The Wild Tribes of Davao District, Mindanao - The R. F. Cummings Philippine Expedition by Fay-Cooper Cole
page 181 of 211 (85%)
page 181 of 211 (85%)
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This means:
"Mansilatan has come down, has come down. Later (will come) Badla, who will preserve the earth. Bailanas, dance; bailanas, turn ye round about." This Rosell takes as "a confirmation of the most transcendental questions of our true religion," for in Mansilatan he finds the principal god and father of Balda, "who descended from the heavens where he dwells, in order to create the world. Afterwards his only son Badla came down also to preserve and protect the world--that is men and things--against the power and trickery of the evil spirits Pudaugnon and Malimbung." The writer made persistent inquiry among the Mandaya to the south of Caraga, but could not find a trace of a belief in any one of the four spirits named; neither are these spirits mentioned in the notes of Governor Bolton, nor in the excellent description of the people about Cateel, furnished by such a careful observer as Mr. Maxey. It seems that this account, together with the song and its translation, must have been gathered from other than Mandayan sources. Long before 1885 the town of Caraga had become one of the strongholds of the church on the east coast of Mindanao, and Christianized settlers from all the southern islands had come to the vicinity.[121] It is probable that Rosell's information was secured from Christianized or Moro emigrants, and the first spirits named refer to Badhala--Bathala, or Batala--"the all powerful," and Dian Mansalanta--"the patron of lovers and generation."[122] [121] They are often referred to as _Caragas_ in the early writings. |
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