Cagayan Epic:

Biuag and Malana

Biuag was from Enrile, the southern most part of Cagayan. When he was born, his mother
was visited by an exceptionally beautiful woman who silently admired the baby. When it
dawned on the child's mother that her visitor was a goddess, she knelt and implored her
child with long life.
The goddess made no reply. Instead, she placed three small stones around the neck of
the baby where one stone protected him from any bodily harm. When he was big enough
to swim across the wide river, the crocodiles created a path for him. The other two stones
gave him supernatural powers and prowess. He could go faster than the wind. He could
throw easily a carabao across the hills when he was only at the age of twelve. He could
uproot a big beetle nut as if it were a wood. On account of this display of extraordinary
strength, people from far and wide places came to see him.
Despite all these powers, Biuag seemed troubled and unhappy. In the town of Tuao, he
fell in love with a young lady with unsurpassed beauty. No one could tell where this lady
came from nor could anyone say who this lady was. Biuag wanted to find her. His waking
hours were thoughts of her.
There was another young man from Malaueg, called Malana who was gifted with powers
similar to that of Biuag. When Malana was eighteen, a devastating typhoon destroyed all
the crops of Malaueg. The people were in grip of appalling famine. Their only hope of
starving off came from a very distant place, Sto. Nio. It was very difficult and dangerous
to journey the place, because the river to cross was wide and full of crocodiles. Malana
understood the hazards of the journey but finally volunteered to take the journey. He
loaded cavans of palay to seven bamboo rafts.
The people eagerly waited Malana's return. Prayers were offered for his safety. When they
saw him back, everyone was overjoyed. He distributed the rice to the people and went
home.
Upon reaching his home, he found a bow and arrow on the bench. He presumed these
were made for him by his father who knew how fond he was of them. Fitting the arrows,
he found two tiny stones just like those around Biuag's neck.
Meanwhile, Biuag was unmindful of the people's open admiration for Malana. The lovely
lady occupied his thoughts. One day, he paid her a visit and found out that Malana was
also there. Biuag became furious. He told the lady he will prove to her that Malana was
unworthy of her love. He grabbed his famous spear and hurried to the window towards
Malana. Malana recognized Biuag's spear and read it as a challenge. He hurled it back
with the message that his powers were not meant for such feats.
Biuag laughed decisively and interpreted Malana's message in a different manner. He said
to the lady: "Your suitor is very strong but he is a coward."
One afternoon, Biuag was taking lift of the young woman when he heard sounds of a
thousand bamboo tubes. He saw approaching from a distance great number of people

from Malaueg. Leading the group was Malana - tall, broad-shouldered, and handsome,
Biuag quivered at the sight of Malana. The latter spoke first: "Now I know why you
challenged me. You covet the woman I love."
The gods forbid anyone from taking anything that belongs to the other, but I am ready to
give you a chance. If the lady would allow us, we shall fight for her hand.
The day of the duel was controversial. The news spread fast and by mid-afternoon, the
two mountains and the outlaying hills were blanketed with men, women and children who
had come to witness their heroes fight each other. Biuag arrived accompanied by the
people of Enrile. He climbed the mountain on the eastern part of the river, carrying a big
coconut tree and a sharp spear. Upon reaching the peak, he heard the natives cheering
Malana. He felt like barking a command to his followers to kill Malana's people.
Malana went up the opposite mountain. From their position, they saw some rafts being
pulled up. As these drew near, Biuag and Malana saw the beautiful lady on one of the
rafts. Sadness was clearly etched on her face but this only heightened her ethereal
beauty. When she was near, Biuag shouted at Malana, "the woman we both cherish is
before us. If you are as brave as you claim to be then, receive this gift of mine from
Enrile."
Without thinking, he hurled the coconut tree at Malana. Everyone held his breath. The
river stood still. The coconut tree flew like an arrow into the air. Malana caught it and
unlike Biuag, he hurled it at the direction of Yeluru. Today, thick coconut grooves abound
in that place.
Biuag became more insane. He plucked the spear from the ground where he thrust it. He
aimed it at Malana's heart. The people were troubled. They knew too well the accurate
deadliness of this terrible spear. Malana's chest was hit but his heart was not pierced.
Instead the spear broke into two when it reached the bottom of the river.
Malana shouted: "There you are, Biuag, with no weapons whatsoever. It is now my turn!"
Before Malana would finish uttering the warning, Biuag leaped into the river. Gigantic
waves dashed against the rocks and shook the mountain where Malana stood. Biuag
emerged with the biggest crocodile under his arm. The crocodile opened wide its jaws.
Malana accepted the challenges as he leaped from the mountain. The hundreds of people
watching the fight suddenly fell on their knees. They saw a dazzling light that sparkled.
She rose into the air and checked Malana's fall upon meeting him in mid-air. The woman
looked down at Biuag and said: "You have shown yourself a coward by getting the help of
a crocodile. I am the daughter of the goddess who gave you your supernatural powers.
You do not deserve the gift." With the magic wand, the beautiful woman gave her
blessings to the people below and then flew with Malana in the kingdom of the air and the
clouds where she reigned.

