SIYAM na buwan bago siya isinilang sa isang maharlikang familia, namundok ang

kanyang ama upang sugpuin ang isang masamang pangkat ng mga Igorot. Sa kasamaang-palad, napatay
ang ama, pinugot ang kanyang ulo at isinabit sa gitna ng nayon ng mga Igorotbilang gantimpala at
parangal sa kanilang pangkat. Sa kabilang dako, nagulat ang ina pagkatapos nang
biglang lumaki ang sanggol at agad-agad nagsalita. Isinumpa ni Lam-Ang - sapagkat ito nga ang naging
pangalan niya - na mamumundok din siya upang matuklas kung ano ang nangyari sa
kanyang ama. Kasama ang kaiba at mabuting pangkat ng mga Igorot, inakyat ni Lam-Ang ang bundok at
natagpuan ang bangkay ng ama niya. Bilang ganti, pinatay niya ang bawat isa ng mga masamang Igorot,
gamit ang tangi niyang sandata - isang sibat.
Pagod na pagod siya pagbalik sa bahay. Minabuti niyang maligo muna at sumisid sa ilog Amburayan.
Kaginsa-ginsa, umapaw ang ilog sa kapal ng putik at dugo na nahugas mula sa kanyang katawan. Lahat
ng isda sa ilog ay namatay. Pati ang mga palaka at iba pang hayop na umahon mula sa tubig ay namatay
lahat sa pampang.
Kinabukasan, ipinahayag ni Lam-Ang sa ina na mag-aasawa na siya. Ginamit niya
ang kapangyarihan niya sa hiwaga at nabatid niya na ang magiging asawa niya ay si Ines, isang babae
taga-Kandon, isang munting nayon sa hilaga. Patungo na siya duon nang nadaanan niya ang isang batong
dambuhala (stone giant ) na sumisira sa palay attobaco sa mga bukid. Gamit ang kalasag na pilak (silver
shield ) na minana sa ama, nilabanan niya at pinatay ang dambuhala. Tapos, pinugutan niya ng ulo.
Sa Kandon, dinatnan niyang nakapaligid sa bahay ni Ines ang libu-libong lalaki na lumiligaw sa dalaga.
Siksikan silang lahat at, upang makalapit sa bahay, napilitan ni Lam-Ang na lumakad sa mga ulo ng mga
lumiligaw hanggang umabot siya sa isang bintana, kung saan siya pumasok sa bahay. Humanga nang
matindi si Ines sa lakas at tibay ng luob ni Lam-Ang kaya pumayag siya agad na maging asawa nito.
Subalit alinlangan pa ang mga magulang ng dalaga. Kailangan daw mag-alay ng bigay-kaya (dowry) ang
mga magulang ni Lam-Angbago makuha si Ines.
Pumayag si Lam-Ang at ipinangakong babalik siya pagkaraan ng isang linggo, kasama ng kanyang ina at
ng mga handog at iba pang yaman. Humangos siya pabalik sa ina, at naghanda ng isang bangka na balot
ng ginto. Pinuno niya ito ng iba pang ginto, mga alahas, mga estatuaat iba pang mamahaling bagay.
Pagbalik niya sa Kandon kasama ng kanyang ina, nagimbal ang mga magulang ni Ines sa dami
ngkayamanang dala. Nuong araw ding iyon, ikinasal sina Lam-Ang atInes. Pagkaraan ng 3 taon, nagka-
anak na lalaki ang bagong mag-asawa.
Isang araw, binangungot ( pesadilla, nightmare) si Lam-Ang: Alang-alang sa kanyang anak, at sa
kanyang mga ninuno (antepasados, ancestors), kailangan niyang pagdaanan ang makalumang
gawi ngpahirap (ancient ritual of sacrifice). Ayon masamang panaginip, dapat siyang sumisid hanggang
sa sahig ng dagat (sea floor) upang hanapin ang gintong kabibi ( gold seashell ). Batid ni Lam-Ang na
ikamamatay niya ang gagawin, kaya nagdasal siya at nanawagan sa mga diyos. Sinagot naman siya at
binigyan ng pag-asa. Isiniwalat niLam-Ang ang lahat kay Ines: Ang hirap na susu-ungin niya, ang
mgapahiwatig ng kanyang pagkamatay, pati na ang habilin ng pag-asa na sagot sa kanya ng mga diyos.
Pagsapit ng takdang araw, dumumog ang lahat ng tao sa nayon, pati na sa mga kalapit sa paligid, upang
saksihan ang pagsisid ni Lam-Angsa gintong kabibi sa ilalim ng dagat. Subalit bahagya pa lamang
nakalubog si Lam-Ang nang biglang umahon si Berkakan, angdambuhalang halimaw na pating, at
sinakmal ang bayani. Sa bahay, nakita ni Ines lahat ng pahiwatig na isiniwalat ni Lam-Ang. Bumagsak
ang kalan (estufa, stove), umuga ang hagdan (escalera, stairs), at nanginig ang kanilang anak na lalaki.
Napahagulhol si Ines: Patay na si Lam-Ang.
Tatlong araw lumuha si Ines bago siya nagkalakas lumabas at sundin ang mga habilin ng mga diyos.
Inipon niya ang mga buto-buto ni Lam-Ang na inanod ng dagat sa pampang, at inuwi sa bahay. Sunod sa
isiniwalat ni Lam-Ang, binalot niya ang mga buto sa pulang sutla(seda rojo, red silk), tumalikod
at nagdasal nang nagdasal. Habang ibinubulong ni Ines ang mga panalangin, naririnig niyang unti-unting
nabubuo uli ang kalansay at katawan. Pagkaraan ng ilang sandali lamang, lumitaw si Lam-Ang na buhay
na muli.
Dahil dito at iba pang giting na ginawa ni Lam-Ang, silang mag-asawa at ang kanilang anak ay
pinatawan ng mga diyos ng walang katapusang buhay. At sila ay namuhay sa sagana ng mga bukid
ngpalay habang panahon.
Dr Abe V. Rotor
Living with Nature School on Blog
Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid with Ms Melly C TenorioDZRB 738 AM, 8 to 9 Evening Class,
Monday to Friday

