Maria Makiling

Title

MariaMakiling

Description ProtectorofMt.Makiling
Gender

Female

Region

Philippines

Equivalent Diwata

Maria Makiling,sometimesspelledMariang Makiling,inPhilippineMythology,isadiwata

orlambana(goddess,fairyorforestnymph)associatedwithMountMakilinginLaguna,
Philippines.SheisthemostwidelyknowndiwatainPhilippineMythology,[1]andwas
veneratedinprecolonialPhilippinesasagoddessknownasDayangMasalantaorDian
Masalantawhowasinvokedtostopdeluge,stormsandearthquakes.
MariaMakilingistheguardianspiritofthemountain,responsibleforprotectingitsbounty
andthus,isalsoabenefactorforthetownspeoplewhodependonthemountain's
resources.Inadditiontobeingaguardianofthemountain,somelegendsalsoidentify
LagunadeBayandthefishcaughtfromitaspartofherdomain.[2]
ItisoftensaidthatMountMakilingresemblestheprofileofawoman,saidtobeMaria
herself.Thisphenomenonisdescribedastruefromseveraldifferentperspectives,sothere
isnosinglelocationassociatedwiththisclaim.Themountain'svariouspeaksaresaidto
beMaria'sfaceandtwobreasts,respectively,andherhaircascadesdownwardsa
gentleslopeawayfromherbody.[1]
MariaMakilingisaprominentexampleofthemountaingodessesmotiffinPhilippine

mythology,otherprominentexamplesbeingMariaSinukuanofPampanga'sMountArayat
andMariaCacaoonCebu'sMountLantoy.

Etymology
Legendsdonotclarifywhetherthisspiritwasnamedafterthemountainorthemountain
wasnamedafterher.Theevolutionofthename,however,presentssomeclues.[3]

"Maria" or "Dayang": "the lady"

Thename"MariangMakiling"istheTagalogcontractionof"MariangMakiling"(Mariaof
Makiling).ThetermisahispanizedevolutionofanalternatenamefortheDiwata,"Dayang
Makiling""dayang"beinganaustronesianwordmeaning"princess"or"noblelady".[3]
ProfessorGraceOdaloftheUniversityofthePhilippinesbelievesthereisasignificantlink
betweenMariaMakilingandthemythicalwoman(Ba'i)forwhomthetownofBayandthe
lakeofLagunadeBayarenamed.Whentheladyofthelakealsobecameassociated
withthenearbymountain,thecommondescriptionofherbecamethatofthe'ladyofthe
mountain'.[3]

Makiling: "crooked" or "bent"

Asfortheword"Makiling",ithasbeennotedthatthemountainrisesfromLagunadeBay
"toaruggedtopandbreaksintoirregularhillssouthward,thus'leaning'or'uneven.'"The
Tagalogwordfor'leaning'or'uneven'is"Makiling."[1]Thiscorrespondswiththecommon
beliefthattheprofileofthemountainresemblesthatofarecliningwoman,fromcertain
angles.
Alessoftenmentionedpossibleoriginforthenameofthemountainisthatthename
describesthemountainashavingplentyofthebamboovarietyknownas"kawayang
kiling"(BambusavulgarisSchrad.).Bythisetymology,themountainwouldhavebeen
namedafterthebamboo,andtheladynamedafterthemountain.[4]

Appearance
DescriptionsofMariaMakilingarefairlyconsistent.Sheisabreathtakinglybeautiful[5]

youngwomanwhoneverages.[1]Lanuzadescribesherashaving"lightoliveskin,long
shiningblackhair,andtwinklingeyes."
Itissaidthattheabundanceandserenityoftheenchantedmountaincomplements
Maria'sownpersona.[1]
Sheisalsocloselyassociatedwiththewhitemistthatoftensurroundsthemountain.While
injustafewstorieseitherherskinorhairiswhite,inmosttales,itisherradiantclothing
whichmakespeoplewhohaveseenherthinkthatperhapstheyjustsawawispofcloud
throughthetreesandmistookitforMaria.[1]

Home on The Mountain

UnlikeMariaSinukuanandMariaCacaowholiveincavesintheirrespectivemountains,
Makilingisoftendescribedaslivinginahumblehut.[1]
Insomestories,thishutissituatedinthevillage,amongstthepeople,whereMaria
Makilinglivedbeforeshefledtothemountainsafterhavingbeenoffendedforsome
reason.[1]
Inotherstories,thehutisupinthemountain,andcanonlybefoundifoneisallowedby
Mariatofindit.[6]

Legends of Maria Makiling

BecausestoriesaboutMariaMakilingwerepartoforaltraditionlongbeforetheywere
documented,therearenumerousversionsoftheMariaMakilinglegend.[1]Someofthese
arenotstoriesperse,butsuperstitions.

