WEBSITE CONTENTS

1. FOLKLORE - The word “folk” is derived from a Germanic noun “folka” meaning
“people.” On the other hand, the word “lore” means all traditions about a particular
subject that have been accumulated over time. Folklore is a stories and lessons that
contain the traditions of a particular group or culture.
2. LEGEND - came from the Latin word “legenda” which means “things to be read.”
These are exaggerated stories of real people or events from history.
3. MYTH - a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or
event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation,
especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some
practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.
4. EPIC - a long narrative poem telling of the tales of heroic deeds of supernatural gods
that can be in both oral and written forms.
5. FOLK SONGS - song of the people of a culture or region that reflects their outlook
and life. Usually, this refers to a song with no known composer or lyricist and one
that exists in multiple versions developed as it spread, rather than a single, standard,
copyrighted edition.

REGION XII- SOCCSKSARGEN

SOCCSKSARGEN is a regulatory area of the Philippines, situated in south-central Mindanao.

It is numerically assigned as Region XII. The name is an acronym that stands for the region's
four provinces (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani) and one of its
urban communities (General Santos). The area used to be called Central Mindanao. The
local focus is Koronadal situated in the area of South Cotabato, and the central point of
trade, industry, transportation and the most crowded city is General Santos. 

SOCCSKSARGEN includes Cotabato City arranged inside the fringes of Maguindanao, a

region of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

http://philgis.org/philippine-regions/region-12-soccsksargen

FOLKTALES, FABLES, LEGENDS, MYTHS, EPICS, AND FOLK SONGS IN SOCCSKSARGEN

1. THE MAGUINDANAO TALE OF THE FAITHFUL WIFE (FOLKTALE)

Once there lived in the Sultanate of Bandiamasir an aged man who had an only son. They
lived comfortably together until the time came for the boy to marry. He loved a girl from the
same town but before he could make any arrangements, his father fell ill and was soon near
death. He called his son to him and said “My son, never marry a balo (widow) but
a raga (young lady).” After his father died, the son made up his mind to find the meaning of
his father’s advice and forthwith married a raga. But he married two other women as well:
a balo and bituanem (divorce). As all three lived harmoniously together he kept puzzling
over the advice left to him by his father. One day a new Sultan ascended the throne as the
old one had died. This new Sultan turned loose his magnificent rooster and then proclaimed
that whoever touched it would be killed. When the son heard of this decree he was very
glad because now he had a way of testing his father’s advice. He caught the royal rooster
and brought it home. Then he called his three wives, showed them the rooster and said:
“Kill the rooster and cook it for my dinner.” The three women turned pale when they
realized the meaning of what he said. The balo and the bituanem immediately refused and
hurriedly left the house, not wanting to be implicated in the crime. The raga took the
rooster, killed it and served it to her husband.

Then he knew what his father meant by his dying words. Only the raga could be faithful.

http://falfazacalligraphy.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-maguindanao-tale-of-faithful-wife.html
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/73183562681822441/

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Mindanao_Culture/mindanao_folktales.htm

2. THE LEGEND STORY OF SARANGANI LAKE (LEGEND)

Once upon the time, there was an old couple called Grandpa Pasir and Grandma Pasir living
in the forest of Mount Lawu. One day, he was surprised with an existence of an egg under a
big forest tree, without consideration, Grandpa Pasir immediately took the mysterious egg
home, and gave it to his wife.

Later on, they agreed to braise the egg and share it for two. Grandpa got back to the field to
continue his job. But he felt his body is getting warmer and painful. By so much pain, he fell
down on the ground. He had been cursed! His body changed into a big giant snake. In other
side, grandma also transformed into a giant snake and they had makes a flutter and soil
around and the water spouting and filled around the holes of pasir’s flutter and become a
lake. 

The lake named Lake Pasir, nowadays they known as Lake Sarangani.

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/674836325402767006/

http://ghost-myths-legend-story.blogspot.com/2014/01/region-xii-legend-story-of-
sarangani.html
 3. MANOK MANOK LUPAD KAW (FOLK SONG)

Manok-manok Iupad kaw

Sulat ini da kaw
Pagdatung mu sumha kaw
Siki limo siyum kaw.

