Subanon Tales and Oral History

1SUBANON TALES & ORAL HISTORY ANTONIO ENRIQUEZ MUCH TO OFFER “Already Enriquez has much to offer the Pacific and the Atlantic worlds in both hemispheres, and the more so because in theme, in mode of expression and in cast of mind he retains firmly his unique identity as a Filipino writer.”–Elizabeth Perkins 2 Subanon Tales and Oral History Retold by Antonio Enriquez Copyright © 2010 by Antonio Enriquez All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, or the facilitation thereof, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages. An educational institution intending to photocopy part or all of the work for classroom use, or a publisher who intends to obtain permission to include the work in an anthology may inquire from AreRuby Books, Ramiroville cor. UCCP Church, Carinugan, Bo. Balulang, Cagayan de Oro City 9000, Misamis Oriental Province, Philippines. Cover design: Cedrick Zabala Digital, Philippines 3 --for Joy About Antonio Enriquez After graduating secondary school at Ateneo de Zamboanga, 1953, and enrolled in liberal arts, one term, there, Antonio Enriquez spent his out-of-school years, over half a decade, shuttling from one odd job to another in his hometown Zamboanga City. Between jobs, he often took short vacations in the fishing village of Labuan, a coastal barrio 32 kms. northwest of Zamboanga. There he learned to ride carabaos and bulls, hunt for turtle-eggs and beetles on the beach, and drink tuba(coconut wine) with farmers and fishermen. He was also an avid listener to the village‘s story-teller, a thirdgeneration progeny of a Visayan migrant worker of his grandfather, Don Julian. He loved even more deep-sea fishing off the Zamboanga City coastal waters that, in later years, became known as ―the highway,‖ because it became the route used by Moro pirates to harass merchant vessels. He also enjoyed hunting wild fowl and other game in experiencing life far from civilization. or ray fish—not to speak of sharks off the Pilas Group. Zamboanga City. since the family moved there from Zamboanga in the middle of 1979. where once a band of Moro outlaws forced his group to abandon a triangulation-site. a short-barreled carbine that his father gave him. its mystery and danger.E. S. and Subanons (Quezon City: UP Press. Bangkok. a feared Moro smugglers‘ lair.K. Many years later. set of course in same memorable locale. his first novel. This experience forged in him a special bond with nature. At the great swamps of Basilan Island. as well as all kinds of fishes: pompano. Earlier collections of short stories followed: Spots on Their Wings and Other Stories (Dumaguete: Writers Associates. Recently. Illustrations and drawings: . sail fish. (Quezon City: Giraffe Books. Samboangan: the Cult of War(QC: UP Press). Anton Vladimir. however. UP National Fellow for Literature Lifetime Award. Dance a White Horse to Sleep & Other Stories(UQP Australia. The Night I Cry and Other Stories(Quezon City: New Day Publishers. slowly gestated. as he led a surveying party crisscrossing the pristine Liguasan Marsh and hinterlands of Maguindanao and climbing Mount Pulanggi. Surveyors of the Liguasan Marsh (University of Queensland Press) came off the press—and began his writing career. Thailand. 1999). as faculty and through a Luis Yap Kun Climaco grant. It was years later. barracuda. that a dramatic change in his life took place: he gained direction and purpose. He now lives in Cagayan de Oro City. 1980. with his wife. Joy Viernes. he became honored with a Professorial Chair as Writer In Residence at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University.4 the hinterlands. and even the giant págui. 1973. in the early ‗60s. All those years of adventure on land and sea. His other favorite fishing grounds were at the islets of Balug-Balug and Sangbay. 1977). His literary awards in fiction include the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature in the Short Story category and its Grand Prizes for his novels. other awards include the UMPHIL for ―fiction in English‖. 1994). and his fourth novel. A second and third novel also came out: The Living and the Dead(Giraffe Books. U. his short story ―The Outlaw‖ appeared in the foremost literary magazine in the country at the time. and in 1996. waiting to be written about by a writer. Maguindanao. and Hawthornden International Retreat for Writers Fellowship. Some years after he returned home in 1964 from Liguasan Marsh. and son. he hunted wild pigeons and mallards and. while working with a Manila geodetic surveying company in a watershed project in Pikit. where he landed the bigger fishes. Enriquez was born (b. 1936) and raised in Zamboanga City. The Unseen War and Other Tales from Mindanao and The Voice from Sumisip and Four Stories. 