UP IN the far north of Davao City is Tibungco. Within this northern village is a folklore that has recently been unearthed by a group of young filmmakers.
Some of you may have been aware of this while others are not. The name Tibungco is said to have been derived from a mythical creature called Trabungko, which is said to be a supernatural giant snake that was sighted in the area a long time ago.
However, there is no known written account on the Trabungko according to Joshua Caesar “Wowa” Medroso, a young filmmaker from Tibungco. He has recently produced a film inspired by the myth of Trabungko. When doing research for the film, they have to settle with the oral accounts from the elders. While this is a good sign that the myth is still alive, the downside is accounts from one elder to another may vary.
While the older generation of Davao City may have heard of the myth of Trabungko, this will come as a surprise to many of the younger generation. Who would have thought that such an interesting myth was tucked in this part of the city?
This leaves us thinking, what other folklores are tucked within the booming barangays of Davao City? Have they been documented properly to ensure that they are told to the younger generations? Or are they in danger of disappearing with the elders?
Many of the Philippines’ folklores, myths, and urban legends, have been properly documented by various groups and individuals. For example, the Aswang Project has numerous articles on the different folklores, popular and not, in the country.
However, it is also true that there are still folklores that are waiting to be discovered and documented by someone.
The beauty of these folklores is it provides us a vibrant and unique history of a certain place. The stories are always captivating and interesting. It also gives us a glimpse of the people in the past.
Maybe it is time for someone or groups to explore the different areas in Davao City and start discovering the folklore that has been hiding in plain sight for a long time.
What folklore do you have about your place that has not yet been told to the Filipinos?