Editors’ Note: In this 2-part series, author Abdon M. Balde, Jr. chronicles his four-year research about the Bikol epic fragment IBALONG. He intertwines elements of this ancient literature with the history, geography, and culture of our Bikol land and people. This is a must-read for students and teachers of Bikol literature, history, and culture. Part 2 will be published in our September 2023 Edition. The author first posted THE SEARCH FOR IBALONG in segments on his Facebook page. Note that we feature the “HISTORY OF IBALON” in the footer section of this website written by Bikol cultural and heritage advocate Pepe Umali (click to learn more).
The start of my over 4 years of research for the Bikol epic fragment, “IBALONG” started in Magallanes, Sorsogon in 2004. Just like the expeditionary troop of Fray Alonzo Jimenez and Don Luis Enriquez de Guzman, I followed the stream of the Ginangra River from the mouth of the ancient port of Bagatao in the town of Magallanes until we arrived at the smallest stream, behind a huge tree.
Then we walked to the site where Fray Jimenez celebrated the first mass in the island of Luzon, in this place called Gibalong–now part of Sitio Siuton, Magallanes.
THE SEARCH FOR IBALONG: Part 1 – TABLE OF CONTENTS:
This small expeditionary force on a small boat (not a galleon, as celebrated now in Sorsogon) happened in the last quarter of 1569–almost 2 years before the forces of Martin de Goiti and Juan de Salcedo arrived in Manila!
The narrative of the epic fragment referred to the whole of Bikol as Ibalong. It would be recalled that Roy Lopez de Villalobos in 1543 likewise referred to the large island of Luzon as Tierra de Ibalong.
One of the products of my research was my 700 pages novel “Awit ni Kadunung”, a retelling of the epic Ibalong in 3 time zones–published by UST Publishing House in 2008 and which helped me win the Southeast Asia Writers Award in 2009.
The Ancient Astillero of Bagatao
After visiting Gibalong, the town that gave its name to the Bikol epic, Ibalong and to the island of Luzon in the time of Roy Lopez de Villalobos in 1543, I visited the ancient port of Bagatao. The astillero (shipyard) at Bagatao was on an island at the mouth of the Sorsogon Bay near the town of Magallanes. It was not only an important shipbuilding site, but also an important anchorage for the galleons that sailed from Acapulco, Mexico to Manila and back. It was one of the astilleros where the galleons are retrofitted before and after sailing the turbulent waters of the Embocadero de San Bernardino between Sorsogon and Samar.
It was here in the astillero of Bagatao where the largest and costliest galleon of the 18th century was built. The galleon named “Santisima Trinidad y Senora del Buen Fin was built between 1750 and 1751 by Governor General Francisco de Ovando. It had a displacement of 2,000 tons and cost P191,000 to build. In 1854, during one of its voyages, its builder Gov Gen Ovando—who finished his duty in the Philippines, was one of its distinguished passengers on the way to Acapulco. Unfortunately, during the voyage, Gov Ovando got sick and died at sea. The Santisima sailed back and forth from Manila to Acapulco and back for 7 years, until it was captured in the Embocadero by the British Frigate “Panther” in October 1862 under the command of Admiral Cornish during the Seven Years War between Spain and England. It ended as a ship for sale in Plymouth, under Spain’s enemy territory. The irony of it is that it’s name meant “Our Lady of Good Ending.”
Today, it is sad that even the natives of Bagatao have totally forgotten the times when their ancestors became artisans and builders of galleon and sailed the high seas. Not one of those I have interviewed know about the astillero and the large ships built in their island. Thus, there is a dire need for writers to keep writing about the past so that the glorious past of our ancestors remain in the collective memory of the people. It becomes a source of pride when they know and are aware of their past.
Bagatao Island is just across the pier at Magallanes, Sorsogon, a few blocks from the municipal hall. From the marketplace in Magallanes, we followed the flow of the Ginangra River for almost 7 kilometers until we reached the historical shrine of Gibalong.
Finding the Kingdom of Handiong
It was year 2004 while I was driving my van from Albay going back to Manila when I suddenly decided to pass by the town of Libmanan, Camarines Sur. Libmanan is 35 kilometers from Naga City. The town was over 7 kilometers from the national highway and my wife wondered what got into my mind. It was past 10am and nearing luch time. I said I won’t be long.
Not knowing how to answer more of my questions, the Municipal Administrator gave me a souvenir program of their latest town fiesta. As I scanned the pages, I saw the image of the old church, the Parish of Saint James the Disciple—Santiago de Matamoros—the usual patron of the very first settlements of the Spanish friars. Saint James is also the patron saint of Libon (Santiago the Libon) founded by Capt Juan de Salcedo in 1572 and Cagsawa, Albay founded by San Pedro de Bautista in 1578.
We crossed the 5-span bridge over the huge Bicol River and went straight to the municipal hall. The mayor was not around so I talked to the Administrator. I said I am researching about the epic Ibalong. His face went blank. It was as is he did not know what I was talking about. He timidly answered, “We have a sitio named Andong…” I noticed a simple map on the wall so I walked right to it and lo and behold! I saw “Aslon” and “Malbogon”—two important sites in the Ibalong epic. I felt the hair behind my neck stood up. “This Malbogon, is it an island?” I asked. His answer, “Well, it is surrounded by water…” That was enough for me. In my mind I could immediately picture the island formed when there were simultaneous eruptions of volcanoes—as described in the epic. According to Kadunung, the narrator of the tale, Malbogong was the place where the two witches Hilang and Lariong lived.
