Kirjahaku

The Aswang Complex in Philippine Folklore: With Illustrative Accounts in Vernacular Texts and Translations.This book is a bold attempt to present to the reader and to students of Filipino society and culture one of the dominant Filipino beliefs, the aswang. For some strange reason the belief has never been explored for its usefulness in the field of literature or social studies. Even educators shy away from it, branding the belief as superstitious and therefore hot to be perpetuated. While this view is entertained, however, there is continued use in the schools

IMAGINARY CREATURES depicted in a people's lower mythology are one of the most important phenomena in their belief systems. This is because the common folk in particular must strive to maintain harmonious relations with these creatures, a continuous process that permeates many aspects of their everyday lives and requires the intercession of a special person in the community who acts as the medium of communication between them.The subject of Maximo D. Ramos's work is the creatures of Philippine lower mythology, as this level of folklore is called. In undertaking this study, Dr. Ramos directed his efforts to two principal tasks: (1) making a taxonomic classification of all the beings which in his opinion fall within the framework of the problem as found in Philippine folk beliefs, and (2) correlating the implications of these beliefs, in terms of these classifications, to education, particularly on the elementary level.The taxonomic classification is intended to help clear up the confusion that attended earlier studies of these creatures. This is indeed the first attempt to systematize the identities of these Philippine mythological beings for the benefit of folklore scholarship. More specifically, Ramos writes: "Where names, traits, and functions appear to have become confused ... through the process of transfer that constantly occurs in traditional lore, it was thought fruitful to point these out and then attempt to account for them".In spite of the very extensive Christianization of the Filipinos-particularly the lowlanders-these mythical entities still persist in their traditional belief systems, hence the student of folk traditions cannot ignore them if he is to achieve greater relevance in his studies. Little by little the perspective from which these creatures have been traditionally viewed is bound to change until they are accepted as part of our cultural heritage. This change is bringing about an understanding of these creatures' function in our society.The present work is primarily taxonomic in nature but it sheds light into many of the dark corners of Philippine folklore studies and brings to the reader a fuller understanding of the most maligned inhabitants of the Philippine other- world. Herein lies the major contribution of Dr. Ramos-a basic recognition and a deeper insight into the cultural heritage of the Filipino.

IN THE PHILIPPINES, folk healers continue to have extensive practice back home, prescribing cures to appease demonological beings whose domain, they say, the patient has violated. At twilight the healer casts uncooked rice or puts a bowl of saltless boiled chicken where the patient last worked or played before becoming ill. The healer then begs the spirits to accept the offering, forgive the patient's trespass, and heal him.The farmer also offers rice cakes, cigars or cigarettes, wine

"Patricia of the Green Hills" is a collection of Filipiniana poems and short stories with reflections of life and folkways while growing up in the Philippines. Dr. Ramos never relaxed his own personal pursuit of the Muse and continued to write short stories, poems, and essays. At the same time, he devoted special attention to serious research on Philippine mythology and folklore. All these were done as he taught and performed administrative duties at the Philippine Normal College and later at the University of the East. We know that his legacy will fire the imagination of Filipino students and inspire them to know more about their own heritage, history, folkways and folklore and to write them down for others to enjoy and appreciate.I. PoemsFAUNANovemberHighway SignThe CobraAmbushThe SpringPrizeThe GeckoThe CalfThe CrocodileA Bleeding-Heart BirdVILLAGE AND CITYBarrio SceneBurial Jar TextProcessionPast Midnight in the BarrioManila Street SceneWhen I See a Barongbarong NeighborhoodView from the HighwayStoneCalvaryWARThe Beach Two Years AfterMount SamatBrown MenSeashoreLa Jeunesse de L'AnneeThe FathersCarol-Not for ChristmasRecalling Tale of How an Antique IsleLetter from MindanaoYOUTHTo Virgins Taking an ExaminationThe Way My Truelove BathesLove Song to PatriciaThe QuarrelYouthFLORABamboo BirthA Tree in BloomA Nameless PlantThe FenceThe Tree They FelledDawn in a KainginJUNGLEMotortruck in the JungleThe PythonDawn on the Maguindanao RiverLiguasan MarshVoice of the WildernessHunterLEGENDSOfferingThe Old Man of the Termite MoundThe Banana StoneA Girl Does Not Sweep Her YardA Bus PassengerThere Are MerfolkThe Elf TreeA Vanishing HitchikerThe MangmangldtGardeningSEA AND SKYAtollThe BatherPearl-DiverIslandVintasOceanWings Under the MoonII. Short StoriesSummertime in LomilogEntry November 9Planting Time and the CrowsThe Witch's WoodAir DuelThe StormDeath of the Old HouseBig House, Big HousePlane Crash in the RicefieldA Nipa House in SuburbiaThe Man and the JungleThe House at the Bend of the RoadWho Sink to RestJunglePatricia of the Green HillsThe Belle of the Wedding PartyIn the GullyDeath in a JungleThe Bells of SantiagoFlame Trees in the JungleVisit in the NightUncle Sabas and the JeepneyA HomecomingChristmas Far AwayChin Bo-HingAmbushThe PythonShadowsWeekend in BallayDark ValleyGreen River, Brown River

