INDARAPATRA AND SULAYMAN

MINDANAO’S TRADITIONAL LITERATURE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The whole narration of the traditional literature Indarapatra and Sulayman is native and
genuine and is typical of the Mindanao style and superstitions. It is one body of ancient
stories attributed to the Maranao cultural group.

This myth came from Datu Kali who in turn learned it from Maharajah Layla of
Maguindanao and from Alad, one of the oldest and most intelligent Moros living. The
story of the original narrator of the epic Indarapatra and Sulayman is based on a myth
recounted by Dr. Najeeb M. Saleeby, a Lebanese physician and scholar who pioneered
studies on Moro history and culture as well as the genealogy of Islam in the Philippines.
Later, it was translated poetically by Bartolome Del Valle. A Filipino author who holds a
BSE in both Filipino and history. He was concerned with literary pieces discussing the
social issues in the Philippines, and he was also focusing on the reality of life.

SUMMARY OF THE STORY

The Mantapuli Kingdom's King, Rajah Indarapatra, was a clever, brave, and good man.
He possesses a unique weapon: a spear that will return to him if he throws it at his foes.
Mantapuli was being plagued by four creatures at the time. Because Indaraptra couldn't
handle it on his own, he enlisted the support of a hero, Rajah Sulayman, his brother.
One of these terrible animals was called Kurīta. It has several limbs and spent part of its
time on land and half of its time in the sea. Tarabusaw was the name of the second.
This hideous thing had the appearance of a man but was much larger. It had a
voracious appetite and spread horror far and wide. Pah, a huge bird, was the third.
When this bird was on the wing, it was so huge that it obscured the sun and created
darkness beneath it. It ate the people and wreaked havoc on the countryside. The
people were awestruck, and those who managed to flee sought refuge in the mountain
caves. The fourth was similarly a terrifying bird with seven heads.

Rajah Indarapatra put a magical sapling in the window. By the time it withered and
Sulayman had not yet returned, it meant he was dead. Sulayman destroyed all the
monsters, but he was hit by the big wing of a monster that killed him. The sapling
withered. Indaraptra went to Sulayman's place. Through prayer to Bathala, Sulayman
was resurrected. Indarapatra continued the fight and was able to save the people from
the disturbing monster and restore peace to the whole land. He married a beautiful
woman he had saved.
Body Paragraph

The story Indaraptra and Sulayman is one of the renowned Epic of Mindanao literature
that artistically presented a picture of the rich and unique Maranao culture, beliefs, and
superstitions. Considering its age, it is still thriving and still enjoyed by the readers
through all the changes in the social environment. It is one of the best pieces of
traditional literature because of the appealing elements that constitute it and evoke
fondness for reading and interest in all readers of this generation.

The piece plot was presented chronologically, which made the whole plot interesting
and well-defined, and readers would easily identify the sequence of events, especially
the conflicts, the suspense, climax, and resolution, giving the reader a sense of thrill and
leading to predictability, which is a characteristic of a good literature because it enables
readers to visualize and anticipate uncertainties that would happen in the story. Clearly,
the overall flow of the story was believable since events were logically tied together.

Furthermore, the reader's expectations for a more intense climax are set by the initial
conflicts that pit the person against nature (Long ago, before the days of Kabungsuwan,
Magindanao was covered by water, and the sea extended all over the lowlands, and
nothing could be seen but mountains). The conflict in the epic provides crucial tension
that makes the plot more enjoyable and entertaining. The major conflict in the epic is
Person versus Nature, pitting characters against phenomena like forces of nature
(animal monsters) that raise the stakes of a conflict by creating an unequal playing field.

The action in the climax, on the other hand, is relatively brief. It may have been a little
longer for a more exhilarating experience. It may have been stressed even more in the
narration because it will leave an indelible impact on the readers. Portraying more of the
heroes' actions in fighting the pernicious creatures or the antagonist in the epic could
arouse the reader's interest and thus make it more captivating. However, the plot twist is
impactful, and the sudden death of the first hero, Rajah Sulayman, makes the climax
more interesting. More so, it could have been more effective if the second hero
permitted his brother, Rajah Sulayman, to accompany him to continue the battle after
bringing back his life and triumphing together at the end of the story.

The plot was considerably helped by the characters. The epic grew successfully
because of the narrator's continuous portrayal of the characters' emotions, actions, and
thoughts. The major characters were realistic, which added to the plot's action and
believability. The protagonist's physical traits and attributes were tacitly described by the
narrator. The revelation of their characteristics can be traced throughout the
development of the story. This may also be observed in the fact that the protagonists
had to deal with a slew of conflicts. Their characters enriched the theme of the story. On
the other hand, the antagonists of the story were clearly described and illustrated
separately by the narrator. Though they were fictitious, these characters were realistic
for the sake of literature. Flat characters contribute to the development of the manner in
which they handle their role.
The sentiments and message it left behind, which have the most immediate and
enduring interest for its intended readers, are what make this epic a great work of
literature. The story is rich in implicitly including fundamental themes that are relevant
and appropriate for the reader. The major theme that we can imply from the epic would
be "A true hero is someone who is willing to put their life on the line for the sake of
others." Other components, particularly the characters and plot, were also enhanced by
them. The theme gives the composition a sense of unity that weaves the story together.
As the tale progressed, secondary ideas were exposed explicitly for the audience to
consider. Eventually, it shapes its intended reader’s character and values. More themes
were about bravery, selfless service, compassion, and demonstrating the ability to
overcome greater odds, which left something for the intended readers to think about
and reflect on, and which they could use to relate to the same difficulties in real life that
are fictitiously depicted in the story.
 Coclusion

Overall, the epic of Indarapatra and Sulayman contains a well-defined plot, credible
characters’ emotions, actions, ideas, and words, an earthly and appropriate setting, and
a consistent point-of-view. Finally, the historical message of the epic helps the reader
comprehend many lessons and gain an appreciation for the rich culture and literature of
Mindanao due largely to the tone and style that substantially contributed to the readers'
understanding of the story.

