Precolonial Literature of The Philippines

Tuwaang Attends a Wedding
A Manuvu Epic
Tuwaang, after finishing some work, calls his aunt aside and informs her that the wind has
brought him a message: he is to attend the wedding of the Maiden of Mo:nawon. The aunt tries
dissuade him from going, for she foresees trouble. Tuwaang, however, is determined to go. He picks
the heart-shaped basket that can activate the lightning, puts on his headdress and the costume made
by goddesses, arms himself with a long blade and dagger, and takes his shield and spear. He rides on
a flash of lightning and arrives at the Kawkawangan grassland. While resting there a while, he hears a
gungutan bird crowing. He decides to catch the fowl, but soon sees the gungutan with a dagger-like
spur. The gungutan tells Tuwaang he came to know of his coming in a dream and that he wants to go
with him to the wedding celebration. Tuwaang agrees to bring the gungutan along. The two shake
their shoulders and are carried into space.
Upon arriving at Mo:nawon, Tuwaang is admitted into the hall. He sits on a golden stool while
the gungutan perches on a crossbeam. Meantime, enchanting sounds from afar and flowering trees
signal the arrival of the Young Man of Panayangan. Other gallants the Young Man of Liwanon and
the Young Man of the Rising Sun arrive. Finally, the groom, the Young Man of Sakadna, arrives with a
hundred followers. He haughtily asks the house owner to clear the house of dirt, implying the people
in the house who do not count. To tis insult, Tuwaang answers there are red leaves such as heroes in
the house.
Preliminaries of the wedding ceremony start. The savakan (bridewealth consisting of articles and
wrapped food to be paid for by the grooms kinsmen) are offered one by one, until only the twi most
costly remain. One is given the value of an ancient gong with ten bosses and nine relief-rings, the other
is redeemable only by a golden guitar and a golden flute. The groom confesses his inability to redeem
these articles. Tuwaang saves the groom from the embarrassing predicament by taking his place:
through his magic breath he produces a more ancient gong, which is accepted by the brides party.
He also produces the golden flute and golden guitar.
The bride is now asked to come out of her room and serve the guests some betel chew. She
commands her betel box to serve everyone. Magically, the betel box obeys, with the betel chew
jumping into the mouths of the guests. After two betel chews leap into the grooms mouth, the betel
box moves on to Tuwaang, before whom it stops altogether. Tuwaang brushes it away, but the box
does not budge. The bride decides to sit beside Tuwaang.
The groom blushes; he is shamed. He decides to fight Tuwaang. He goes down the house and
challenges Tuwaang to come down to the yard.
After the bride unrolls and combs Tuwaangs hair, Tuwaang goes down to fight. The gungutan,
meanwhile, has been fighting the grooms men and has slain a number of them until only six gallants
remain. Tuwaang and the gungutan engage the six gallants.
Finally, only Tuwaang and the Young man of Sakadna are left moving about. Tuwaang is thrown
against a boulder, which turns into dust. Trees get bent and topple. Tuwaang gets hold of his foe, throws
him down so hard that he sinks into the earth. The Young Man of Sakadna surfaces quickly and
confronts Tuwaang once more. Tuwaang in turn is thrust into the earth and sinks into the Underworld.
There he talks to Tuwaha, god of the Underworld, who tells him the secret of overcoming his foe.
Tuwaang surfaces and summons the golden flute in which the Young Man of Sakadna keeps his life.
Accompanied by the gungutan, Tuwaang takes the bride home to Kuaman, where he rules
forever.
Riddles by Aetas
21st Century Literature | Precolonial Literature

Muminuddukam Its depth can be fathomed;
A ningngijjitam. (Pinnia) The really difficult task
Is to find a good heart.
May korona pero hindi reyna,
May kaliskis pero hindi isda. (Pinya) 2. Mataas man ang paho
Malamba ang pagtubo
Assini nga pinasco ni Apu Ang duso rin ang lalot
Nga magismagel yu uluna? (Simu) Hanginiy di maubo.
Isang kuwebang may itak sa loob The paho tree may be tall,
Puno ng buto pero hindi libingan. (Bibig) Its branches showing
Abundant growth;
Ajar tangapakking nga niuk The doso vine is better off,
Awayya ipagalliuk. (Danum) For it cant be felled by
gusty winds.
Kapag hiniwa mo,
Naghihilom nang walang pilat. (Tubig)
Proverbs
1. Ang kata-katayak
Sukat makapagkati ng dagat.
Tiny drops of water continuously draining,

Enough to dry up the sea.
2. Mayaman ka man sa sabi

Dukkha ka rin sa sarili.
Through words you may make others believe

you are rich;
But the fact remains that you are poor.
3. Ang maralang bayani nagsasawa ng huli
The man who goes about with more fish-

baskets
Is the one who brings home a lot of fish.
Short Poems
1. Ang tubig may malalim
malilirip kung libdin
itong budhing magaling
maliwag paghanapin.
No matter how deep the stream,

21st Century Literature | Precolonial Literature

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Tuwaang Attends a Wedding

21st Century Literature | Precolonial Literature

Tiny drops of water continuously draining,

2. Mayaman ka man sa sabi

Through words you may make others believe

3. Ang maralang bayani nagsasawa ng huli

The man who goes about with more fish-

No matter how deep the stream,

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