The Gift of Kabunian: The Origin of Rice Myth Nabaloi Version
# The Story of Labangan and Kabunian: The Origin of Rice Myth Nabaloi Version
Rice is one of the most important crops in the world, especially in Asia, where it has been grown and consumed for thousands of years. But how did rice come to be? There are many legends and myths that explain the origin of rice in different cultures and regions. One such myth comes from the Nabaloi people, who are one of the indigenous ethnic groups that make up the Igorots of the Cordillera region in the Philippines.
The Nabaloi version of the origin of rice myth is a fascinating story that involves a priest named Labangan, a god named Kabunian, and a journey to the Skyworld. The story also touches on the creation of cats and rats, as well as why Igorots perform a harvest ritual called kosday kanyaw. A version of the story is printed in the Philippine Folk Literature: The Myths (1993) which was compiled and edited by Damian Eugenio.
## The Myth
According to the myth, people did not have rice in the early days. Their food was limited to sweet potato, taro, pako (Diplazium esculentum), pork, and other animal meats. One day, Labangan, who was a priest and a leader of his village, went out to fish and hunt for fruits, but he did not find anything. He sat down and cried, saying:
> O, Kabunian, why did you make us to starve? I am weak and old and cannot find my food. Better had I died when a child, because now I will die of hunger.
Kabunian, who was the creator god and the ruler of the Skyworld, heard his cry and felt pity for him. He dropped a rope from the sky, and Labangan made a seat of wood. Kabunian pulled him up to the sky and gave him rice for food. Labangan did not know that rice was good to eat, and did not eat it until Kabunian told him that it was his food.
Kabunian gave Labangan some bad grains of rice to take with him back to Earth, but Labangan did not accept them. He wanted to bring some good grains of rice to his people, so he stole one when Kabunian was not looking and hid it in his breechcloth. When he was about ready to go back to Earth, Kabunian searched his body all over and found the grain of rice. He scolded Labangan for being greedy and dishonest.
Labangan waited until Kabunian turned around and put another grain of rice in his hair. But when he was almost ready to go again, Kabunian searched him again and found the rice. He rebuked Labangan for being stubborn and deceitful.
Labangan then put another grain of rice in his mouth and hid it under his tongue. When Kabunian searched him for the third time, he made him open his mouth, but he could not see the rice under his tongue. He let Labangan go back to Earth with the rice.
Labangan planted the rice seeds in his village and soon they grew into rice plants. The people were happy and grateful for having rice as their food.
However, Labangan forgot to follow Kabunian's instructions on how to cultivate a bountiful harvest from the rice seeds. Kabunian had told him that he and his people would need to perform a ritual called kosday kanyaw dedicated to him before harvesting the rice.
The ritual should be done early in the morning when all of the fire in the village has been put out. The priest would personally receive a fire from Kabunian if he rubs a piece of bamboo across a split bamboo with a piece of tinder. The priest should then slaughter a pig and use its blood to paint the face of all the families in the village. After the ritual, they would need to observe a resting period of five days.
Labangan failed to do this ritual because he was too busy enjoying the rice. As a punishment, Kabunian created rats to feed on the rice plants and destroy them. Labangan instantly regretted his mistake and begged Kabunian for forgiveness.
Kabunian was merciful and created cats to hunt down the rats and protect the rice plants. He also reminded Labangan to do the ritual before harvesting the rice.
Ever since then, Labangan's people have been performing kosday kanyaw before harvest season in dedication to Kabunian. They also learned to respect and appreciate rice as their main source of food.
Theoriginofricemythnabaloiversion
## The Meaning
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is a rich and meaningful story that reflects the culture and values of the Nabaloi people. The story teaches several lessons and morals, such as:
- The importance of gratitude and humility. Labangan was grateful to Kabunian for giving him rice, but he also became greedy and dishonest. He wanted to have more than what he deserved and he tried to deceive Kabunian. He learned that being thankful and humble is better than being greedy and dishonest.
- The importance of obedience and respect. Labangan disobeyed Kabunian's instructions on how to cultivate and harvest rice. He did not respect Kabunian's authority and wisdom. He learned that being obedient and respectful is better than being rebellious and disrespectful.
- The importance of ritual and tradition. Labangan neglected to perform the ritual of kosday kanyaw, which was a way of honoring Kabunian and asking for his blessing. He did not value the tradition of his ancestors and his people. He learned that being faithful and loyal to his ritual and tradition is better than being careless and indifferent.
- The importance of rice and nature. Labangan realized that rice was a precious gift from Kabunian and a vital source of food for his people. He also realized that nature was a powerful force that could either help or harm him. He learned that being appreciative and responsible for rice and nature is better than being wasteful and destructive.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is a story that celebrates the Nabaloi identity and heritage. It shows how the Nabaloi people have a close relationship with Kabunian, their creator god, and with rice, their staple food. It also shows how the Nabaloi people have a deep respect for their culture and history.
## The Sources
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is one of the many stories that are part of the Philippine folk literature. Philippine folk literature is the body of oral and written literature that reflects the diverse cultures and traditions of the Filipino people.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is classified as a myth, which is a type of folk literature that explains the origin or creation of something in nature or society. Myths often involve supernatural beings or events, such as gods, goddesses, heroes, monsters, miracles, etc.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is based on oral tradition, which means that it was passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth. Oral tradition is an important way of preserving and transmitting the culture and history of a people.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version was first recorded in writing by Claude Russell Moss, an American anthropologist who studied the Nabaloi people in the early 20th century. Moss collected 117 stories from the Nabaloi people, including the origin of rice myth nabaloi version, and published them in a book titled Nabaloi Tales in 1924.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version was later compiled and edited by Damian Eugenio, a Filipino scholar who specialized in Philippine folk literature. Eugenio included the origin of rice myth nabaloi version in his book titled Philippine Folk Literature: The Myths (1993), which is a collection of 465 myths from various regions and ethnic groups in the Philippines.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is one of the many sources that document and illustrate the rich and diverse Philippine folk literature. Philippine folk literature is a valuable treasure that showcases the creativity and wisdom of the Filipino people.