2007-08. Write Award. in 1981. Julien Patrick. her beauty and savagery. southwest of Basilan Island. hunted wild monkey and boar there in the forest and abandoned logging areas. Nikka. the Philippines Free Press. and three grandchildren. with. Scotland. and Mikee. a sanctuary of Moro bandits. 2006).A. Zamboanga del Sur. Vicente Imbing. younger leader. M. there we were on the third week of October 1984. collecting old tales from Vicente Imbing.. Zamboanga Peninsula. It was settled by the nomadic tribe. who chanted for us the Subanon epic Gambatutu. even as gunfire was heard outside and darkness fell over Lapuyanin the early ‗80s. a direct descendant of Gomotan Lumang. and folktales. she as an ethno-musicologist to gather data of the epicGambatutu and Subanon traditional music. Though my wife Joy and I had earlier been in Lapuyan several times. who had been both a source and an inspiration in the writing of my novel. Located just a little way off the much larger Municipality of Margosatubig and east of Dumanguilas Bay. younger leader of the Subanon tribe in Lapuyan.. M.D. we always find reason–one being the hospitality of the Imbings and their ancestors–to return to Lapuyan.D. tradition. Today.and at the peak of its growth thousands of people lived there.D. the last leader to use the ancient Subanon title gomotan. Subanons. Lapuyan is Subanon country. meaning ―king‖ instead of today‘s title datu –chief. the thousands who survived wars and famine had done so by clinging to the vestiges of their culture. Lovers‘ Plunge Nonoy Estarte. and the re-telling of Subanon folktales. named after the river that cuts across it before pouring into the sea and skirting Zamboanga‘s western coastline. led by Da-asunay in 817 A. Preface Lapuyan is a small community in Zamboanga del Sur. and I as storyteller to record folktales (but at most time enjoying more the sylvan and parochial sites). And so. . And to Sigbe Mamadod. Thimuay Mangura. Subanon.5 Cedrick Zabala. The Seven Guardian Giants of Lapuyan Photos by Antonio Enriquez Thanks My eternal gratitude to Dr. thimuay mangura. and it was an hour before midnight when he finished telling me the tale. Phingi: Guardian Giant of the Imbing Tribe LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS . It rained in the afternoon and he went on narrating to me the tale of the guardian giants of Lapuyan. Evening came and we continued our session in his sala– receiving room of his house. assemblies. I recall he began narrating to us the tale in the early morning of the 22nd of October. while we sat by a window having native black coffee in his old house. the river people Subanons would beat the agong for festivities. Like other indigenous tribes of the Philippine Islands. which give us so much fun and pleasure. Baga: Guardian Giant of Animals and Wild Flowers 7. Not only I but even the thimuay mangura himself became intrigued by his tale and recollection that we almost missed lunch. Mati: Guardian Giant of Mt. it was raining stil. said the good doctor. who had defied their parents. Gumanpa: Guardian Giant of the West Coast of Lapuyan 5.6 Unlike folktales that we read in books. from running away. When we looked outside the window we saw that the rain had stopped and it was very dark outside. rituals and as musical pieces. Dagot: Guardian Giant of the Creek 3. The Seven Guardian Giants of Lapuyan CONTENTS 1. It likely happened that agongs were beaten to call the relatives and warriors to stop the lovers. Dasay: Guardian Giant of the Lake Dasay 6. this one has real-life protagonists whom Subanons to this modern day believe in and who are to them as real as the river Lapuyan or Phingi Bay. Thumahub 4. or listen to from story-tellers. Minanga: Guardian Giant at the River‘s Mouth 2. You may believe the tale or not. but why not listen to—or read—it first and make up your mind? I am not a very good listener as a rule and it‘s beenmy habit to go to bed at about 10:00 o‘clock in the evening in small towns that had no bars and where the sari-sari stores closed at nightfall before one could get a bottle of Kulafu wine or Cereza Negra. But I was still awake past my bedtime that late evening when the doctor and thimuay mangura Imbing stood up and went to the window to check if it was still raining. Imbing began. after the legendary hunter Manuyak. 21 5. Dagot . Baga . thinking that the island was a ray fish. 23 6. 15 3. And how did Minanga look like? . Thumahub. had hurled his spear at it. 31 8. Map of Mindanao. 13 2. and that‘s where many fishermen and Subanons had seen him. They say you can still see the notch his spear made on the islet.7 1. 