INDONESIAN FOLKLORE: Ibu Gogo

These little guys were sighted in Flores, Indonesia, from ancient times to the 19th century. They’re described as hairy and short with big guts. They walk like humans. They are said to have mimicked the words people said to them.

Australians and Indonesians found skeletons of a new species of human at an archaeological site. They were believed to live over ten thousand years ago. The skeletons were about a meter tall.

These skeletons were thought to possibly be the Ibu Gogo of Indonesian folklore. The Ibu Gogo have been used by Indonesians as a scare tactic to get their children to behave. The term “Ibu Gogo” means grandmother who eats anything.

Legend has it that the ebu gogo and the people lived in peace… for a while. The Ibu Gogo started killing crops and the humans’ animals. They fled to caves when the humans started killing them. These caves were eventually set on fire after the Ibu Gogo stole a baby. Some were said to have fled to the Liang Bua caves, which is the cave where the archaeologists found the small skeletons.

A Mysterious Record of Events in 1593

Here, I bet not a lot of you in the Philippines know about this... one of the earliest recorded story of what seem to be like what we modernly call: a "jumper".

Gil Pérez was a Spanish soldier of the Filipino Guardia Civil who allegedly suddenly appeared in the Plaza Mayor of Mexico City (more than 9,000 nautical miles from Manila, across the Pacific) on October 24, 1593. He was wearing the uniform of the guards of Palacio Del Gobernador in the Philippines, and claimed he had no idea how he had arrived in Mexico. Some historians doubt the accuracy of the story, which does not appear in writing until a century after the supposed event.

Perez claimed that moments before finding himself in Mexico he had been on sentry duty in Manila at the governor’s palace. He admitted that while he was aware that he was no longer in the Philippines, he had no idea where he was or how he had gotten there. He said that moments before he arrived there, His Excellency the Governor of the Philippines, Gomez Perez Dasmariñas had been killed by Chinese pirates. He explained that after long hours of duty in Manila, he felt faint, leaned against a wall and closed his eyes; he said he opened his eyes a second later to find himself somewhere different.

When it was explained to him that he was now in Mexico City, Perez refused to believe it saying that he had received his orders on the morning of October 23 in Manila and that it was therefore impossible for him to be in Mexico City on the evening of the 24th. The authorities placed Perez in jail as a deserter and for the possibility that he may have been in the service of Satan. The Most Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition questioned the soldier, but all he could say in his defense was that he had travelled from Manila to Mexico “in less time than it takes a cock to crow”.

Two months later, news from the Philippines arrived by Manila Galleon, confirming the fact of the literal axing on October 23 of Dasmariñas in a mutiny of Chinese rowers, as well as other points of the mysterious soldier’s fantastic story. Witnesses confirmed that Gil Perez had indeed been on duty in Manila just before arriving in Mexico. Furthermore, one of the passengers on the ship recognized Perez and swore that he had seen him in the Philippines on October 23. Gil Perez eventually returned to the Philippines and took up his former position as a palace guard, living thenceforth an apparently uneventful life.

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IT ALL STARTED IN MOUNT MAKILING

Mount Makiling is one of Southeast Asia’s sacred/mystical mountains. It belongs to the league of Mt. Agung in Bali, Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai, to name a few. It is located in the province of Laguna in the Philippines.

Legend has it that Maria Makiling was a goddess. FilipinaSoul better describes her here and who could tell the legend better than the great Rizal himself here.

Mount Makiling is a volcano – an inactive one, that is *whew! now I think y'know why I'm here*. Parts of the area are supplied with electricity produced from geothermal heat from this mountain. And it made Laguna the hot springs, mud springs, mineral baths centre and a very popular hiking treks of the country.

I would like to commend the efforts of those responsible for preserving the eco-system of this mountain -- UPLB. Lush forests, fresh air, ancient trees dotted the area and I can still hear the sounds of its’ abundant animals living in it. Considering Laguna is just an hour or so away from overly crowded Manila.

At the foot of Makiling is the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) – where the country’s future environmentalists, agro professionals and livestock moguls come from. The IRRI and Philippine Rice Research Institute are also nearby.

Mount Makiling isn’t just all these...

Mount Makiling is a heritage icon of the Tagalogs (the dominant ethnic group of the Philippines) – this mountain provided them legends and beliefs that made their distinct culture that eventually became the basis of all other cultures of the Philippines.

