The Great Flood
Tinggian
The Tinggians, a group of pagan people inhabiting the interior hills of Abra, have their own story of the Great Deluge.
The tragic began with the abduction of Humitau, a sea-maiden guard of Tau-mari-u, lord of the sea; by Aponi-tolau.
One day, Aponi-tolau, god-hero of the Tinggians went down to the lowlands. He wandered aimlessly through the plains until he reached the seashore. The calm blue sea, massive and yet helpless beneath the morning sun which flooded it with golden light, fascinated the young man. And unable to resist the beauty of the dancing wavelets, he made a rattan raft and rowed seaward.
On and on he rowed until he came to the edge of the world. There, in a place where the sea and the sky meet, Aponi-tolau saw a towering rock, home of Tau-mari-u, lord of the sea. It was guarded by nine beautiful daughters of the seaweeds. The radiance of the ocean light reflecting silver and gold upon the greenish hair of the nine guards as they played around the palace gates, chasing one another in gay laughter, attracted the mountain lord.
Gathering his courage, the Tinggian warrior went nearer the palace gates. However, when he inquired what place it was, the maiden guards laughed at him and lured him further inside the palace walls. This made Aponi-tolau very angry. Taking his magic hook, he lashed at the unsuspecting maidens.
The hook hit the youngest and the most beautiful among them, Humitau. The young diwata gave a loud and piercing scream and struggled desperately to free herself from Aponi-tolau’s grip but the magic oil which the mountain lord had placed at the tip of his hooked weakened her blood and soon she was helpless.
A wild uproar followed as the guards screamed and fled the gates. Aponi-tolau hurriedly picked up the unconscious body of the sea-maiden, loaded it on his rattan raft and rowed shoreward. Shortly after the Tinggian hero had left the bauwi (native hunt) gates, Tau-Mari-u went out of his abode to see what the commotion was all about. But he was too late.
In his rage, Tau-mari-u summoned the waves and the tunas of the sea and ordered them to bring back the intruder. The waves lashed at the raft of the mountain warrior and the tunas pushed it back.
Alarmed, Aponi-tolau cried out to his mother, Lang-an of Kadalayapan, mistress of the wind and rain, for help. The great godess heard her son’s plea and immediately sent down strong winds to pull Aponi-tolau ashore. Despite the fury of the waves and efforts of the tunas, the Tinggian warrior was able to reach the shore unharmed.
But Tau-mari-u was furious. He immediately called a meeting of the gods and demigods of the seas and the oceans, who agreed to punish the dwellers of the land for what Aponi-tolau had done.
From the sky, Lang-an knew the plan. She immediately called for the north wind and sent him to warn her son of the impending flood, she instructed the mountain lord to go to the highest peak of the Cordillera mountains for safety. Obediently, Aponi-tolau took the members of his household to the mountain top and waited. The flood came. From this bauwi Aponi-tolau saw mighty waves sweeping across the plains, filling the valleys and destroying the crops and working animals of the inhabitants. Higher and higher went the water until it covered the mountain top but for the few square meters where Aponi-tolau and his household took shelter.
Frightened, Humitau gave a desperate cry. She knew that she no longer swim or live in the water after having tasted the mountain food which her husband had given her. The charm removed her sea powers. She implored Tau-mari-u to save her.
Despite his anger, the water lord took pity upon his favorite Humitau. So he called back the water and the waves. But he promised that henceforth he would sink men’s boats and drown passengers until Aponi-tolau’s crime would be appeased. When the water subsided, Aponi-tolau and his wife went down to the low lands and from them came the people of the world.
The Tinggians, a group of pagan people inhabiting the interior hills of Abra, have their own story of the Great Deluge.
The tragic began with the abduction of Humitau, a sea-maiden guard of Tau-mari-u, lord of the sea; by Aponi-tolau.
One day, Aponi-tolau, god-hero of the Tinggians went down to the lowlands. He wandered aimlessly through the plains until he reached the seashore. The calm blue sea, massive and yet helpless beneath the morning sun which flooded it with golden light, fascinated the young man. And unable to resist the beauty of the dancing wavelets, he made a rattan raft and rowed seaward.
On and on he rowed until he came to the edge of the world. There, in a place where the sea and the sky meet, Aponi-tolau saw a towering rock, home of Tau-mari-u, lord of the sea. It was guarded by nine beautiful daughters of the seaweeds. The radiance of the ocean light reflecting silver and gold upon the greenish hair of the nine guards as they played around the palace gates, chasing one another in gay laughter, attracted the mountain lord.