34 The Seven Guardian Giants of Lapuyan Retold by Antonio Enriquez Minanga. Mati . Minanga . who. Gumanpa . This tiny island is called Bato Manuyak. which has its source from a spring in Mt. Phingi. who guarded the southern part of the town where the mouth of Lapuyan River opens into Dumanquilas Bay—to scare away Moro pirates and marauders with evil designs on Lapuyan. 19 4. 29 7. At night Minanga would sit on a tiny islet found at the mouth of the river. the Guardian Giant at the River‘s Mouth ONE SUCH guardian giant was called Minanga. Dasay . Dr. their flags there. fishermen to this day leave offerings to this giant. It is a way of paying homage to this guardian giant. on certain seasons. and even the Muslims leave a part of their fish catch and. Moro pirates who kidnapped Subanon children and sold them to slavery were frightened away by balls of fire that Minanga spat out at them through his huge. During Spanish times. and he frequented the bay so much that barnacles grew around his shanks. cave-like mouth. from a distance the balls of scorching fire seemed to come down from the sky—for he was very tall and huge—to the sea in a continuous flow like rolling molten lava. too. The Guardian Giant Minanga .8 The balians –priests who had seen him say he was the biggest of the seven giants there. Truly. because when he walked about the mouth of the river the water reached up to his knees only. As tribute for his protection. His whole body vibrated and sparked with blazing fire. Minanga. which towers over the creek. . Thumahub. must have made all the noises—as if there were incredible shell explosions and cannonade hurled on the Moro raiders. According to our four balians—namely. living in the sitios of Lapuyan—Dagot is remembered fondly by the Subanons there. who also lives there. According to the four balians.9 Dagot. completely naked as when he was born. he said. Langanay. Thumahub. why he avoids people. Tremendous mortar and cannon shells coming from Mt. a few years after martial law. And except for Mati. in 1975. Some two years later. It is not because he is ashamed of his nakedness. He said that while attacking the town they heard volleys of fire as if hundreds and hundreds of soldiers were at once firing at them from Mt. Nevertheless. Thumahub were falling all over them. the Subanons living near the creek insist that he never has anything on every time they see him. and he and another giant. How this is possible has remained a mystery. all the other giants of Lapuyan had their private parts covered with something like a loin cloth. the giant Dagot is the guardian of Mt. But there were no home defense militia there. and Dagandang. north of the town. who is rarely seen. some one hundred MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) rebels were repulsed at the creek by only seven ICHDF-INP (home defense unit) militia. one of the Moro raiders who surrendered to the government forces explained why they stopped their siege and fled from Lapuyan place. Sagula. Tagayan. Guardian Giant of the Creek IN THE east there is a creek named after the giant Dagot. Because. Mati. But if the giant Mati would decide tooverpower the balians. Because sometimes he challenges the strength and power of their priests or balians when they perform the special ritual. his body. the Subanons dance and offer sacrifice. Guardian Giant of Mt. On top of a bamboo platform elevated some fifteen or twenty meters high. Thumahub MATI. Mamaloy. THE good doctor Imbing said. . which looks like it‘s made of stone. o.10 The Guardian Giant Dagot Mati. Mati is feared most by the Subanons than any of the other giants. then all the people and the houses in the village would turn to stone. blocks the water there like a dam so that the river becomes shallow or actually godry. is also known by his other name. When Mati lies down across the Lapuyan River. yes. Oo. buklog. It is the most religious ritual of the Subanons. . decapitate them. Datu Lumok‘s grief must have reached Mati‘s heart. they noticed . and his lips trembled with remorse. And yet. they said. the shadow swiftly vanished and the sun. waving itfeverishly. grew weaker and weaker. while meantime praying to the diwatas –gods and the supreme being Gulay that the giant Mati would go away. Sigbe told Thimuay Mangura Imbing. as the buklog was being performed. recalled during one of our sessions that Thimuay Imbing had told her this story. So that he wouldn‘t have to behead the balians. Since the datu was the richest man in his tribe. Mati is an ugly giant and loves to tease the Subanons. And then the balians. yes.11 Madam Sigbe Mamadod. the binalay –a decoration made of leaves taken from the distant hills and found in conspicuous places during religious