English Translation:

Little bird fly away

Bring this letter
When you arrive make an obeisance
And kiss [her] feet and hands.

http://filipinosongsatbp.blogspot.com/2007/09/manok-manok-lupad-kaw-lyrics-with.html

CARAGA REGION

Caraga Region, also known as, Region XIII, is located at the northeastern section of
Mindanao in the Philippines. Agusan Del Norte, Agusan Del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao Del
Norte, and Surigao Del Sur are the five provinces covered by this administrative region
which was created through Republic Act No. 7901 on February 23, 1995. Caraga Region is
also composed of six cities including Butuan City, Cabadbaran City, Bayugan City, Surigao
City, Bislig City, and Tandag City. It has 67 municipalities and 1,311 barangays. The regional
center is Butuan City. This region is defined by mountainous areas, flat, and rolling lands.
The Agusan River Basin is the most productive agricultural area of Caraga Region.
Surigaonon is the primary language that is inherent to this region, while Cebuano is widely
spoken by the households. Caraga Region has large tracts of land available for development
and they are rich in natural sources. This region is famous for its wood-based economy and
extensive water resources, as well as its rich mineral deposits such as iron, gold, silver,
nickel, chromites, manganese, and copper. Palay, banana, and coconut are their major
crops. Caraga Region’s tourist attractions comprise of surfing, island-hopping, mountain-
biking, trekking, scuba diving, spelunking, bird-watching, events and festivals, and facilities.

https://www.philatlas.com/mindanao/caraga.html

https://philippinescities.com/region-13-caraga-region/

https://www.vigattintourism.com/index.php?/tourism/articles/Caraga-Region-Region-XIII-
Profile
FOLKTALES, FABLES, LEGENDS, MYTHS, EPICS, AND FOLK SONGS IN CARAGA REGION

1. ENGKANTO (FOLKTALE)

There was a married couple living peacefully in a village when one night, the wife started
seeing many people celebrating a party in their backyard. She went to tell her husband
about what she saw but the husband just brushed her off. The next night, she saw the
crowd again and noticed a guy looking at her. She once again told her husband about what
she saw and her husband brushed her off again. The wife suddenly fell sick and her husband
brought her to the hospital but the doctors couldn’t see anything wrong with her. To the
suggestion of his mother in law, they went to ask a mananambal to see what’s wrong with
his wife. The mananambal told them that the tree on their backyard is the door leading to
the engkanto world. His wife had angered some engkanto who pinched her on the back for
her to get sick. The mananambal started a ritual of making a smoke out of dried leaves and
chanting latin words. The mananambal then made a note on a piece of paper, burned it,
then put it in a glass of water and told the wife to drink it. The mananambal also told the
couple to offer the enchanted tree with chicken and chicken blood. The couple did
everything they were told and moved to another place.

2. LALAPINDIGOWA-I OR WHY THE WASP HAS A SLIM WAISTLINE (FABLE)

Lalapindigowa-i, the Wasp, tells of two wives, Orak (egg) and Odang (shrimp), who had to
serve him, their husband. Every day, as Lalapindigowa-i went to work on the farm, both
wives were tasked to prepare his meal, which they would bring to him. They got tired of this
task, and so one day, both Orak and Odang argued as to who should bring his meal. Both
refused to do it. In the midst of their argument, Odang accidentally felt into the pot of
boiling water. Her skin turned red. Orak panicked and attempted to help Odang by reaching
for her, but she too fell into the boiling water. Both wives were thus cooked. Meanwhile,
Lalapindigowa-i waited impatiently for his meal. As he grew hungrier, he tightened his belt
to appease the hunger pangs. When none of his wives arrived, he decided to go home and
check. There he found out his wives were boiled to death. He wasupset when he realized
that their laziness had caused their demise. He then further tightened his belt, knowing that
he no longer had wives who could cook his meals for him.