Gathering his courage, the Tinggian warrior went nearer the palace gates. However, when he inquired what place it was, the maiden guards laughed at him and lured him further inside the palace walls. This made Aponi-tolau very angry. Taking his magic hook, he lashed at the unsuspecting maidens.
The hook hit the youngest and the most beautiful among them, Humitau. The young diwata gave a loud and piercing scream and struggled desperately to free herself from Aponi-tolau’s grip but the magic oil which the mountain lord had placed at the tip of his hooked weakened her blood and soon she was helpless.
A wild uproar followed as the guards screamed and fled the gates. Aponi-tolau hurriedly picked up the unconscious body of the sea-maiden, loaded it on his rattan raft and rowed shoreward. Shortly after the Tinggian hero had left the bauwi (native hunt) gates, Tau-Mari-u went out of his abode to see what the commotion was all about. But he was too late.
In his rage, Tau-mari-u summoned the waves and the tunas of the sea and ordered them to bring back the intruder. The waves lashed at the raft of the mountain warrior and the tunas pushed it back.
Alarmed, Aponi-tolau cried out to his mother, Lang-an of Kadalayapan, mistress of the wind and rain, for help. The great godess heard her son’s plea and immediately sent down strong winds to pull Aponi-tolau ashore. Despite the fury of the waves and efforts of the tunas, the Tinggian warrior was able to reach the shore unharmed.
But Tau-mari-u was furious. He immediately called a meeting of the gods and demigods of the seas and the oceans, who agreed to punish the dwellers of the land for what Aponi-tolau had done.
From the sky, Lang-an knew the plan. She immediately called for the north wind and sent him to warn her son of the impending flood, she instructed the mountain lord to go to the highest peak of the Cordillera mountains for safety. Obediently, Aponi-tolau took the members of his household to the mountain top and waited. The flood came. From this bauwi Aponi-tolau saw mighty waves sweeping across the plains, filling the valleys and destroying the crops and working animals of the inhabitants. Higher and higher went the water until it covered the mountain top but for the few square meters where Aponi-tolau and his household took shelter.
Frightened, Humitau gave a desperate cry. She knew that she no longer swim or live in the water after having tasted the mountain food which her husband had given her. The charm removed her sea powers. She implored Tau-mari-u to save her.
Despite his anger, the water lord took pity upon his favorite Humitau. So he called back the water and the waves. But he promised that henceforth he would sink men’s boats and drown passengers until Aponi-tolau’s crime would be appeased. When the water subsided, Aponi-tolau and his wife went down to the low lands and from them came the people of the world.
"The story of the great flood, like the origin myth, is a basic motif in oral tradition. The Tinguian have their own version of the flood, which in this case also functions as a myth of the origin of human beings. It is said that one day, the god-hero and Tinguian warrior Apo-ni-Tolau went down to the lowlands until he reached the sea. Fascinated by the vast waters, he built himself a raft made of rattan, and rowed out until he reached the edge of the world where the sea and sky met. There he saw a towering rock, which was the place of the sea-god, Tau-mari-u. The place was guarded by nine beautiful women who were the daugters of the seaweeds. Angered by the playfulness of the maidens who lured him into the sea-god's place, the Tinguian warrior threw his magic hook and caught the youngest and loveliest maiden, whose name was Humitau. The woman screamed and struggled until she was weakened by the hook's magic oil. Apo-ni-Tolau carried her to his raft, then escaped. Hearing the abduction, Tau-mari-u was enraged, and called right away for the waves and the tunas to rescue Humitau from the brash Tinguian. Apo-ni-Tolau cried out for help to his mother, Lang-an of Kadalayapan, the lady of the wind and rain. The goddess sent down strong winds to hurl back the waves and the tunas of Tau-mari-u, and pull her son's raft ashore. Angrier now, Tau-mari-u called a meeting of the gods and spirit of the seas and the oceans, and they all agreed to punish the land dwellers for what the Tinguian god had done. Learning of the plan, Lang-an instructed her son to go up the highest mountain in the Cordillera with his household, to escape the great flood that was soon to come. And when it came, the flood filled up the valleys and plains, destroying crops and killing work animals. Then the floodwater surged up the mountain where Apo-ni-Tolau, his wife Humitau, who had lost her powers as a sea diwata (spirit) because she tasted her husband's mountain food, cried out to Tau-mari-u. Despite his anger, the lord of the sea took pity upon his favorite Humitau, and called back the floodwaters. But he vowed that thenceforth, he would sink boats and drown people in retribution for what Apo-ni-Tolau had done. After the deluge, Apo-ni-Tolau and Humitau came down the mountain, and had children who were to become the first people of the world
ReplyDeleteAponi-tolau, hero of the Ttinggian, descended to the lowlands from his home in the mountains of Abra one day. On reaching the seashore, he was so beguiled by the calm blue seas that he built a rattan raft and sailed on.