I would say the epic Indarapatra and Sulayman has had an almost incalculable impact
on society, and despite its age, since it was traditional literature, I would highly
recommend it to our young readers. However, the guidance of a teacher or parents is
required because some scenes in the story involve hostility and impetuousness.
(Sulayman struck it with his sword and killed it., And as quick as he could draw his
sword, he struck the bird and cut off its wing. The bird fell dead, but its wing fell on
Sulayman and killed him). I would also recommend it to our youth and leaders. This
literature shows that a man is a social being. He cannot, therefore, ignore his
obligations to society. The four vicious monsters who are the antagonists of the story
are a mere representation of the sordid reality and the odds and challenges society is
facing today. It is relevant and timely, so reading this epic would urge everyone to think
and illuminate the minds of our leaders to act. In this way, I strongly and overtly believe
literature is powerful. It has the ability to make people understand and move. In a sense,
we can learn to associate certain scenes with the story and relate them to our world.
Since there are two types of worlds in literature, one is a gateway to understanding the
other. The other function of literature is to move and uplift its readers with the values
expressed in the story and correspond with their own. Indeed, literature and life are
inextricably intertwined and deeply anchored.

This particular piece of writing was so excellent that it truly opened my eyes. This
selection taught me that there would always be hurdles and issues in life. It assists me
in confronting reality and forming the person I want to become. I sometimes doubted
myself, my abilities to handle the massive demands that were thrown upon me.
However, the epic characters' strength and drive demonstrate that we can overcome
any load, difficulty, or setback that obstruct our way of completing the mission, which is
something worth emulation by avid readers like me.

In accordance with this, literature is powerful; it has the ability to teach and the power to
move. As a result, I was moved by the actions of the round characters. Because of that,
I discovered a reflection of my own strength. Though the whole story was full of fantasy,
it painted a picture of sordid reality, which I regard as a great work of literature. A
gateway to the appreciation of human life and its problems. It is relatable in the sense
that people can learn values and principles to respond to the call of life.

The epic Indarapatra and Sulayman is one of the treasures of Philippine literature. By
studying and reading it, it allows us to appreciate the rich culture and history of the
Maranao tribes and Mindanao as a whole. It is a window to cultural understanding and
appreciation. Considering its age, it may still be read and appreciated by children and
adolescent readers because it is suitable to their level of understanding and
comprehension. It is without a doubt a fantastic piece of literature.

REFERENCES

https://morohistorylawandreligion.wordpress.com/studies-in-moro-history-law-and-
religion-full-text/
https://morohistorylawandreligion.wordpress.com/chapter-01/history-of-magindanao/
magindanao-history-and-genealogies/the-mythology-of-mindanao/
https://www.scribd.com/presentation/417200344/Phil-Lit-ppt
https://youtube.com/watch?v=GjkmC1zmuC0&feature=share
https://www.aswangproject.com/multi-headed-beings-of-philippine-myths-and-epics/
Theme and Lesson Analysis
The novel invokes a deeper thought on mental illnesses, a particular problem in the
society
The novel centers on the theme of mental health
Keeping silent won’t help anyone
Cut is a compelling and compassionate look at a young woman’s struggle to overcome
the impulses that led her to inflict harm on herself.
For parents, it is important to check our children. Ask them if they have problem and talk
to them
Despite that the scenes in the story involves hostility

The sentiments and message it left behind, which have the most immediate and
enduring interest for its intended readers, are what make this epic a great work of

The content of the story involves hostility and impetuosity which cause young
adolescents feel compel of the behavior and action of the host character, believing that
it was acceptable which in turn try it on their own. However, it seems that the author
researched well of the issue she portrayed in her story and written it in a way that she
provided problem-solving approach and themes which outweigh the aspects from the
story which is questionable and problematic. The story is rich in implicitly including
fundamental themes that are relevant especially among young adolescents and lessons
that including parents or guardians can reflect on. Adolescence is a sensitive period.
Situations that beyond their control and not getting paid attention are what triggered
young adults to do negative habits. Such is what Callie, the host character in the story
did. She takes on responsibility on her family’s adversary and often left with nobody to
care of her, and in order to release herself from the emotional tension she inflicted harm
on herself by cutting. She wants to be better but she doesn’t know how. During the last
part of the story, after she ran away from the treatment facility talking to her father and
spending time with him things seem a bit clearer, as to how and why she wants to get
better. This scene gives an idea that parents should do more of a comprehensive look
and check towards their children especially during their transitioning phase. Ask them
what they worry about and answer their questions so that they may not feel isolated and
help them express their emotion rather than imprisoning it and do negative actions just
to release it because they have no one to trust and talk to. Additionally, the story
addressed to teens encouraging them to seek help and talk about their hidden thoughts
to their friends or peers or any family members just to release what is screaming within
their minds.
 and appropriate for the reader. The major theme that we can imply from the epic would
be

"A true hero is someone who is willing to put their life on the line for the sake of others."
Other components, particularly the characters and plot, were also enhanced by them.
The theme gives the composition a sense of unity that weaves the story together. As
the tale progressed, secondary ideas were exposed explicitly for the audience to
consider. Eventually, it shapes its intended reader’s character and values. More themes
were about bravery, selfless service, compassion, and demonstrating the ability to
overcome greater odds, which left something for the intended readers to think about
and reflect on, and which they could use to relate to the same difficulties in real life that
are fictitiously depicted in the story.