Then another surprise: listed among the friars who became parish priests of Libmanan were Fray Bernardino Melendreras (1847-1863) and Fray José Castaño (1891-1894). The existing text in Spanish language of the epic fragment was written by Melendreras—who said it was a transcription of a tale he heard from a wandering bard in Bikol. José Castaño was the author of the long essay “Breve noticia acerca del origen, religion, creencias y supersticiones de los antiguos indios del bicol” which contained the 60 stanzas verse written by Melendreras. José Castaño submitted his essay to Wenceslao Retana who in turn published it within Volume 1 of his monumental work, “Archivo del Bibliofilo Filipino” in Madrid, Spain in 1895.
Again, I was dismayed by the lack of knowledge of the inhabitants about the epic Ibalong. Even if the tale is disputably just myth or folktale, the people of Libmanan should have been aware of its significance in the culture of the place. Almost all the settings were in Libmanan: Aslong, Andong, Malbogong, the swamp area of Ponong, Sipocot and the caves of Kulapnitan, Inarihan River, etc.
When I left Libmanan that morning I had no doubt that I found the Kingdom of Handiong. It felt as if I have found Arthur’s Camelot or Gilgamesh’s Kingdom of Uruk. I had the firm resolve that I would be visiting Libmanan again and again.
Why is the Ibalong Festival Celebrated in Legazpi City?
Indeed, the center of the Ibalong epic is Libmanan, Camarines Sur. Most of the sites mentioned in the epic that relates to the exploits of Baltog, Handiong, and Bantong were around Libmanan which in ancient times was called Ligbanan. These include: the seat of the kingdom of Handyong now a simple barangay called Andong; Ponong where lived the one-eyed and three-throated monster called Buring; Malbogong where the witches Hilang and Lariong lived; Aslong the enchanted hill; Kulasi where the fierce Sarimao was exiled; Hantik, the serpent’s lair; Cotmong where the Dinagats lived, and the Bikol River where the Pongos and Urangutangs were drowned.
Now the big question is: Why is the IBALONG FESTIVAL being celebrated in Legazpi City? Answer: Professor Merito B. Espinas, one of the many who translated the 60 stanzas of the epic into English, conceptualized the epic as the main basis for a festival that would celebrate the exploits of the heroes who cleared Bikol of the monsters that plagued the land and the people. Prof Espinas in fact wrote essays about the epic, one of which was the “Ibalong as a Pageant”. Prof Espinas submitted his concept to then Mayor Mely Crisol Roces in 1991 and indeed it was adapted as a festival, probably one of the few if not the only city festival based on an epic.
I was a close friend of Professor Espinas; I have illustrated some of his writings which he published in the school paper of Legazpi College in late 1960’s. In 1996 his wife Mrs. Odilia Espinas brought to my house the manuscripts of Prof. Espinas and I formed a non-profit organization called “Pagturugang Ibalnong” to edit and publish his book: “Ibalong: the Bikol Folk Epic Fragment”. The founders of Pagturugang Ibalnong included Rene Lawenko, Daniel Pinto, Marne Kilates, Cely Lana and my wife Fe Balde. The UST Publishing House published and launched it through the courtesy of then UST Rev Rector Rolando V. de la Rosa in October 9, 1996. I was with Prof Espinas to the last days of his life, probing his mind about all he knew of the olden tales, legends and myths of Bikol. I compiled many stories and have bought old maps that could help me better understand the tales in Ibalong.
There is a folk tale that says that persons with supernatural “gifts” must pass on that “gift” to someone near to ensure a peaceful death. The “gift” often comes in the form of an embryo—which in Bikol is called siwo-siwo—which must be transferred mouth to mouth. The joke among our small circle of friends in Bikol is that Prof Espinas must have passed on his “gift” to me when I visited his in his sick bed in the Lung Center in Quezon City very shortly before he passed away. It is of course a joke which I often laugh off and treat as a compliment.
The only site mentioned in the epic that belongs to the jurisdiction of Legazpi City is Lignon Hill, where the Tandayag na Opon came from. Next nearest to Legazpi is the place where Baltog planted linza, which was destroyed by the Opon: it was called Tondol in ancient times, it is now Tagaytay in Camalig, Albay. Mount Masaraga, near Ligao and Polangui, was mentioned as “a still young” mountain. Libong (now Libon) was also mentioned as the place where Sural invented writing on stones polished by Gapon. Nothing else in Albay. The clay used by Dinahong to invent the earthen pots may have come from Tiwi, but in olden times there was also a thriving pottery industry in Sabang, Oas; unfortunately, the source is Oas was exhausted sometime in the 1970s. Of course, from Prof Espinas I learned many other things including the place in Legazpi called Maningkarog, the Sinikaran in Camalig and the place where Baltog died in Masbate.
