Legends

The Legend Of Pototan

In the first day of Datu Rames arrival in the area, it already caught his attention by the giant woods or tall trees in the
area called potat. They cut a lot of potat in the area and build their own homes. It was not a problem or an issue for them the
materials to be used in constructing their houses Long time ago before the Spaniards came to the Philippines. It was called
Kapotatan. Why it was named Kapotatan is told in the following story:

When the Ati, under the leadership of Marikudo, left the vast plains of Panay and went to the mountains, no one left
living in the place. Only the wild animals are seen roaming around in rivers, brooks, plains and the wilderness. After several years,
one of the grandchildren of Datu Puti named Datu Rames who is settling then in the town of Dumangas decided to leave the town
because they are so many settlers already in the area. He decided to search for other places and venture to other lands within
Panay Islands. He went with his family and subjects or people to far places to seek for settlement. In their journey they reached the
central part of Iloilo. Datu Rames observed that a low lying hill is plenty of food. In the forests, there are lots of fruit bearing trees
and its secluded places were animals like turtles, giant lizards, monkeys, wild boars and others. In a not so distant area is a river
called Suague which has a plenty of fish. Aside from fertile lands which can be planted with different plants like sweet potatoes,
cassava and other root crops most especially rice. Datu Rames decided that they will settle there. Life became blissful and peaceful
because there's a harvest and food bounty. They made it the town center or poblacion of their newly founded community.

since the thickly growing potat darkens the place in its abundance. It is also a big help for them since they use it as fuels
for their cooking. Their place was called by Datu Rames and his group as Kapotatan. When they visit their families and relatives in
Dumangas and were asked where do they live and they told them they are living in Kapotatan. When other people asked where are
they going they said they are going to Kapotatan. It is the name given to the area because there's a bounty of that potat wood in
the locality. It means a place of many potat. Since then the place with many potat in a lowly hill near the Suague river is called
Kapotatan. Eventually, Datu Rames observed that the place in a lowly hill lacks water most especially during the drought season.
They thought of transferring near the shores of Suague river so that the water would be accessible to them. After so many years,
there were so many houses emerged like mushrooms along the shores of the river. This area was made into a new poblacion or
town center of Kapotatan and the surrounding areas were made into barangays or communities.

After so many years, the white skinned Caucasian people carrying cross and swords came to the town. The ancient living
were disturbed. The Spaniards invaded and occupied even the most secluded corners of the Philippines to spread Christianity. They
reached Kapotatan and the strangers felt admiration due to the inviting and comely beauty of the place. They observed that the
way of living of the natives were developed and progressive in that locality. The Spaniards had a difficulty pronouncing the name
Kapotatan due to its length. They shortened it and instead of Kapotatan, they made it Pototan. Since then, the area situated in the
central part of Iloilo province and surrounded by the Suague river and several numbers of thriving potat in the area is called
Pototan. This place which is abundant in harvested rice is often called as the "Rice Granary of Iloilo.
The Legend of Isla Gigantes in Carles, Iloilo

In a place called Punta Bulakawe in the town of Carles,

there was a childless couple who endlessly asked for a child.
They were blessed with a son who grew up too fast.
Too fast he grew that he can no longer enter thier house when he was one
and all men were only as tall as his knees.
The giant child grew up and spent his adolescence in a mountain
known as the Beheya Hill.
Everytime this giant walked, the surroundings shook.
Each of his step meant earthquake for everyone.
This made everyone fear him.
Because of his steps, he was called Higante Tay-og --
literally means Giant Quake.

Higante Tay-og decided to remain in Beheya Hill

which he could access by two or three steps only.
To entertain himself, he learned to smoke cigars.
Each time he exhale smoke from his cigar, the surroundings dim.
When he accidentally inhaled the smoke, he coughed;
the folks feared it like thunder that shook the surroundings.
This caused everyone to fear for upcoming calamities.
Higante Tay-og got no human friends and made friends with wild animals.

One day, a boat docked at the foot of his home.

He spied and saw that inside the boat were an old woman and a beautiful lady.
The lady has a long hair and a slender body.
And judging from her dress, she came from an unknown foreign land.
From what he heard, she was named Prinsesa Maganda
which literally means Princess Beautiful,
and the old woman was her grandmother.
They stayed in a shanty left by a folk when Higante Tay-og lived in the hill.

When the giant first saw the lady, he felt something beautifully strange towards her.
The next day, he caught fishes and left them in front of the shanty.
He did this everyday and sometimes, he left raised animals too.
He did this until the grandmother and Prinsesa Maganda learned of his kindness.
The townfolks were at awe when they learned that Higante Tay-og
and Prinsesa Maganda became sweethearts.
They were set to be married on full moon.

