Mga Saysay sa Katigulangan (Tales of the Folks): Re-telling Unwritten Stories, Re-
University of the Philippines
ABSTRACT
Oral narratives, including the stories of the folk and contemporary urban legends, continue to fascinate researchers and those who are fond of listening to accounts that inspire awe, curiosity, even horror. Although considered as woven by imaginative minds, these narratives may also contain truths or facts relevant to the local history of a place. Brgy. Mintal, home to UP Mindanao is rich in the culture of its people whose stories are yet to be told and written down. It is these narratives that hold significant information about the history of the place and the experiences of its settlers. The output of this project is a collection of oral narratives recorded from members of the Senior Citizens Association of Brgy. Mintal. The narratives are grouped into four (4) themes: 1) Mintal Landmarks which deals with the history of important institutions and structures in Brgy. Mintal; 2) The Japanese Gold which deals with the various accounts about how the Japanese buried treasures all over Mintal and how these were retrieved years after the Second World War; 3) The Road to Progress which briefly narrates the economic growth of the barangay and the role of key political figures as perceived by the resource persons; and 4) Other stories which include a ghost story and a brief account on the well-known healer of Mintal, Nong Hildo.
KEYWORDS
Sugilanon, Brgy. Mintal, Japanese Gold, Japanese Occupation, Brgy. Mintal Senior Citizens Association