The theme of the epic revolves around the bravery and courage of the main character portrayed by
Lam-ang, who was gifted with speech as early as his day of birth, who embarked on a series of
adventures which culminated in his heroic death and subsequent resurrection.

This series of adventures started with his search for his lost father who was murdered by the head-
hunting Igorots in the Igorot country. While on his way, he met a certain Sumarang, whose name
connotes obstruction, who tried to dissuade him from proceeding and who taunted him into a fight.
The fight that ensued proved fatal to Sumarang as he was blown three kingdoms away with a
spear pierced through his stomach. This encounter led to another when he met a nine-headed
serpent who, like Sumarang earlier tried to dissuade him from going any further. The serpent having
been ignored challenged him into a fight which cost the serpent its heads.

Lam-ang went on until he found it necessary to rest and take a short nap. While asleep, he dreamed
of his fathers head being an object of festivities among the Igorots. He immediately arose and
continued his journey until he found the Igorots indeed feasting over his fathers head.

He asked the Igorots why they killed his father, but the Igorots instead advised him to go home if he
did not want to suffer the same fate which his father suffered. This was accompanied by a challenge
to a fight, despite their obvious numerical superiority. But Lam-ang, armed with supernatural powers,
handily defeated them, giving the last surviving Igorot a slow painful death by cutting his hands and
his ears and finally carving out his eyes to show his anger for what they had done to his father.

Satisfied with his revenge, he went home. At home, he thought of taking a swim in the Cordan River
with the company of Cannoyan and her lady-friends. So he proceeded to Cannoyans place in the
town of Calanutian, disregarding her mothers advice to the contrary. On his way, he met a woman
and named Saridandan, whose name suggests that she was a woman of ill repute. He resisted her
blandishments, for his feeling for Cannoyan was far greater for anyone to take.

When he reached Cannoyans house, he found a multitude of suitors futilely vying for her hand. With
the help of his pets - the cock and the dog - he was able to catch Cannoyans attention. He asked
her to go with him to the river along with her lady-friends. She acceded. While washing himself in the
river, the river swelled, and the shrimps, fishes and other creatures in the river were agitated for the
dirt washed from his body was too much. As they were about to leave the river, Lam-ang noticed a
giant crocodile. He dove back into the water and engaged with the creature in a fierce fight until the
creature was subdued. He brought it ashore and instructed the ladies to pull its teeth to serve as
amulets against danger during journeys.


Acknowledgment: three versions of Lam-ang in different art
styles, from Internet, Wikipedia, and concerned artists.

Back at Cannoyans house, he was confronted by her parents with an inquiry as to what his real
intention was. He had to set aside his alibi that he went there to ask Cannoyan and her friends to
accompany him to the river, and told them, through his spokesman - the cock - that he came to ask
for Cannoyans hand in marriage. He was told that if he desired to marry Cannoyan, he must first be
able to match their wealth, for which he willingly complied. Having satisfied her parents, he went
home to his mother and enjoined her and his townspeople to attend his wedding which was to take
place in Cannoyans town.

The wedding was elaborate, an event that involved practically everyone in town. There were
fireworks, musical band, and display of attractive items like the glasses, the mirror, the slippers,
clothes and nice food. After the wedding, Lam-angs party plus his wife and her town mates went
back to their town of Nalbuan, where festivities were resumed. The guests expressed a desire to
taste a delicacy made of rarang fish.

Lam-ang was obliged to go to the sea and catch the fish. Before going, however, his rooster warned
that something unpleasant was bound to happen. This warning proved true, as Lam-ang was
swallowed by a big bercacan, or shark-like fish. Cannoyan mourned and for a while she thought
there was no way to retrieve her lost husband. But the rooster indicated that if only all the bones
could be gathered back, Lam-ang could be brought to life again.

She then enlisted the aid of a certain diver named Marcus, who was ready to come to her aid to look
for the bones. When all Lam-angs bones were gathered, the rooster crowed and the bones moved.
The dog barked, and Lam-ang arose and was finally resurrected. Cannoyan embraced him. For his
deep appreciation for the help of his pets - the cock and the dog - and of Marcus the diver, he
promised that each other would get his or its due reward. And they lived happily ever after.