rites—began to bend and turn hard like stone. he could afford to hire the most powerful balians to celebrate it. If he did not do this. Well. not exert his full vengeance on his tribe if they had somehow erred in the performance of the ritual. He loves to play pranks on them there in Lapuyan. shone very bright that it illuminated the house as well as the village once again. The tips of the leaves. there somewhere in Zamboanga del Sur. like darkness fell and covered Datu Lumok‘s house like a shroud. there‘s the belief that if the giant Mati would overpower the balians. Thus. the thimuay had to cut off the balians‘ heads. it was the middle of the day. helpless and child-like. Sigbe was about seven years old. said Dr. when he . these most powerful priests. broke off and fell all over onto the bamboostrip floor. it was Mati the giant who turnedpeople into stones.. with great hesitation. until they were almost lying on the floor. Imbing. when Datu Lumok Imbing celebrated a buklog four years past his last richest buklog. and beyond it. not too far from the village—would you believe it?—was bright and sunny. Now. Tears began to flow down his face. Indeed. Ah. when he was old enough to understand. everyone there in the datu‘s house and his village would be turned to stones. so faithful and true to him all these years. began dancing on the bamboo-stripped floor of his house. for he had only love for his people and the balians—Thimuay Lumok drew his bolo—long knife and. and struck it deep. an old woman chanter of Gambatutu. For about the time it takes to cook two cookings of boiled rice. By and by. the epic of Lapuyan. The Guardian Giant Mati Gumampa. He said. It is called Bato Gumanpa. as they showed no respect and were mouthing bad words during the ritual dance and sacrifice. is a stone cave in a sitio –small village of Balerek. since the top might .12 became angry with those wrongly performing the ritual buklog. and has an opening people fear to crawl into. Guardian Giant of the West Coast of Lapuyan DOCTOR IMBING paused and pointed over toward the window. some 100 meters west of the hanging bridge of Lapuyan. quite far from his house. Gumanpa guards the west coast of Lapuyan. One giant who lives there is the guardian giant called Gumanpa. Guardian Giant Gumampa *** .13 cave in and they may not have a way to get out and maybe forever trapped inside it. and who looks like a hunter. Zamoanga del Sur. showing the municipality of Lapuyan. Circa 1986 The Story Oral History of the Subanons According to the Thimuay Mangura Retold by Antonio Enriquez Contents .14 Map of Zamboanga Peninsula. Later. traditional history of the Subanon of Lapuyan tribe. in the telling of the Subanon migration story. he consulted other datus to compare these stories. of Balangasan sitio. which is presently known as Pagadian City. shrouded with Subanon myth and folklore. Zamboanga del Sur. THIS ORAL. and also Malalahad Lusay. Preface Late in May 1978. also of Pagadian. Malayal.(That name sounded familiar. As he spoke. They were Thimuay Mana-asa.15 Preface. an excellent relic of the past. as if to gather strength from it. to interview Vicente Imbing. I thought then.. just before the war began. Zamboanga del Norte. All the while. and Zamboanga City area. and Thimuay Danda of Kabasalan and Sibuguey area. late Datu Giligan. I went to Lapuyan Municipality. a Subanon chronicler. Datu Purok Imbing. whom I had visited two years ago today?)…of Sindangan municipality. who comes from the Sibuco. who came from the Balangasan Subanon. an accredited medical doctor (UP School of Medicine) and the acknowledged thimuay mangura –young Subanon chief—on the migration of his tribe from Cotabato Province to Western Mindanao. he began softly. or were told to him bythe late Datu Lumok.. I pounded on his younger sister‘s old Royal typewriter. Isn‘t he the father of my friend Datu Agdino Andus of Mandih. is based on stories. and Thimuay Tangkilan . which he heard. Datu Limba. Zamboanga Peninsula. . The Story. Zamboanga del Sur. he didn‘t take his eyes off the green and mountain range of Guilian beyond. and some other leaders of the tribe. he said. and his youngest brother. the first Muslim missionary who came to Sulu earlier than Sharif Kabunsu-an. as it was their first time to see one. Datu Lumok Imbing. a very big pot. the eldest. however. who said the stories are true. He explained that the Subanons called them ―Baguindanaos‖ after the missionary Baguindali (Rajah Baguinda to the Muslims). Cotabato. a Muslim missionary who came to Cotabato.‘ Maybe they didn‘t know what a ship was. Probably can be traced to the female line. Besides Sultan Tato and Datu Benito. They did not know how it looked like.