Region IV-B- MIMAROPA

HIGANTENG TAMBOG

(A folklore of Palawan)

 Once upon a time, in Panitian, a village in Quezon, there lives a giant. His name is Tambog. Collecting palm tree leaves is how he earns a living. To get palm tree in another barrio, Tambog just goes through an ocean. He didn’t need to ride a boat like how others do, because the water is only until his knee.

At that time at the village where Tambog lives, many people observe superstitions. The elders did not allow anyone to laugh when seeing a louse, throwing a cat at a river, dogs fighting and biting and children who has a cold. Whoever does any of these will be struck by kidlat(lightning) and die.

Because it can’t be avoided, many of Tambog’s villagers die. Tambog expresses much mercy every time someone dies of being struck.

They believed that many die when there is kidlat. Tambog feels sympathy towards his fellow villagers. Because of this, Tambog challenged Kidlat. “Let us fight,” Tambog dared. “You did too much to my villagers. You should face me!” yelled Tambog.

Kidlat accepted Tambog’s challenge.

The scene started. Using a long and sharp bolo knife, Tambog hacked Kidlat. Tambog’s actions were fast, but Kidlat avoided it quickly. When Tambog hit Kidlat, the knife broke because of its rigidity. He held on Kidlat and tied him. However tight he tied him, Kidlat can still escape. Their fight is never-ending. The moon rounded many times. They were both tired, but neither of them surrendered. There’s nothing else Tambog can use to tie. He also cannot think of anything else how to beat Kidlat. After searching for things in his surroundings, he found a rani-rani. This is a kind of vine which snaps when it breaks. Tambog used this to tie Kidlat. Kidlat very much wanted to escape, so he wiggled his body until he was loosened. Every movement he makes, the vine snaps. Kidlat wondered. “What is that noise?” Kidlat asked.

“That is your bones breaking little by little while you are struggling to get free,” Tambog answered, laughing.

From what the giant mentioned, Kidlat was very scared so he decided to give up.

Tambog was not happy. He was still not satisfied about what Kidlat had said. To make sure, he threw the sky upwards, so that Kulog and Kidlat are away from the people. That is how his villagers thanked him. Ever since then, they had the freedom to laugh while seeing events or things that make them laugh.

Many days later; Tambog had a wife. He continued his work, gathering palm tree leaves. One day, his mother-in-law saw him. “You accumulated a lot of palm tree leaves, Tambog,” remarked his mother-in-law.

The mother-in-law intended on stepping over on his pile of leaves when suddenly he yelled, “Mother, don’t!” Tambog explained to her mother-in-law that something bad will happen to anyone who steps on his possessions. Tambog went away. His mother-in-law was left thinking. “Was Tambog telling the truth?” she asked herself. To confirm if it is true, the old woman stepped over on his belongings. She was ready to step over on the second pile when he felt his body being divided. He yelled and yelled but no one heard her. She continued to be divided until it was the cause of her death. The people who witnessed it were terrified. Tambog’s wife immediately ran to inform him of what happened. Tambog shortly returned. He told his wife to prepare nilotlot, minolmol and tabad. He will conduct a pagtuturon, a ritual that heals the sick. At this moment, pagtuturon is done to resurrect his mother-in-law. After preparing the requirements, Tambog started the ritual. He skipped around the body. Everyone was surprised when they saw that the split parts are gradually attaching together. Everyone around were delighted. Tambog’s wife told her mother what happened. Because of that, Tambog’s popularity grew not just in the village, but also the districts around the place.

“Yes, I needed these to replace the roof of our hut,” Tambog answered.

Epigrams in Mimaropa

ＭＧＡ　SALAWIKAIN

1. Ang hindi magmamahal sa sariling wika ay nakakatulad ng malansang isda

2.ANG taong walang kibo. Nasa loob ang kulo

3.Huli man at magaling AY naihahabol din

4. Bago ka bumati ng sa ibang uling

ANG uling mo muna sng siyang pahirin

5. Ang di marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan Di makarating sa paroroonan

6. Madali ang maging tao Mahirap magpakatao

7. Hindi Ka man magmana ng salapi, Magmana man lamang ng mabuting ugali.

Riddles in Mimaropa

1. Langit sa itaas, langit sa ibaba, tubig sa gitna

Sagot: Niyog

2. Ate mo, ate ko, ate ng lahat ng tao

Sagot: Atis

3. Kung tawagin nila ay “Santo” pero hindi naman ito milagroso

Sagot: Santol

4. Ang anak ay nakaupo na, ang ina’y gumagapang pa

Sagot: Kalabasa

Idioms in Mimaropa

Makati ang palad

Literal: scratchy palm | Actual: lucky person

Makati ang kamay may mean “thief” but if a person has scratchy palms, it is said that they are going to be lucky and gain money out of nowhere.