Superstitions about Maria Makiling

Onesuperstitionisthateverysooften,menwoulddisappearintotheforestsofthe
mountain.ItissaidthatMakilinghasfalleninlovewiththatparticularman,andhastaken
himtoherhousetobeherhusband,theretospendhisdaysinmatrimonialbliss.Another
superstitionsaysthatonecangointotheforestsandpickandeatanyfruitsonemight
like,butnevercarryanyofthemhome.Indoingso,onerunstheriskofangeringMaria

Makiling.Onewouldgetlost,andbebesetbyinsectstingsandthornpricks.Theonly
solutionistothrowawaythefruit,andthentoreverseone'sclothingasevidenceto
Mariathatoneisnolongercarryinganyofherfruit.

Turning Ginger into gold

Perhapsthemostcommon"full"storyisthatofMariaturninggingerintogoldtohelpone
villagerortheother.[1][2][5][6]Inthesestories,Mariaissaidtoliveinaplaceknowntothe
villagers,andinteractswiththemregularly.Thevillagerinquestionisofteneitheramother
seekingacureforherillchild,orahusbandseekingacureforhiswife.
ThewiseMariarecognizesthesymptomsassignsnotofdisease,butofhungerbrought
aboutbyextremepoverty.Shegivesthevillagersomeginger,which,bythetimethe
villagergetshome,hasmagicallyturnedtogold
Inversionswherethevillagerisgoinghometohiswife,heunwiselythrowssomeofthe
gingerawaybecauseithadbecometooheavytocarry.
Insomeversions,thevillagersloveherallthemoreforheractofkindness.
Inmost,however,greedyvillagersbreakintoMaria'sgardentoseeifherotherplants
werereallygold.Distressedbythevillager'sgreed,Mariarunsawayupthemountain,her
pristinewhiteclothingsoonbecomingindistinguishablefromthewhitecloudsthatplay
amongstthetreesontheupperpartsofthemountains.

Spurned Lover
Inmanyotherstories,Makilingischaracterizedasaspurnedlover.
Inonestory,shefellinlovewithahunterwhohadwanderedintoherkingdom.Soonthe
twobecamelovers,withthehuntercomingupthemountaineveryday.Theypromisedto
loveeachotherforever.WhenMariadiscoveredthathehadmet,fellinlovewith,and
marriedamortalwoman,shewasdeeplyhurt.Realizingthatshecouldnottrust
townspeoplebecauseshewassodifferentfromthem,andthattheywerejustusingher,
shebecameangryandrefusedtogivefruitstothetrees,letanimalsandbirdsroamthe
forestsforhunterstocatch,andletfishaboundinthelake.Peopleseldomsawher,and
thosetimeswhenshecouldbeseenwereoftenonlyduringpalemoonlitnights.[2]

Inanotherversionofthestory,toldbythePhilippines'NationalHero,JoseRizal,Mariafalls
inlovewithafarmer,whomshethenwatchesover.Thisleadsthetownspeoplesayheis
endowedwithacharm,ormutya,asitiscalled,thatprotectedhimandhisfromharm.The
youngmanwasgoodatheartandsimpleinspirit,butalsoquietandsecretive.In
particular,hewouldnotsaymuchofhisfrequentvisitsintothewoodofMariaMakiling.
Butthenwarcametotheland,andarmyofficerscamerecruitingunmarriedyoungmen.
Themanenteredanarrangedmarriagesothathecouldstaysafelyinthevillage.Afew
daysbeforehismarriage,hevisitsMariaonelasttime."Iwouldthatyouwere
consecratedtome,"shesaidsadly,"butyouneedanearthlylove,andyoudonothave
enoughfaithinmebesides.Icouldhaveprotectedyouandyourfamily."Aftersayingthis,
shedisappeared.MariaMakilingwasneverseenbythepeasantsagain,norwasher
humblehuteverrediscovered.[6]

The Three Suitors

MichelleLanuzatellsanotherversionofthestory,setduringthelaterpartoftheSpanish
occupation:[5]

Maria was sought for and wooed by many suitors, three of whom
were the Captain Lara, a Spanish soldier; Joselito, a Spanish mestizo
studying in Manila; and Juan who was but a common farmer. Despite
his lowly status, Juan was chosen by Maria Makiling.
Spurned, Joselito and Captain Lara conspired to frame Juan for setting
fire to the cuartel of the Spanish. Juan was shot as the enemy of the
Spaniards. Before he died, he cried Maria's name out loud.
The diwata quickly came down from her mountain while Captain Lara
and Joselito fled to Manila in fear of Maria's wrath. When she learned
what happened, she cursed the two, along with all other men who
cannot accept failure in love.
Soon, the curse took effect. Joselito suddenly contracted an incurable
illness. The revolutionary Filipinos killed Captain Lara.