‘ or ‗nipulang.‘ The people of Cotabato are Maguindanao Muslims. Sharif Kabunsu-an said he came in peace.16 I noticed that all these stories would always point to Cotabato as the Subanons‘ place of origin. too. was converted to Islam by Sharif Kabunsu-an. Tabunaway said. That is why these two leaders. So Tabunaway said Sharif Kabunsu-ancame in the cawa and said to the people there. they said. Of their [Kabunsu-an and his followers] arrival . ancestor of the Subanons and was also known as Gumabon. and other pagan tribes. Manobos. Menirilirelid. which they said was written there in Arabic. Pulangi comes from the Subanon word ‗pulang. Dumalandalan. known familiarly as Maguindanaos. Gumabon-gabon. The eldest. say that the Subanons are still related to the Maguindanaos. It is a small creek that pours into the Pulangi River or Mindanao River.‘ meaning in Subanon ‗to annihilate the enemy. This relationship is found in their book. Tato and Benito. explained why there is this disparity. of Maguindanao. also confirmed this kinship with the Maguindanaos when Thimuay Mangura Imbing met him before the war. The Subanons then inhabited the area along the Maguindanao Creek in Cotabato.‘ For the Subanons there.. Datu Piang. Imbing. would annihilate their enemies. Unlike other tribes and foreigners who came to fight and conquer. said Dr. like Sultan Tato.. likely by Shalip-a-Bunsuan. Tagasil. and also Datu Benito of Malabang. Tabunaway. he said. ancestor of the Tirurays. Tabunaway‘s mother was the sister of the father of Gumabongabon. The Muslims. of Dulawan. and the youngest brother. . Thimuay Mangura Imbing‘s late uncle. Lanao. They were led by four brothers: Tabunaway. of Danaig. the Subanons call them Baguindanaos. province of Maguindanao. ‗We come in peace. Bilaans. ancestor of the Maranaos. the ancestor of the Maguindanaos. known to Subanons as Shalip-a-Bunsuan. And probably. and by the Sinsuats. confirm this. ‗They came in a cawa. from the Subanon word ‗shaleg. just above a whisper. they settled on the banks of Lake Lanao. soft. however. So. who was still a worshipper of the Subanon Megayep pushed on toward the Zamboanga Peninsula. Gumabon-gabon settled in Molave. went there in 1956. preferred their religious practices of Megayep to Mohammedanism (or Islam). as we know them now in history based on the Gregorian calendar. went up toward the north. Bilaans. His voice had not changed. Meanwhile. who . Gumabon-gabon. In time. he continued—still gazing out the window.‘ which means ‗level like a floor. He told the Thimuay Mangura that in his placeduring the war. a Maranao. said Dr. They called the place there ‗dansalan‘ [now known as Marawi]. Imbing. Later. Purok Imbing was still strong and healthy and wanted so much to see the house of Tabunaway and Tabunaway‘s descendants. he freed many Subanons who had been sold as slaves by the Maranaos. The three other brothers. ‗Do not sell these people as slaves. Datu Lumok Imbing of Lapuyan‘ . who resided in Malabang. he told the young Imbing that during that visit Sultan Tato confirmed to him what he had heard from his father: the Baguindanaos are the descendants of Tabunaway.. Thus. Because there they slept on logs found around the new place. and then his eyes would abruptly flit to meet my own and then flit back again to the window. the Baguindanaos who stayed by the banks of the creek called it Baguindanao Creek. Datu Benito told Datu Purok Imbing about this event.‘ The present name Molave was given by the late representative Juan Alano. Imbing. Rajah Baguinda. for they are the followers of my brother. who converted to Islam perhaps during the 15th century. and his people are now known as the pagan tribes of the Tirurays. One can still see the creek in Cotabato City. Dumalandalan built his house there and stayed at Lake Lanao.he said to the Maranao slave-traders.. said Dr. following the source of the Baguindanao River. Menerili-relid fled into the hinterlands of Cotabato. This journey was confirmed by Datu Benito. After traveling upstream. which in Subanon means a temporary place. Dumalandalan was also converted to Mohammedanism. While Dumalandalan and his younger brother. He called the place Salug.17 Sharif Kabunsu-an himself must have called the people there ‗Baguindanaos‘ in order to honor the first Muslim missionary. as there were no houses and people by the lake then. it was still quiet. He and his Uncle Purok Imbing. The Subanons or Baguindanaos do not know the exact date. Gumabon-gabon. and the Manobos. went to Misamis. and fought against invading Muslims. two of his strongest sons.‘ Gumabon-gabon decided to settle in Salug Valley. and there he bore sons who became strong leaders. for instance. Ipil in Zamboanga del Sur.