Brother-Sister Union

[Full title: Parallel elements in Folk and Epic literature (9) Brother-Sister Union]

The origin of mankind by the union of a brother and sister, the sole survivors of a deluge, occurs in the oral traditions of the Orissa tribes. Both, however, were reluctant for fear of incest, but their reluctance was overcome after realizing that the 84 world has to be re-populated through them.' The stars are believed to be the offsprings of the sun and moon, who originally were brother and sister, who had escaped from the universal flood by hiding in a gourd. But, prior to their having become sun and moon, they had first fulfilled the unknown law to repeople the world.85 This concept, found in one of the oral traditions of the Indian tribes, may be traced in the Hindu literature, e.g., the dialogue of Yama and Yami - brother and sister in the Rigveda (X, 10). The deluge, brother-sister idea from and around which the belief that the world was repopulated after a flood, is also very much developed in the oral traditions of the 84 Verrier Elwin, Tribal Myths of Orissa, Notes (Bhunja), p. 678; (Kamars), Ibid. Vide Stith Thompson, Motif Index of Folk Literatures, Al-32.4.) 85 Ibid., Tale No. 16 (Hill Saora), p. 65. Also Tale No. 30 (Didayi), p. 52-53.

-285 tribes inhabiting the mountain regions of Northern Luzon. It is common throughout the Island of Luzon, although it is highly developed among the Ifugaos.86 are cited below. Igorot.87 A summary of each Only a brother and a sister survived the great deluge that had covered the face of the earth. Though separated from each other they were saved - she, on the summit of the highest mountain in the district of Lepanto, called Kalauitan; and he, in a cave of the same mountain. After the water had ebbed, the man came out of his hiding place one night, and as he spread his gaze around the immense solitude, his eyes were arrested by the singular brightness of a large bonfire blazing on the summit of the mountain. Surprised, and at the same time terrified, he returned to his cave. Day having come, he hurriedly climbed toward the summit where the previous night he saw the blaze, To his amazement, he found on this peak his sister who received him most happily. From this brother and sister, it is believed by the Igorots, originated the entire tribe of the Igorots. 86 Beyer, op. cit., p. 98-116. 87 Ibid., p. 95.

-286 Bugan Ifugao.88 Wigan and Bugan had been saved from the flood that deluged the world. They lived on fruits and nuts they could gather from the forests that covered the two mountain tops where each had escaped the deluge. had fire which at night lit up the peak of Kalauitan, and Wigan knew that there was someone else alive beside himself. He had no fire, so that he suffered from the cold weather. At last the waters receded from the earth and left it covered with rugged mountains and deep valleys that exist today. The solitary brother and sister, looking down from their respective peaks, were filled with wonder at the sight. As soon as the earth was dry, Wigan journeyed to Kalauitan, where he found his sister, Bugan. Their reunion was most joyous. They descended from the mountain, wandered about until they came to the beautiful valley that is today the dwelling place of the Banawol clan. Here Wigan built a house. Bugen dwelt in the upper part, Wigan beneath. Having provided for the comfort of his sister, Wigan started out to find if there were other people left alive in the Earthworld. He travelled all day, but returned to the house at night to sleep. He did this for three days, and as he was coming back on the third evening, he said to himself 88 Ibid., p. 112.

-287 that there were no other people in the world but themselves. He thought that if the world were to be re-peopled it must be through them. As the moon waxed and waned for months, Bugan soon realized that she was carrying a new life. Bursting into violent weeping and heaping curses upon Wigan's head, she ran blindly to the east along the course of the river. After running ceaselessly for a considerable time, and being overcome with grief and fatigue, she stopped by the river bank. There she lay trembling, sobbing. Having quieted herself somewhat, she arose, looked around, and to her surprise she saw sitting on a rock nearby an old man with a white beard. He approached her, saying "Do not be afraid, daughter. I am Maknongan, and I am aware of your trouble, and have come to tell you that it is alright" While he was speaking, Wigan, who had followed her, appeared. Maknongan, then, placed the sanction and blessing of the gods upon their union, assuring them that they had done right, and that through them, the world must be repopulated. Three fundamental elements are evident in the tales. Firstly, that the world through the only surviving male and female (brother and sister) after a flood must be repopulated. Secondly, that union between the brother and sister is impossible for they would be committing incest. And,

-288 thirdly, that union is effected either by self-realization or through the intercession of a supernatural being, invariably the Supreme Deity. Perhaps a fourth element may be considered, which is evident in the tales of the Ifugao and Igorot that the survivors of the flood are separated each unknown to the other. In the Hill Saora tale, the brother and sister hide in a gourd during the flood. They not only become sun and moon, from whom the stars spring, 89 a phenomenon that is absent in the fabric of either the Igorot or Ifugao tales. The act of incest in the Ifugao story is implied from the revulsion of the sister after having discovered her brother's violation of her chastity. But, mere reluctance for fear of the act is seen in the Bhunja and Kamar versions. A dual reluctance and realization exists in these two versions and in the Hill Saora. But, a single realization (on the part of Wigan) and a single revulsion (on the part of Bugan) exist, which, however, later on are allayed by the assurances of the deity that everything that was done was for the benefit of the world. 89 Cf. Beyer, op. cit., p. 91. "The Origin of the Stars and the Explanation of Sunset and Sunrise". The children were born of the Sun (husband) and the Moon (wife). She had to do some chores in the field, and leaves the husband at home to watch over the children with the warning that he should not approach them lest they die. But, out of affection, he goes to their sleeping place, and bends to kiss them. They melted like wax. He runs away out of fear of the wife arrives home to find her children dead.

-289 Realization dawns upon Wigan only after having gone in search of possible other survivors whom he did not find, in contrast to the immediate inference that there are no other survivors in the Orissa deluge. The revulsion occurs upon Bugan's realizing that she had been violated by her brother, the result of which a new life lives in her. This does not at all occur in the Indian oral tradition. Thus, a marked difference between the Indian and Philippine tales exists, but outstanding parallel elements are singularly evident.