It could be asked: Why is there no such festival in Libmanan? The simple, sad reply is that the tale and the epic has been erased in the collective memory of the residents of Libmanan. I researched the tales in the epic and have gone to almost all the sites mentioned in the epic for over 4 years. When I first went to the municipal hall of Libmanan to inquire about the epic, nobody could give me a direct answer. When I mentioned the name of Handiong, the shy reply was to direct me to a sitio named Handong or Andong, but no one knew who Handyong was. I mentioned Ponong, Aslong and the Inarihan River and they knew where these were but no stories could connect these places in their memory. When I asked about the serpents’ lairs in Hantik, they gave me directions to go to the Culapnitan Cave in Sigamot, near the boundary of Sipocot. A few months after, I returned to Libmanan to look for Malbogong, the islet in the middle of the plains, where two witches lived: Hilang and Lariong. I had to walk for over a kilometer of ricefield paddies before I reached the hanging bridge (colgante) that lead to the wooded barangay of Malbogong. My wife was so worried I might encounter witches in the island. It felt so sad to know that the old and young people of Libmanan have lost the memories of this tale. Had there been such a terrible trauma in the minds of their ancestors that they chose to completely forget the exploits of the early heroes of Bikol?
These incursions into the settings of the epic called Ibalong has brought me to remote places in almost all of the six provinces of the Bikol Region. I went to explore the banks of the huge Bikol River and other obscure streams. I entered remote caves in search of the lair of Oryol, looking for the magical places where Handiong and Oryol migh have met and possibly fallen in love with each other. I inspected old maps in search of what I believed to be the Bikol underworld where the monsters of Asuang would come out from Gagamban and prowl for victims. I climbed mountains looking for ruins or old trails. I searched for the marble mines of Libon where Sural and Gapon might possibly have invented the art of writing. I descended down waterfalls where the Tandayag creatures might have chosen to float undisturbed. For four long years I went to places where ordinary writers. would not dare to go, searching for validations to the possible stories between the gaps in the narrative of the unfinished epic.
Author’s Note: Thus I proceeded to write novels and essays about the epic, trying to fill the gaps in the narrative with speculations borne out of the additional information I gathered and learned from my 4 years of adventure in the “kingdoms of Baltog, Handyong and Bantong.” In 2008, UST Publishing House published my 623-pages novel “Awit ni Kadunung” and it was a National Book Award finalist that year, and it helped me win the Southeast Asian Writers Award, given by the Crown Prince of Thailand in 2009 and consequently the Ani ng Dangal Award given by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in Malacanang in 2010 . I wrote the essay “Paghaman kan Epikong Ibalong” and it won the NCCA Writers’ Prize in 2009. I continue to write about the tales because there are more to be told, if only we continue to listen to the stories of places or what bards in England call the “lays of the land.”
What Really is the Epic Fragment of Ibalong?
I pause from narrating the stories of my personal travels in order to brief and familiarize the uninitiated and those who have not read the epic fragment titled “Ibalong”. It would be easy for them to follow my adventures if they know the story and the provenance of the narrative.
The narrative that came to us in verse of 60 stanzas in old Spanish language was supposedly a transcription done sometime in 1840s by the Franciscan Friar Bernardino Melendreras of the tales told by a wandering bard in Bikol. The writer Jesus Calleja Reyes who wrote the book “Maharlika” about the old Bicol Region claimed that he met an old man who could still recite/chant some parts of the story. The old man lived near the banks of the Agos River which flowed between Bato, the last town of Camarines Sur and Polangui, the first town of Albay. According to Reyes the narrative was indeed in verse form. It’s unfortunate that his transcription is lost and could not be found by his descendants. The narrative was taken by Fray Jose Castaño and made it the last part of his long essay, thus, the narrative did not have a title. Castaño described it as “un pequeño fragmento inedito en verso”. There were claims that the said verse was part of the 400 pages manuscript of Melendreras titled “Ibal” and which included a long poem about the 1814 eruption of Mayon Volcano by a local poet he called “Homero de Ibalon”. Unfortunately, I could not find any complete copy of “Ibal” by Melendreras.
The story in verse form started with the voice of Yling—who could be a maiden—urging an old bard or storyteller named Kadunung to narrate the ancient stories about the heroes who came to the region to rid the land of monsters and ogres.
• After a brief description of the mountains and the rivers and the enchanted places and lakes of old Bikol, Kadunung told the story of Baltog, who was probably of the tawong lipod race. Baltog planted linza (taro) in Tondol. But his crop was destroyed by a giant boar, which might have come from Lingyon. He hunted the boar, killed it bare handed and hang its detached jaws on the branch of a Talisay tree. Thus, ended the story of Baltog in the narrative.
• Next came Handiong and with his troops and they killed the ferocious animals that plagued the land. There was a long list of monsters that must have come from hell or Gagamban, the abode of Asuang, the evil god of the Bikolanos. Many of these monsters were caught and killed, and “exiled” in caves or drowned in rivers or chased to Isarog—except for the wily woman-serpent Oryol whom they failed to snare. But Oryol changed heart and helped Handiong slay the rest of the monsters.
• Having rid the land of monsters, Handiong went on to rule the land in peace. He introduced a specie of rice, introduced boats with rudder and other farming implements. Sural invented the art of writing on stones from Libon, polished by Gapon, and Hablon invented weaving, and Dinahong made pots of clay.
• Then came the simultaneous eruption of volcanoes. Hantik, Kulasi and Isarog erupted. An inland island was formed in Malbogong. Half of Mount Asog collapsed, and Lake Buhi was formed. A sandbar was formed in Pasakaw. The river Inarihan changed its course.