--Pisanu in Los Baños, Laguna
06 Feb 2009

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THE ENIGMATIC LAGUNA (A Prelude)

Laguna is a mysterious place that holds unknown legends and unwritten history yet to be revealed. This province of the Philippines in Luzon Island has intrigued me for some time now –

An ancient volcanic caldera? Was this the area where a Spanish priest burned the written annals of pre-Spanish Philippines? Who was the culprit? Are there any records of him?

Is this, where legend says, lies a Muslim city that was annihilated and totally erased on the map and history? Was Rizal a Muslim royalty? – So many questions on my book, really.

This is how I see Laguna on Luzon Island. It has so many secrets the Filipinos do not know or choose not to know. This area is one of the Philippines' cradles of civilization and holds the secrets of the true history of the Filipinos.

I know that my readers are expecting a tongue-in-cheek travelogue and a couple of misadventures on this 7-day trip. After all, this is how Laguna is to most Filipinos – a tourist destination. Don’t worry; I’ll feature some of ‘em.

Here’s Pisanu, on a trip to the mysterious and enchanting place called Laguna.

--Pisanu in San Pablo City, Laguna
04 Feb 2009

OUR TREASURES: The Plain Of Jars

One of the most mysterious and curious places in Southeast Asia is the Plain of Jars in Xieng Khuang Province in Laos. These are not just ordinary pots and broken vases but huge, ancient, creepy stone jars (as tall as 5 ft each) scattered over an area of 500 sq miles!

The kicker is… nobody knows where it came from or who made ‘em and nobody even knows their purpose. The Plain of Jars is Southeast Asia's version of the Easter Island and scientists said that these jars are more than 2,000 years old *Collectors of antiquity…stay out!*

I can’t help but theorize what these ancient jars are for…could these urns were used by ancient Laotians to store ashes of their dead relatives? Yeah, I could be right. But there are no historical records that they burn their deads in those times, is there?

Could they have used it to collect rain for drinking water? Or to make lots of fermented fish (like Trasi, Belacan, Prahok or Bagoong)? Could these be ancient prison cells for bad-ass citizens? The possibilities are endless!

My father used to say that there are things better left alone – unexplained, undisturbed, undiscovered. This “exclusivity” propel these curious wonders into eternity and the Plain of Jars of Laos is no exception.

This ancient site will soon be a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And BISEAN recommends a visit to this ancient, puzzling destination. Include it on your next visit to Laos. It is only a few hours away from Vientiane and make sure you book the trip through your hotel concierge only.

Hmm…what are these ancient jars for?

I’d like to know what you think.


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THE LEGEND OF THE FIRE RHINO

Legend has it…that whenever there’s fire in the forest, big or small, a rhino would show up and stomp on it to put it out. The legend is as simple as that. But a few of us knew that this legend came from Southeast Asia.

They are called “Badak Api” in Malay folklore. Badak means “rhinoceros” and Api means “fire”. The Burmese also has a version of it. The “Fire Rhino” legend lived through the centuries.

The British picked up the legend from Malaya and Burma during their colonial occupation. They brought it with them to Europe. The legend even reached Africa in the height of the colonial era.

Most of us have also seen this legend in the movie The God Must Be Crazy – where a huge white rhino diligently stomp on fire started by the Bushman for cooking. LOL! Rhinos became an international mascot for fire fighters and fire extinguishers too!

But do rhinos REALLY stomp on fire?

Well, nobody knows. And that’s a fact!

There are no documented sightings of it in science.
No records, no reliable witness, no VHS tape,
no digital recordings, no 3Gs, no nothing.


Having said that… the legend of Badak Api lives on.

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CHANG ERAWAN: The Birth of an Urban Legend

There’s this woman who lives outside Bangkok. She travels from the suburbs to the city everyday -- passing by this giant 3-headed elephant statue while it's being built. One day, while on a bus going back home, the woman made a wish to the elephant that if he help her win the lottery… she would have his baby.

Within a week she did in fact win more than a million Baht. And she also became pregnant. By the time the national newspapers heard about it, she was already in hiding.

Another woman made the same wish. But she offered a different promise – her virginity. She was found half-dead, genitals shattered and profusely bleeding. Next to her is the winning lottery ticket of the week.

People soon flocked the gates of the compound even before the gigantic elephant statue was finished. Many Thais came to worship -- especially every 1st and 16th day of every month when the winning numbers are announced.

“Chang” means elephant in Thai. “Erawan” is the name of the 33-headed elephant of the Hindu God Indra. This is often abbreviated to just 3 heads by artists who depicts the statues.

