Filipino Culture and Arts, Folklore, Popular Culture

A very, very long time ago, when the island of Mindanao was but newly sprung from the sea, a pair of gigantic dragons lived there - Omaka-an and his mate Maka-ogis. For a time they roamed over the entire island, but finally they settled in the region about Lake Lanao.

Omaka-an established one lair in the Gurayen mountain range in the northwest, and another in the Makaturing range in the southeast. They had another haunt on Mount Matutum in Cotabato. So big were these monsters that when they slept they used the summits of the mountain ridges for beds. When they wanted to fish in Illana Bay to the south, they had only to stretch out their monstrous limbs and scoop up water and fish with their great claws.

These dragons had a taste for human flesh and devoured those people who were daring enough to attempt to settle in Lanao. A very few did settle in the country, but had to hide in caves and trees, and Allah took pity on them and changed them into sprites. Reports of the cannibalistic monsters spread far and wide and reached even Mecca.

With the possible exception of Lam-ang and Kannoyan, hero and heroine of the Ilocano epic Life of Lam-ang, perhaps there are no more famous characters in Ilocano saga than Añgalo and Aran, cyclopean beings who, according to some Ilocano myths, were the first beings on earth.

The 50s may be considered one "Golden Age" for the Filipino film because cinematic artistic breakthrough was achieved in that decade. Awards were first instituted in this era. The Manila Times Publishing Company set up the Maria Clara Awards in 1950.

In 1952, the FAMAS (Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences) Awards were handed out. More so, Filipino films started garnering awards in international film festivals. One such honor was bestowed on Manuel Conde's immortal movie Genghis Khan (1952) when it was accepted for screening at the Venice Film Festival. Other honors include awards for movies like Gerardo de Leon’s Ifugao (1954) and Lamberto Avellana’s Anak Dalita. These awards also had the effect of finally garnering for Filipino films their share of attention from fellow Filipinos.

Before settling in Hantic as paramount Datu of Madia-as or Panay, Datu Sumakuel explored the mountain region back of Oton and Tigbalang, and with him went the priest of Borneo named Bagot-banua who bore the name of being a soothsayer. During his absence, the settlement at Malandug was under the rule of his sacop, Gorong-gorong. The wife of the Datu, Kapinañgan, was young and giddy, and, as a consequence, the treacherous Gorong-gorong became in love with her. She returned this love, but the facts in the case remained a secret between themselves, for the settlers and slaves were busily engaged in the clearing of lands, and the laying up of supplies of dried fish, roots, and tubers, as well as the dried meat of the game which abounded close to the settlement.

North of the city of Manila lies Maypajo, a small barrio under the jurisdiction of the municipality (now city) of Caloocan. It was notorious in the past for its tulisanes who waylaid travelers between Manila and points north, and historically it was famous as the scene of many skirmishes between the Filipino insurgents and the Spaniards in the Revolt of 1896.

About the life of Ines Kannoyan, heroine of the Ilocano epic, "The Life of Lam-ang", not much is given in the poem itself. Her story is embodied in the numerous tales which the old people of the region still love to tell (1).

LOVE charms have been believed in among all peoples, and are believed in today. Especially prevalent is this belief among the Orientals. The Ifugaos of the Mountain Province are no exception, and their love potions and charms are most curious and interesting.

In the olden days, there lived in the heavens two gods, Kaptan and Maguayan. Kaptan fell in love with Maguayan, and they were married. One day, Kaptan and Maguayan had a quarrel as many couples do after the honeymoon. In a fit of anger, Kaptan told his wife to go away. With a heavy heart, Maguayan left.

A long time ago there lived in Kafagway, which is Baguio today, a rich Igorot couple. The husband was a trader. He would go down to the lowlands to barter gold for salt, pigs, clothes, and tobacco. He sold these to the miners in Acupan, accepting their gold in return.