BIAG-NILAM-ANG

Reported by: Maria Isidra F. Maringal

What is an epic?
a lengthynarrative poem,
ordinarily concerning a serious
subject containing details of
heroic deeds and events
significant to a culture or
nation.

Pedro Bucaneg

- (March 1592 c. 1630)

- Father of Ilocano Literature
- a blind Ilocano poet and
Christian missionary born in
Bantay, Abra.
- The author of the famous
Ilocano epic Biag ni Lamang.

Biag ni Lam-ang is an Ilocano epic written by the

Father of Ilocano Literature, Pedro Bucaneg. The
story of Biag ni Lam-ang gives us knowledge to our
Philippine history, it gives us ideas about our early
ancestors in how they hunt for food and to find
territorial place that suits them. Our country is
perfect for them to live because our county is
abundant with so many things. We believe that
there are creatures that live with us but invisible to
see with our naked eye, they can see us but we
can feel their presence because of our instinct.

This story is far beyond our reality. Lam-ang as

the main character and as a Filipino, he treasures
our values that describe us the most even though
we dont really know if this story really exists but
it sure does that this story is created with an
imaginative Filipino thinker. Philippines have all
the treasure that we can boost. The person who
creates this has the pride to show the world that
we can also write stories like this one.

The theme of the epic revolves around the

bravery and courage of the main character
portrayed by Lam-ang, who was gifted with speech
as early as his day of birth, who embarked on a
series of adventures which culminated in his heroic
death and subsequent resurrection.

Long time ago, in a place called Nalbuan,

somewhere in Ilocos, there was a couple named
Don Juan and his wife Namongan. By the time
Namongan was already conceiving a child in her
womb, Don Juan was forced to go the mountains to
punish a group of Igorots who were said to be
causing trouble on the mountains.

Don Juan never came back. Namongan gave birth

to a baby boy who was gifted with speech as early
as his day of birth. He jumped out of the bed and
told his mother to name him Lam-ang and
immediately chose his godparents.

Time passed and Namongan and other people in

Nalbuan noticed Lam-angs extraordinary strength.
When he found out his father never came back from
the mountains, he told his mother that he wants to
search for his father. Namongan did not agree with
his sons decision but later on was convinced and
gave Lam-ang the permission to find his father.

Lam-ang started on his journey

and went on until he found it
necessary to rest and take a short
nap. While asleep, he dreamed of
his fathers head being an object
of festivities among the Igorots.
He immediately arose and
continued his journey until he
found the Igorots indeed feasting
over his fathers head.

He asked the Igorots why they killed his father,

but the Igorots instead advised him to go home if he
did not want to suffer the same fate which his father
suffered. This was accompanied by a challenge to a
fight, despite their obvious numerical superiority.
But Lam-ang, armed with supernatural powers,
handily defeated them, giving the last surviving
Igorot a slow painful death by cutting his hands and
his ears and finally carving out his eyes to show his
anger for what they had done to his father.

Satisfied with his revenge, Lam-ang went home

victorious. Rumors spread at Nalbuan about Lamangs victory. When he arrived home, he called for
the ladies in their town to accompany him in taking
a bath at the Amburayan river.

While washing himself in the river, the

river swelled, and the shrimps, fishes and
other creatures in the river were agitated
and died for the dirt washed from his
body was too much.

As they were about to

leave the river, Lam-ang
noticed a giant crocodile.
He dove back into the
water and engaged with
the creature in a fierce
fight until the creature
was subdued. He brought
it ashore and instructed
the ladies to pull its teeth
to serve as amulets
against danger during
journeys.

Lam-ang heard about the beauty of a certain

maiden who live in a town called Calanutian, not far
from Nalbuan. The maiden is known as Ines
Kannoyan. Lam-ang went to Calanutian to court her.
While on his way, he met Sumarang, one of the
suitors of Ines who tried to dissuade him from
proceeding and who taunted him into a fight. The
fight that ensued proved fatal to Sumarang as he
was blown six hills away with a spear pierced
through his stomach.

Lam-ang reached Iness house and found out that

her yard is full of suitors from different towns. To get
Iness attention, Lam-ang asked help from his
friends: the rooster and the gray dog. The rooster
crowed which destroyed the neighborhood.
Afterwards, his gray dog barked and brought the
neighborhood back to normal again.

This incident caught Iness and her parents attention. He

asked for Lam-ang to get inside her house and asked for his
purpose of coming in Calanutian.
Through his spokesman - the rooster he told them that
he came to ask for Kannoyans hand in marriage. He was told
that if he desired to marry Kannoyan, he must first be able to
match their wealth, for which he willingly complied. Having
satisfied her parents, he went home to his mother and
enjoined her and his townspeople to attend his wedding
which was to take place in Cannoyans town.

The wedding was elaborate, an event that

involved practically everyone in town. A month with
endless music and festivity. There were fireworks,
musical band, and display of attractive items like
the glasses, the mirror, the slippers, clothes and
nice food.
After the wedding, Lam-angs party plus his wife
and her town mates went back to their town of
Nalbuan, where festivities were resumed. The
guests expressed a desire to taste a delicacy made
ofrarangfish; a tradition in Nalbuan after a
wedding.

Lam-ang was obliged to go to the sea and catch

the fish. Before going, however, his rooster warned
that something unpleasant was bound to happen.
This warning proved true, as Lam-ang was
swallowed by a bigbercacan,or shark-like fish.
Ines mourned and for a while she thought there was
no way to retrieve her lost husband. But the rooster
indicated that if only all the bones could be gathered
back, Lam-ang could be brought to life again.

She then enlisted the aid of a certain diver named

Marcos, who was ready to come to her aid to look
for the bones. When all Lam-angs bones were
gathered, the rooster crowed and the bones moved.
The dog barked, and Lam-ang arose and was finally
resurrected. Ines embraced him.
For his deep appreciation for the help of his
friends - the rooster and the dog - and of Marcos the
diver, he promised that each one of them would get
his or its due reward. And they lived HAPPILY EVER
AFTER.

FIN