3. THE TEN BORNEAN DATUS (LEGEND)

The Ten Bornean Datus Epic refers to the ten chieftains who allegedly ventured to the Island
of Panay boarding a boat called balangay (or barangay) to evade the tyrannical ruler
of Borneo, DatuMakatunaw. The datus, believed to be the fathers of precolonial Philippines,
were the following: Datu Puti (and wife, Piangpangan), Datu Sumakwel (and wife,
Kapinangan), Datu Bangkaya (and wife, Katurong), Datu Paiborong (and wife,
Pabilaan), Datu Paduhinogan (and wife, Tibongsapay), Datu Dumangsol, Datu Libay, Datu
Dumangsil, Datu Domalogdog, and Datu Balensuela.
According to the legend, upon the arrival of the datus, the local inhabitants of the islands,
the Aeta, grew terrified but the diplomatic DatuPuti said to Marikudo, the chief of the
natives, that they had peaceful intentions. Later both parties entered into a trade alliance.
Marikudo invited the datus to a feast, during which the ten chiefs negotiated the purchase
of Panay Island for a golden salakot. Since the Aetas found the land overwhelmingly vast for
them, they retreated to the forest, leaving the Datus with the land which they divided
among themselves (namely Aklan, IrongIrong and Hamtik), leading to the birth
of Philippine population and culture.

4. MANANANGGAL (MYTH)

Manananggal is a mythical creature that can fly after separating itself from the lower half of
its body. A manananggal is described as being an older beautiful woman capable of severing
its upper torso in order to fly into the night with huge bat-like wings to pray on unsuspecting
pregnant women in their homes; using an elongated proboscis-like tongue, it sucks the
hearts of the fetuses or blood of an unsuspecting sleeping victim. The severed lower torso is
left standing and it is said to be more vulnerable of the two halves. Sprinkling salt or
smearing crushed garlic or ash on top of the standing torso is fatal to the creature. The
upper torso then would not be able to rejoin and will die at daybreak. The name of the
creature originates from an expression used for a severed torso: manananggal comes from
the Tagalog, tanggal (cognate of Malay tanggal) which means to remove or to separate.
Manananggal then means the one who separates itself (in this case, separates itself from its
lower body.)

5. BUYAYANG (FOLK SONG)

Buyayangbuyayang is a folk song about peace from the city of Butuan in Caraga Region. The
name "butuan" is believed to have originated from the sour fruit "batuan". Batuan is
commonly used to many local dishes because it has an acidic and sour taste. This folk song is
about a water strider that hardly breaks the surface of the water as it makes its way across
it.

FULL LYRICS:

Buyayang buyayang buyayang sa tubig

akoy nanakayan walay katig katig

Walay bugsay bugsay bukton ray pangkaykay pagdunggo sa baybay nagakapaykapay

Sa yutang gisaad katin aw sa tubig dayo ug lumad kalinaw ang ibig apan isang araw punlo ay
umulan nawasak nahan na munting kabuhayan
Didto sa mindanao duna kami balay ang kanhi nga lagkaw ni nanay ug tatay sila gapanguhag
huway ug bagakay arun pabayluag mga isdang gagmay

Minsay isang tatay payapang nag bungkal katabang ni nanay sa lupang gi mahal naay
munting paslit na nais mag aral digmaan at sakit hinooy umiral

halina't magmasid mag magunawan kuyog at kuliglig panay ang tagisan may sa himpapawid
sa radyot lathalan

May sa himpapawid, may sa himpapawid

May sa himpapawid sa radiot lathalan ngunit di marinig ang tinig ng bayan

SHORT LYRICS:

Buyayangbuyayang

Buyayangsatubig

Akomanakayanwa bay katigkatig

Di namogaud

Tukonlangkanunay

Diinmikadahik

Sabuganni Nene

REFERENCES:

https://www.deviantart.com/captainluckypants/art/Filipino-Mythical-Creatures-II-
172701016

https://chillaxskillrex.blogspot.com/2016/12/legend-of-ten-bornean-
datus.html#:~:text=Legend%20of%20the%20Ten%20Bornean%20Datus.%20The
%20Ten,Paiborong%20%28and%20wife%2C%20Pabilaan%29%2C%20Datu%20Paduhinogan
%20%28and%20wife

https://hayzkul.blogspot.com/2011/08/lalapindigowa-i-bakit-maliit-ang.html
AUTONOMOUS REGION OF MUSLIM MINDANAO

