Tuglay and Tuglibung
Tuglay and Tuglibung is a myth from the Bagobo. The Bagobo are one
of the largest Indigenous groups in southern Mindanao. They mainly live
across a wide area from the western shores of Davao Gulf up to the highlands
surrounding Mount Apo, which is a sacred mountain for many tribal
communities in the region (Bagobo | Parangal, n.d.). The Bagobo are part of
the larger Manobo ethnolinguistic family and have long preserved a rich
tradition of oral literature, including myths, legends, folktales, and epic
narratives. Their oral traditions serve as an important means of passing down
cultural beliefs, customs, and historical memories from one generation to
another. The story of Tuglay and Tuglibung reflects the Bagobo people's
understanding of human origins and their close relationship with nature, their
ancestors, and the sacred landscape of Mount Apo. As an origin myth, it also
helps explain the beginnings of various tribes in Mindanao and highlights the
Bagobo worldview regarding kinship, migration, and survival.
The Story of Tuglay and Tuglibung is a Bagobo origin myth from
Mindanao that explains the beginning of human life among the Bagobo people.
Toglai and Toglibon, the first man and woman, are regarded as the ancestors
of many tribes. When a great drought struck the land, their children journeyed
to different places in search of survival, eventually becoming the ancestors of
various ethnic groups. Two children remained near Mt. Apo and survived
through a sugarcane stalk that provided water until the rains returned, and
their descendants became known as the Bagobo people.
The myth teaches the value of hard work and agriculture, living in
harmony with nature, taking responsibility for one’s actions, and embracing
one’s cultural identity and ancestral heritage.The myth also reflects the
Bgaobo belief that humans have a close relationship with nature and the
spiritual world. It also highlights the sacred importance of Mount Apo and
ancestral lands in Bagobo culture. Furthermore, the migration of Tuglay and
Tuglibung's children serves as a traditional explanation for the origins of
different tribes in Mindanao and reflects the Bagobo understanding of shared
ancestry and migration (Benedict, 1913; Gloria, 1987, MCD, 1994). Although
the myth is not a factual historical record, it preserves the community’s
collective memory of settlement, survival durind environmental challenges
such as drought, and the shared ancestry of various ethnic groups in the
region.
Oral tradition has been one of the important sources in the
construction of the history of but its importance has always been undermined
by the dominated sources such as written sources. Oral tradition is
the collection of information through the word of mouth from generation to
generation. It has been the main vehicle for transmitting information in
preliterate societies. Oral traditions are an important component of all
cultures especially in small and isolated non-literate groups, where the
framework of culture rests almost wholly on the oral tradition. Knowledge,
both sacred and secular, is transmitted from generation to generation by word
of mouth. Spoken word and memory play a crucial role in the
transmission of the cultural heritage (Dube, 1990). Of course, oral
tradition is a reliable source of historical writing. These are actually
historical accounts that are transmitted from one generation to the next
through word of mouth. They can be in the form of praise poems and songs
telling of the heroic deeds of an ancestor, a clan or a whole community of
people. Oral traditions, transmitted in the form of tales, myths and
legends, fairy tales, songs, especially epic songs and poems, proverbs,
riddles and other genres, form an important treasury of many a people's
cultural heritage even today. Among ethnic groups without a written
tradition, almost all knowledge was conveyed orally from one generation to
the next.
References
Benedict, L. E. W. (1913). Bagobo myths. Journal of American
Folklore, 26(101), 13–63.
Dube, S.C., (1990).Tradition and Development, Delhi, Vikas Publishing
House Ltd, 99-106.
Lumabat and Mebuyan
It comes from the Bagobo people of Mindanao.
Lumabat and his sister Mebuyan quarreled and went separate ways.
Lumabat traveled upward toward the sky, seeking a place for the living.
Mebuyan descended into the underworld and became the guardian of souls
who die, especially young children. Their journeys explain the Bagobo
understanding of death and the destination of spirits after life.
The story shows the Bagobo belief that life continues after death. It
emphasizes respect for spiritual beings, acceptance of death as a natural part
of existence, and the connection between the human and spirit worlds.
https://www.scribd.com/document/357888120/Phil-Lit#google_vignette
The Story of Lumabat and Wari
The story comes from the Bagobo people of Mindanao, especially in
the Davao Region.
Lumabat, a son of Tuglay and Tuglibung, argued with his sister and
decided to travel to the skyworld. Some of his brothers and sisters went with
him. Along the way, rocks, trees, and other things in nature asked where they
were going. Anyone who answered was changed into the object that spoke.
Lumabat reached the skyworld and became a god. Later, his brother Wari
followed him, but he missed his life on earth and his family, so he returned
home. The story explains why people remain on earth while Lumabat stayed
in the sky.
The story shows the Bagobo belief in life after death and in people
becoming powerful spirits or gods. It teaches that love for family and one’s
home can be stronger than the wish to live forever. It also highlights courage,
determination, and respect for nature and the spirit world.
https://philippinestudies.uk/mapping/images/wild-tribes-of-davao-district.pdf