INDARAPATRA AND SULAYMAN, Summary of the Maguindanao Story

The Maranao people, also spelled Meranao, Maranaw, and Mëranaw, is the term used by the Philippine government to refer to the southern indigenous people who are the “people of the lake”, a predominantly-Muslim Lanao province region of the Philippine island of Mindanao. They are known for their artwork, weaving, wood, plastic and metal crafts and epic literature. They are ethnically and culturally closely related to the Iranun, and Maguindanao, all three groups being denoted as speaking Danao languages and giving name to the island of Mindanao.

Radia Indarapatra is an ancestor of Bantugan, a renowned epic hero from the Maranao epic Darangen, based on the Ramayana.  This story of Rajah Indarapatra, mythological hero of Magindanao, and his brother, Sulayman, is based on a myth recounted by Najeeb M. Saleeby, in one of his books on the Moros; According to him, this myth came from Datu Kali, who in turn learned it from Maharajah Layla of Magindanao and Alad, a very old and intelligent Moro.

Magindanao or Mindanao was originally the town of Cotabato. As the Sultan of Magindanao became more powerful, his territory expanded until Magindanao applied to the entire Rio Grande valley and the whole seacoast. Magindanao comes from the root word danao and it means that which is inundated, while Cotabato is derived from kuta and batu or watu which mean fort and stone .

This summary has been posted as supplemental material for a comparative study done regarding multi-headed beings in Philippine Myth and Epics. A connecting thread is often the Hindu epic Ramayana, the Story of Rama, about a prince and his long hero’s journey. Ramayana is one of the world’s great epics. It began in India and spread among many countries throughout Asia. Its text is a major thread in the culture, religion, history, and literature of millions. Through its study, teachers come to understand how people lived and what they believed and valued. As the story became embedded into the culture of Southeast Asian countries, each created its own version reflecting the culture’s specific values and beliefs. As a result, there are literally hundreds of versions of the story of Rama throughout Asia, especially Southeast Asia.

INDARAPATRA AND SULAYMAN

Long before Kabungsuwan came to Mindanao, the entire island was covered with water. The lowland disappeared. Nothing could be seen but mountains. The people, to escape death, went to live on the mountainsides. Here the inhabitants built their homes and cultivated the highlands.

The peace and prosperity of these highland dwellers, however, were short lived. There appeared in the land one day some horrible, man-eating monsters. One of these monsters haunted the hillsides of Kabalalan, eating men and other animals it could reach. It was called Kurita. It lived partly on land and partly on sea.

The second monster was called Pah. It was a winged creature, with razor-edge claws. Its feet were covered with steel-hard scales. Whenever this monster flew, its wings covered the sun and produced darkness akin to midnight. It haunted the regions east of Mindanao. It had its abode on top of Mount Bita.

The third was a huge man-like monster called Tarabusaw. It inhabited the mountain of Matutum and plagued the neighboring territory. The fourth was also a dreaded bird, which had seven heads. It lived in Mt. Gurayu and haunted the adjacent territory.

The people were so scared that they left their farms and homes and went into hiding. Soon famine crept into the land; this was followed by pestilence. Many people died from starvation and disease.

When the news about this awful devastation reached the nearby settlement of Mantapuli, the chief of the place, Indarapatra was very much grieved. He called his warrior brother, Sulayman, and requested the latter to proceed to Mindanao and save the people from the monsters.

Adventurous at heart, Sulayman immediately consented to go to Mindanao. While he was preparing, Indarapatra gave him a ring and a kris. Then taking a young sapling, Indarapatra planted it beneath the window of their house. He said to Sulayman, “If this tree lives, you live; if it dies, you die. Also by this tree I shall know when you are in trouble.”

Riding on the crest of the mountain wind, Sulayman reached Kabalalan. He found the land completely in ruins. Not a human being was seen anywhere. A little while, Sulayman felt the mountain shaking beneath him. Kurita appeared and attacked the young warrior. Sulayman drew his kris and fought back. The struggle was long and bloody. In the end, Sulayman was able to conquer Kurita.

