Alamat: Book 1 Lam-ang

Preface

This book is the first in a series that deals with and covers figures from Philippine mythology ranging from deities, creatures, monsters, and most especially the heroes from epics and folk literature.

Due to the tribal separations that existed between the peoples that inhabited the Philippine Islands during the pre-colonial times, many of the Filipino mythologies and folklore were just as varied and diverse from each other as each of the tribes were. But different as they were, there were several cultural similarities between them as well. It is my hope that through a fictional medium like the Alamat book series, that I can bridge these similarities and tie them all together into a unified mythological fantasy series of my own.

Philippine mythology is as vast and as fascinating as any mythology that other countries and cultures have to offer. Though sadly not as popular amongst Filipinos as the more mainstream mythological figures like Thor or Hercules, Philippine mythology does have its own pantheon of gods and heroes that a Filipino can be truly proud of.

In this first book, I wrote a fictionalized version of the Ilocano epic Biag ni Lam-ang. My intent is to take this great epic and bring it forward and re-introduce it to the modern reader. In doing so, I hope to ignite the reader’s interest in Philippine mythology and help them appreciate the history of the Philippines with all its colorful cultures.

-- Herbert De Leon

Table of Contents

Preface

Table of Contents

Unawa (Poem)

Prologue

The Samtoy Nation (Map)

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Awit ng Paghamon (Poem)

The Journey North (Map)

Chapter 7

Daquel a Danum (Map)

Chapter 8

Sailing the Western Seas (Map)

Chapter 9

Natirad ti Bato (Map)

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Sailing up the Cagayan River (Map)

Chapter 12

Sarangay the Anggitay in Garao (Map)

The Northern Sea and Fuga Island (Map)

Chapter 13

Return to Nalbuan (Map)

Chapter 14

Dagman (Map)

Chapter 15

Dagman to the Bakong Rice Fields (Map)

Bakong Rice Fields to Gambang (Map)

Chapter 16

Gambang to Pandan (Map)

Dardarat (Map)

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Panawankan Biagko (Folk Song)

Chapter 19

Sarimaw (Kasanaan Map)

Epilogue

Unawa (Poem)

Mahaba ang tahak ng aking paglalakbay

At mistulang malawak ang malalim na gabi.

Laman ka ng isip ko mula nang aking paglisan

Ang iyong halik sa aking pisngi,

Ang galaw ng ating bunso sa iyong sinapupunan,

At ang pangako ng isang umagang magkakasama,

May munting kamay, malumanay ang kapit sa aking daliri.

Nagbabadya ang iyong mata ng pagluha

Naisilid mo ito sa iyong pangunawa at pagmamahal.

At ang landas ay nagpapatuloy

Animo isang rumaragasang tubig na hindi tumitigil

Sa kanyang pagtakbo at patutunguhan.

O Parsua, Amang Lumikha

Dakilain Mo ang Naiwan at hindi ang Mandirigma

Ipadala mo sa kanila ang panglaw ng Buwan,

Ang banayad na dampi ng hanging Amihan

At ang apoy ng iyong mapagpalang Liwanag

Siyang pupukaw at maghahalina sa kanilang damdamin

Upang magbigay daan sa muling pag-unawa

Ang inyong alaala ang aking bisig at kalasag

Sa harapan ng digma, ng panganib at sindak

Sa laro ng engkanto, lakas ng halimaw, at sama ng tao

Pag-asang masilayan ang lampara sa ating bintana

Badya ng mahabang katahimikan at matamis na pagsasama.

Ang landas ay nagpapatuloy,

Nagsasayaw at umiindayog,

Timog-Silangan o Hilaga-Kanluran,

Dati ay kaliwa, ngayon ay kanan

Subali’t ito ay iikot din sa aking pinagmulan,

Ilalahad ang tampipi at kampilan sa pintuan

At sa inyong piling ay masayang mamamahinga.