Frustratedwish
Translatedbypfof.CarolinaArceo

Sohappyandtrusted
Thesepeopleinlove
Fortheirsorrowtheyhave
Somebodytoshare.
Mydestinythatssolonely
AmIalonewiththis?
ForIsaidIwontthinktwice
BecausesufferingIamnow.
IfeverIfallinlovetoalady
TheresnothingIcouldsee
ThatIhavemycounterpart.
TimeIshallforgetwhenIwasborn
Betterisathousandyears
IfatbirthIwasgone.
Ishouldhavetriedtoexplain
ButtoungetideIwas
ForIcouldclearlysee
ThatIwontbelucky.
Anditreallypleasesmemuch
Thatmyloveforyouknow
SoIswearandpromiseyou
Thatmylifeisjustforyou.

Carolina A. Arceo is an assistant professor of English and Filipino at the

Tarlac State University. A former coordinator of the Office of Public Affairs
of the same University and a translator of Panrehiyong Sentro ng Wikang
Filipino. (PSWF) Region III.

Ma. Luisa Aguilar Igloria

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sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful.(August 20

Luisa Aguilar Igloria

Author photo taken by Josephine Cario

Born

1961 (age 5354)

Nationality

Filipina American

Other names

Ma. Luisa Aguilar Cario

Occupation

Writer

Luisa Aguilar Igloria (born 1961) is a Filipina American poet[1] and author of various award-winning
collections.
Contents
[hide]

1 Education

2 Career

3 Awards

4 Other Information

5 Books and Publications

6 References

7 External links

Education[edit]
Luisa received her undergraduate degree from the University of the Philippines, Baguio in 1980
(B.A. Humanities - Cum Laude - major in Comparative Literature, minor in English, cognate in
Philosophy), and the M.A. in Literature at Ateneo de Manila University at Manila, Philippines in 1988
as a Robert Southwell Fellow. She received a Ph.D. in English/Creative Writing at the University of
Illinois at Chicago in July 1995, where she was a Fulbright Fellow.

Career[edit]
While in Chicago, Igloria was an active member of PINTIG, a Filipino-American cultural and theatre
group; she was a member of PINTIG's cultural and education committee. She was a Visiting
Humanities Scholar in 1996 at the Center for Philippine Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
She also taught briefly at De La Salle University where she became the Graduate Programs
Coordinator and Senior Associate for Poetry at the Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center
at De La Salle University.
She has appeared in numerous anthologies and journals including the very first electronic anthology
of Women's Poetry Fire On Her Tongue (Two Sylvias Press, 2011), Language for a New Century,
ed. Tina Chang, Ravi Shankar, and Nathalie Handal (W.W. Norton, 2008), Letters to the World:
Poems from the Wom-po Listserv, ed. by Moira Richards, Rosemary Starace, and Lesley Wheeler
(Red Hen Press, 2007), Poetry, Crab Orchard Review, The Missouri Review, Indiana Review, The
North American Review, Natural Bridge, Poetry East, Smartish Pace, The Asian Pacific American
Journal, and TriQuarterly. She edited the anthology NOT HOME, BUT HERE: WRITING FROM THE
FILIPINO DIASPORA (Anvil, 2003); and has published a total of ten books to date.

