HINILAWOD

a Panay epic 

Hinilawod is the oldest and longest epic poem in Panay. It is usually sung for a period of three weeks at intervals of two hours at night. It contains, in its complete form, some eighteen stories. Each story represents three generations.

In the eastern part of what is known as the Philippines, there lived a beautiful goddess named Alunsina, goddess of the eastern sea. Alunsina fell in love with an ordinary mortal named Paubari and she married him though she knew that marriage between heavenly persons and ordinary mortals was frowned upon.

When the marriage was discovered, Maklium-sa-t’wan, god of the plains and valleys, became angry. He vowed to make life miserable for the unfortunate couple. Together with other gods who felt insulted by the marriage, Maklium-sa-t’wan sent down raging storms and floods to the kingdom, of Paubari and Alunsina.

Fortunately, Suklang Malayon, the guardian of happy homes, had warned the couple beforehand. Heeding the warning, the two fled to the top of the Madyaas Mountains and stayed there until the gods had spent their wrath.

With the deluge over, the couple descended to the plains to live in peace and raise a family. Eventually, Alunsina gave birth to triplets. These three children grew up to become giants, all endowed with superhuman strength which they used for helping their parents and the people in outlying villages.

With their coming of age, Labaw Dingin, the eldest of the three, asked his parents, “Respected Father, O, my Beloved Mother, I ask your permission to go and seek a loving and industrious woman who will give me sons and daughters and who will serve you in your old age.”

“Go, my son,” replied the two. “Bring back a woman who will be a source of happiness for all.”

But bringing back the woman of his dreams was no easy task. To win his first wife, he had to vanquish Manalutad, a monster. For his second wife, he had to kill a hydra-headed giant named Sikay Padalogdog. And for his last love, Labaw Dinggin had to fight Saragnayan, the lord of darkness. For many moons they grappled with each other until Labaw Dinggin was overpowered. He was thrown into prison and there, he languished for many years until one of his children fought the lord of darkness and killed him.

When Alunsina’s second son, Humadapnin, heard of the maltreatment suffered by his brother, he set out to punish the people of the lord of darkness. He brought with him his trusted warrior Buyong Matang-ayon. Along the way, they met a sorceress named Pinganun-Pinungganum. The Sorceress had the taken the form of a woman so beautiful that in no time, Humadapnin was bewitched. Fortunately, Buyong Matang-ayon succeeded in breaking her spell and the two were able to escape.

Upon reaching the kingdom of Umban Pinaumbaw, they found their way blocked by a huge boulder. Because of this huge rock the people in the kingdom could not move about freely. The two friends tried to go around the boulder but it seemed that the rock grew wider with every step. They tried to climb it, but it seemed to grow higher with their every step. Seeing that the boulder could not be overcome by ordinary effort, Humadapnin put on his magic cape. Without much ado, he was able to lift the rock and put it out of the way. For thus great feat, he was awarded the hand of the princess.

Meanwhile, Alunsina’s third son, Dumalapdap, set out to win the hand of the beautiful Lubay-Lubyok Hanginin si Mahuyok---- the goddess of the evening breeze. After several minor adventures, he finally reached the palace where she lived. But this place was guarded by ferocious monsters.

The first was Balanakon, a two-headed monster. With the aid of a friendly dwende, Dumalapdap overcame this first foe. Hardly had he rested from this battle when a bat-like monster named Ayutang came hurtling down at him. No matter how he tried, Dumlapdap could not pierce the monster with his sword for its body was covered with thick scales. Finally, he inflicted a wound on the monster’s armpit, the only vulnerable part of the monster’s body.

Mortally wounded, Ayutang began growling in pain and gasping for breath. The earth beneath him quaked as he trashed about in agony. Suddenly, the earth split into two and swallowed up the hapless monster. The rocks in the area sank into the newly-formed sea but their surfaces stuck out and became the island of Panay.

With his hard-earned victory, Dumalapdap returned home accompanied by the beauteous goddess of the evening breeze. Meanwhile, the newly-formed land was apportioned among the brothers. Labaw Dinggin was made the ruler of Irong-Irong (Iloilo); Humadapnin, the king of Hantique (Antique); and Dumalapdap, the lord of the Aklan region. Thereafter, Alunsina and Paubari went to live in peace atop the Madyaas Mountains.