Prologue

T

he war of the Spirit Realm had spilled over to the world of men. The lesser gods and spirits have been waging a war for the fate of human souls as well as control of all three realms for thousands of years. But it wasn’t always so.

In the beginning, before the sun and moon existed, the Dians (Creator Gods) and the Poons (Lesser Gods) created two realms, the immortal spirit realm called Kaluwalhatian, and a mortal realm called Kalupaan. It was in the realm of Kalupaan that the Dians created their most cherished creation, humans. But in creating the two realms, the light and magic of the Dians waned. To revitalize their strength and magic, the Dians entered a catatonic state, bringing about the time of Dakilang Pagtulog (The Great Sleep).

Like the Dians, most Poons cherished humanity with a great and powerful love. But not all the Poons shared the same feelings towards humanity. Some held a secret jealousy in their hearts over the love and attention the Dians showered upon their mortal creation.

Sitan, a Dark Poon recruited other Poons who shared in his jealousy towards humanity, to join his cause. Together they secretly rebelled against the others and created the underworld of Kasanaan to torture and punish human souls.

Knowing that their actions will eventually incur the wrath of the Dians on the day of Yu Lukàg (The Awakening), these Dark Poons now called the Yawà, had turned to violence against their fellow Poons in an effort to destroy the Dians as they slept. Thus, began Kanibusanan (The Great War of Kaluwalhatian).

All powerful as they were, the Dians in their sleeping state were all but powerless to defend themselves. In the initial attack that brought about the beginning of the war, three defenseless Dians were murdered by Sitan and his Yawàs. To improve the survivability of the hapless Dians, the Poons decided to hide most of them inside the vast mountain ranges of Kalupaan in a gambit to ensure that most of them will survive the war and awaken to bring about its conclusion. But through the torture and murder of a Poon, this secret was all but revealed to the Yawàs who now had the opportunity to kill all the Dians.

As they were beings of pure magic, the Poons and Yawàs were unable to stay in Kalupaan for more than a day. There was simply not enough magic in the mortal realm for them to sustain their presence there. To assert their dark will upon the world of men, Yawàs resorted to the creation of the dalaketnon, night creatures of Kalupaan possessed by the unholy shadow creatures of Kasanaan called aninas.

The dalaketnon were without remorse, nor had any semblance of compassion and goodness. Imbued with dark magic yet possessing unspeakable beauty, the dalaketnon were made to hunt and feed on humanity as well as ferret out the locations of the sleeping Dians and destroy them.

To save the Dians and help them fight the war in both realms, the Poons created beings of power that were able to fight the forces of Kasanaan in the mortal realm. These beings are instilled with the might of the Poons, whose divine bloodlines lead all the way back to their Dian creators. They are beings of magic, light, and power beyond that of any human. They are called Lakandian.

This is one of their stories.

The Samtoy Nation (Map)

Chapter 1

The Healer

I

n an ìli (village) up in the mountains deep within the Samtoy Nation, lies Nalbuan.

Nalbuan is a large village located up in the hilly jungles amongst the Ilocano people. Ilocanos are but one of the many tribes and peoples that make up the Samtoy Nation. They have a rich and sophisticated existence in comparison to the more tribal peoples that lead more isolated lives in the deeper parts of the jungles and mountainous regions of the northern lands.

Though having very similar cultural practices, Ilocanos can be divided into two types of peoples based on their primary means of livelihood. The Ilocanos who reside closer to the sea were primarily fishermen and traders. They often traded with other coastal tribes ranging from the Nagparitan tribes in the north down to the Sambal people in the south. They even traded with the Ming people from across the sea through their ports and settlements in Bigan and Caboloan. The Ilocanos that live in the hills and mountains on the other hand were primarily farmers.

The people of Nalbuan grow a variety of fruits, vegetables, and other crops. Rice being the staple source of nourishment for everyone in every tribe, is planted and harvested in great abundance by the people of Nalbuan and traded with their neighbors all year round along with their other produce and goods.

