Tales old and new in 'Alternative Alamat'

In this digital age, more and more people prefer to spend their time with gadgets than curling up with a good book. This does not bode well for stories, especially for those are already rare to begin with. A recently-released e-book brings Philippine mythology back into the spotlight.

 

Published by Flipside Digital Content and Rocket Kapre Books, "Alternative Alamat" is a collection of 11 short stories inspired by Philippine mythology. The authors, all Filipino, make innovative use of elements of Philippine mythology, from characters like Tungkung Langit and Alunsina to Bakunawa and Maria Makiling.

 

"None of these stories are straight re-tellings of the old tales: they build on those stories, or question underlying assumptions; use ancient names as catalysts, or play within the spaces where the myths are silent. What you will find in common in these eleven stories is a love for the myths, epics, and legends which reflect us, contain us, call to us—and it is our hope that, in reading our stories, you may catch a glimpse, and develop a hunger, for those venerable tales," writes the book's editor Paolo Chikiamco in his introduction.

 

In between the stories are notable Philippine deities, visually interpreted by Mervin Malonzo, who also did the book's cover illustration. The book also includes interviews with professors Herminia Meñez Coben and Fernando N. Zialcita in folklore and anthropology, a supplement for those interested to know more about Philippine mythology.

 

Same theme, different approach

 

In “Ana's Little Pawnshop on Makiling St.,” Palanca awardee Eliza Victoria tells the story of Eric, who works for the breathtaking but lonely Ana, who owns a small shop on a road that sounds like Cubao X. In this shop where lost objects end up, humans can buy things, and non-humans can trade magical items. In this story, Mariang Makiling answers to Marie, and Ana is actually Anagolay. It's a charming sad love story, and if it were to set the tone for the rest of the collection, it wouldn't be a bad thing.

 

Of course, given the writers' different styles, the stories are the same in terms of their theme, but can be quite different in approach. In contrast to the first story, which may appeal especially to readers of young adult literature, the second story by Rochita Loenen-Ruiz is a bit heavier in terms of language. Mixing Mangyan poetry with Ifugao culture, the writer explores the myth of the Sky Maiden, which appears in many cultures around the world. "Harinuo's Love Song" is the gripping story of a man who chooses a daughter of the stars to be his wife. Beautifully told, the words swirl as the story unfolds, and at the end of its 19 pages, one feels as if having awoken from a dream.

 

Fans of Budjette Tan's hit graphic novel "Trese" are in for a treat with the third story in "Alternative Alamat." "The Last Full Show" is introduced as a rare glimpse at the softer side of "Trese"—something Alexandra Trese's hundreds of Twitter followers would definitely want to see. Alexandra Trese is the book’s heroine and among the most popular Philippine comic book characters today, and in “The Last Full Show,” she investigates a mystery in Robertson Mall. Tan's story is best appreciated by those already acquainted with “Trese,” but first-timers will also enjoy the tale, and memorable lines in it like "the dead have their charms."

 

In “The Alipin's Tale,” Raymond Falgui explores the tale of the great chieftain Lapu-Lapu, and how he became a hero by rejecting the Kastila. Lapu-Lapu's faithful alipin recounts the tale of his lord, beyond the battle of Mactan, to get past the guardian giant Bernardo Carpio in a quest to conquer Maria Makiling. The story has its enjoyable twists as well as underlying messages, and it is impossible to stop reading, even if your eyes hurt from the glare of your monitor.

 

"Alternative Alamat" is an impressive collection of stories, one I would rather thumb through than scroll down to read. But it is also fitting that it exists as an e-book, tales with ancient beginnings finding form in this virtual space. 

 

The next piece is by a writer who is fascinated by the intersection of science and mythology, and is also the Technology Editor of GMA News Online. In "Keeper of My Sky," Timothy James Dimacali writes about the Panay legend of Tungkung Langit's eternal search for his wife Alunsina, and why she never returned. With a shifting point of view, Dimacali weaves two love stories—one in space and one on earth. With bright, powerful descriptions, Dimacali makes scenes jump out of the story and come alive in the reader's mind. After the last line, there is a sense of loss, and the lesson that sometimes, the best love stories are the saddest ones.

 

Andrei Tupaz's "Offerings to Aman Sinaya" tells the story of fishermen and how they earn the protection of the Tagalog goddess of the sea. The anthology also has a few stories that take place on mountains, like Mo Francisco's "Conquering Makiling," and Celestine Trinidad's "Beneath the Acacia," where the guardian of Arayat, Maria Sinukuan meets her match in the form of a particularly persistent suitor. Raissa Rivera Falgui chooses to write about a lesser-known Maria in "The Sorceress Queen." 

 

In "Conquering Makiling," Francisco tells another kind of love story. The tale begins at the Makiling High School campus on a hot day in May. With this modern setting, Francisco explores the popular myth of the nature goddess Maria Makiling. The author's frequent mountain climbing trips allow her to make vivid descriptions as the main character ends up volunteering for a tree planting activity in the Makiling Forest. But as readers will discover, there's more to this story than the oft-repeated warning to take care of the environment.

 

Inspired by the mysterious Marinduque myth of Maria Malindig, Falgui shows what might happen when a powerful queen is confronted with an encroaching patriarchy. Queen Maryam is beautiful, but her lack of suitors has made her bitter. But when the old Emperor of Mu declares that his heir must wed a sorceress as mighty as he, three worthy kings compete for the Queen's hand in marriage. She favors one, but this is no simple fairy tale, and does not end in the usual "happily ever after."

 

In "Balat, Buwan, Ngalan (A Myth for the 21st Century)," David Hontiveros brings the reader to familiar places—the nightclub, the coffee shop, the apartment. The stories, too, are familiar despite their strangeness. You trade films for tales, and discover the karibang, who tells you about the serpent Bakunawa, the celestial siblings Bulan, Bitoon and Adlao, the arrogant Daga. You learn that the same stories are told everywhere, with different names. When the karibang tells you that stories are always about something, you understand.

 

The anthology ends with speculative fiction advocate Dean Francis Alfar's "An excerpt from 'A Door Opens: The Beginning of the Fall of the Ispancialo-in-Hinirang (Emprensa Press: 2007)' by Salahuddin Alonto, Annotated by Omar Jamad Maududi, MLS, HOL, JMS." Full of historical references and footnotes, this story can be overwhelming. But by this time, the reader is quite comfortable with Philippine mythology, and can easily appreciate this last tale of gods and men.

 

Chikiamco writes that there is a tendency to view the Philippines as a footnote on the world stage. "Yet there's so much that is unique and beautiful in Philippine culture, if only we would take the time to learn it. Philippine mythology has much to offer the world. This anthology, we hope, has opened a doorway. We invite you to step through it." –KG, GMA News

 

"Alternative Alamat" is available at Flipreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iTunes. For more information, please visit the official book page at the Rocket Kapre website.