People in Mindanao have witnessed different changes in the first Filipino barangays ruled by
datus. This includes the formation of Islamic communities and the formations of the Islamic
Sultanate which is ruled under a Supreme Council, and in the long run unified the large land
of Mindanao and its sub-urban islands. This happened since the introduction of Islam in
Mindanao which is led by Shariff Kabunsuan way back 15 th century. This unification led them
to resist na colonization of Spaniards, American and Japan. Sadly, because of corrupt
politicians and businessmen, Mindanaoans also revolt against the Philippines government
until the creation of Bangsamoro Organic Law. ARMM includes Basilan Province except
Isabela City, Lanao de Sur Province, Maguindanao Province, Sulu Province and Tawi-Tawi
Province with Cotabato City, Maguindanao being the regional center.

http://www.muslimmindanao.ph/armm.html

FOLKTALES, FABLES, LEGENDS, MYTHS, EPICS, AND FOLK SONGS IN ARMM

1. A LESSON FOR THE SULTAN (FOLKTAKE)

Long ago in Agamaniyog, the best-known, wealthy couples were Solotan sa Agamaniyog and
his wife, Ba'i sa Agamaniyog. They were so wealthy that they owned almost half of the land
in Agamaniyog. They had large herds of cows, carabaos, and horses. One morning, when
the couple went down to the lakeshore to pray, they happened to pass by the small hut of a
poor couple, Lokes a Mama and Lokes a Babay, who were quarreling and shouting at each
other.The quarreling couple blamed each other for their misfortune in life. Lokes a Babay
blamed Lokes a Mama for being lazy and not knowing how to raise a family and to make a
good living. On the other hand, Lokes a Mama put the blame on his wife who, he said, did
not know how to be thrifty.Overhearing the quarrel, the Sultan and Ba'i of Agamaniyog
stepped in and admonished Lokes a Mama and Lokes a Babay. When they got home, the
Sultan and Ba'i of Agamaniyog talked about the quarrel between the poor couple until they
themselves began to argue. Solotan sa Agamaniyog blamed Lokes a Mama for being
incapable of making life prosperous for his family. Ba'i sa Agamaniyog put the blame on
Lokes a Babay. She said, "If Lokes a Mama were well managed by a good wife, he could be a
good husband who could make a good living."The Sultan and Ba'i could not keep from
arguing, each one insisting at being right, until their argument resulted in a serious quarrel.
Each swore that he/she could reform the poor couple by managing one of them. In the heat
of their argument, the Sultan and the Ba'i of Agamaniyog agreed to part ways.The Sultan
brought Lokes a Babay to live with him and Ba'i sa Agamaniyog in turn went to live with
Lokes a Mama. Before she left the torogan (royal house), she said, "Someday Solotan sa
Agamaniyog will pick up the leftovers of Lokes a Mama." The sultan smiled and swore that,
as long as he had the strength and the means, such an event would not happen.The Sultan
offered his new companion everything she wanted. Lokes a Babay demanded to have livers
of a cow and carabao to eat every day at every meal, and these were given her.One day the
Sultan of Balantankairan come to visit. Solotan sa Agamaniyog was very embarrassed at the
dry welcome that Lokes a Babay showed his royal visitor. She served neither his visitor nor
him. It was at this time that he became convinced that Lokes a Babay was lazy and
capricious. He also realized that his wealth had gradually vanished.Meanwhile, Ba'i sa
Agamaniyog could not even climb up the small hut of Lokes a Mama because it had no
ladder. When she told him to make one, Lokes a Mama answered that he had no tools. She
said, "You're really silly. Why don't you have any?" She gave him her knife and told him to
use twigs if that were what it would take to make a ladder. Once inside the hut, Ba'i sa
Agamaniyog told Lokes a Mama not to come near her, because in reality she was not yet
divorced from her husband but had only a temporary arrangement with him. She asked him
for food, but Lokes a Mama could not offer any. She told him to gather ferns from the
forest for dinner.Ba'i sa Agamaniyog would often send Lokes a Mama to the forest to gather
plenty of firewood. Sitting by the window one day, she saw a huge tree that stood out from
the others. She asked Lokes a Mama about it and learned that it was kaya-o sandana
(sandalwood), a very useful tree. She told him to cut down the tree, chop it to pieces,
separate the branches from the trunk, and store all the pieces under their hut.The Sultan of
Balantankairan was looking for sandalwood. Lokes sa Mama told him about the sandana
stored in his hut. He said that in Agamaniyog no one would find such a tree except the one
he had. The Sultan, very much interested, said he was willing to pay any price provided
there was enough sandalwood to fill his boat. He said he was willing to leave behind all
that he had in the boat, including his seven maids and seven servants. Lokes a Mama
immediately led the Sultan to his stored sandalwood and the Sultan took all aboard his boat,
paid Lokes a Mama generously and left.Ba'i sa Agamaniyog and Lokes a Mama became rich.
A beautiful torogan was soon erected, and Ba'i sa Agamaniyog ordered two kanter (beds).
She bought a sultan's tobao (headdress) for Lokes a Mama and changed his name to
MaradiyaDinda. She was always surrounded by her seven maids, and Lokes a Mama, now
MaradiyaDinda, was always escorted by his seven male servants.One morning Solotan sa
Agamaniyog found a tobao and was told that it was MaradiyaDinda's. Taking it with him, he
went up the torogan of Maradiya and saw him lying in bed like a sultan, while on the side
was his former wife, whose demeanor teasingly reminded him of the good fortune they had
before they were separated. Upon seeing him she said, "My dear Solotan, do you
remember when I said that someday you will pick up leftovers from Lokes sa
Mama?"Blinded with tears, the Sultan hardly found his way out and went home. He then
became sickly and nearly died from all his heartaches.