Nalbuan is also where a woman named Namongan lives and where the tale of the first Lakandian begins.

Namongan was known as a mangngagas (healer) as her mother before her was and their family line continued down for generations. Namongan was widely known and respected as a mangngagas as well as a mangingilot (midwife) by all the classes of people in Nalbuan.

Namongan is a beautiful young maiden in her nineteenth year. By customary standards, she should have been married already and have borne children. She has long, black hair that reached all the way down to the small of her back. She usually keeps it tied in a bun on the top of her head as was fairly common amongst her people. She also did this as a matter of practicality as her hair would usually get in the way of her work. She was a little taller than most women in Nalbuan and had a slender yet strong build which a lot of the men found very attractive. But as desirable as Namongan is, her no-nonsense attitude dissuaded a lot of potential suitors. To which Namongan was all too happy about as she preferred to simply focus on her work rather than entertain the advances of eager young men.

Namongan was a member of the Kailianes class or those who serve the Babaknàng, the richest families in the ìli. But being orphaned at the age of fifteen when a band of Igorots from the northern mountains raided their ìli, Namongan decided to just spend her days concentrating on her role as mangngagas of Nalbuan. She did such an excellent job that not even the Agtùray (Chieftain) and his amàen (elders or advisors) argued with her on her choice to remain unmarried.

The Agtùray of Nalbuan is Agtùray Aguimbag. He is a strong and burly man in his late thirties and has been the paramount chief of Nalbuan since he was seventeen after his father passed away from an illness of the lungs.

Agtùray Aguimbag is a just and fair ruler who held Nalbuan with just enough of an iron grip that the people feared the Agtùray’s wrath yet honored and respect him for the peace that he keeps and his just and fair treatment of them.

Agtùray Aguimbag has three wives who all lived with him in his Balay da Àri (House of the Chief) along with several of his children. He has a total of eleven children with his three wives. Five of his children are grown men in their prime whereas the rest still played games with the other children of Nalbuan.

*****

One day, the youngest son of the Agtùray had fallen ill due to contracting hookworms a few days earlier when he was playing near the jungle’s edge and had stepped in dung and did nothing to remove it. One of the amàen, a man named Dulunggan brought the Agtùray’s son to the hut of the mangngagas.

Dulunggan was a man of twenty-two and the second youngest amongst Agtùray Aguimbag’s amàen where most of the men were already in their forties. Dulunggan is the son of Manong (Mister) Mabayag and Manang (Miss) Agdeppa, one of the richest families in Nalbuan that made their fortune in dealings with Ming traders in the ports of Bigan, west of Nalbuan. Aside from being one of the Agtùray’s most cunning amàen, Dulunggan also served as one of the warrior leaders amongst the warriors of Nalbuan.

Namongan! Are you home? Dulunggan asked as he carried the boy in his arms. The boy was wincing in pain as he clutched his abdomen. It is I, Dulunggan. We desperately need your help.

Dulunggan, what seems to be the problem? Namongan asked as she peeked through her bedroom window.

It is Balingit, the Agtùray’s youngest son. He’s been suffering stomach pains for the last few days and has been feeling weak and tired. He answered as he stepped up the steps towards Namongan’s front door.

And you are only bringing him to me now?! Get him inside and have him sit on a chair by the kitchen table. I’ll be there shortly.

Upon entering her kitchen, Namongan immediately noticed that Balingit is looking a bit paler than normal. She placed her thumbs on the boy’s eyelids and closed them. Hmm. Definitely pale, she whispered to herself.

Namongan then grabbed hold of Balingit’s shoulders and joints and gently moved them around. She then asked Balingit to remove his kuton (vest). Namongan rubbed her hands together and as soon as she felt them warm enough, she placed them on the boy’s chest and said, His heart is beating fast.

