Origin Myths among the Mountain Peoples of the Philippines

by H. Otley Beyer

Many other illustrations might be given of the differences between the Central and Kián͠gan Ifugao religious conceptions, but the above will suffice for the purposes of the present paper.[66]

One more type of Ifugao origin myth merits our attention before we come to the conclusion. This type consists of the myths invented to explain the origin of the ancient Chinese jars, bronze gongs, amber-agate beads, and other rare articles of foreign manufacture on which the Ifugaos place a high value, and the origin of which they do not know. Many of these objects have been in the possession of the people for at least several hundred years. They were probably brought into the Islands by Chinese traders centuries before the coming of the Spaniards, and gradually found their way to the Ifugaos through the medium of their cursory commerce with the surrounding peoples.[67]

One of these myths, explaining the origin of three well-known jars, runs as follows.

Legend Concerning Ban͠ggílît of Hinagán͠gan, and the Jars that He Brought from the Village of Souls[68]

A long time ago, before the coming of the Spaniards, there lived at Hinagán͠gan a man called Ban͠ggílît. He was a wealthy man, possessing four rice granaries and a very large house; but he was not a priest. His constant desire was to hunt in the forest.

One day Ban͠ggílît went hunting in the forest and was overtaken by night. He called his dogs but they did not come. He made fire, cooked, and ate. Then one dog came to him, and he took it in lead and departed. Near by he found a path. The dog with him barked and the second dog answered, and they went on. And the dog with Ban͠ggílît began to whimper and whine, and to pull on the leash; and Ban͠ggílît ran, and they went on. Suddenly it became light all around them, and they came out of the forest into a large group of people. And the people said among themselves: “Surely Ban͠ggílît is dead,” and they examined his body and asked: “Where were you speared?” And Ban͠ggílît spoke and said: “I have not been speared! I went hunting and was overtaken by night, and my dog here ran ahead on our path. I followed, and came here, and lo! it is light here!”

And they took Ban͠ggílît and went to their town—for there are many large towns there in the dwelling-place of souls. They wished to give him food, but he said: “Wait until my own food is exhausted, and then I will eat of your rice here.” And they asked him: “How many days will you remain with us?” and Ban͠ggílît answered that he would remain four days. Then the people began to laugh and one of them said: “Not four days but four years here!” “Ha!” cried Ban͠ggílît, “I shall never do that! Wait until you see!” “Just so!” answered the other, “but one day here is the same as a year on the Earth World,” but Ban͠ggílît thought that he was lying.

Ban͠ggílît visited all of the towns there. He worked in the rice fields and they gave him four jars as his wages. Then his host said to him: “Return home now, for you have been here four days, which, according to the usage of the Earth World, are four years.” “Yes,” answered Ban͠ggílît, “I wish to go home now, as I am homesick for my family. You have been very good to me, for you have given me wages for my work.” And the host said: “It was a gift; not wages, but a gift, that I gave you,” and he led the way and pointed out to Ban͠ggílît a ladder. “Go down that ladder, and in a short time you will arrive at your house,” he said. Ban͠ggílît started to go down, but one of the jars struck heavily against the ladder and was broken. He went down the ladder and at last arrived in the top of a betel-nut tree. He slid down the trunk of the tree to the ground, and the chickens were crowing and it was just dawn. And he looked at his surroundings and exclaimed: “Why this is my own house!” His relatives came out and said: “Who are you?” and he replied: “This is my house.” They looked at him closely and cried: “Well now, it is Ban͠ggílît who has been gone these four years!” And they sat down and talked long together. He showed them the jars, and they asked: “Where did you get those?” And he answered: “I brought them from the Sky World,” and they were afraid and went to look for the ladder but it was no longer there.[69]

The above myth may well have been invented by some man who, unknown to his relatives and friends, wandered across the mountains into Lepanto or Benguet and returned after four years with the jars in question. Hundreds of myths and legends of this type are current among the Ifugaos.