Makati ang paa

Literal: scratchy feet | Actual: a person liable to wander around

May nunal sa talampakan

Literal: (A person) with a mole on their sole.  | Actual: a person liable to wander around

It is a common belief that if a person has a mole on their sole, they are more likely to wander around or travel.

Putok-batok

Literal: burst-nape | Actual: meals that may cause the eater to have a heart attack or stroke

Crispy pata, bulalo, taba ng talangka, lechon… Do I need to say more?

Takaw-tulog

Literal: hungry-sleep | Actual: a person who loves sleeping, often excessively

Region V- Bicol Region

HANDYONG & ORYOL

LONG, LONG AGO, SOMEWHERE IN THE Bicol Region, existed a prosperous and beautiful kingdom called Ibalon. It was renowned for its lush forest, happy inhabitants and mighty ruler, Handyong. All nature adored Handyong. The Mayas chirped about their handsome and wise ruler; while Maribok, the king-frog, croaked day and night of Handyong’s bravery. Tuktok, the mother Kalaw, as she taught her baby horn bills how to peck faster, described to them how Handyong’s muscles glistened under the sun. Even Poringot, the bald rooster, would wiggle his tail to honor Handyong. Bolinao, the chief of small fishes, would lead the school of fish to the farthest nook of the sea telling all the creatures they met how good a fisherman Handyong was.

The people of Ibalon were very grateful that Handyong was not only handsome, but also brave.

But the much-adored Handyong was terribly unhappy, for deep in the forest lived monsters. Punong-the one-eyed, three throated creature, the wild carabaos, the gigantic crocodiles and the snakes that lived in Mount Hantik were his enemies. These beasts were led by the wily serpent, Oryol, who was difficult to destroy, for she was more cunning than Handyong.

Epigrams in Bicol Region

Halimbawa ng Salawikain/Kasabihan sa Bikol

KASABIHAN/SALAWIKAIN

An helang nabobolong, dai an kagadanan.

An masinonod sa magurang, nagiging paladin.

An dilang matarom, kun nakalugad hararom.

Dai nin langit kun dai nin sakit.

Natatago ang kayamanan, dai an kapobrehan.

An kayamanan nababasang lamang; sa marhay na gibo igwang pakinabang.

Aanhon pa an sakote kung gadan na an kabayo.

An may isinangat sa paga, may gagawadon pagkaaga.

Sa alpog ka huminal, sa alpog ka man mapuli.

Para saimo siya baktin;para sako siya birhen.

Riddles in Bicol Region

It has teeth through it has no mouth, it has no hands.

Answer:  coconut grater

Its roof is a frying pan, its knees are broken

Answer: crab

A plow infront, a propeller behind

Answer: pig

Sayings in Bicol Region

‘Nagsusugpon kan balukag ki ikos’

These are those who invent or fabricates stories about someone he/she dislikes with the purpose of putting him/her to shame. They are no better than rumor mongers or back-stabbers

National Capital Region

NCR Epigrams

A broom is sturdy because its strands are tightly bound.

Matibay ang walis, palibhasa’y magkabigkis.

People gain strength by standing together.

2. While the blanket is short, learn how to bend.

Hangga’t makitid ang kumot, matutong mamaluktot.

If your blanket is too short to cover you completely with your legs straight, bend them so that you fit. In other words, learn how to adapt to your environment and be satisfied with what you have. If you have less in life, learn to be frugal until you come to the point when you can spare some money for a little bit of luxury.

3. It is hard to wake up someone who is pretending to be asleep.

Mahirap gisingin ang nagtutulog-tulugan.

While it is easy to tell people something they do not know, it is much harder if they are willfully choosing not to see what is before them.

Riddles of NCR

Isang balong malalim, punong-puno ng patalim.

A deep well that is full of chisels.

SAGOT: Bibig/Mouth

Dalawang batong maitim, malayo ang dinarating.

Two black stones that reach far.

SAGOT: Mata/Eyes

Dalawang balon, hindi malingon.

Two wells, which you cannot turn to look at.

SAGOT: Tainga/Ears

ncr kasabihan

Sayings on NCR

13. What comes from bubbles will disappear in bubbles.

Ang kita sa bula,sa bula rin mawawala.

Easy come, easy go.

14. The early comer is better than the hard worker.

Daig ng maagap and masipag.

The early bird catches the worm.

15. A rolling stone gathers no moss.

Batong pagulong-gulong, di kakapitan ng lumot.

A person who does not settle in one place cannot gather possessions, wealth, status, or commitments.