Namongan called her adipen (servant) Laylay as she stood up and turned around. Laylay was of the Katalonan class of people or the working class. She had just recently turned fourteen and had been assisting and working for Namongan since she was ten years of age. She was a little short for her age, but the years of work, grinding seeds, and fetching jars of water from the nearby river gave Laylay muscular arms that even some of the boys in Nalbuan found intimidating.

Laylay, I need you to boil some banaba leaves in hot water. When it’s hot and boiling, give some of the water to this young man to relieve his pain. I need to go to the ipil-ipil trees in the jungle and get some fresh seeds. Namongan ordered.

Do you know what’s wrong with him?  Dulunggan asked.

He has worms in his stomach. He needs to drink the boiled seeds from the ipil-ipil tree to remove the worms and get better. Namongan answered.

Let me come with you, Dulunggan said, quickly springing into action. I can help get you those seeds.

Just stay here and make sure Balingit drinks the tea made from the banaba. I won’t take long. She told him as she headed out the door.

Namongan went outside of her ìli and into the jungle where there were some ipil-ipil trees close by. As she got to the tree, she noticed that all the green seed pods of the tree were near the top whereas all the pods in the low-hanging branches were brown and dried up.

This will not do at all, she murmured as she pulls a slightly brownish seed pod off a branch. I guess I need to climb up in order to get the green ones.

Namongan grabbed hold of the thickest branch she could reach and started climbing. But as she climbed the tree, Namongan heard a silent and indistinguishable sound of a voice in the wind that just blew past her. She stopped climbing and looked around. No one was there.

Namongan started climbing again and after a few minutes, she knew for certain there was a distinct whisper in the wind. Who’s out there? she yelled out.

When no one answered, she knew it was a spirit of the jungle. Namongan was well aware of the different benevolent spirits that dwell in every corner of the world. Most children were told at an early age to pay respect to these spirits before entering their domain. As a child, Namongan had always been especially sensitive to the presence of spirits and in that particular situation, she was almost certain of the presence of one in her midst.

Please forgive me spirit for not greeting you when I entered your jungle. I was in a hurry to get some ipil-ipil seeds to cure a sick boy, she whispered under her breath.

When the whispers fell silent Namongan proceeded to climb the tree. She reached for a cluster of green pods just beyond her reach and managed to pull them off the branch. But the sudden jerking movement when the branch that held the seeds snapped and caused her to lose her grip. She let go of the pods and tried to grab hold of another branch, but it was too late. She knew she was going to fall and braced her body for the impact.

Namongan kept her wits about her and tucked her legs and placed her hands on the back of her head. She wanted her back to absorb the impact of the fall and silently prayed that her head did not collide with a rock or tree root on the jungle floor.

Namongan closed her eyes as she fell. But as she hurtled toward the ground, she felt the wind come up from underneath her and started pushing against her falling body, slowing her progression. She felt her body hit the ground but to her surprise, she felt no pain. It only felt like she fell off a chair or table. Namongan opened her eyes and as she looked up at the verdant jungle canopy above, she heard the voice again, but this time she understood it. She has it… she’s the one.

Despite being grateful on how the spirit saved her from the fall, hearing a distinct voice from a jungle spirit truly gave her a fright. So Namongan grabbed the ipil-ipil pods next to her and ran out of the jungle as quickly as she could.

She got back to her hut without further incident and rushed inside and handed Laylay the pods. Laylay, take some of these seeds and boil them as well. Let me know when it’s done. Laylay took the pods from her hand and proceeded back to the kitchen.

How is he feeling? Namongan asked Dulunggan as she stepped forward to look at the boy.

The stomach pain subsided when he drank the tea from the banaba leaves. But how are you doing? Dulunggan asked with an air of concern.

Me? Why do you ask? Namongan asked surprised.

You look like you’ve rolled around the jungle floor, and you seem like you’ve seen a ghost, Dulunggan said giving her a quick once over.

This is nothing. The branch broke when I was climbing down the ipil-ipil tree, and I fell out of the tree and landed on my back. I’m not hurt, I just got the wind knocked out of me a little. Namongan answered, waving her hand nonchalantly like it was no big deal.