• After the calamities passed, there came a monster named Rabot who could turn anyone into stone. One rainy day the young Bantong cut Rabot’s head with his minasbad and presented it to Handiong, who was stunned to see its ugly face. Then suddenly, Kadunung stopped and promised to continue his tale another day. The day did not come. Thus, the tale remains unfinished. Here was the last stanza:
60: “Aqui suspendio Cadugñung
su primera narracion
dejando para otro dia
de continuarla ocasion.”
The 60 stanza in verse was the last part of the essay “Breve noticia acerca del origen, religion, creencias y supersticiones de los antiguos indios del bicol” written by Fray Jose Castano and published in Madrid, Spain in 1895.
This was the narrative that I longed to complete—filling in the gaps in the story and continuing it until the last days of Handiong and Oryol—in order to make it a true epic. While it may be speculative, I believe I have gathered enough materials that would enable me to write a long narrative, still faithful to the tales in the narrative, but which shall comply with the requirements of an epic:
- Tale of a hero or heroes of unbelievable strength and valor;
- Vast setting that covers an era;
- Involves supernatural and mythological characters;
- The universal struggle between the ultimate good and evil;
- Sustained elegant narrative style, and;
- A noble ending or death for the major character.
The narrative as epic became controversial among many writers, some of them went on to claim that the true author of the narrative was Melendreras—that it was not a native tale. I do not believe that a Franciscan friar tasked of spreading the words of Jesus and evangelizing the Catholic faith would invent and spread tales like the Ibalong. Some say that the narrative being in Spanish must have been originally in Spanish and not in Bikol. Would you say the same of “Biag ni Lam-ang” where there are a lot of Spanish words and some characters even had Spanish names such as Don Juan and Dona Ines?
Many other writers embellished the tale with other side stories that are not in the narrative. Many of these were results of not reading the verses as originally written:
- Celso Al. Carunungan wrote that the Ibalong “relates the mythological origin of the first man and woman of Aslong and Ibalong,” there is no such story in the narrative—the only woman in the tale was that of the half-serpent Oryol;
- Carolina Malay wrote that “Kimantong built the first boat” to ply the Bikol River—it was Handiong who built the first boat;
- Armando Malay wrote that “Hardly he (Baltog) settled down when a giant boar appeared and destroyed the cornfields that Baltog had planted—it was linza and not corn that Baltog planted;
- Again Armando Malay wrote: “Handiong retired to Mount Isarog”—which was not in the narrative;
- Doris Trinidad wrote that Baltog grappled with the giant boar “at full moon”—which is not in the narrative;
- Teofilo del Castillo wrote about the giant boar as “man-eating”—while in the narrative it did nothing but destroy the linza planted by Baltog;
- J. Villa Panganiban in his book “Panitikan ng Pilipinas” wrote that Baltog is the son of Handyong, the king of Samar;
- F. Landa Jocano wrote that Handiong was only “one of Baltog’s admirers and friends”—in the narrative at no time did Baltog met Handiong.
To the Secret Caves of the Monsters
Now, back to my personal adventures as I search for Ibalong. Having made sure that Libmanan was indeed the domain of Handiong, I decided to look for the places where the monsters must have come from or where they hide when pursued by Handiong and his warriors. It may seem illogical for many, even idiotic, to look for places that exist in folk tales and myths and legends, but I still believe what an old man in our barrio told me that myths and legends might be blurred memories of things past. So I pursued my almost impossible dream of finding Ibalong.
I have seen in the crude map on the wall of the municipal hall of Libmanan a place called Culapnitan Cave—which was in Sigamot, still part of Libmanan but near Sipocot. On consulting the old 1896 Bikol map which I purchased from Old Manila in Megamall, and always carried in the glove compartment of my van, I was surprised to see that the location of the Culapnitan Cave coincided with the location of the mountain range called “Amlig” or “Hantu” in the old map. Again, my intuition served me well. The 22nd stanza of the Ibalong narrative had this line: “Las serpientes, que tenian cual de serena la voz, del Hantic en la caverna…” A simple consultation with Google yields this translation: “The serpents, who had a serene voice, of the Hantic in the cave…” There are times during those years intuitions served me well, when I imagine things I have not seen before, when I felt I could not be wrong…
Thus, along the national highway, as I drove my van slowly towards Sipocot, we were on the alert for the place called Sigamot. As soon as we entered the Sigamot area I stopped on a small store and asked direction for the Culapnitan Cave. I was told to look on the left side of the highway for a signboard under a big tree. It was not long before we found the place! We had to get off the highway and enter a dirt road paved with uneven stones. There were thick vegetation on either side, bamboo grooves, narra, ipil-ipil and some talisay trees. It was nearing noon time, and not a soul was on the narrow ascending foot path, though we could see some huts under thick foliage of trees. After travelling over a kilometer, with no one on sight, I stopped the van in front of a signboard that read: DIRECTORY: Legend: Bankhouse, Lourdes Grotto, Cave Laya, Cave Kalangkawan, Cave Alingasay, Cave Balinsasayaw, Water System, Nature Trail. Further ahead, I saw another DIRECTORY: and under it was a list of 7 caves. The mouth of at least 2 caves were visible about a hundred meters away, but the shrubs and wild plants grew around and partly hide the same entrances. Fe would not let me go near, much less enter the caves without any guide. “There might be snakes in there,” she said, “you never know what you might encounter inside. Better just take pictures and we go.” And that was what I did—took pictures. We drove back to the national highway, and again I parked the van on the shoulders, went out and try to estimate the height of the hills where the caves were located.