"Fromthenon,"Lanuzaconcludes,"Marianeverletherselfbeseenbythepeopleagain.
Everytimesomebodygetslostonthemountain,theyrememberthecurseofthediwata.
YettheyalsorememberthegreatloveofMariaMakiling."

Modern Sightings
MountMakilingstillaboundswithsuperstitionsandstoriesconcerningMakiling.When
peoplegetlostonthemountain,thedisappearancesarestillattributedtothediwataor
tospiritswhofollowher.
Acommonstoryisthatofagroupofhikerswholeavetheircampdirtywithhumanwaste
andemptycansandbottles.Searchingforwater,thehikersfindthemselvesbefuddled,
comingbacktothesameplaceoverandoveragain.Onlyaftertheycleanedtheircamp
didtheymanagetofindwater.
IntheUniversityofthePhilippinesLosBaos,auniversitythatsitsonthefootofMount
Makiling,studentsstilltellstoriesofawomaninwhitewhoissightedwalkingdownthelong
uphillroadheadingtotheUpper(CollegeofForestry)Campus.Sometimes,thewoman
appearstobetryingtohitcharidedownthemountain.Invariably,theobserversaresaid
tobefrightenedandjustignorethewoman,believinghertobeMariaMakiling.
TheunusualweatherpatternsonthemountainareaarealsooftenattributedtoMaria
Makiling.Oftenthismeanssuddenrainswheneverparticularlynoisyeventsareheldinthe
areasnearthemountain.Localssaythatthediwatadoesnotapproveoftheevent.
AcclaimedstageandscreenactoranddirectorBehnCervantesrelatesareverseversion
ofthislegend,duringthelaunchingprogramfortheUPAlumniAssociation'sMaria
MakilingFoundation,anadvocacygroupformedfortheprotectionandconservationof
MountMakiling:[7]
Duringourlaunch,wehadahairraisingexperience.WhentheremarkableDulce(singer)
reachedtheclimaxofhersongofpraisetoNature,sheraisedherarmsasthoughin
venerationofMariaMakiling.Asifoncue,goldenleavesfromsurroundingtrees
showeredtheaudiencelikepetalsfromtheheavens.Theastoundedcrowdgasped
andaahhedinunison.[LosBaos'Dr.PortiaLapitan]whisperedtome,Thediwata
approves.

In Art and Popular Culture

In Art and Popular Culture

MariaMakilingisacommonthemeamongFilipinoartists,rangingfrompaintersand
sculptorstographicnovelists.
OneprominentdepictionofMariaMakilingcanbefoundontheSealofthe
MunicipalityofLosBaos,Laguna.ItdepictsMariamakilingintheforegroundwiththe
mountaininthebackgroundandwater(representingLagunadeBay)atherfeet.
AstatueofMariaMakilingwasonceputupinfrontofUPLB'smainlibrary.Itdepictsthe
diwatasurroundedbyvariouscreaturesoftheforest,mostnoticeablyadoeandsome
birds.Thestatuehassincebeenreplacedbythatofthe"PhilippinePegasus"or
"Pegaraw".TheoriginalstatuewasmovedtotheroadleadinguptoUPLB'sCollegeof
Forestry,neartheUniversityHealthService.
AnotherstatueofMariaMakilingwasonceputupattheboundaryofLosBaosand
CalambaCity,ontheboundarymarkerthatidentifiesLosBaosasa"SpecialScience
andNatureCity".Thestatuehassincebeenremoved.Thatspecificstatuehadbeen
criticizedbysomemembersofLosBaos'religioussectorbecausetheysaiditglorifieda
territorialspirit.Noofficialremarkhasbeenmade,however,astowhetherthiscomplaint
hadanythingtodowiththeremovalofthestatue.
ThemostrecentlyunvailedstatueofMariaMakilingstandsinUPLB'sAlumniPlaza,
sculptedbyrenownedFilipinoartistJunYee.
AtleastthreeotherstatuesintheUPLBcampusareassociatedwithMakiling,although
notexplicitlystatedtobestatuesofthegoddessherself.Theoldestisthereconstructed
prewarstatuereferredtoas"Dalambanga"(literallymeaningjarbearer)nearthe
MolawinRiver,depictingawoman(sometimesinterpretedasMakilingherself,and
sometimescalled"MariaDalambanga")carryingajarareferencetothelegendofhow
Calamba,Lagunagotitsname.Anotheristhe"MotherNature"statuethatservesasthe
facadeoftheEcosystemsResearchandDevelopmentBureauintheuppercampus.[8]The
otherisMariaPurezaEscao's8FootFiberglassResinSculpture"TheRoseofMarya:
ServicethroughExcellence"intendedasa"tributetothewomenofUPLBwhoexceland
serve."[9]
InArnoldArre'sgraphicnovel,AngMundoniAndongAgimat,MariaMakilingisinlove
withaKatipunero(revolutionary).WhenherloveriskilledbyZolgo,sheloseshermemory

