Related Myths of Eastern Samar: Mak-andog Analysis

By: Christine Claire C Suarez

Myths found in Eastern Samar are limited when you look it up online but there were a few known

folklore like the Lady of Hamorawon, Maka-andog and Juan Pusong. It was once believed, that during the

beginning of the world the first inhabitants of the island of Samar and Luzon are giants. Alongside them

were mythical creatures, spirits (ingkanto), and elements that manifested during the absence of God in

heaven. Upon his return, preternatural beings were occupying the sacred homage; then God decided that

those who can stay must be baptized, and the ones who refuse were banished (fallen into the land). That is

why during modern-day offerings of those fallen from grace, the food is saltless, for it symbolizes the

preservation of faith which according to, Donn V. Hart and Harriett C. Hart, the salt would melt their magic

away. This practice was during the pre-colonial period where Animism was widely practiced in the

country.

Maka-andog was the protector and reigning king in Eastern Samar, who oversaw the balance between

nature and mankind-for it was the will of gods. He is from Quezon then migrated from place to place in the

Samar finally, settling down in Borongan City. Due to the frequent alterations in history from colonization,

settlers, and other external forces, information and records either did not exist or were not widely published.

Stories of Mak-andog varied from area to area depending on how the informants(people who told stories)

and their mentor. An example is an excerpt by Elmer Garado entitled; “Makandog” from Guiuananon’s

historical knowledge. In Garado’s poem, Maka-andog portrays a giant whose strength was immeasurable

that he used to protect the island of Samar. Maka-andog’s name means “ a person who when walking

creates loud noise like thunder and shakes the earth like an earthquake.”. That is why when the Moros

(Muslim Filipinos) tried to invade Samar, they could not win against his unfathomable power and size. He

who had an upright-attitude with a sense of justice can be menacing if the situation calls for it. Stated in the

excerpt: those who have heard of his good deeds and feats must learn to engrave in our minds.

The reason for some of our geological features and landmarks were said to be created by mak-andog

wherein one day his crops needed water; with his finger, he drew a line from the sea creating the rivers, and

the dirt that had fallen made the mountains; and Maka-andog bridge--Shortcut from Nagaja to Canhugas,

that is made formed by a rock formation but was not finished for the giant died. Also, used three rocks

where he placed his cooking pot one of them is located at Hapitan near Dolores.
 According to one of the stories of Juan Pusong, he and Maka-andog fought in which Juan Pusong

immediately lost with a lift of Maka-andog’s finger, which he became a slave/servant for Maka-andog. So,

Juan Pusong took care of his master's crops in the mountain, and his food was delivered to him every day

but, one afternoon Juan's master forgot and slept the whole day that enraged him deciding to kill his master.

On his journey to Maka-andog's house, he earned allies that would aid him for his vengeance. After an

elaborate plan later, he and his allies succeeded. Speculation says that the bones of Maka-andog are kept

in a cave at Puro and the other states that he is buried at Sito San Jose.

From the assorted versions of the folklore of Maka-andog, the Samar was described to be rich in

coconut palms, marine-life, and etc. The villagers of the specified timeline had occupations of farming and

fishing. Tuba was the traditional liquor that they used and scatter to the coconut lands as a form of belief

that the land would prosper. Not to mention stories of the origins of some geological features within Samar.

Also, fixed within historical events such as the arrival of the said settlers in the Lady of Hamorawon’s story

wherein Christianity also played a role for Maka-andog and his fight with his brother, Igsabod that refused

to be baptized by Maka-andog’s priest friend. The myth includes the existence of “aswangs” wherein

another brother of his, Banogbarigos became the first “aswang” to avoid being baptized.

Our literature reflects the history of our ancestry, their beliefs, tradition, origins and so on.

Unfortunately, this art form was only passed down by word of mouth and has altered throughout time.

Half-truths are always rooted from an original source;, therefore, fractions of information live on to be

heard by the new generation.

Sources:

 https://www.jstor.org/stable/537492?read-now=1&refreqid=excelsior%3Ab388919aeb66be5b22129f09af453862
&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
 https://www.jstor.org/stable/538041?read-now=1&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Philippine_mythological_figures#cite_note-Demetrio,_F._R._1991-8

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_pre-colonial_Philippines#:~:text=Animism%20was%20widely%20pra

cticed%20in,to%20practice%20the%20old%20traditions.&text=These%20nature%20spirits%20later%20became,

of%20Hinduism%20in%20the%20region.