synopsis of bantugan

antugan is an epic story told in the great oral tradition of the Maranao tribe. It is a story about the great Prince Bantugan, the greatest warrior of the kingdom of Bantugan.

In the play, Bantugan, after courting the beautiful but evil sorceress of Bambalay Anonan, Maginar , decides to return home to Bumbaran. Upon his return he finds out that his brother and king of Bumbaran, Agaanon Dalinan, driven by his jealousy over the prince warrior's fame, has ordered out a proclamation which forbids all the people of Bumbaran from speaking to him. Deeply saddened, Prince Bantugan departs from his beloved land.

While traveling, he is accidentally placed under a spell by the vengeful Maginar. He falls lifeless in the Land-Between-Two-Seas where the beautiful Princess Datimbang finds him. The question of the corpse's identity puzzles everyone until Bantugan's faithful parrot, who has been looking for him, finds him in his lifeless state. Fearing that the kingdom might be held responsible for the great warrior's death, the king of the Land-Between-Two-Seas decides to ship Bantugan's body back to Bumbaran. He sends out a parrot in advance to tell of the prince's fate. The news of his death quickly spreads, reaching the ears of Miskoyaw, Bantugan's mortal enemy, who decides to finally invade Bumbaran.

Meanwhile, Prince Madali and Prince Mabaning of Bumbaran, loyal friends of the great prince, upon hearing the sad news, decide to go to the heavens to retrieve Bantugan's soul from the Angel of the Death. Prince Mabaning, posed as a young beautiful woman, seduces the Angel of Death into telling him where he keeps all the souls of the dead, including that of the dead prince.

Successful with the bottle of Bantugan's soul in hand, the two princes race back to Bumbaran just in time fro Bantugan's funeral. They open the bottle and almost instantaneously, and much to the amazement of those present, Bantugan awakes from his lifeless slumber. Mourning quickly turns into celebration as everyone greets Bantugan's return to the land of the living, including his brother, the king, who asks for his forgiveness . Bantugan is also greeted by Princess Datimbang, who he vaguely remembers as the beautiful woman who treated him kindly before his death. Their eyes meet, and Bantugan quickly falls in love.

But amidst the celebration, Miskoyaw enters with his evil cohorts. Seeing Bantugan well and alive, he orders his soldiers to attack. Bantugan soon takes care of the odds and faces Miskoyaw. They do battle. When the dust clears, Bantugan appears victorious standing over Miskoyaw's corpse.

And peace rules over the kingdom of Bumbaran...

INFORMATION

The play, Bantugan: An Adaptation was presented last January 26, 1999, at the D.L. Umali Hall (UPLB Auditorium) by the UP Rural High School Speech and Dramatics Club, in cooperation with the UPRHS Glee Club and the UPRHS Dance Troupe.

All the members of the casts, and the participating clubs are students of the University of the Philippines Rural High School.

The school is located within the campus of the University of the Philippines at Los Banos, Laguna.