The origin of the world (maranaw)

I was studying it when i was highschool.. Teachers told to me the meaning of it..

According to maranaw folklore, this world was created by a great being. It is not known, however, who exactly is this great being. Or how many days it took him to create this world.

The world is divided into seven layers. The earth has also seven layers. Each layers is inhabited by a different kind of being. The uppermost layer, for example, is the place we inhabit.

The second layer is inhabited by dwarfs. These dwarfs are short, plump, and long haired. They are locally known as karibanga. The karibanga are said to possess magical powers. They are usually invisible to human eye.

The third. Layer of the earth which is found under the sea or lake is inahbited by nymphs. These nymphs also possess certain magical powers. It is started inthe storu of rajah indarapatra that he met and fell in love with the princess nymph with whom he had a child.

The sky also consists of seven layers. Each layer has a door which is guarded day and night by huge mythical bird called garoda. The seventh layer of the sky is the seat of heaven which is also divided into seven layers. Every layer in the sky is inhabited by angels. Maranaws believe that angels do not need food. They all possess wings with which they fly.

Heaven which is found on the seventh layer of the sky is where good people's spirits go after death. Saints are assigned to the seventh layer while persons who- barely made it are confined to the lowermost layer which is found at the bottom of heaven.

It is in heaven where we find the tree of life. On each leaf of the tree-of-life is written the name of every person living on earth. As soon as a leaf ripens or dries and falls., the person whose name it carries also dies.

The soul of every person is found in tightlg covered jars kept in one section of heaven. This particular section of heaven is closely guarded to his thousand eyes, has also eight hairy heads. The epic darangan speaks of madale, bantungan's brother and mabaning., husband of lawanen, entering this section and retrieving the soul of bantungan..