Studies in Moro History, Law, and Religion

by Najeeb M. Saleeby

Raja Sulayman returned after that to Mantapuli, but Raja Indarapatra continued his march to Mount Gurayn. There he met the dreadful bird that had seven heads and killed it with his sword, Juru Pakal.

Having destroyed all these noxious animals, and having restored peace and safety to the land, Raja Indarapatra set himself searching for the people that might have escaped destruction. He was of the opinion that some people must have contrived to hide in the earth and that they might be alive yet. One day during his search he saw a beautiful woman at some distance, and as he hastened to meet her she disappeared quickly through a hole in the ground where she was standing. Having become tired and pressed with hunger, he sat down on a rock to rest. Looking around for food, he saw a pot full of uncooked rice and a big fire on the ground in front of it. Coming to the fire he placed it between his legs and put the pot over his knees to cook the rice. While so occupied he heard a person laugh and exclaim, “Oh, what a powerful person this man is!” He turned around and, lo, there was an old woman near by looking at him and wondering how he could cook his rice on a fire between his legs. The woman drew nearer and conversed with Raja Indarapatra, who ate his rice and stood talking to her. He inquired of her about her escape and about the inhabitants of the land. She answered that most of them had been killed and devoured by the pernicious animals, but that a few were still alive. She and her old husband, she said, hid in a hollow tree and could not come out from their hiding place until Raja Sulayman killed the awful bird, Pah. The rest of the people and the datu, she continued, hid in a cave in the ground and did not dare to come out again. He urged her to lead him to the cave and show him the people, and she did so. The cave was very large, and on one side of it were the apartments of the datu and his family. He was ushered into the presence of the datu and was quickly surrounded by all the people who were in the cave. He related to them his purpose and his mission and what he had accomplished and asked them to come out and reinhabit the land. There he saw again the beautiful girl whom he had observed at the opening of the cave. She was the daughter of the datu, and the datu gave her to him in marriage in appreciation of the good he had done for them and the salvation he had brought to the land. The people came out of the cave and returned to their homes, where they lived in peace and prosperity again. At this time the sea had withdrawn and the lowland had appeared.

One day as Raja Indarapatra was considering his return home he remembered Sulayman’s ring and went out to search for it. During the search he found a net near the water and stopped to fish to replenish his provisions for the continuation of the march. The net caught a quantity of buganga fish, some of which he ate. Inside one of the fish he found his ring. This cheered Raja Indarapatra’s heart and completed his joy. Later he bade his father-in-law and his wife good-bye and returned to Mantapuli pleased and happy.

Raja Indarapatra’s wife was pregnant at the time of their parting and a few months later gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. The boy’s name was Rinamuntaw and the girl’s name was Rinayung. These two persons are supposed to be the ancestors of some of the Ranao tribes or datus.

This narration was secured from Datu Kali Adam, who learned it from the late Maharāja Layla of Magindanao and from Alad, one of the oldest and most intelligent Moros living. Alad says that Mantapuli was a very great city far in the land of the sunset; where, exactly, he does not know, but he is sure it was beyond the sea. Mantapuli was so large, he said, and its people were so numerous, that it blurred the eyes to look at them move; they crushed the bamboo very fine if it was laid in the street one day.

Raja Indarapatra is the mythological hero of Magindanao and Mantapuli is his city. These names are very frequently mentioned in Moro stories, and various miracles are ascribed to them.

Kabalalan, Matutun, Bīta, and Gurayn are the most prominent and picturesque peaks of Mindanao and Ranao with which the Moros are familiar. The whole narration is native and genuine, and is typical of the Magindanao style and superstitions. Some Arabic names and Mohammedan expressions have crept into the story, but they are really foreign and scarcely affect the color of the story.

The animal Kurīta seems to bear some resemblance to the big crocodiles that abound in the Rio Grande River. Tarabŭsaw may signify a large variety of ape. A heinous bird is still worshiped and is greatly feared by the Tirurays and Manobos who live in the mountains south of Cotabato. The hateful Balbal, in which all Moros believe, is described as a night bird, and its call is supposed to be familiar and distinctly audible every night.

What relation the names of Rinamuntaw and Rinayung bear to the ancestors of the Ranao Moros it will be very interesting to find out in the future.