‘ like a ‗shaleg. Anda and Dagunog.18 during his term in Congress named places in the Zamboanga Peninsula after trees. Gumabon-gabon said to his tribesmen the place was ‗nice and flat. lived there. The patriarch Datu Purok Imbing at 70 yrs old shows how it‘s done the grand way at royal weddings . .19 The Lapuyan Musical Group Band beat their agongs and kulintang under the blackberry trees in a neighbor‘s yard. ZS. the young as well as the old. . Subanons then feasted on gasi wine and dishes with pork meat for over a week.. … The buklog the author attended along the Labuan coastline was nearly as high as a coconut tree.20 They all danced. in Lapuyan mun. 21 A jar bartered with goods by Chinese merchants & placed in the center post of a house during a wedding ceremony. . with Shaman Diringan on―moonlight worship‖in the woods of Lapuyan.‖ Datu Purok The author‘s wife. .22 The Grand ―Old Man. Joy (left). province mate!‖ Second from right. . ―Better than some European wines.‖ author concedes. gasi wine fermented for months in a jar buried in the earth. Shaman Lantay and future thimuay mangura. compoblano –So delicious. Muy saproso. as well as a common straw. Mayor Sulong. ―It‘s the best.23 A royal wedding demonstration shows young and old sharing a good drink. right. 24 Wooden icon above is placed on one side of the buklog. . a special ritual. which is indigenous to the Subanon tribe of Zamboanga Peninsula and Misamis Occidental province. 25 Nanay Sigbi. and Subanons trek to town for tabú-market. .‖ extreme right. chanter of the epic ―Gambatutu. . epic chanter of ―Gambatutu. ZS.‖ dances the Subano way in Lapuyan mun. .26 ―Nanay Sigbe Mamadod. 27 Unlike other Philippine tribes.play the agong as dexterously as their men. . Subana women of Lapuyan mun. smearing on the hands of the bride and groom. and seven leaves drenched in its blood are brushed. .28 Part of a royal wedding ceremony: a white chicken is butchered. none of Sigbe‘s three or four children had memorized its thousand lines. . cities of Zamboanga & Cagayan de Oro. Gerardo Imbing. Part of a translation by a grandson. of the Imbing clan was made not too recently at sessions in Lapuyan mun. But entirely not lost. as Joy Enriquez had recorded 85 percent of the epic before chanter ‗Nanay Sigbe‘s demise.. Unfortunately.29 Young lasses of Subanon ancestry pause unaware of the keeper of the epic ―Gambatutu‖ in the background. . (center right. and recorder of the epic ―Gambatutu. With him (center left. and on right is the illustrator.Seated left isJoy Enriquez.30 At the residence of Vicente Imbing. The Keepers of Mansakada by Antonio Enriquez . seated) isthe epic chanter ‗Nanay Sigbe Mamadod. thimuay mangura of the Lapuyan Subanon tribe.D. of Xavier University Museo de Oro. seated). Nonoy Estarte. M. Trining (right). Jr. in Lapuyan mun. Mindanao Island. and his wife. ethno-musicologist. ZS.‖ Standing on left is Amy Mamadod. ….. daughter of Sigbe. … … .31 ILLUSTRATION (above) In Thimuay Ibod Andus‘s front yard. and unsalted chicken intestines are either placed in a porcelain bowl or on a wide leaf. Offerings to the diwatas and Gulay. a mansakada idol stands alone facing the village. gasi wine. the Supreme Being. such as tobacco. 32 Lovers’ Plunge: the Legend of Pulong Bato Retold by Antonio Enriquez IN THOSE OLD days. who went to the sitio of Cagang-Cagang. it was full of people from the neighboring barrios. In that village lived the first people of the peninsula. a tall and handsome Moro warrior. like Magay and Cawa-Cawa in the west coast. and from the north Muruc. who were called Subanons. and Tetuan and Mariki in the east. said Aunt Concha. our principal character in our tale. her skin was very white and smooth. and of all the Subanas she was the most fair and beautiful—she was called Radia Puti. there was a village called Muruc. And there was this Datu Pulong. before the Spanish colonizers came to Zamboanga. . for it was market day. to meet with his friends. As usual. One of those living there was a young maiden. inevitably. it was—as you young boys call it—―love at first sight. In this kind of situation. Radia Puti. tongue-tying name? Why.33 You ask how the sitio got its strange. from the thousands of colorful. said Aunt Concha.‖ … . they were bound to meet: he while looking for his friends. indeed. they met. Among them was the most beautiful Subana. we are telling the story again. the Subanons brought their merchandise to barter with the Moros of neighboring sitios and barrios. and the beautiful Subana maiden while trying to attract the attention of market-goers to barter her goods. On that day. tiny cagang-cagang –violin crabs which lived there in bottomless holes along the seashore. When.