The Chang Erawan (พิพิธภัณฑ์ช้างเอราวัณ) is a spectacular place beyond description. It is actually a museum of Thai antiquity. It is now the most famous tourist attraction of Samut Prakan. The elephant alone is almost 100 feet tall and 130 feet long, mounted on a building 10 stories high. Construction took almost 10 years.

Wish granted. Although this is mainly a museum, I think that the building is more interesting than the artifacts it houses. And more interestingly, the prospects of having your wish come true. At the shrine, light incense and offer flowers or fruits. Don’t forget to be specific and set a date; when would you like your wish to come true. And when it does, don’t forget to come back and thank him.

You wanna visit? Chang Erawan will welcome you from the airport on your way to Bangkok. It's along Sukhumvit Road and 20 minutes away from downtown. Taking a cab is the best way to get there. All taxi drivers know where it is. It is open from 8am to 6pm everyday. Entrance fee is 150 Baht (€4, $5, Rm15) and 50 baht for kids. If you don’t wanna go inside the museum and just walk about the compound, it would cost you only 50 Baht.

Be careful of what you wish.

Somebody might be listening.

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*Photo credits: Hartfreid and Krash

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THE LEGEND OF THE SIAMESE CAT

Contrary to popular belief, Siamese cats were never given away as gifts by the Kings of Siam (Thailand) in the old days. Although White Elephants are sent away as far as England and America, the highly esteemed cats stayed; for only the King and members of the royal family are allowed to own them.

Siamese cats in Thailand are called as "Wichien-maat" (วิเชียรมาศ) which means Moon Diamond. It is the most famous of several breed of cats distinctly Thai. These cats are decendants of the sacred temple cats of Siam.

Ancient Siamese texts show that these cats are venerated as guardians of the temples. When a person of high status died, officials would select one of these cats to receive the dead person’s soul. The cat will then be removed from the royal household to be sent to one of the temples. And it doesn’t stop there – the chosen cat will spend the rest of its’ days living in immense luxury, monks and priest are its willing servants.

These cats were reputed to eat the finest foods from gold plates and to recline on cushions made of the most expensive silk. These luxuries had been provided by the departed one's relatives in an attempt to receive good fortune and blessings. Once they became temple cats, they were supposed to have special powers and could intercede for the soul of the dead person. Ancient texts reveal that these cats participated in ceremonies, religious or royal.

Original Siamese cats are crossed eyed and have a kink at the end of its tail! These features are regarded as “flaws” in the Western world. They tried to eliminate it by selective breeding for almost a hundred years! Unknown to their knowledge, these special characteristics has legends on its’ origins.

According to legends… Once, when all the men of Siam left their homes to defend our kingdom, just two cats - one male; Tien, and one female; Chula – remained, in order to guard Buddha's golden goblet in the sacred temple.

Tien became pretty restless and, after mating with Chula, left her so he can find another priest to look after the temple. Chula was so overwhelmed by the responsibility of guarding the Buddha's treasure alone -- she never once took her eyes away from the goblet till she got crossed eyed! And just in case she falls asleep, she would wrap her long tail around the goblet’s stem so tight, she developed a kink. All Chula's kittens were born with these features, even today - so the legends are kept alive.

Another version of the legend of the kinked tail is -- Once there was a princess who used her cat's tail as a ring-stand while she was bathing. The kink in the tail prevented the rings from falling off and being lost.

Wait a second here, it just occurred to me… if these beautiful cats were never given away as gifts by members of the royal family – How in the world did Mrs. Gould (first woman who took these cats to London) able to export a pair to England in 1884? How did she manage to have, not just one, but two?!! Hmmm…I don’t know about you, but I smell a smuggler. LOL! Ever since then, hundreds more appeared around London in the 1880s and an American Consul in Bangkok managed to send a pair to the White House around 1890. Now, can somebody tell me who taught us the art of smuggling? *Pffft!*

Anyways, smuggled or not; people like Mrs. Gould introduced the Siamese Cats to the world – which became our most beloved cats and the world's most legendary breed.


The SIAMESE CATS -- Living Treasures of Southeast Asia.


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*If anybody has seen my cat Hugs (first photo), around Ekkamai Soi 10...pls pls pls let me know! She's been missing for like 5 months now! She got white irregular marks on the mouth area and on all her paws like she's wearing white boots! Hugs, please come back :(


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THE LEGEND OF THE WHITE ELEPHANT

In the story of the Buddha, the white elephant is connected to fertility and knowledge. On the eve of giving birth to the Lord Buddha, his mother dreams that a white elephant comes to present her with a lotus, symbol of purity and knowledge.