2. MONKI, MAKIL, AND THE MONKEYS (FABLE)

There once lived in the sultanate of Agamaniyog a couple named Monki and Makil. Their
house was built near the forest. Monki and Makil were hard workers. They planted rice,
mango, lanzones, guava, sugarcane, and many kinds of fruits and vegetables. Whenever the
fruits and rice were ripe and the sugarcane had grown tall, a large number of monkeys
would come. They would eat all the rice, sugarcane, and fruits, and destroy the remaining
plants. One of the monkeys' leaders was Amomantaragaga. He was a very big monkey, and
Makil feared him. The monkeys became a problem of Monki and Makil as well as of the
people of Agamaniyog. One day Monki and Makil carried out a plan. Makil let his wife
place a piece of white cloth over his body, cry a kandidiagao (a cry of grief), and say, "Why
did Makil die? He was very good to all the people! He planted sweet fruits and plenty of
sugarcane."When the monkeys heard Monki's cry, they decided to help her. The leader of
the monkeys said, "We shall help Monki, because it is really true that Makil was a good man.
He always planted fruits for us." So, all the monkeys went to the house of Monki. The
leader of the monkeys asked her, "What can we do? Can we help you? Please tell us how we
can help you!"Monki replied, "Oh, my friends, Makil will not die if you help him sit up."So,
they helped Makil sit up. The leader asked, "Can you tell us what else we can do to help
you?""Oh, my friend monkeys, you are very good to me!" continued Monki. "Makil will not
die if you help him stand up." So they helped him stand up."What else can we do, Monki?"
asked the leader of the monkeys."Oh, my friend monkeys, if you give this kampilan (long
combat sword) to Makil, I promise you that we shall plant more sugarcane just for you," said
Monki. When Amomantaragaga saw the kampilan he became wary and went out of the
house. As soon as Makil received the kampilan, Monki closed the door and Makil killed all
the monkeys in the house. Only Amomantaragaga escaped.One day Makil and Monki had
another good idea. They made a litag (bamboo trap) in order to catch Amomantaragaga.
Early in the morning, they went out to see if the trap had caught the monkey. In fact it had
caught an animal, but it did not look like a monkey. They were annoyed when they came
near and found out that the animal was a heron. This heron was called Tatalaonga."Why
are you here, Tatalaonga?" asked Makil. "I'll kill you because you are the reason why I did
not catch Amomantaragaga.""Oh, datu, please don't kill me," pleaded the heron. "If you set
me free, I'll go and kill Amomantaragaga myself!"So Makil set the heron free. Tatalaonga
asked Makil to make a raft from pieces of sugarcane. When the raft was finished, Makil
brought it to the river, and Tatalaonga perched on it. Drifting along, Tatalaonga passed
Amomantaragaga by the banks of the river and invited the monkey to go rafting with him.
The two continued down the river on the raft.Tatalaonga took a piece of sugarcane to use as
a pole to move the raft, and then he took another one and gave it to Amomantaragaga, who
greedily ate the pole. The monkey ate one cane after another, until only one piece was left.
At that instance, Tatalaonga flew away and left Amomantaragaga to drown in the
river.Monki and Makil and the sultan of Agamaniyog and his people were happy to be rid of
the pestering monkeys.