Indioms in NCR

Astig

Literal: from the word “tigas” or “hard” | Actual: cool

If you’ve been around young Filipinos or the Tagalog side of the Internet, most likely, this is not your first rodeo with flipped Tagalog words. Filipinos love flipping the pronunciation and/or spellings of words to make it sound cooler or edgier, much to the dismay of some Tagalog grammarians.

Balimbing

Literal: starfruit | Actual: turncoat, traitor

Originally from the Tagalog word for “starfruit”. It has its figurative meaning because of its many sections (“many-faced”) when cut cross-wise.

Bantay-salakay

Literal: guard-invade | Actual: opportunist

To some, this originated from guards who pretend to guard something, only to steal it for themselves given the first opportunity. Regardless of its origin, batay-salakay means that you pretend to be helpful or good to gain the trust of the people around you and take advantage of that trust to steal something or do something bad.

NCR folktales

“The Alligators Fruit”

Two women went to gather some wild fruit from a vine which belonged to the alligator.

“You must be careful not to throw the rind with your teeth marks on it where the alligator  can see it,” said one of the women to the other as they sat eating the fruit.

But the other woman paid no attention and threw the rind showing teeth marks into the river, where the alligator saw it.

Thus he knew at once who had taken his fruit, and he was very angry. He went to the house of the woman and called to the people:

“Bring out the woman that I may eat her, for she has eaten my fruit”

“Very well,” answered the people. “But sit down and wait a little while.”

Then they put the iron soil-turner into the fire, and when it was red hot, they took it to the door and said to the alligator:

“Here, eat this first.”

He opened his mouth, and they pushed the red hot iron down his throat, and he died.

Cordillera Administrative Region

Epigrams of Cordillera Administrative Region

SALAWIKAIN: “Kung ano ang itinanim, s’ya ring aanihin”

Similar to the English proverb “You reap what you sow” or “What goes around, comes around”

This salawikain is also similar to the “law of karma” or the spiritual principle of cause and effect. This salawikain speaks of how nature rewards (or punishes) your good (or bad) deeds.

The cartoon shows a good example of this as the logger’s car got crushed by the tree that he is cutting.

We often hear this from our elders – advising us of the perils of a bad deed and the positive rewards of a good deed. This is also said after the fact, where a person who made a mistake and who is being punished, is castigated.

Kindness is rewarded with kindness as meanness is punished with meanness. So, when on a crossroad choosing between good and evil, always remember this ol’ saying – “kung ano ang itinanim, s’ya ring aanihin”.

Riddles of Cordillera Administrative Region

Makapal na bato sa Anayan. Ginawang palaruan ni kawitan

-Palito

Inahin may pumasok.Tatyaw ang lumabas

-Nganga

Gumawa ng bahay si tukay. Di gumamit ng rattan

-Gagamba

Sayings in Cordillera Administrative Region

Hangga’t makitid ang kumot,

magtiis mamaluktot

Kung ano ang sukat ng ohales

iyon ding ang laki ng butones.

Nasa tao ang gawa

nasa Diyos ang awa.

Idioms of Cordillera Administrative Region

Barok

Literal: from the word “baroque” | Actual: crass, crude; hillbilly

Usually used to refer to an informal or non-standard variety of language. For example, someone is speaking broken English. Their English is barok. It can also be used to describe a person like an English-speaking person would use “hillbilly”.

Basag-ulo

Literal: broken-head | Actual: a person liable to start a fight

May sinabi

Literal: With a say (in something) | Actual: a person with power/talent

Folktales of cordillera Administrative Region

The Ifugao call themselves as i-pugao or “inhabitants of the known earth”; other variations of the name are Ifugaw, Ipugao, and Yfugao. They live primarily in the province of Ifugao in Central Cordillera, in Northern Luzon. The name is supposed to have come from ipugo which means “from the hill.”

“The peoples of the Philippines have a rich and varied mythology as yet but little explored, but which will one day command much attention. Among the Christianized peoples of the plains the myths are preserved chiefly as folk tales, but in the mountains their recitation and preservation is a real and living part of the daily religious life of the people. Very few of these myths are written; the great majority of them are preserved by oral tradition only.” – H. Otley Beyer

In the Ifugao story of the first man and woman, it is impossible not to see the similarities to that of Adam & Eve. It is possible, of course, that this is a biblical story which was brought in by some wandering Christians several generations past; but the story evolved into something uniquely native.  As the American anthropologist, H. Otley Beyer  pointed out regarding the flood myths of the Philippines, “I see no good reason why the story should not also be [seen as] a native development in spite of its similarity to the Hebrew myth.”