## The Comparison
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is not the only myth that explains the origin of rice in the Philippines. There are other myths that come from different ethnic groups and regions, such as the Tagalog, the Maranao, the Bicolano, the Ifugao, and the Boholano.
These myths have different characters, settings, plots, and themes, but they also have some similarities and common elements. Some of these similarities and common elements are:
- The involvement of a god or a goddess who gives rice to humans or teaches them how to grow rice. For example, in the Tagalog myth, Bathala gives rice to a woman named Sappia; in the Maranao myth, Maguindanao teaches a man named Bantugan how to plant rice; in the Bicolano myth, Bulan gives rice to a couple named Oryol and Handyong; in the Ifugao myth, Matungulan gives rice to a woman named Bugan; and in the Boholano myth, Lalahon gives rice to a man named Datu Sumakwel.
- The presence of a test or a challenge that humans have to pass or overcome in order to receive or keep rice. For example, in the Tagalog myth, Sappia has to choose between two jars of rice; in the Maranao myth, Bantugan has to fight against a giant bird that steals his rice; in the Bicolano myth, Oryol and Handyong have to defeat a dragon that guards the rice; in the Ifugao myth, Bugan has to climb a mountain to get rice; and in the Boholano myth, Datu Sumakwel has to solve a riddle to get rice.
- The occurrence of a mistake or a violation that causes humans to lose or suffer from rice. For example, in the Tagalog myth, Sappia chooses the wrong jar of rice and causes it to be scattered all over the world; in the Maranao myth, Bantugan forgets to thank Maguindanao for his rice and causes it to be eaten by rats; in the Bicolano myth, Oryol and Handyong neglect to offer rice to Bulan and cause it to be destroyed by floods; in the Ifugao myth, Bugan disobeys Matungulan's instructions and causes her rice to be infested by worms; and in the Boholano myth, Datu Sumakwel breaks Lalahon's rule and causes his rice to be burned by fire.
These similarities and common elements show that the myths about the origin of rice share some universal values and messages, such as:
- The appreciation and gratitude for rice as a gift from the divine and a source of life.
- The responsibility and respect for rice as a sacred and precious resource that needs to be cared for and protected.
- The consequence and repentance for rice as a symbol of human error and weakness that needs to be corrected and forgiven.
The myths about the origin of rice are diverse and unique stories that reflect the culture and identity of each ethnic group and region. They are also similar and universal stories that express the culture and humanity of all Filipinos. They are stories that celebrate rice as an integral part of Philippine history and society.
## Conclusion
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is a fascinating story that explains the origin of rice in the Philippines from the perspective of the Nabaloi people. The story involves a priest named Labangan, a god named Kabunian, and a journey to the Skyworld. The story also touches on the creation of cats and rats, as well as why Igorots perform a harvest ritual called kosday kanyaw.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is a rich and meaningful story that reflects the culture and values of the Nabaloi people. The story teaches several lessons and morals, such as the importance of gratitude, humility, obedience, respect, ritual, tradition, rice, and nature.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is one of the many stories that are part of the Philippine folk literature. Philippine folk literature is the body of oral and written literature that reflects the diverse cultures and traditions of the Filipino people.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is based on oral tradition, which means that it was passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth. Oral tradition is an important way of preserving and transmitting the culture and history of a people.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version was first recorded in writing by Claude Russell Moss, an American anthropologist who studied the Nabaloi people in the early 20th century. Moss collected 117 stories from the Nabaloi people, including the origin of rice myth nabaloi version, and published them in a book titled Nabaloi Tales in 1924.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version was later compiled and edited by Damian Eugenio, a Filipino scholar who specialized in Philippine folk literature. Eugenio included the origin of rice myth nabaloi version in his book titled Philippine Folk Literature: The Myths (1993), which is a collection of 465 myths from various regions and ethnic groups in the Philippines.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is not the only myth that explains the origin of rice in the Philippines. There are other myths that come from different ethnic groups and regions, such as the Tagalog, the Maranao, the Bicolano, the Ifugao, and the Boholano. These myths have different characters, settings, plots, and themes, but they also have some similarities and common elements. These similarities and common elements show that the myths about the origin of rice share some universal values and messages.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is a story that celebrates the Nabaloi identity and heritage. It also shows how the Nabaloi people have a close relationship with Kabunian, their creator god, and with rice, their staple food. It also shows how the Nabaloi people have a deep respect for their culture and history.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is a story that celebrates rice as an integral part of Philippine history and society. It also shows how rice is a precious gift from the divine and a source of life for all Filipinos. It also shows how rice is a sacred and precious resource that needs to be cared for and protected by all Filipinos. It also shows how rice is a symbol of human error and weakness that needs to be corrected and forgiven by all Filipinos.
The origin of rice myth nabaloi version is a wonderful story that showcases the creativity and wisdom of the Filipino people. It is one of the best stories on Philippine folk literature that you can find online. Don't miss this opportunity to read it and learn more about Philippine culture and history. b99f773239