The Legend of DARAGANG MAGAYON

First-time visitors to Albay
will invariably be told by their hosts

that Mayon Volcano will be shy and hide
her majestic crown,

to ensure that the tourists
come back for a second time,

when the full perfection of Daragang Magayon
will finally be revealed to them.

She is, after all, a lady,
and it is a woman's prerogative to be coy
to her admiring suitors.



I do hope that Joey of 80 BREAKFASTS,
(the best Pinoy homecooking blog in my (cook) book)
who was on the same PAL flight last Saturday,
was able to get a peek at the peak....

Tarmac of the Legazpi Airport : April 2007

Exact Same Place : September 17, 2007





THE LEGEND OF DARAGANG MAGAYON

Once upon a time,
there was a beautiful princess named
Daragang Magayon,
(Daraga means lady, Magayon is beautiful)
whose family ruled over all the lands of Bicol.

Because of her beauty and influence,
warriors, princes and datus from different parts of the country
desired to have her as their wife.

But Magayon fell in love with a warrior named Handiong,
a prince who came from a tribe that was,
unfortunately, the rival of Magayon's tribe.

The two suffered so much
from their respective family's attempts to separate them
that they finally decided to flee.

However,
their families found out and fought a bloody tribal war.
This caused the young couple so much pain
that they decided to commit suicide together.
Their tribes buried the lovers separately.

The months went by, and one day,
Magayon's tribe saw a volcano rising
in the place where Magayon was buried.

They named it for Daragang Magayon,
or "Bulkang Magayon",

describing its' perfect shape,
as perfect as the beauty of their tragic Daraga.


From Lorna Agpay,
who lives and writes not far from Mayon Volcano

And from the same writer,

here's a beautiful ode to Daragang Magayon and Handiong
that's positively Shakesperean...


Ang Pag Ibig Ni Daragang Magayon
Hango sa Alamat ng Bulkang Mayon


Aking pagibig, tangi kong mahal
My love, the only one in my life
Sa ating tipanan ako’y naghihintay
In our place , I patiently wait

Bawat oras, at minutong dumaan,
Every hour and every minutes that pass
Larawan mo hirang aking inaasam
Your nearness my darling, is the only thing I ask





Itong simo’y ng hanging umaaliw sa akin
This whispering wind, that delights me
Sinugo ko na mahal, upang ika’y sunduin
I behest my darling, to whisper to thee

Sa bawat takbo nitong aking orasan
Every tick of the clock, every movement
Nanaginip akong kaharap ‘yong larawan
I am dreaming of myself holding you near





Aking sinta, tanging iniibig
My love, my only one
Kalungkuta’y lagi nang kaniig
Agony has been my husband

Mula ng magbiro kapalaran sa atin
Since fate has cursed our love
At ika’y ilayo sa aking piling
I’ve been the melancholy’s wife





Handiong aking sinta,
Handiong, my beloved
Sa aking piling, magbalik ka
Come back to me, can’t you see?

Itong aking luha, iyong pahirin
I need you to wipe away my tears
Aking pag ibig magbalik sa akin
Only your love can take away my fears





Hawak ko pa mahal, itong ating punyal
I still have it my love, this knife
Simula ng itarak, lagi nang kaulayaw
It pierces, it stabs, leaving me hugging death

Simula ng dumaloy, dugo ng kamatayan
The blood, the blood that killed
Tanging kong kapiling, bulkang aking libingan
Now I resides in my volcanic grave





Mahal magbalik ka, hanguin ako sa aking libingan
My love, please come back, take me from my grave
Sirain ng pagmamahal, kaytaas na bulkan
Destroy it with your love,

Aking sinta, tangi kong pagibig
My only one,
Sirain mong lahat ng sa ati’y balakid
Destroy everything that hinders our love




Sa ibabaw nitong kaylungkot na simbahan
In this old church, our meeting place
Hinihintay pa rin kita, o aking mahal.
I am still waiting for you, oh love of my life