duetotrauma.Shewandersdowntothecity,withnoclueonwhosheis.Thegraphic
novelchroniclestheeffortsoftheprotagoniststofindMariaandrestorehermemory.[10]
TocelebratethelaunchingoftheUPAAMariaMakilingFoundation,anadvocacy
groupformedbytheUPAlumniAssociationtopromoteconservationeffortsofthe
mountain,theFoundationheldtheMariangMakilingEcologicalCulturalFestival.A
highlightofthateventwaswhatUPLBChancellorVelascodescribedasarelauchingof
theimageofMariaMakilingmodelledattheeventbytelevisionstarandsinger
Karylle.[11]SaysRenownedtheaterdirectorandUPAABoardPublicRelationsDirectorBehn
Cervantes:[7]Karyllewaschosenbytheorganizersforhergracefuldemeanorandsweet
image,herexpressiveeyes,andherluxuriantwavyhairthattypifieslonghelddescriptions
ofMariaMakiling.
MariaMakilingfeaturessignificantlyinKarenFrancisco'snovel"Naermyth",afantasy
adventurenovelsetinapostapocalypticPhilippines,wherecreaturesoflore,folktales
andtheoncemythicalwagedawarthatledtothehumanrace'sdownfall.Inthenovel,
thediwataareneutralinthewarbetweenmenandnaermyth,andMakilingisamajor
figureamongthem.
Thecharacter"Salome"(playedbyMaraLopez[12])inVimYapan's2013film
"Debosyon"incorporatesthelegendofMariangMakiling,alongwithotherprominent
diwatafromPhilippinemyths,suchasMariangSinukuan,linkingthemtothelegendsof
DaragangMagayonandtothemythosoftheVirginofPeafrancia.[13]Atonepointin
thescriptthecharacteracknowledgesherselfasthepersonificationofthemythical
beings,Makilingnamedamongthem,throughoutthePhilippinearchipelago.[14]

References
1.^abcdefghijEugenio,Damiana(2002),PhilippineFolkLiterature:TheLegends,
QuezonCity:UniversityofthePhilippinesPress,p.490,ISBN9715423574
2.^abcAbriefintroductiontoFilipinofolkloreandmythology ,June21,2003,retrieved
20070930
3.^abcOdalDevora,GraceP.(2002)," "Bae"or"Bai":TheLadyoftheLake",in
Alejandro,ReyndaldoGamboa,LagunadeBay:TheLivingLake,UnilieverPhilippines,
ISBN9719227214
4.^"Kauayankiling" .StuartXChange:PhilippineMedicinalPlants.GodofredoStuart.

RetrievedAugust30,2014.
5.^abcLanuza,Michelle,TheLegendofMariaMakiling ,retrieved20070930
6.^abcRizal,Jose,MariangMakiling ,retrieved20070930
7.^abBehnCervantes(April2009),"MariaMakilingComesAlive" ,Filipinas:the
MagazineforFilipinosWorldwide
8.^http://erdb.denr.gov.ph/mother.php
9.^http://puchetteescano.weebly.com/theroseofmaryaservicethroughexcellence.html
10.^SanDiego,BayaniJr.(8October2007),"AndongAgimattotheUSfilmmart" ,
PhilippineDailyInquirer
11.^UPLBOfficeofPublicRelations(2009),"KaryllebreatheslifeintoMariangMakilingin
artsfest" ,UPLB:News(UniversityofthePhilippinesLosBaos),retrieved20090614
12.^http://www.interaksyon.com/entertainment/videocinemalayasdebosyondepicts
mysteriouslinkbetweenloveandfaith/
13.^http://news.abscbn.com/lifestyle/07/31/13/cinemalayareviewdebosyonmorelove
story
14.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjIvbfoFFE

External links
"MasteroftheFilipinoMadonnasinthe40s" SimonSaulog'spaintingofMaria
Makiling.