ReplyDeleteAponi-tolau reached the end of the world in the course of his journey, and there found the home of Tau-mari-u, Lord of the Seas. The towering rock was guarded by nine beautiful daughters of the seaweeds.
Aponi-tolau gathered his courage and inquired from the maidens what place it was. They, however, made sport of him, which angered the young man. He lashed at the maidens with his magic hook and caught the youngest and most beautiful of the guards, Humitau, and took off with her.
When he learned of the abduction, the furious Tau-mari-u sent the sea waves and the tunas to return the interloper and Humitau. As they raced to the shore, Aponi-tolau begged his mother, Lang-an of Kadalayapan who was goddess of the rain and winds, to help them.
The goddess thus commanded the wind to bring her son and his captive to safety. Tau-mari-u was enraged when he found out that Aponi-tolau has escaped his wrath. So he let loose the sea on the plains.
On the advise of his mother, Aponi-taloa and his household retreated to the mountain top. The maiden had grown to love Aponi-tolau and had, in fact, taken his hand in marriage. She had also eaten the mountain food of her husband which stripped her of her sea powers.
Tau-mari-u taking pity on his beloved Humitau, finally relented. When the waters subsided, Aponi-tolau and Humitau went back to lowlands and settled in peace, and from them came the people of the world .
Mythology speaks of such world calamities as a great fire and a deluge that happened a long time ago, and myths describing such calamities are worldwide in occurrence. In the Philippines, there seems to be no myth about great fires, but flood myths are quite common. In majority of the myths, the flood occurs as a punishment for the people's failure to fulfill their sacrificial obligations to the gods or to observe God's laws. Other reasons or causes of the flood are given in the myths. A Nabaloi version blames the flood on the negligence of the woman guarding the river. She fell asleep and wood and thrash clogged the river and caused it to swell and overflow.
ReplyDeleteThe message is that we should control our anger and be calm in all of the time in order for us not to make or commit any mistake.We should learn how to forgive and forget.All of us has a great responsibility and we should carry our self well.We should be kind.
ReplyDelete...this myth want us to realize that we should be a generous to others. we should not give way hatred in our heart. and we should know how to control our emotions so that we can not hurt other people!"
ReplyDeleteThanks for this. I badly need this. (:
ReplyDeletesure
Deletewho's the protagonist and antagonist?
ReplyDeleteAponi-tolau, hero of the Ttinggian, descended to the lowlands from his home in the mountains of Abra one day. On reaching the seashore, he was so beguiled by the calm blue seas that he built a rattan raft and sailed on. Aponi-tolau reached the end of the world in the course of his journey, and there found the home of Tau-mari-u, Lord of the Seas. The towering rock was guarded by nine beautiful daughters of the seaweeds. Aponi-tolau gathered his courage and inquired from the maidens what place it was. They, however, made sport of him, which angered the young man. He lashed at the maidens with his magic hook and caught the youngest and most beautiful of the guards, Humitau, and took off with her. When he learned of the abduction, the furious Tau-mari-u sent the sea waves and the tunas to return the interloper and Humitau. As they raced to the shore, Aponi-tolau begged his mother, Lang-an of Kadalayapan who was goddess of the rain and winds, to help them. The goddess thus commanded the wind to bring her son and his captive to safety. Tau-mari-u was enraged when he found out that Aponi-tolau has escaped his wrath. So he let loose the sea on the plains. On the advise of his mother, Aponi-taloa and his household retreated to the mountain top. The maiden had grown to love Aponi-tolau and had, in fact, taken his hand in marriage. She had also eaten the mountain food of her husband which stripped her of her sea powers. Tau-mari-u taking pity on his beloved Humitau, finally relented. When the waters subsided, Aponi-tolau and Humitau went back to lowlands and settled in peace, and from them came the people of the world
ReplyDeleteThe message is that we should control our anger and be calm in all of the time in order for us not to make or commit any mistake.We should learn how to forgive and forget.All of us has a great responsibility and we should carry our self well.We should be kind.
Thank you everyone it helps me alot. Now I understand well :)
ReplyDeleteWhat is the mood of this story
ReplyDeleteWhat is the point of view of this story
ReplyDelete