What I saw pleased me: I estimated that the mountain range in Libmanan was linked by a series of ranges to Mount Labo in the north and continued down south. I calculated correctly when I consulted my 1896 map: the mountain ranges went from Libmanan to Pasacao, ran on the sea edges of Ragay, down to Lake Bato, went to Pantao in Libon to the heights of Mount Cagongcongan, then down to Maoraro, Guinobatan, to Camalig, turned right to Kimantong in Daraga, went to Manito, to Prieto Diaz (Puerto Montufar in olden times) then went straight to Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon until it ended near Matnog—overlooking the Embocadero de San Bernardino.
The mountains of Isarog, Masaraga, Mayon and Malinao were far from this mountain range. Only Mount Iriga stood near! And it was the very reason why I pursued my hunch as to where the lair of Oryol could be found! A few months after I located the caves in ancient Hantic, I decide to look for the lair of Oryol—the serpent daughter of Aswang. I have studied hard the locations in the old map and was convinced that Oryol lived in a cave at the foot of Mount Iriga, in Camarines Sur. The reason? Oryol’s other name was Iraga—and I had it from some old people that the mountain, and even the city, was called Iraga in ancient times. It was enough encouragement for me.
On this trip, I encouraged my friend Daniel Pinto to come with me. From Las Piñas City I fetched Dan Pinto in Laguna, and we went straight to the city hall of Iriga where the writer Frank Peñones worked. I have arranged with Frank to get a mountaineer who would guide us as we look for a cave under Mount Iriga. Frank was at first reluctant because he did not know where to look for Oryol’s cave, but he went on to hire another writer/mountaineer named Andro Nacario. As soon as I heard his family name, I remembered the tale of the writer Jose Calleja Reyes that the old man he met near Agos River—who could chant some lines in the Ibalong narrative—was a Nacario! I kept it to myself, but I already had a premonition that I was on the right path.
From the Iriga City Hall, we travelled towards Mount Iriga and asked for directions as to where there might be a cave at the foot of the mountain. As fate have it, we did not find the cave in Iriga City—we found it in Buhi, the nearby town in a place called De la Fe. A coconut farmer who made charcoal guided us to the cave. It was a shallow cave, very much silted already, but enough for me to speculate that maybe in ancient times Oryol lived there. It was very close to Lake Buhi—which, according to the narrative of Ibalong was formed when half of Mount Iriga collapsed during the simultaneous eruption of volcanoes. On one side of Lake Buhi were the huge stones of the collapsed mountain—aptly called Cabatuan; on the other bank of the lake stood Mount Malinao—which already belonged to the Province of Albay.
The Korokoro, Aswang’s Nocturnal Guide
Anyone who looks at the map of Iriga City and the nearby town of Buhi would notice that almost all the names of barangays and sitios carried the names of saints and/or have religious references such as De la Fe, La Purisima, Divino Rostro, etc. This means that the original names of these places have been replaced during or after the Spanish colonization period. What happened here? Were the residents overly religious? Were the names imposed by the colonizers? Or was it an intentional strategy of the residents to erase the history of the places in order to forget a traumatic past? Was it possible that Oryol indeed summoned the monsters from Gagamban and let them loose from her abode between Iriga and Buhi?
These thoughts were very much in my mind when we left the cave at De la Fe. It only changed when the coconut farmer who was our guide offered us lumbod or young coconuts—both as a refreshing drink and a delicious fruit. We walked to his place, and we entered a large cleared are with a big hut where he burned his coconut shells to make charcoal. While we were feasting on the young coconut I noticed a captive bird perched on a twig eating an overripe papaya. “An unusual dove,” I said noting its dark brown feathers, black tails, long beak and piercing eyes. The farmer said, “That’s not a dove, that’s a Korokoro.” Again, I felt the hairs on my nape stood on ends. A Korokoro, so near the cave of Oryol!
This was what Fray Castaño wrote about Korokoro in 1870: “The Bonggos were beings with a human, Ethiopic, and very ugly figure that cast sparks of fire from their eyes upon showing up, burning up everything within its reach out of its intent to consume it. These were the most furious ministers of the Asuang and were always preceded in their vengeance by the nocturnal bird Corocoro launching its saddest and most doleful laments—the unfailing premonition of the close arrival of the Asuang, who had to devour the entrails of a child. The natives therefore tried to hide their children with utmost concern and diligence, guarding them carefully until the Corocoro ceased its wails.”
Centuries after the events related in the narrative of Ibalong, and the KoroKoro still lives near the abode of Oryol! Coincidence? Here is the interesting part: When I went home to my wife’s ancestral house in Tiwi, Albay I told her about the Korokoro—and was immediately informed that there is a barangay in Tiwi named Corocoro! I said, “Where the Corocoro lives, there also lives Aswang!” Then a relative who happen to be in the house told me that a person suspected as an aswang lives not in Corocoro but in the adjacent barangay named Nagas! “Then I should go to Nagas,” I instinctively said. “Why?” asked my wife. “To look for the person and interview…” I replied. May wife said with a very firm voice, “If you do that, I will not allow you to come home anymore.” I asked why, and her reply was, “Because I could no longer be sure that it’s the same YOU who comes home to me!” Indeed, I’ve heard stories of persons with supernatural abilities like Aswang or even Oryol who could enter another body and assume the victim’s identity. Is it still possible in these modern days? I think what is important these beliefs are still very much in the memory of people here.
