clouds parted
and Ibalon underwent great physical change.

Evaluation

1. Who is the good, brave and handsome prince of the kingdom of Bumbaran?
2.