From Kabalalan the Mantapuli hero proceeded to Matutum where he encountered Tarabusaw. The monster warned Sulayman not to attack or he would be devoured. However, the brave warrior answered that he came on purpose to fight the monster.

Tarabusaw broke big branches of trees and assailed Sulayman. The young warrior parried the blows and returned the attack. At last Tarabusaw became exhausted. Seeing this, Sulayman gave the monster a heavy blow with his sword. The blade found its way through Tarabusaw’s armpit. The monster gave a horrible cry and fell. As it lay dying, it looked up to Sulayman and congratulated the youthful hero. The latter, however, answered. “Your evil deeds are responsible for your death and not my skill in combat.”

Sulayman continued his journey. In Mount Bita, he saw far greater devastation than that in Kabalalan and Matutum. Not a human being remained—all of them were either devoured by the man-eating monsters or had fled for safety somewhere else. He looked around.

Suddenly the world became dark. He looked up and he saw a huge bird descending upon him. He knew he was in danger. He took his sword and struck the attacking creature. The bird fell dead, but its huge wings fell on Sulayman. This killed the Mantapuli hero.

Back in Mantapuli, Indarapatra kept watching the plant. And when he beheld the drooping leaves of the growing tree, he knew that something had happened to his brother. With heavy heart, Indarapatra prepared to go after Sulayman. He took his sword and magic belt. Riding on the back of the wind, he headed for Kabalalan. However, he saw only the bones of Kurita. He knew his brother had conquered the monster and had proceeded to other places.

Indarapatra’s next stop was in Matutum. He found in this place the bones of Tarabusaw, so he continued his way. In Bita he saw a dead bird. He was about to leave the place when he saw the severed wing of the bird at a distance. He went near and turned it upside. He saw the bones of a dead man. He recognized the remains as those of Sulayman because of the sword lying near the disintegrating limbs.

Indarapatra cried with grief. He looked for vines with which he could tie together the bones of his brother because he decided to bring these back to Mantapuli. However, he saw a jar of water not far from him. He knew that the jar came from the sky. So he reached for it and poured its content over the scattered bones of Sulayman.

Sulayman stood up, rubbed his eyes as though he had just awakened from a long sleep. They embraced each other in joy.

Sulayman went home to Mantapuli while Indarapatra proceeded to Mount Gurayu. There he met the dreadful bird that had seven heads. He conquered this monster with the use of his sword, juru pakal.

Having vanquished the monster, Indarapatra looked for the inhabitants of the place. He was about to give up, after several days of futile search, when he saw a beautiful maiden near a spring. He walked toward her. But the maiden suddenly disappeared.

Disappointed Indarapatra sat down on a big stone. Looking around, he saw at a distance a pot of uncooked rice and a big fire. Hard pressed by hunger, he went near the fire. He sat over the fire and placed the pot on his knees to cook the rice.

As he was thus cooking, he heard persons talking. One was laughing while the other was speaking in a hushed voice: “What a powerful man this stranger must be. Look at him cook on his knees.”

When Indarapatra looked back, he saw an old woman staring at him. From this woman, Indarapatra learned about Sulayman’s encounters with the monsters and how the people went into hiding. After a while, the old woman led Indarapatra to the cave where the people had gathered. There the young man saw the beautiful girl he met near the spring but who disappeared before he could talk to her. Indarapatra related his adventures and that of his brother. He told the people to go back to their homes because the monsters were all vanquished. The people rejoiced to hear the news. They all went out and returned to their farms. The chief gave his daughter to Indarapatra in marriage.

SOURCE:
Tales from our Malay Past, Mela Ma. Roque, Filipinas Foundation, Inc. 1979
Studies in Moro History, Law, and Religion, Najeeb M. Saleeby, Manila Bureau of Public Printing (1905)