Myths of Villareal,Samar

The Road Full of Engkantos

Location: Brgy. San Fernando, Villareal Samar
Informant’s age: 47
Occupation: Farmer

Transcription of Myth:

“According to a tambalan of whom we have consulted to treat my daughter’s condition, she is suffering because engkantos find her weak. The engkantos see her everytime she walks to and from school since their habitat are alongside of the road. They are living in the bamboo trees, like neighbors. Up until now, you can see those five bamboo trees which signify the habitat of these five engkantos. I tell the children everytime they walk along that road to be careful and neither to be too noisy nor too quiet and have at least one companion especially when it is already dark.”

Analysis:

It is true that there are five bamboo trees alongside of the road and we were even told during my elementary days to be careful when passing by that road as we attend school in the nearby barangay. The primary school in our barangay only holds three grade levels so children are enrolled in the next barangay by the time they reach grade four to six. This scenario is still prevalent today but it was only in our time when the informant’s daughter got sick that we were really scared to walk alone. His daughter was diagnosed with typhoid fever and eventually died. People in the barrios would seek first the help of a tambalan to cure whatever they feel because of financial constraints and thinking that they might have offended some engkantos which is a belief everyone holds on in our community even today. The informant was told by the tambalan to offer a native chicken with red feathers to please the engkantos. Later they did know that his daughter is suffering from typhoid fever after they had the enough money to bring her to the hospital since the offering seemed to have no effect.

This story of the informant’s daughter is told to children as an example if they will not going to heed the elders’ advise to be careful when passing by that road. The road is not yet concrete and there are no houses within the vicinity. Aside from bamboo trees, there are mangrove trees since it is near a swamp and a large mango tree which are believed to be inhabited by engkantos as well. The story serves as a warning for children to behave properly and to go home early. It maybe has a truth in it because of the story of the informant about her daughter of which I can confirm but it plays a main role in shaping the children’s behavior.

 

Two Kingdoms

Location: Villareal, Samar
Informant’s age: 67
Occupation: Vendor

Transcription of Myth:

The narra tree in front of my house is actually inhabited by engkantos and even by Carolina. I believe my husband and my son were taken by them and are now currently living in that tree. They are actually building two kingdoms, taking the souls of our departed loved ones in there. The other kingdom is that tree in the opposite side. There were many unusual events happened in my house because these engkantos often comes here. Those who were seen mostly by them, either passing by or just sick were already dead but with unusual deaths. Some planned to cut that tree but many are afraid what the engkantos’ wrath might bring to us.

Analysis:

The house of the informant in the town proper was actually my boarding house way back in high school. I even experienced one of the unusual events she is referring when her granddaughter was possessed by an engkanto. The tree she is talking about is a big narra tree of which some people in their neighborhood believes to be an enchanted one while the other tree some meters away in the opposite direction is not that infamous at all. You would not dare to cut even a single branch or else the next thing you knew in the morning is having an unbearable pain made by these engkantos as a punishment. Some people living within that area of which the tree stands right now died of unusual deaths or those which doctors in the hospital were unable to explain. Maybe, the people tried to associate such deaths with the tree since this tree is very big and has large branches. In rural areas, if a certain tree is strangely huge, they would suspect it to be the home of engkantos. Carolina is a woman of whom many believed to be a bad spirit and she has that narra as one of her homes. This story serves a great role in shaping the behavior of the people. They were taught to respect the nature without even realizing it. What they acknowledge is the fear they have for the tree but in a way, this fear helps them conserve our environment.

 

When it is already Dark

Location: Villareal, Samar
Informant’s age: 78
Occupation: None

Transcription of Myth:

“Children are not allowed to play anymore when it is already dark because they might shove some engkantos. By 6pm, children should go home to give way for the engkantos to play as well since they consider night time to be their playtime.”

Analysis:

This saying by elders is still prevalent in our community of which most of the children would obey because of their fear to offend the engkantos. By 6pm or even when night would soon fall in, you will not see a single child playing in the road anymore. This proves that authority of the elders is still plausible through sayings. But aside from the possibility that engkantos really exist, the possible origin of this saying could be traced back in the time when families were conducting “Angelus” in their homes. Children were encouraged to join in such religious activity. However, playing in the afternoon makes it hard for parents to convince their children to join them so they may have made up a story to threaten their children thus, restraining them to play at night.

 

Kataw (Mermaid)

Location: Villareal, Samar
Informant’s age: 50
Occupation: Vendor

Transcription of Myth:

“It was said that in Brgy. Guintarcan a fisherman once captured a Kataw or mermaid. Because of this, many typhoons devastated our Region which includes Typhoon Undang in 1984 and followed by several other strong typhoons. But Undang was the most terrifying one because house roofs were really flying and just one wind surge can carry a person few meters away. It is unlucky to keep a kataw in your place because bad lucks will surely ensue. So, when that fisherman released the kataw, the calamities seemed to stop. However, they denied this rumor and further said that there was no kataw captured in Guintarcan since a government official went there to investigate and found out that it was just a made-up story.”

Analysis:

The rumor became wide spread after a series of calamities that the informant only relied her information in hearsays. The chance to verify this rumor is not possible since this happened way back in 1980’s. But it is true that Typhoon Undang was really a strong natural calamity. As a matter of fact it is included in 11 worst typhoons in the Philippines causing many casualties. People often associate natural disasters to a particular cause. The one cited here is kataw or mermaid with the belief that such sea creature really exists and the bad luck that comes in capturing it. Brgy. Guintarcan is an island barangay in Villareal, Samar which is a one-hour travel away from the town proper. The primary livelihood source of residents there is fishing and it is far from other barangays so the rumor may have been acceptable to some thinking it may be possible but having no chance to confirm its validity. This rumor often reminds everyone or those who have witnessed the series of disasters to expect the worse and to be more prepared of such natural disasters.