Warays Character from the Lens of Oral Narratives

Antonio C. Galang Jr.

Assistant Professor
University of the Philippines Visayas
Tacloban College
zharguz3000@yahoo.com


Oral narratives is a window to decrypting the soul of the people. The emotions, attitudes,
thinking, and culture of the storytellers reflects in the story, in the manner it was narrated, how it
was expressed and ended. Memory as re-collection, re-membering, and re-representation is
crucial in the mapping of significant historical moments and in the articulation of personal
identity (Duncan, 331, 2004).
The role of re-membering the past the putting together of its constituent parts into a single, coherent narrative
has been profoundly significant for the emergence of a popular nationalist identity.

Oral narratives is unique because not only one has an idea of the story but majority of the
members of the community, who incessantly retold the story through generation.


Origin (Who composed the folklore)
Function (What folklore means to its carriers and how it serves them)
Purpose and Meaning (What the performer intends to convey and the intended effect: what
folklore may symbolize or other represent in a metaphorical way
Use and Application (What should be done with folklore and in what areas of study it is useful



Who is the storytellers?
What is the story all about?
What does it convey in the story?
What culture does it reflects which mirrored the culture of the Warays?


Creatures of the other world

Oral Narratives Place where it lives

Aghoy Under the house, under big stones
Alok In the neighborhood
Amamayong Thick forest, in the dark place underneath the
house
Anay In the neighborhood
Bayugyug In peoples house
Bungansakit In unknown place in the barrio
Dagangan Libagon, Souther Leyte
Donya Marta Bgy Biasong, Hinunangan S. Leyte
Dr. Ca-ekit In enchanted place in Burauen Leyte
Ito Parola Neighborhood
Kapre On a tree, such as Dangkalan or Igot tree
Kataw Deep part of the sea or caves near bangon
river, San Andres, Catbalogan
Korikotibongbong In the neighborhood, lives in a small house
Layong Uray In the outskirts of the town of Balangiga
Lumo In an island
Magboloto ngan Makaya Lives in the depth of the mountain-magbaloto
lives in heaven-makaya
Makadog Coconut farms in the mountain of Samar
Manding KArya No location
Maria Cabil In the barrio
Maria Cacao In Mt. Panamao
Maria Liang Small nipa house under the dalakit tree in
monbon
Moniko ngan higante Moniko-in rural community; higante lives in
cave
Paking In the town of Tanauan, Leyte
Pulangsian Kingdom of environmental spirits
Sigbin In the neighborhood
Tay Isyo Nipa Hut beside the main road
Toktok Top of mount kang toktok
Tudtod In the forest
Umbing In the enchanted kingdom
Upayda Forest
Wakwak Libagon, S. Leyte