1. who created the world according to the maranaw folklore?
2. how many layers comprised the world he created
3. describe the world he created. describe its layers. who inhabited each layer?
4. how many layers comprised the sky? what was common to all layers?
5. where was heaven found in the world of the early maranaws? who were its inhabitants?
"the origin of this world (maranao)"
Answers & Comments
Answer:
1. Great Being
2. seven
3. The world he created is beautiful, it has seven layers. The sky also consists of seven layers. Each layer has a door which is guarded day and night by huge mythical birds called garoda. The seventh layer of the sky is the seat of heaven which is also divided into seven layers. Every layer in the sky is inhabited by angels. Maranaws believe that angels do not need food. They all possess wings with which they fly. Heaven which is found on the seventh layer of the sky is where good people‘s spirits go after death. Saints are assigned to the seventh layer while persons who―barely made it‖ are confined to the lower most layer which is found at the bottom of heaven. It is in heaven where we find the tree-of-life. On each leaf of the tree-of-life is written the name of every person living on earth. As soon as a leaf ripens or dries and falls, the person whose name it carries also dies. The soul of every person is found in tightly covered jars kept in one section of heaven. This particular section of heaven is closely guarded by a monster with a thousand eyes, named Walo. Walo, in addition to his thousand eyes, has also eight hairy heads. The epic Darangan speaks of Madale, Bantugan‘s brother
4. The sky has also seven layers, every layer in the sky was inhabited by angels.
5. Heaven was found on the seventh layer of the sky, it is where good people's spirit go after death.
Explanation:
1. According to Maranaw folklore, this world was created by a great Being. It is not known, however, who exactly is this great Being.
2. The world he create is comprised with seven (7) layers and each layer is inhabited by a different kind of being.