1 According to Maranaw folklore, this
world was created by a great Being. It is not known, however, who exactly is
this great Being. Or how many days it took him to create this world.
2 This world is divided into seven layers. The earth has also
seven layers. Each layer is inhabited by a different kind of being. The
uppermost layer, for example, is the place we are inhabiting. The second layer
is being inhabited by dwarfs. These dwarfs are short, plump, and long-haired.
They are locally known as Karibanga. The Karibanga are said to possess magical
powers. They are usually invisible to the human eye. The third layer of the
earth which is found under the sea or lake is inhabited by nymphs. These nymphs
also possess certain magical powers. It is stated in the story of Rajah
Indarapatra that he met and fell in love with the princessnymph with whom he
had a child.
3 The sky also consists of seven layers. Each layer has a
door which is guarded day and night by huge mythical birds called garoda. The seventh layer of the
sky is the seat of heaven which is also divided into seven layers. Every layer
in the sky is inhabited by angels. Maranaws believe that angels do not need
food. They all possess wings with which they fly.
4 Heaven which is found on the seventh layer of the sky is
where good people‘s spirits go after death. Saints are assigned to the seventh layer while persons
who ―barely made it‖ are confined to the lower most layer which is found at the
bottom of heaven.
5 It is in heaven where we find the tree-of-life. On each
leaf of the tree-of-life is written the name of every person living on earth.
As soon as a leaf ripens or dries and falls, the person whose name it carries also dies.
6 The soul of every person is found in tightly covered jars kept in one section of heaven. This particular section of heaven is closely guarded by a monster with a thousand eyes, named Walo. Walo, in addition to his thousand eyes, has also eight hairy heads. The epic Darangan speaks of Madale, Bantugan‘s brother and, Mabaning, Husband of Lawanen, entering this section and retrieving the soul of Bantugan.
How did darangan or bantugans brother get to heaven
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