"That’s good to hear. By the way, some of the Agtùray’s tagàbu (slaves) will stop by here later and give you a few chickens, some rice, and honey in a burnày (earthen jar) as payment for curing Balingit."

That’s certainly more than generous of the Agtùray. Should I thank him personally or should I thank you? Namongan asked a bit mischievously since she knew that it was Dulunggan who arranged for her payment.

I…I…there’s no, need to… Dulunggan responded as he fumbled around trying to formulate a response. Dulunggan had always been attracted to Namongan even when they were younger. He tried to formally ask Namongan from time to time if he could court her, but always found her serious disposition and their connections to the Agtùray to be a hindrance. Yet somehow, at that particular moment, it felt right to do so. As though it were destined to happen at that exact moment.

Would it be acceptable to you if I returned here tonight with a friend so I may formally court you? Dulunggan sheepishly asked Namongan.

I… I… Are you sure? Now it was Namongan who was fumbling around for a response. Through all the proposals and advances that Namongan had received from the countless men that tried to court her over the years, it had always been Dulunggan whom she had been waiting and pining for since she was a young girl. To hear him finally ask was both a shock and a happy surprise that had her giddy in disbelief.

I would be very happy to greet you and your friend tonight. Namongan agreed as her cheeks flushed red.

*****

Later that night, as Namongan prepares for the arrival of her suitor, she hears the whispered voices in the wind again. She couldn’t decipher the words, but she was confident there were two very distinct voices. She felt the hair on her arms start to rise as fear started to creep in. But feeling scared doesn’t make Namongan a coward. After a moment or two, her emotions switched from scared to curious. Namongan wanted to see where the voices of the spirits were coming from.

She gathered her wits about her, closed her eyes, and focused on her acute hearing. The sound of the voices became clearer and more distinct.

One of the voices asked the other one, "Are you sure she has it? Are you sure she is Angkang Dian (Dian Bloodline)?"

The second voice responded, Yes, my Poon. I sensed it in her this afternoon.

Namongan knew the voices were coming from just outside her window. She quickly turned around and looked through the opening of her window. In focusing her eyes to adjust to the darkness outside, Namongan saw two spirits standing under the banaba trees looking directly at her.

One of the spirits looked exactly the way she imagined it to be, spectral with a blurry outline of a human figure. The other spirit turned her emotions back into fear. The being was solid. It had a human’s shape but was so much taller. Almost as tall as the banaba tree which was around fifteen feet. The being looked female, and her eyes shone like that of a cat in the dark but much more luminous as if a light was coming out of them instead of reflecting off from them.

The female deity was beautiful. Everything about her from her almost white flowing hair, to her fair and dazzlingly bright skin, screamed of an otherworldly deity. Though the clothes she wore somewhat resembled what Namongan and other women of Nalbuan wore, the materials they were made from were definitely from Kaluwalhatian. Everything from her sinamay (sleeveless upper garment), anigtan (waist sash), and piningitan (wrap-around skirt) were made of fabric that radiated light whereas the patterns embroidered in the fabric shimmered like gold and silver.

Namongan’s jaw dropped, and she was about to scream when the two figures vanished into thin air. Namongan caught herself from screaming and just barely managed to close her mouth. She sat on her bed and tried desperately to push her fear down and rationalize what she saw.

Manang Namongan. Manong Dulunggan and his friend have arrived. Should I set the table for dinner? Laylay shouted out from the kitchen.

This snapped Namongan back to awareness. Yes, Laylay. Please tell them I’ll be out in a minute.

Namongan composed herself and finished up her dressing preparations by tying her hair up in a bun.

*****

Dulunggan is waiting just outside Namongan’s door with his best friend Gibuan. Gibuan is younger than Dulunggan but only by a few months. He is a little shorter than his friend but whereas Dulunggan had longer, muscular arms and legs, Gibuan is stockier with a shorter frame but with a thicker and much stronger build. The two of them had been friends longer than either of them could remember and have always been together for all their adventures growing up.