Higante Tay-og was very busy preparing for his wedding.

He gathered Burot, a plant found in the forest.
He also gathered kalabasa or squash, gabi, kabugaw or pomelo, suha or calamansi, canya and tubo or
sugarcane.
He prepared the Tulunan-an, a giant claypot, of his mother.
He also gathered cogon and anahaw to be used to build their house
and kept them in a nigo, a native round and flat container.
He also prepared a Binangon or a bolo and looked for a pair of giant shoes
and a little pair for the princess.
He gathered these all on top of the Beheya Hill.

On the day before their wedding, a sailboat carrying pirates came.

At this time, Higante Tay-og was still busy preparing for his wedding,
When the pirates docked, they went to the shanty and grabbed the princess away.
The townfolks stopped the pirates with their bamboo poles and bows
as well as sharp branches and rocks inorder to rescue the princess but to no success.
In this chaos, Higante Tay-og came.
When one pirate sensed that they were in danger,
he planted an arrow in the heart of the lady.
The heavens grieved because of the death of the princess.
The giant overturned the sailboat and looked for the princess but it was too late.
The giant grieved and cried and cried.
His cry was like thunder and his tears were like falling rains.
He slowly brought the body of the princess to his home.

With his brewing anger, he picked up the wedding gifts and threw them one by one to the seas.
He grabbed the small shoe first and threw it on the left
and this became the island of Sapatos Diutay, literally means small shoe.
Next, he grabbed the giant shoe and threw it beside the small shoe
and this became the island of Sapatos Daku, literally means big shoe.
He grabbed the bunch of cogon and he forcefully threw it away
so that it landed so far and this was later known as the island of Sicogon.

He grabbed the giant claypot filled with burot, kabugaw, kalabasa and gabi,
and farway, he threw them away so that the contents later became the island of Naburot,
Island of Kabugaw, Isla de Kalabasa and the claypot as Island of Tulunan-an.
The giant looked for the nigo filled with the leaves of anahaw and canya
which he threw upwards when he saw them so that they emerged
as Island of Manigo-nigo just near Punta Bulakawe and the leaves became Island of Island of Cana.
When he had nothing more to grab, the giant kissed the lady and let her float to the skies.
Because he could not accept what happened, the giant drew the binangon on his waist
and he hacked himself into two and when he lost grip of the binangon,
it bacame the Island of Balbagon.
The giant's halved body fell down just near each other
and they were later known as Higante Norte and Higante Sur.
After a long time, the body of the princess floating in the skies fell down
and landed on the head of Higante Norte and became the Island of Higantuna.
And then, the sailboat of the pirates was brought to Higante Sur and became the live rocks.
Because the live rocks take the shape of a ship, it was called by the folks as "Bapor-bapor"
or literally "ship-like." And they say that in these live rocks, there can be found a mysterious cave filled
with haunting stories.
 The Legend of Tinagong Dagat, Negros Occidental

Love is so powerful that when it enters the heart of anyone, it can despise
everything.

In the town of Lambunao, there loved a young man named Nagong who is
mighty, strong, hardworking and kindhearted. Nagong is the pillar of his old parents.

One day, when the young man is going home from a whole day of work when he meets
a lady who seems like a goddess in with her beauty. This lady was Agat.

The two creatures seems like they are having an illusion in their first encounter.
In that instance, love springs up in their hearts but due to being conservative Agat
immediately look down humbly.

The two who harbor pure affection for each other seems being brought closer by
heaven. Soon, their hearts became one. The next few days witness of endless joy only
to be cut short. One afternoon their sweet conversation was disturbed by violence of
Agat's father. The father slapped his daughter and humiliated Nagong. Agat was
imprisoned in their own home. Thus is the suffering felt by the lovers.

Until such Nagong thought of passing by the area just to have a glimpse of Agat.
In the darkness of the night he was met by the mother of Agat who looks like in
distress. She is looking for her daughter who disappeared. Nagong anxiously entered
the forest to look for Agat. In the shores of the river of their rendezvous the lovers
meet. They were so grateful to God after they meet.

Nagong and Agat decided to leave away from their families. The difficulties of life
was bared by the two in the wilderness

However their blissful life together is just short-lived. Agat suffered a serious
illness. It seems like the world has stopped for Nagong with the death of Agat. He
watched the tomb of his love at all times. Day and night the young man weeps due to
overwhelming grief. He was caught by sickness and death. The tears that springs from
his eyes miraculously became a river which was the origin of TINAGONG DAGAT which
was the burial site of Nagong and Agat. Indeed a great love cannot be faded with time,
it will leave an imprint that will remain forever.