The Supernatural World of Ancient Bikol (Segment 1)
My search for Ibalong at ground zero has been augmented with my search in the many, many volumes of writings on the precolonial Bikolanos in the chronicles, journals, and published books on the subject. This is a compilation of the mythological characters that inhabit the supernatural world of ancient Bikolanos. It has been researched from the writings of the earliest chroniclers, some of which are not known, some Spanish explorers including Pedro de Chirino, Jose Castaño, Bernardino Melendreras, Ignacio Alcina, William Henry Scott and others; and some local researchers such as Jose Calleja Reyes, Merito B. Espinas, Mariano Goyena del Prado, Elias Ataviado, and from some local story tellers.
In 2012 with the support of the Provincial Government of Albay, I conceptualized the Higantes Parade consisting of the images of the mythological characters that Bikolanos believed in and continue to believe. Local artists were recruited and pre-qualified to create giant effigies made of local materials. We commissioned a local artist, Bert Gonzales from Camalig to draw the images on paper based on my concept and stories. The drawings became the bases for the creation of effigies. We printed a book containing the initial images, titled “An Mythos Kan Albay”, which were distributed to those who would watch the parade, so that they would understand the stories behind every effigy. On the initial outing in 2012, we were able to create 50 images. The next year, 64 figures including numerous Anitos. It became a recurring event for 4 years along with the celebration of the Daragang Magayon Festival.
Here then is my brief compilation of the characters that inhabit the supernatural world of the Bikolanos: The religion of the ancient Bikolanos was polytheistic, they believed in the Good God and the Evil God, both of which had their minor deities. The Good God was called GUGURANG who resided up there in KAMURAWAYAN. Gugurang defended and guarded the households. They believed that Gugurang listened to and granted their prayers. They believed that even their petitions for exacting revenge against their enemies were granted as long as these were just. Thus, they looked at Gugurang with love and respect.
The Evil God who was the rival of Gugurang was called ASWANG whose abode was called GAGAMBAN. He was distinct from the ordinary aswang that we know today to prowl in the night in search of blood. In contrast to Gugurang, Aswang enjoyed setting up things that would cause harm to people. Fear, sickness, and pestilence were all caused by Aswang. When the idea of Aswang entered their minds, they were known to burst in furious cries of fear and anguish, cursing and howling against the Evil God. Mothers who felt the presence of Aswang would hide their children at all costs for fear that Aswang or his minions would feed on their blood and entrails.
Gugurang was assisted by deities in taking care of the people. Here are few of them: BATALA was the demi-god. He was second in command to Gugurang. He took care of the affairs of tribes and communities. When Gugurang was busy elsewhere, the BATALA also managed the conduct of the KATAMBAYS and the ANITOS and all the affairs in Kamurawayan.
The KATAMBAY was the guardian of an ordinary person. It looked almost like the person it is guarding, except that it was bigger, taller, with fairer complexion, and stronger.
OKOT was the God of the forest and of hunting. He whistled and immitated the call of the animals and birds. He was of an amiable character and was often known to have played harmless jokes to men and animals. He helped hunters find their prey.
MAGINDANG was the sea God. He helped fishermen to their catch and warned them of gales, storms, and big waves.
ANITOS were the spirits of kind ancestors who looked after their living descendants, helped them meet their trials, and sometime provided them their needs. They moved about unseen by ordinary eyes, but sometimes allowed themselves to be seen by their close descendants. They were normally represented in wooden images called Lagdong. These lagdongs were often seen in the Salangat (altar) and were used during Atang (thanksgiving) rites.
ONOS was the god of the storm, of deluge and floodwaters.
BALYANA was the priestess who ministered the Atang offering to Gugurang. She chanted the Soraki as she raised the votive offerings.
.If Gugurang had his troop of good dieties, Aswang had his troops composed of monsters and fierce beasts. Most of them lived in Gagamban. But when there are opportunities, such as when the moon is swallowed by the BAKUNAWA, and there is darkness all over the world, these monsters would visit earth and destroy crops, disturb communities and cause harm to people. Here are a few of these beasts and monsters, some of which are still believed to exist to this day:
ORYOL was believed to be the daughter of Aswang. She is a beautiful and charming woman from the waist up but a serpent from the waist down. She has the power to change form. She is wily and difficult to subdue. She alone eluded Handiong’s traps. But she had a change of heart, she helped Handiong fight the other monsters. There is no account on what happened to her after the defeat of the monsters. There are some speculations that she may have fallen in love with Handiong and helped him govern Bikol.
KOROKORO The bird-messenger, sometimes black, sometimes brown; if heard at night, people fear that Aswang is around and ready to suck the blood and devour the entrails of sick persons or of babies. It also announces the impending death of a person, if the warbling is followed with the muffled sound of an approaching storm. Any place inhabited by a Korokoro is said to have a resident aswang in its locality.
POPO was a cruel creature from Gagamban. It had evil eyes with its debilitating effect. It was a hot-tempered and vengeful monster, its grunt resembles that of a pig. A child touched on the head by the Popo’ would grow weaker and weaker until the child dies.
The BONGGO was the most feared minister of Aswang. It has sunken eyes that flashed fire. It was a ferocious, large, muscular black humanoid. It has long, black hair, ugly hairy face and with sharp claws. It was vengeful and utterly cruel.