Much like Dulunggan, Gibuan is also an amàen to Agtùray Aguimbag and a leader of warriors second only to Dulunggan himself. His family is also of the Babaknàng class and one of the wealthiest in Nalbuan. As was a very common courtship practice amongst their people, Gibuan had accompanied his best friend that night to act as a guide, chaperone, and witness to Dulunggan’s formal courtship of Namongan. A courtship that had been long overdue should anyone ask Gibuan.

They carefully wiped their feet at the bangsal (landing) at the foot of the steps leading up to the main door of the hut. They were dressed up in clean blue and red abag (loincloth) and inabel (unique Ilocano weave) blankets with kusikus (circular) patterns over their shoulders. Dulunggan had a tangkil (brass bracelet) with a figure of the Poon Bulan attached to it as a sign of reverence to the Poon of peace and calm. They also wore their long freshly washed hair inside their Potong (headbands) with pride since these headbands served as a badge that signifies, they are experienced warriors. Dulunggan and Gibuan wore potongs with a stripe pattern which means they have killed seven or more people in battle. Their bravery and experience as warriors are also represented by the various tattoos that they wear proudly across their chests and arms. Every battle and achievement that these two men have were emblazoned in ink upon their skin. But brave as he is, Dulunggan looked nervous and a bit pale.

You look pale, friend. Namongan might think you have worms as well.  Gibuan joked.

Shut your mouth! Dulunggan snapped at his friend jokingly. I don’t want to sully my first day of courtship by Namongan imagining worms descending from my ass!

Suddenly, the front door opened and there stood Namongan all dressed up in her resplendent clothes and was nothing short of a vision in Dulunggan’s eyes. With his mouth hanging slack, eyes wide, the world had stopped for Dulunggan as he fell under the spell that was Namongan.

"Naimbag a sardam (good evening)." Namongan greeted.

Naimbag a sardam Namongan. Gibuan greeted back as he shot his elbow at Dulunggan’s ribs. Do you remember me Namongan? I came to you a few months ago when I was poisoned by a woman who was obsessed with me. I want to thank you again for giving me that blessed bark of wood that saved my life.

Poisoned? Dulunggan immediately called out his friend’s blatant lie. "As I remember, you ate those putrid duck eggs we found in the jungle. Eggs that I specifically told you not to eat. Less than an hour later, you defecated on enough trees going back home to mark a trail a blind man could follow. If it wasn’t for Namongan giving you the bark from the lumboy tree, you probably would’ve died that night."

Namongan burst out laughing and invited the men into her house. Laylay had cooked dinardaraan (pork cooked in pig’s blood), pinakbet (a pork-based delicacy that uses shrimp paste as the main ingredient for its sauce), and rice which was all laid out on a low wooden table covered with banana leaves. The two men complemented Laylay’s cooking and then everyone proceeded to eat in silence as it was customary to do so. It would have been a breach of etiquette and a dishonor to the Poons if people talked during a meal. But silent as they were, Gibuan could not help but inwardly giggle at the awkwardness between his friend and woman whom Dulunggan spoke of every day with such reverence, avoiding each other’s glances as though looking at each other’s eyes would out their secret longing for each other.

After dinner, the two men and Namongan stepped outside for some fresh air and to engage in conversation. Namongan brought some betel nuts, ikmo leaves and apog paste with her for them to chew on. They each took some betel nuts from Namongan’s hand and wrapped them in ikmo leaves and began chewing on them. Namongan and Gibuan both shared some salt and apog paste to add flavor to the betel nuts whereas Dulunggan preferred his with some calamansi (Philippine lime).

Did the Agtùray’s tagàbu arrive earlier to pay you for Balingit’s treatment? Dulunggan asked her as he squeezed some calamansi on his betel nuts.

"Yes, they did. The chickens are in the