I felt it was important to share this myth, over the more popular story of “Malakas and Maganda”, because it exemplifies the need to examine how these myths evolved through all aspects of migration and foreign influence.  Christianity was not the first religion to make its mark on Philippine Myths.  Before this, Islam and Hinduism greatly impacted these stories.  Spanish colonization had a very negative impact on the preservation of pre-Hispanic culture, so it is like finding a gem when a story has been borrowed and evolved into something relevant to the people of that region.  Further, unlike the myth of “Malakas and Maganda”, the following story of “Uvigan & Bugan” has remained relatively untouched by the Filipino poets of the 20th century.

Ifugao Story of Man and Woman

To the Ifugao’s, Mak-no-ngan was the greatest of all the gods. It was he, they believed, who created the earth and the place of the dead.

The place of the dead was divided into many sections. The most important of these sections were Lagud and Daya. Lagud was set aside for those who died of sickness. They were the most favored my Mak-no-ngan. Daya was set aside for those who died of violence. They remained restless and unhappy, until their deaths were avenged by their relatives.

After Mak-no-ngan created the earth, he made Uvigan in his image. Uvigan, then, was the first man. Mak-no-ngan gave him the entire earth to enjoy. But he remained unhappy just the same, because he was lonely.

Seeing this, Mak-no-ngan made Bugan, the first woman. Then he told Uvigan, “Take this woman and be happy with her.” And for many years the couple lived in innocence, happiness, and peace.

Now, on the earth, there grew a tree which was different from any other. From the very beginning, Mak-no-ngan had warned the couple against it. “Don’t eat its fruit,” he told them, “because it is evil. It will only make you unhappy.”

But Mak-no-ngan’s warning only made Bugan all the more curious about the tree – especially since it was beautiful and its fruit looked tempting. She tried hard to keep away from it, but she could not help herself. Again and again, almost against her will, her feet would lead her to it. And her mouth would water as she gazed at the ripe fruit.

Finally, Bugan could not contain herself any longer. One day, she went straight to the tree, plucked one of the fruit, and sank her teeth into it. It was good. She liked it so much that she was seized with a desire to share it with Uvigan.

And so she went to Uvigan, saying, “Here, Uvigan, taste this.”

“Isn’t that the fruit that Mak-no-ngan forbade us to eat?” Uvigan wanted to know.

“Yes, and it’s very good,” said Bugan. “It tastes better than any other fruit I’ve eaten.”

“But what will Mak-no-ngan say?” asked Uvigan.

“He doesn’t need to know,” said Bugan.

“He will, though,” said Uvigan. “He’s a god, and he has ways of finding out.”

“Then why didn’t he punish me the moment I plucked the fruit?” Bugan asked.

“Just the same, it’s wrong and wicked of you to have plucked and eaten the fruit,” Uvigan pointed out. “You should not have disobeyed Mak-no-ngan.”

“Well,” said Bugan, “I don’t see, anyway, why he should have forbidden us to eat the fruit in the first place, unless he wants to save it for himself. But he can’t possibly eat all of it. There’s plenty and to spare.”

“Perhaps you’re right,” agreed Uvigan. “Let me have a bite of the fruit.”

Bugan gave it to him. He took a bite, and another, and another, as his eyes lighted with pleasure.

Nothing happened to Uvigan and Bugan right away. But little by little, they grew discontented and unhappy. And they began to quarrel with each other. For evil had entered their lives.

Ifugao mother and babe—showing the manner in which Búgan carried Balitúk. (Photograph by Martin, Kián͠gan, 1904.)

Ifugao mother and babe—showing the manner in which Búgan carried Balitúk. (Photograph by Martin, Kián͠gan, 1904.)

Uvigan and Bugan bore many children. But they were all unruly, disobedient, and troublesome. And after some years, Uvigan died in deep sorrow, leaving Bugan alone to run the household.

The children of Uvigan and Bugan grew more and more wicked, until Mak-no-ngan could no longer control his anger. To punish them, he caused the rice plants to wither and die; so that, in the end, they had nothing to eat.

Filled with pity for her hungry and suffering children, Bugan knelt on the ground and prayed that they might live. Then, with a great effort, she took hold of her breast and pressed them hard, until two streams of milk flowed to the ground.

Bugan’s milk kept some of her children alive for a while, but, as it slowly ran out, she became more and more anxious about the welfare of her children. And she continued to press her breasts harder and harder, until blood flowed in torrents to the ground.

Seeing Bugan’s sacrifice, Mak-no-ngan took pity on her and on her children. And so he made The rice plants grow once more. This time, however, some of the plants bore white grains; while the others bore red grains. The white grains were Bugan’s milk, while the red grains were her blood.