Awards[edit]
She is highly decorated for her expanse of work. Luisa is an eleven-time (five First Prizes, plus six
lesser prizes) recipient of the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature in three genres
(poetry, nonfiction, and short fiction); the Palanca award is the Philippines' highest literary distinction.
In 1996 she became the first Filipina woman of letters installed in the Palanca Literary Hall of
Fame. She is also the recipient of the 1988 Black Warrior Literary Award from the literary magazine
of the University of Alabama; the Charles Goodnow Endowed Award for Creative Writing from the
Chicago Bar Association in 1993 and 1995; the 1998 Illinois Arts Council Literary Award and the
George Kent Prize for Poetry.
Recent awards include the 2014 Swenson Poetry Award from Utah State University Press, the 2009
Ernest Sandeen Prize in Poetry from the University of Notre Dame Press, the 2007 49th Parallel
Prize in Poetry from the Bellingham Review, the 2007 James Hearst Poetry Prize (selected by
former US Poet Laureate Ted Kooser), the 2006 National Writers Union Poetry Prize (selected by
Adrienne Rich), the 2006 Stephen Dunn Award for Poetry; the first Sylvia Clare Brown Fellowship,
Ragdale Foundation (Summer 2006 Residency); Finalist for the 2005 George Bogin Memorial Award
for Poetry (Poetry Society of America; selected by Joy Harjo); the 2005 Richard Lemon Poetry
Fellowship to the Napa Valley Writers Conference; First Prize in the 2004 Fugue poetry contest
(selected by Ellen Bryant Voigt); Finalist in the 2003 Larry Levis Editors Prize for Poetry from The
Missouri Review; Finalist in the 2003 Dorset Prize for Poetry (Tupelo Press); a 2003 partial
fellowship to the Summer Literary Seminars in St. Petersburg; three Pushcart Prize nominations and
the 1998 George Kent Award for Poetry.

Other Information[edit]

Luisa is a tenured Professor and the Director of the MFA Creative Writing Program, Department of
English, Old Dominion University (Norfolk, Virginia). Her husband is Ruben V. Igloria (b. 1964). She
has four daughters: Jennifer Patricia Cario (b. 1981), Julia Katrina Cario (b. 1983), Josephine
Anne Cario (b. 1988), and Gabriela Aurora Igloria (b. 2001).

Books and Publications[edit]

Since November 20, 2010, Luisa has been writing (at least) a poem a day for her daily
writing project; these poems are archived at Dave Bonta's Via Negativa website.
Other works are archived in From The Fishhouse

Single-authored Books:

Cordillera Tales (New Day, 1990); 1991 National Book Award (Manila Critics Circle,
Philippines)

Cartography (Anvil, 1992); 1993 National Book Award for Poetry (Manila Critics Circle,
Philippines)

Encanto (Anvil, 1993); 1994 National Book Award for Poetry (Manila Critics Circle,
Philippines)

In the Garden of the Three Islands (Moyer Bell/Asphodel, 1995)

Blood Sacrifice (University of the Philippines Press, 1997); 1998 National Book Award for
Poetry (Manila Critics Circle, Philippines)

Songs for the Beginning of the Millennium (De La Salle University Press, 1997); Finalist,
1998 National Book Award for Poetry (Manila Critics Circle, Philippines)

Turnings: Writing on Women's Transformations, co-edited with Renee Olander (Friends of

Womens Studies at Old Dominion University, March 2000)

Not Home, But Here: Writing from the Filipino Diaspora, as central editor (Anvil, 2003)

Trill and Mordent (WordTech Editions, fall 2005); Runner-up, 2004 Editions Prize

Juan Luna's Revolverhttp://undpress.nd.edu/book/P01279 (now available from

Amazon.com as well as from the University of Notre Dame Press [1]); 2009 Ernest Sandeen
Prize in Poetry