The YASAW was a creature that hid under the shadow of trees during moonlit nights. It delighted itself by scaring people. Should it be seen and at the same time a cry resembling that of an infant was heard or imagined, then somebody was going to die soon, for an Aswang was on the prowl.
LAKI was a styr or monster that Yasaw would turn into, when punished by Aswang for its lazyness in scaring people. It has hooves and skin like those of a goat and the ugly face of a human being. It appeared at night and surprised night travelers with its shrill, piercing sound, but it was incapable of killing people.
The Supernatural World of Ancient Bikol (Segment 2)
This is a continuation of the mythological characters that inhabit the supernatural world of the Bikolanos. Most of these came from Fray Jose Castaño’s essay. The others have been researched from the writings of the earliest chroniclers, some of which are not known, some Spanish explorers including Pedro de Chirino, Bernardino Melendreras, Ignacio Alcina and others; and some local researchers such as Jose Calleja Reyes, Merito B. Espinas, Elias Ataviado, and from some local story tellers.
The TANDAYAG NA OPON was a ferocious boar, huge in size, its jawbones were twice the length of a man’s arms, its tusks as long as a spear handle. Its whole body was covered with thick, sharp and venomous hair. The Tandayag na Opon destroyed the linza planted by Baltog in Tondol. In fury, Baltog hunted the Opon and slew it with his bare hands and hang its jaws up a Talisay tree for people to see.
IBINGAN was a multi-horned red serpent, with a fin on its head and back. It spitted poison when angry but whistled beautifully when happy. It perched on top of rocks close to the mouth of caves where the deadly mermaids dwell, and protected them from harm. It crushed its victim from sheer weight of impact.
MANANGILAW was a cave-dwelling black giant that wore a vine for a belt. When hungry, this creature would lower its vine belt into the sea or a river to catch fish or shrimp.
INONGOK was a black, shabby and shaggy humanlike monster from whose black eyes poured out tears of fire that formed a pool of glittering red where they fell. Prankish but harmless, it appeared only during the darkest nights in isolated byways to frighten those who got lost in the night.
PATYANAK was a fusion of an untimely discharged human foetus and a tiny black bird. Fully grown, it has big round ears and a completely bald head, Its mournful wailing resembled that of an infant, if heard at night by a conceiving woman it would cause a miscarriage.
ONGLO was a hominoid with long, straight black hair covering its entire body; it had long, pointed ears and claws, and looked really ugly. Brushing against the Onglo would produce severe allergy. The remedy would be to whip the affected body parts with a woman’s long hair.
BURING was a monster with one eye and three throats, it howled in three different tones, it lived in the swamps of Ponong. Its body was covered with black, sharp hair that was unbearably itchy when touched. It has sharp claws and sharp teeth.
TUPONG-TUPONG was an ugly hominoid that could be as tall as a tree when it chanced to stand beside one or as short and puffed up when beside a child or any short object. It could hide anywhere and took the height and size of whatever object or structure it chooses. It was the bogey plastic creature of the ancient Bikol world.
ANGONGOLOOD looked like a Kabalang (gorilla), it inhabited the swamps and riverbanks. It was a hairy, ugly homanoid that waited for fishermen and boaters at the mouth of rivers. It surprised its victim by hugging it and turning its prey into a tree.
KIKIK was a nocturnal bird of ill-omen (paligsok). Its call signified the death of a person in a tribe. Some even suspected that a Kikik was Aswang disguised as a bird. When heard at night, people would cower for fear and invoke the protection of the Anitos or of Gugurang.
TAMBALULUS was an awkward, wrinkled, black creature, it had long, thin legs, hooves and big joints. It had a mane like that of a horse that went down from the head to buttocks. Its wide protruding lips covered its face when it laughed. It got its name from the huge, wrinkled penis and loose-bagged testicles which dangled to the ground.
MAGINDARA was the fierce siren of the sea, half woman, half fish with sharp fins and multicolored scales. It swam the deep seas or hid in cliffs and rocky shores. It would hide behind crags and rocks near the shorelines when summoned by evil spirits and waited for unsuspecting victims which it would drown in the deep seas.
ASOG was the effeminate priest of evil spirits who dressed and acted like a Balyana. He wore a lambong (shorts) and all kinds of trinkets and wiggled provocatively during the Hidhid and other rituals for Aswang. He colored his face, lets his hair grow long and wore large earings. When he sang the Horasa for the dying he sang with the voice of a woman.
There are hundreds more of these mythological creatures. Bikol had more monsters than J.R.R. Tolkien & C.S. Lewis ever imagined in their Middle Earth as told in Silmarillon, Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia. To this day, Bikolanos in different parts of the region would attest to have had experiences with a couple or more of these creatures. In addition, the ancient Bikolanos had rituals either to praise, to implore for help, assistance, or mercy, to drive away, to avoid, or to ensure protection from these mythological creatures. These rituals will be the subject of my next episode.
