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Publication: Threadreaderapp.com
Date: March 28, 2023
URL:      https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1640632556315082752.html

Maharadia Lawana (The Ramayana of the Phillipines)

A thread on how the Maranao tribe in the Philippines made Ramayana their own

3,000 miles to the east of India in the Philippines lives the tribe of The Maranao people. Separated by an ocean, ethnicity, customs, and language, these two vastly different civilizations are connected by one bridge: Ramayana.

Equally cherished and revered, the ancient epic of Ramayana finds a different narration in the Maranao tribe, and it is called Maharadia Lawana.

In the first millennium CE, Ramayana arrived in southeast Asia. Over centuries, from Myanmar to Indonesia, Ramayana rooted itself in the cultural identity of diverse peoples. As different cultures adopted Ramayana, they created their own narratives of the Epic.

While the main story remained as it is, the nature and alignment of various characters, such as lord Hanumana or Lakshmana, changed.

The form of the epic also evolved into dramas or prose as per the tradition of each culture.

This eastward Journey of Ramayana continued, and somewhere in the 17th century, it reached the Maranao tribe in the Philippines.

Juan R. Francisco, in his study "The Indigenization of the Rama Story in the Philippines," indicates that over two centuries, the story of Shri Rama permeated the literary tradition of the Philippines and was locally adapted.

Maharadia Lawana evolved into the tale of an immortal “Monkey-king.” It became a part of a local dance style that tells the Ramayana's story.

The story of "Maharadia Lawana” appropriated some crucial elements, as well.

For example, the details of Lawana's birth and death and why Lawana kidnapped Tihaia are omitted. Intriguingly, we observe that Lawana's death is independent of his penance and is not made explicit if he survived the combat or perished.

The character of Vibhishana does not exist. Characters of Hanumana and Lava-Kusa are combined to create Lakhsamana.

The Philippian version of the Ramayana, "Maharadia Lawana," is regarded as one of the most renowned works of literature in the Philippines.

It shows us that some stories encapsulate universal truths and themes that transcend linguistic barriers and impact various civilizations.

Ramayana tells us a profound story in a simple manner. It is a beautiful exposition of the triumph of good over evil.