A young Jocano with Hugan-an recording the adventures of Humadapnon

MANILA, Philippines -- Hinilawod what? Humadapnon who?

It is a shame that most of us don’t know anything about Hinilawod, and probably other Filipino epics in general. Less attention is given to these oral masterpieces which include Hudhud and Darangen, and if this continues, the extinction of our intangible heritage is not that far off.

Good thing, there are some people who dedicate their lives to preserving and promoting these oral masterpieces. One such individual is Dr. F. Landa Jocano, a renowned Filipino anthropologist who did a comprehensive study on Hinilawod.

His discovery of Hinilawod is an epic in itself. Serendipity could have played an infinitesimal part, but it could be the lack of faith in the Philippine literature of his college professor that had challenged him the most.

Way back in the 1950s, the young Jocano who was then a college student asked his literature professor about Philippine literature, particularly about epics and folktales. Back then, the literary classes were mostly centered on international literature – the Iliad, Odyssey, and the like.

At a young age, Jocano already had an intense passion for Philippine history, culture, heritage, and tradition. He already had an unwavering interest in folktales, local stories, and indigenous songs.

So, when his literature professor told him that “You have to go out to the mountains and look for it yourself because we don’t have any,” he took it as a challenge. His stubbornness and defiance to prove his teacher wrong took over.

“Parang sinasabi niya na walang creativity ang mga Filipino. I wanted to prove that we have a very rich literary heritage. The problem is no one wants to explore the innerlands. We are more focused on the urban places kaya walang nangyayari sa heritage natin,” says Dr. Jocano.

So, the very next day, he went back to his hometown in Iloilo and went up the mountains. But it wasn’t easy. One can’t just barge into the indigenous community and expect the indigenous people to share with you their most treasured traditions. It took a lot of work, time, and patience for Jocano.

But fate must have sensed the good motive behind Jocano’s mission; it intervened somehow. While Jocano was buying provisions in the market of Lambunao, he chanced upon an old man, Ulang Udig, chanting Hinilawod to his grandson. As it turned out, the old man was a babaylan (a native priest) of the Sulod tribe, a thriving community living along the banks of Halawod River in Central Panay.

Over the next two years, Jocano lived in the mountains to woo and gain the respect and approval of the Sulod people. He would just go down to take his exams, but would return to the mountains immediately right after.

He lived with the Sulod. Following their customs, laws, and traditions to the dot, he learned to live the way the Sulod live their lives. He showed them that he could be entrusted with their traditions and heritage.

You see, the Sulod people are very secretive folks. They wouldn’t teach and share their most treasured traditions with an outsider. Only those who become “one” with them are allowed to catch a glimpse of their heritage, and even then, what they would share was just the tip of the iceberg.

Even when Jocano had been residing with the Sulod for years, it took a while before Hugan-an, a mountain singer and a leader known to intercede between the spiritual and human worlds, gave her name to Jocano. He would only call her aunt before then.

 Eventually, his sincerity and hard work paid off.  He was invited to attend a traditional ceremony, and right then and there, the Sulod acknowledged him.

Hugan-an gave Jocano permission to record the chanting of Hinilawod. Jocano bought a magnetic recording tape and the university let him borrow the magnetic tape recorder. It took him three weeks to complete the recording of the 30-hour epic. If interrupted only by sleep and meals, the Hinilawod epic would take three consecutive days to perform. But it would take three weeks when done only in the evening, after supper.

“Hinilawod is one of the longest epics known, even longer than the Iliad which has 15,700 verses. Hinilawod has 28, 155 lines in verses. And it was chanted from memory. Could you imagine the intellect there?” shares Dr. Jocano.

The chanting was in Kinaray-a, one of the native languages prevalent in Panay, Iloilo, Capiz, and other Central Panay provinces. The chanter, often a babaylan, would chant a Hinilawod while assisting someone who’s giving birth, or during festivities.

“The chanting is monotonous. Perhaps, like the pasyon. But unlike pasyon, there are no written materials to be used. The chanter would chant from memory. That’s why it is hard to pass it from one generation to the next,” shares the 81-yeard-old anthropologist.

He continues: “Oftentimes, the babaylan would take only one apprentice at a time. The apprentice would learn the knowledge through a personal relationship with the master. It’s about being there, watching the master at work, staying with the master, and participating with whatever the master is doing. As for the Hinilawod, the apprentice has to listen and internalize it.”

From 1958 to 1959, Jocano transcribed the recorded chants. But in 1960 to 1961, he put them aside because it wasn’t easy to transcribe and translate it. After two years, Jocano went back to working on Hinilawod and finished a 600-page English translation of the epic. He published the shortened version in the book “Philippine Mythology,” and brought it to public attention when it also came out in Manila Times in 1964.

He published a book, entitled “Hinilawod: Adventures of Humadapnon,” which is a three-part series in the Tarangban episode comprising the adventures of Humadapnon. The story is about Humadapnon’s search for the beautiful woman, named Nagmalitong Yawa, who the hero saw in his dream with the help of his spirit friends Taghuy and Duwindi. Since the woman lived near the mouth of the Halawod river, Humadapnon had to travel. And his adventures began including the enticement of the enchantresses, led by Lubay Hanginon, into passing by their abode, the cave of Tarangban, where he was imprisoned for seven years.

While some critics found it an immoral act that pillaged the Sulod culture, the 81-year-old anthropologist stands by his work, saying: “I didn’t do it for commercial or personal gains. I don’t make money from it. It will not make money. The market for it is limited. There is no demand for it yet. It is not viable. All academic endeavors are not often viable. It is just about the rich sense of identity and taking pride on our heritage. It’s about promoting and preserving. If we don’t record it, how can we know about it? This is one of the facets of our identity that we have to know.  If the knowledge is gone, then the perpetuity of our heritage will vanish.”

Hinilawod will be performed on September 3 and 4, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. For inquiries, call Creative Futures Inc. at 374-4822, (0915)417-2280, (0917) 899-2945, or e-mail them at info@creativefuturesinc.com.