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Aguingay

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Aguingay or Agingay is a legendary lady mistress of the warrior of Bulusan in the town's most popular
folklore. She is the main character of the epic:[1] Si Bulusan nan Si Aguingay believed to have existed
hundred of years before Spaniards set foot in the islands of the Philippines.

Aguingay

Title Aguingay

Description Eponymous hero of the Bulusan-Sorsoganon-Bicol epic Si Bulusan nan Si Aguingay

Gender Female

Region Philippines

Equivalent Culture hero

Early years Edit

Aguingay is believed to be the daughter of Bulusan's neighboring tribe head who was born a beautiful
girl with fair complexion. She is betrothed to the son of a great warrior and was named Bulusan which
later became the town's name.

Mampak Bird Edit

The people of Bulusan believed that the town was attacked by a giant bird called Mampak which killed
hundreds of tribesmen during the time of Aguingay. Just before Bulusan and Aguingay get formally
married the bird attacked the tribes north of the town. When the bird got nearer the tribe from west of
the town headed by Casiguran helped to kill the it. They mobbed and killed the bird and threw it to the
sea. It is also a common belief among the people of Bulusan that the villages' names originated from the
landing of "Mampak" bird to its struggles and death. Notably Tagdon in Barcelona, Sorsogon means
landing, then Layog means flight or fly and others. Some beliefs said that Bulusan Lake was its blood
when it was finally fatally wounded and landed at the foot of the mountain. San Bernardino island is also
believed as a site where it was buried.

Casiguran Edit

Casiguran claimed that their tribesmen killed the bird. He proposed to marry Aguingay as a reward.
Bulusan protested and Casiguran asked for a fight. The battle began at noon at Punta Tawog leaving
Casiguran and his tribesmen lost in the battle and surrendered. They returned home west and left
Aguingay to Bulusan. Bulusan was declared a warrior hero who killed the giant bird.

Tragedy Edit

A village princess Dayang Buhang fell in love with Bulusan and would want to steal Bulusan from
Aguingay just before they get married. The couple was alarmed at the news and they escaped to the
forests to avoid the princess' wrath. The princess ordered the men to get Bulusan even to the expense of
killing Aguingay. When the soldiers found them they fought back and died. The princess was saddened
by the news and ordered the men to give them majestic burial, so high enough that the people could see
the tombs from the town. And so was the legend of the two mountains begun.

Reynaldo T. Jamoralin's Version Edit

Si Bulusan nan Si Aguingay Edit

Just recently united in marriage, brave and handsome Bulusan and beautiful Agingay[2] live happily
under the shadow of the volcano, but, unknown to the happily married couple; evil lurks in the shadows,
in the person of Casiguran, son of Apu Juban, the old, but respected village chieftain. Casiguran, who
continually skulls in the shadows, jealousy watching Bulusan and Agingay even if already has the faithful
and understanding Irosin for wife.

Driven by extreme jealousy, Casiguran found the chance to eliminate the hate and when Apu Juban
suddenly die of natural causes. The evil Casiguran falsely accused Bulusan of killing his father the village
chieftain. He did this by threatening and convincing Putiao, the village soothsayer, to stand false witness
against Bulusan as the supposed killer of Apu Juban. Bulusan was brought before the village elders,
Gurang Donsol, Gurang Matnog, and Gurang Bacon, after Putiao's false testimony to be fed to the
fearsome, man-eating, giant Mampak bird that regularly preyed on the village.

Despite Agingay's pleadings Casiguran remain unmoved, and the innocent Bulusan died after the
Mampak bird feasts upon his carcass on top of the volcano. But, Casiguran, intent on banishing all traces
of Bulusan, was not satisfied with death of Bulusan as he ordered the already extremely grief-stricken
Agingay to throw their first-born son, as soon as it is born, into the mouth of the fiery volcano.

Fearful of Casiguran, who has already assumed the position of village chieftain after the death of Apu
Juban, Agingay complied as she climbed the volcano with her infant son by Bulusan. Meanwhile, Irosin
realizing Casiguran's treachery, confronted her husband who merely sneer at her. The conscience-
stricken Putiao, on the other hand, confesses to the village elder about what he and Casiguran had done.
Irosin rushes to tell the village elders, but she meets them on their way, incensed, after learning the
truth from Putiao.

Together with other angry villagers, they all rush together to the volcano to save Agingay and her new-
born son. On the way, they discover the body of Putiao, hacked to death by the minions of Casiguran. At
the volcano's crater they find the already lifeless body of Agingay, killed by her own hand after throwing
her infant son into the mouth of the smoldering volcano. They find Casiguran skulking behind a rock and
they grab him, and angrily throw him into the volcano's fiery crater. The villagers all mournfully walk
down the volcano carrying the lifeless body of Agingay, and their tears mix with the tears of Agingay and
the blood of Bulusan, which from two lakes upon the slopes of the volcano.

The two lakes are now known as Lake Bulusan and Lake Agingay, and the volcano upon whose slopes the
two beautiful lakes serenely repose, is now known as Mt. Bulusan.