The white elephant is not an ordinary elephant. It had sacred powers. It was the mount of the war god. It brought fertility. The Royal White Elephants were not taken to war and not ridden in processions. They were kept within the confines of the palace, entrusted to the care of senior officials, fed well, washed regularly, and worried over constantly.

For the kings of Burma, Siam, Laos and Cambodia -- the possession of these sacred beasts became very important because their rule depended on it. A king who had many fine white elephants would be successful and his kingdom would prosper. If his white elephants died, it foretold disaster for the king and his kingdom.

The Burmese King, Thibaw, made his last effort to revive his most favorite white elephant. Although it is clearly dying, he showered it with gold and precious stones. He decked diamonds on its forehead to ward off evil spirits. They set more diamonds on its tusks and even imported a mirror from France just for the elephant. But the poor animal still died. The next year – the British took over Burma and deposed Thibaw – the last Burmese king.

The Lao Kingdom suffered a similar fate. This time, the kingdom fell under the communists. The king was detained in a labor camp and his white elephant was put away in a zoo – the king died a few years later. He was the last Lao king. Why did his kingdom fell while his white elephant is still living? – A Royal Thai officer got the chance to see the white elephant in the 1970’s and after strict assessment; he found out that the Lao king’s white elephant does not meet all the major characteristics of a Royal white elephant mentioned in the ancient texts!

In the Kingdom of Cambodia, the last white elephant was seen and taken picture in the royal palace during the1960's. After that, civil war in the Kingdom took place for many years and nobody have seen or heard any thing about the white elephant ever since.

The Kingdom of Siam had different fate. The Royal white elephants endured and the kingdom continued to prosper and remained sovereign in the era of colonialism. Ancient Siamese laws required that all white elephants captured or born in captivity be registered and presented to the king. This law is still applicable up to this day. This is to make sure the Thai kingdom survives and continue to flourish.

White elephants are rare today and even if they are found, they have to pass the strictest characteristics of a true Royal White Elephant. If the legend of the white elephant and the powers it instill to a monarch is NOT at all true – why does history back it up?

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COMING UP: "Characteristics of a True White Elephant"

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OUR TREASURES: Trimitr Golden Buddha

The jaw-dropping Golden Buddha of Wat Traimitr in Bangkok is the largest Golden buddha Image in the world. It stands 15 feet 9 inches tall and weighs approximately 5.5 tons of pure solid gold.

It is crafted in the typical artistic style of the days when Sukhothai (427 km from Bangkok) was the capital of Thailand in the 13th-15th century. It is now more than 700 years old.

The image was originally covered in stucco plaster and the story how it was discovered still awed people to this day:

In 1931, the East Asiatic Company extended their work (with official permission) on the grounds of the abandoned Choti-Naram Temple in Yannawa District of Bangkok. The principal image of the Buddha was moved to Wat Traimitr to be enshrined there. They were all dumbfounded why the the stucco image was so heavy, so it ramained untouched on one corner of the temple grounds for the next 20 years.

It was only in 1955 when they finally planned to enshrine the almost forgotten image of the Buddha to the main temple. When it was tried to be moved, they found it impossible. They have to use a crane to lift it and place it on the intended shrine.

The crane tripped over, dropped the image and a part of the stucco plaster fell off! They were all dumbfounded of what they saw; The image, as it turned out, was made of pure solid gold! And it was crafted in the typical artistic style of the Sukhothai period. Now the image is deemed on its artistic value, it's history and of course its worth in gold.

It is now enshrined in a discreet corner of the Trimitr Temple where it was originally placed in the 50's. Tourists asked why such precious image made of solid gold is not guarded at all. Well, it is too heavy to be stolen anyway and the temple gates are too small. If somebody wants to steal it, he would have to use a friggin' crane and demolish the temple gates too! Not a very discreet operation, is it?


Legend has it that the said image was covered in stucco plaster to conceal it from the invading Burmese. Burma has a habit of invading and sacking the Thai Kingdom in those days (where are they now? Ha!). *one eye brow raised as high as Mt. Everest*

How an image, as heavy as this, was transported from Sukhothai (in panic) to Bangkok over 700 years ago still awed scholars and historians to this day.

There is no other Buddha image in the whole world as precious and as mesmerising as this one. Come and see it on your next visit to Thailand. The Trimitr Golden Bhuddha image is truly one of our SE Asian treasures.

--Pisanu