3. THE LEGEND OF DINAGAT ISLANDS (LEGEND)

Once upon a time in a faraway land, there existed two different tribes that lived in fierce
rivalry. The chieftain of each tribe was known to be fearless and proud. The chieftain of the
first tribe had a handsome son named Prinsipe Gat, a pure and strong warrior while the rival
chief had a beautiful daughter named Prinsesa Dina, an admirable virtuous lady, so
unceasingly gorgeous to behold. In spite of their tribe’s feud, Dina and Gat fell in love with
each other. Because of their father’s rivalry, they chose to keep their affair in secret. But
rumors spread around the two tribes. Soon, both chieftains learned about their secret affair
and forbid them to see each other. And like other romantic stories, their enduring love
would conquer all obstacles. Dina and Gat chose to fight for their perpetual love and
decided to escape from their own tribes. They fled far across the miles and sailed the oceans
until they reached a secluded Island Paradise. Here, Dina and Gat lived as husband and wife
and together built the family of their own. The Island had been a good provider to the
couple. It gave them shelter. It gave them food. In returned, Dina and Gat nurtured and
fostered the Island as their own. They nourished and cultivated the Island they considered a
paradise and vowed to protect it for their children and their children’s children. One day, a
fleet of foreign ships carrying armies of hundred intruders were seen coming to the Islands.
Seeing the multitude of intruders, Dina and Gat were frightened they cannot fight such huge
armies of enemies. They were scared they cannot protect the Island they considered their
home paradise. But because of their love for their children and the Islands, they ran to the
seas and dove and swam the deep blue waters of the Island. They dove deeper and deeper
until both disappeared. Few days passed by, a separate bulge of two Islets sprouted in the
middle of the waters where the couple was last seen. The two islets appeared so mystical it
formed like giant humans laying down to rest. It became incredibly visible that it was
believed to be the remnants of Dina and Gat, the protectors of the Islands and its children.
The first islet was called Lalakeng Bukid and the other was called Babaeng Bukid. And from
then on, the whole Island was called DINAGAT, named after the Prinsesa Dina and Prinsipe
Gat. Today, people of Dinagat Islands believed that the couple are still guiding and
protecting them through presence of the Lalakeng Bukid and Babaeng Bukid. That is the
reason why the people of Dinagat Islands manage to survive and endure the tests of time.

4. UNU IN HI LANGAN (FOLK SON

Unu in hi langan
Sin hidlawkanjungjungan
Ayirbajanggang
Sukkal banding di kapasangan
Hi ulakatumbangan
Bang maisakulangan
Dayang in pagngnnan

English Translation:
What can I sing
[To ease my] yearning for my beloved
[Her] incomparable presence
cannot be matched
[My] dear idolized lover
When lying in the chamber
Utters the name of his beloved.

REFERENCES:

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Mindanao_Culture/mindanao_folktales.htm#Monki,
%20Makil,%20and%20the%20Monkeys

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Mindanao_Culture/mindanao_folktales.htm

https://thetravelteller.com/the-legend-of-dinagat-islands/

https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-folk-song.htm