The legend of the subversive ‘talutang’ and protest music from a bamboo flute

LEGEND has it that long after the 10 datus from Borneo settled on Panay island (they bartered the golden “salakot” and the long golden necklace they brought along with them for the entire island), five of the original chieftains scattered themselves throughout the Visayan islands.

Adventurous and crafty, they became local rulers and datus in their respective domains.

But their descendants, also carrying royal titles, were controversial. There were always reports of their atrocities like cruelty to their slaves, and persistent attempts to take over neighboring islands.

All this bad news bothered the aging supreme Sultan Goding. These happenings hurt him as he oversaw the nowexpanding supreme sultanate called the Kingdom of Shri-Ibawnon.

One descendant – Princess Peryita – went into vast agriculture ventures, planting and producing giant bamboo trees which were in demand by neighboring fiefdoms.

One of her bamboo varieties was “patong,” thick and sturdy, used as posts in houses and watch towers. “Kabugawan,” medium thick and straight, was the desired material for making “talutang,” the natives’ means of distant communication.

A dried “kabugawan,” cut in one segment with slits on either side, became a “talutang.” When hit by two pieces of sturdy sticks, it produced sounds that could easily be decoded by natives in inland villages and islets.

Unfortunately, some of those coded sounds were reported to Sultan Goding as critical of him and, therefore, subversive.

Another descendant was Datu Ygab. He made a fortune converting his bamboo variety called “karanas” into flutes which became many natives used for entertainment.

However, to the dismay of Sultan Goding, the music produced by those flutes was recast by the natives into protest songs or music.

And another descendant was Rajah Angkop. He became rich by producing coconut wine (“tuba”) and fermenting spirits (“basi”). He was always on good terms with the exalted leader, Sultan Goding.

Until one day, Sultan Goding blew his top and ordered the burning of the bamboo plantation of Princess Peryita and the house of Datu Ygab where hundreds of flutes were being made.

Down to their last seashell trinkets, Princess Peryita and Datu Ygab were reduced to penury even in their own domain. The final blow came when Sultan Goding ordered Rajah Angkop to take over the territories of the two discredited royals.

Demonstrating his raw power for all subjects to witness and, thereby, command their reverence, the top descendant of the original 10 Borneo datus, Sultan Goding, lived happily ever after.