Men of today are stereotyped by the different media content that we see on TV. Some are called strong when they have huge biceps and a stern face. Others are nerdy when there is the presence of thick eyeglasses. Other men are just the way they are but don't often take the credit. Dating back to the ancient Filipino society, men weren't like that. They possessed a strong valor within themselves. The lines of the past as seen in the present, has now disappeared.
Last Sunday, I made an analysis paper for a friend of mine who's taking up Mathematics. Composition proved to be hard for her since it wasn't in her line of field. Coming across different sources for the paper, I stumbled upon one Literary piece from the Ilocos region that proved to be worthy of analysis. It was an epic known throughout the globe - Biag ni Lam-ag. It is an epic poem hailed from the Ilocos region. The poem is believed to be composite work of various poets who passed their batons to the ones next in line. It was first transcribed around 1640 by a blind Ilocano named Pedro Bucaneg. The main character in the epic is a man named Lam-ang. He was an extraordinary being possessing supernatural abilities even when he was born. As soon as we popped out, he had the capability of talking and choosing his own godparents. Young as he was of nine months, he traversed the mountains to search for his own Father. Upon finding out of his father's condition, he bravely fought for revenge emerging as victorious.
A little known epic which holds a record of being of the longest in the world is Hinilawod. It comes from the Hinilaynon nation which is better known now as Panay. This long epic is chanted when performed and contains 8,340 verses. Filipino historian F. Landa Jocano gave his efforts in translating and transcribing the epic into the language that we know of today. In the epic, a man known for his bravery was Labaw Donggon. When he asked for a hand in marriage, the father of the woman asked for the death of Manalintad as a part of his dowry. His adventures speak of heroism and victory that may take time to reiterate.
Men from the past stood up for what they thought was right. Their critical minds paved the way for their victory, thus earning them the respect they deserve in the society. Although these men came from mere epics, our ancestors gave life to characters in order to depict who they were before. Today men have been leaning towards cowardly behavior which is an indicator of a weak heart. There is nothing wrong with making the wrong turns and decisions, because in the end God will lead the way.
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