Maximo D. Ramos wrote a number of books detailing the history and culture of the Philippines. Boyhood in Monsoon Country is a collection of little essays about village life as a boy. It is not just the content here, which presents a fascinating range of topics from the food to the bird life to even the mythological creatures that kept him and his friends scared of entering into the woods -- what really speaks to the reader is the lyrical and conversational quality of the writing. Ramos's observations are often hilarious, often poignant, and always stream of consciousness, like a warm grandfather relaying his adventures to his grandchildren who gather around him to take it all in. As Ramos explores his own life and times, his invitation is a simple but profound one: now that he has shared his life, he implores the reader to think about and celebrate their own. Reading Boyhood in Monsoon Country feels like an exchange of lives-- a conversation that lets us into Ramos' world, and encourages us to think of the humanity that unites us all.Contents: Early School DaysWe Had Gizzards of IronWe Had Food Specials, TooOur Peer GroupThe Games We PlayedThe Birds We KnewOur Homely NamesThe Harmful Gods of Our CountrysideWe Had Just About All We NeededA Note to Agents of ChangeThe Magic of Old Place-NamesHoliday in BlackSweet Were the Uses of NecromancyPicnicHoly Week in Monsoon CountryGlossary of lloko Term

A collection of 37 Myths, Legends, and Folktales from around the Philippines that showcase the rich and diverse cultural identity throughout the archipelago. The book includes some illustrations, making it a wonderful collection to share with children of Filipino ancestry, or anyone interested in learning about different cultures from around the globe. ORIGIN MYTHS: How the Earth Was Created Why the Sky Rose High How the Sun and the Moon Came to Be Why the Sea Is Salt The First Monkey The Origin of the Owl and Other Creatures Legend of the Black Cat All-Head Juan Why the Snail Tastes Bitter How the Crocodile Learned to Hunt Why the Egret Rides on the Carabao ANIMAL TALES: The Tortoise and the Ban-og The Crocodile and the Monitor Lizard The Monkey, the Tortoise, and the Banana Tree The Guest Who Broke His Promise The Tortoise and the Lizard Bobowaya and Amomo-ay The Lizard's Treachery The Monkey and the Tortoise TALES TO LAUGH OVER: The Foolish Fishermen and the Carabao The Tale of Padol How Monsai Enslaved His Master The Foolish Farmer and His Carabao The Hunter and His Wife The Ginger of Aunt Guinampang ADVENTURE TALES: The Two Neighbors and the Crocodile Tale of the White Squash Datu Omar and the Elf The Woodcutter and the Python Mangosparos and the Monkeys Six Brothers and a Cat The Boy and the Crocodile The Magic Ring Tale of Two Women HERO TALES: The Magic Tree The Love of Rajah Mangandiri The Bird that Stole the Sultan's Beard

This book tells about 85 creatures of legend from Philippine Folklore. Many people believe that they exist and are afraid of them. The people of the ancient Philippines believed many things about the unseen creatures of the Philippine storyland. If you have met a good storyteller, he may have told you interesting legends about these creatures. And you may have asked a lot of questions about them which he could not answer. If you want to know more about these beings, turn the pages of this book, look at the pictures, and enjoy what is said about them.We call them creatures of midnight because it is said that they show themselves to people about the middle of the night.

A WIDE VARIETY of pre-Islamic and pre-Christian deities haunt the Philippine countryside. This explains why few of our village folk venture out after dark.These pre-Spanish gods I have classified under twelve groups: 1. Demons