The Rituals of Ancient Bikolanos
We learned about the religion, beliefs, and superstitions of our ancestors thru the writings of the Spanish chroniclers and writers who came to region to colonize us and to impose their Catholic religion. Again, many of these were written by Fray Jose Castaño, Ignacio Alcina, Pedro de Chirino as well as from some local researchers such as Jose Calleja Reyes, Merito B. Espinas, Mariano Goyena del Prado, Elias Ataviado, and from local story tellers. Here are some of the most popular rituals performed by our ancestors:
ATANG was the votive offering usually performed during harvest time aimed at thanking the good god Gugurang for blessing received and to pray for more sustained livelihood. During the Atang, the natives offer the best of their harvests such as rice, fruits and vegetables. Some also bring their catch of the day, which include cooked meat of boar and deer, fish from the forest or birds trapped in the forest. The Atang was performed inside a structure called Gulanggulangan, inside of which was an altar called Salangat. On the altar were the carved wooden images of Anitos—who were believed to be the ancestors who remain on earth to take care of their descendants. A Balyana lead the ritual by chanting hymns called Soraki and leading the prayers to Gugurang and other deities.
After the Atang, a village feast would follow. The participants in the Atang would partake of all the offerings on the Salangat as they continue celebrating with street dances and singing. The celebration continued in the houses where food were offered on tables and benches on their yard for anyone—even strangers who visit the village and join in the merrymaking. These visitors were free to enter any yard and partake of the food being offered. In fact, it was the source of pride of any household whose yard had the most number of visitors. It meant that the food was good and that they were the most hospitable.
When the Spanish colonizers came, they introduced the Catholic religion. One reason why it was easy for them to convert the Bikolanos is because the new religion was pretty much the same as the old one. Gugurang was replaced by the ONE GOD, personified by Jesus Christ. The ritual of Atang became the HOLY MASS performed inside a structure called an Iglesia; and instead of a Balyana, they had a priest who chanted hymns and recited prayers. The SALANGAT became the ALTAR, and the LAGDONG was replaced by the images of SAINTS. Instead of offering fruits and meat, they had the bread and wine signifying the body and blood of Jesus.The village fiesta was then celebrated in honor of a saint, the most popular of whom was San Isidro Labrador—the patron saint of laborers and farmers.
The celebration of the village fiesta—which started with the mass—would continue in the houses, where every household would offer food for invited guests, village visitors or even strangers who just happened to be passing by. In fact an owner of a house with a banquet on his yard would feel aggrieved if an acquaintance would bypass him and partake of the feast of his neighbor. A house with a big banquet would even go to the extent of hiring barkers or young lads and girls who would stand on the roadside to entice visitors to partake of his food offerings.
These fiesta practices continued up to the early 1960s before modernity, the changing norms and the high cost of living encouraged the households to be more modest in their celebrations and discreet in choosing the visitors who could enter the house and partake of the food offerings. Later on, fiestas and banquets were only practiced in the provinces—especially in remote villages where people are slow to change and continue to cling to their old traditions. This is true with some tribes in remote places, such as the aboriginal natives called Agta in the islands of Batan and RapuRapu and in the hinterlands of Tiwi, Nabua, and Buhi. For some of these natives, the age-old tradition of atang and fiestas are still etched deeply in their collective memory.
HALIA was a ritual done when the moon was full. The tribesmen went out of their houses, gathered in the streets and made all kinds of noise to drive away the serpent Bakunawa from swallowing the moon. The ritual was also intended to drive away evil spirits.
The other rituals are:
PAG-AGOM was the ritual of marriage where a suitor married the maiden he fell in love with.
TAGAY: offered by farmers, fishermen and hunters for good catch and harvest;
DUSAY: for getting rid of rats and other pests;
PAGBAWI: for exorcising evil spirits;
PAGBULONG, PAGSANTIGWAR: for healing;
PAGTAMBAL: for neutralizing venom of snakes and serpents;
GABAS: for acquiring special powers such as anting-anting and mutya.
(Images featured in this article provided by the author. Stylized image of the Bicol based on the Velarde Murillo map of Bicol.)
About the author:
ABDON M. BALDE JR. is the Poet Laureate of Albay and presently the consultant for Cultural Affairs of Albay 2nd Congressional District under Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda. He served as Head of the Historical-Cultural Section of Albay and Komisyoner of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino.
He is active in leadership roles of writers organizations: Writers Union of the Philippines, Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society, Wika ng Kultura at Agham, Kabulig Bikol Writers Organization, and Albay Writers Group. He is a consultant of the National Bookstore.
He is a recipient of the 2012 Outstanding Albayano Artist Award for Literary Arts, the 2010 Ani ng Dangal Award, given the 2009 South East Asian Writers Award by the Royalty Thailand, the 2009 Bikol Regional Jesse Robredo Artist Award for Literary Arts and the Arejola Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award in Literature.
He has written and published 26 books, four of which won the National Book Awards. He wrote the libretto for “Sayaw kan Tulong Bulod” for the Daragang Magayon Festival and the dramaturgy of “Daragang Magayon, An Istorya ni Mayon” staged in CCP February 2013. He won the 2012 NCCA Writers Prize for “Ibalong, Pagbuo ng Epikong Bikol,” the 2003 Palanca Memorial Award for Literature and, in the same year, the “Rokyaw Ibalong Most Outstanding Bikol Award for Literature.”
He was born and raised in Busac, Oas, Albay by farmer parents. He studied in St. Michael Academy of Oas. He graduated with a civil engineering degree in Legazpi College, now University of Santo Tomas, Legazpi. He had a 33-year career in construction projects engineering before shifting to literature. He lives in Tiwi, Albay, with his wife, a daughter, a son, two grandsons, and three dogs.