Sleeping Beauty

When I was younger, I love to read about fairy tales. Young ladies in distress being rescued by their knights in shining armour was the usual scene which had created some scenes in my head. Even when I still can't read during daycare, these fairytales were told by the teacher which we imitated during playtime. Growing older we learned about folkores, and legends of how and why things came to exist. And this story here is another one of them. A legend from one of Cordillera's province, Kalinga.

Kalinga is a landlocked province of the Philippines situated in the mountains of Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon.

According to history, the Kalinga people called themselves "tagukami" which means we are men, or "iluta kami" meaning we are the people of the Earth. So how did the name Kalinga came to be?

Kalinga pronounce as Kalìng-ga simply mean enemy, fighter, headhunter. This tribe were fierce warriors who raided the Kagayan and Isabella Province for head. Thus, they were called Kalinga pronounced as Kâlinga. Later Spaniards also called them Kalinga (where the pronunciation of Kaling-ga came to be)to have an ethnic name and thus with the Americans who took over.

The inhabitants of the mountain ranges of Luzon have numerous legends and Kalinga is not an exception. It is a tribe of colorful culture and traditions.

The forefathers of Kalinga have legends, epics or myths which the bravery and prowess of the heroes are sang on a chant called "ullalim."

The legend of the sleeping beauty which it was called modernly was due to the clear silhouette on the northern ridge of the mountain of a woman lying. It is a story depicting two lovers who would do anything for love.

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The story goes like this.

Tribes were not in good terms with each other due to some reasons. Tribal wars were prevalent during the olden days.

A man who had an extraordinary bravery and strength called Banna lived in Tinglayan. He had a charm that people would look up at him for leadership. He was also a good singer of the "ullalim".

He went on search for a wife one day, when he realized that he needed a lifetime partner whom he could share his life with. Unfortunately, there was no available woman in his village that he decided to climb Mount Patukan, a mountain east of Tinglayan and go to Tanudan.

The sun was still up and so he rested on a tree, a good distance away from the village he was about to enter. Because he was a stranger that his presence could cause him trouble when seen.

Night came, he went down and drew nearer the village. He heard a soft, melodious female voice singing the ullalim. He got closer as the voice is irresistible and while he drew closer to the hut the ululation is coming from, the voice became more sweeter and sweeter. He peeped in between the bamboo walls and saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had a dashing beauty that mesmerized him.

His sense of survival was overpowered by his desire to meet the woman. Revealing himself boldly would surely get him in trouble.

"Anna tago,"( Someone's here) He said as he knocked at the door.

The singing stopped. "Umma sanat,"(Who's it?) came the reply from the woman. It was not only the singing voice that had captivated him but the spoken words too.

"This is Banna from Tinglayan," he replied..

The villagers were very protective of their properties and women. That the men inside the house hurried to the closed door and asked his intentions. Banna knew his boldness could get him killed yet he replied that he came in peace with a good intention to meet the woman who sings the ullalim.

Because he was a stranger, the family urged him to just head home. But Banna, persistent as he is did not move from where he stood.

Dongdongan, the woman's father slowly opened the door and saw a young, dashing, musculine and handsome man by the door. With his stance, he could tell that this man is not one who could just be shoved off. Nevertheless, he repeated his plea for him to leave. Just like a while ago, this young man did not move. With hesitance, he let him in unwillingly.

Banna,then again introduced himself once inside the house.

Dongdongan offered him a bowl of water. This is an old tradition that when a stranger is accepted inside the house, he should be offered water to drink. This means that the host will protect him. But when no water is offered then it means the contrary- hostility that means a deadly fight if the stranger did not leave at once.

The ritual proceeded which included an offering of "buyo or buwa" as what we call it betel nut, "apog"- a powder from certain clam's shell that is powderized, and "gawed"- betel leaf. These, altogether is chewed and spit out which produces a red tinge- moma.

On their conversation which is in a form of ullalim, thus Banna revealed his quest in search for a wife. Without hesitation, Dongdongan introduced his daughter, Edonsan, who like Banna was inloved the moment she set her eyes upon this "taraki" or manly stranger.

Then and there this young man proposed to the beautiful lady who did not have any second thought and accepted the proposal. Their wedding had been set by the elders the following day. A cañao (festivity of dancing and singing) was held. All the villagers were invited to celebrate and witness the union and exchange of vows of the couple that no one had gone to the fields or to their kaingin.

Up until these days, the "cañao" or "palanos" as called by other tribes is being practiced. There's no officiating official but the elders. It is considered more sacred than the weddings of today.

Traditionally, the groom had to stay for a week at the brides residence to prove his purity of intention. Those days were filled with nothing but happiness felt by the newly wed. They spent it on the mountain of Patukan picking guavas and wild berries and catching fish by the river for their dinner. As part of the tradition, the wife, Edonsan took Banna each night of that 7 days to each relative's house. Doing so indicates that the approval and blessings of the relatives contributes to the couples happiness.

At the end of the seventh day, the couple had prepared to leave for Banna's tribe where they will build their new home. The wife's family and the villagers prepared native cakes and tobacco as gifts for Banna's village.

Hence, at daybreak the villagers came to bid farewell to the couple who left happily. It took them 8 long hours to get to the top of Mount Patokan, a mountain that divided the two villages which the couples each came from.

As they reached the summit, they heard unusual sounds coming below from Banna's village a few miles down.

Instinct struck Banna that something is wrong and maybe even something worst. So he instructed that Edonsan to stay and wait for him and never come down as he is to descend to investigate the cause of the commotion.

Then and there, Banna ran down with haste to his village that when he was seen by his villagers they cheered in unison. Hope registered on their faces. At last, their leader was there to lead them drive the intruders away.

The encounter was a bloody one as spears were thrown in the air and bolos clashed with each other as the two tribes fought against each other. Dead bodies of the two warring tribes were all over the place.

Unfortunately, Banna's men were only a few compared to the huge number of the intruders. He thought that he could not make it back to Edonsan. Therefore, he instructed one of his men to go see his beloved at the mountain top and warn her not to come down as it is dangerous to do so. He fought until his last breath with his spear on his hand.

Edonsan on the mountain top waited for how long she didn't know. She became weak from heartache and weariness.

The man whom Banna had sent to see his Edonsan had let her know about the misfortune of Banna in the hands of the enemies. The thought of living without Banna is unbearable. She slowly crumpled to the ground as all hope for her beloved to come for her was gone. She vowed to bring back her love to life again that she wept uncontrollably with grief, her tears were unstoppable. It was until night time that she grew even weaker. Her breath came in gasps until she closed her eyes and took her last breath.

The mountain top begun to grow and resemble a woman's face lying down. Two waterfalls sprang from where her body was laid to rest. It was believed that it was her tears.

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The best image of a body of a woman lying down can be clearly seen west in the Chico river near Tinglayan and east near Tanudan. The perfectly shaped nose was a proof of a woman sleeping.

While reading the story, the names of the characters differ from one to the other. I have learned that it depends from a tribe where one belongs to or whom you asked or heard the story. There are also different versions from different tribes.

It is one of the tourist spot of the province. It was called Mount Patukan in the Lubo dialect of Tanudan while it was Mount Mating-oy Dinayao in Tinglayan.

It was called "The Sleeping Beauty" of Kalinga these days.

All photos used were borrowed from facebook users

07-15-21

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