ACTIVITY 1

Folktales

Albos, Allisandra Jane H.

Contridas, Ma. Criselda S.
Albeza, Ervin A.
BSED English-2A
 Arteche Park: Why It Became Haunted?

Arteche Park is located at Poblacion II,

Zumarraga, Samar. The place is a mountain ridge and is
said to be a hiding place of Zumarraganhon during the
Spanish and Japanese colonization. Since the place was
made as a refuge from abusive Spanish and Japanese
rulers, many man-made fortifications were built in the place as a temporary shelter for the people.
One day, a spy from the enemies had discovered the hiding place 'Arteche' and told the
rulers about it. Arteche has an entrance and exit ways that can be used to escape from the Spaniards
and Japanese. The former was located in a mountain ridge
at Poblacion II which is connected to Zumarraga National
High School, while the latter one can be found in
Poblacion I where a “kampanaryo” or bell tower can be
found. The bell tower was used to warn the
Zumarraganhon whenever there was a danger that was
coming. Zumarraganhon opposed the rules and administration of the colonizers as they were
abusive on imposing their rules, stealing their lands,
imposing inhuman taxes, and unacceptable rituals of
their religion. Therefore, they have decided to hide in
the place to escape from the rulers. However, because
of the spy, the enemies had discovered these two
escapades and sought to square the Zumarraganhon.
Being squared using the entrance and exit ways.
Zumarraganhon were ambushed by the enemies which resulted a miserable death of the people.
Those unjust deaths of the Zumarraganhon left a horrible history of the Arteche.
Until then, many terrifying stories began to arise in
the place. Different scary stories started to be heard in the
place like many spirits were possessing people who have
gone there. People said, spirits who do not leave the said
place were those souls who have not attained justice yet
and could not accept their rushed death. Therefore,
Arteche became haunted. A lot of students were possessed by those spirits and experienced a
terrifying mystery inside Arteche Park.
This story was first told by some survivors who hid during the time when the ambush took
place. Based on their testimonies, this is a true story because of the witnesses who survived during
the event. As for now, people fear whenever they go to the place, Arteche Park, because a lot of
people get possessed by the evil spirits who currently live in the said place. The place has now
become haunted and a sound of terrifying stories of mysteries continue to be told until the present.
 The Deceitful Acacia Tree

The Acacia tree is one of the common

elements that is present in Philippine folktales.
It is said to be the home of many evil spirits
that oppress the people whom they want to be
with.
According to some elders in Brgy. Mualbual,
Zumarraga, Samar, there was once a woman
being possessed by a particular evil spirit. A
folk healer said that the woman who was
believed to be dead was just in a "lakbay-diwa"
state where her body was unconscious but her
spirit was in another realm. The woman was
brought by the evil spirit and was led inside the
Acacia tree but surprisingly, it is not just an
ordinary tree. A palace made of gold was seen
inside with splendid sceneries. She was told to go inside and was offered to eat and rest. The evil
spirit himself served her plenty of foods including an unusual black rice. She refused to eat the
black rice for she knows that the moment she eats this means that she won't ever be able to go back
to her unconscious body.
Instead, she accepted the offer of the evil spirit to change into a gold dress. She went into
a room without the sight of him. There, she had the chance to reverse her upper cloth that she was
originally wearing before becoming unconscious. Right after doing this, she felt that her spirit went
back to her insensible body and eventually woke up. That is when she started to tell her story and
was passed through the elders that were there.
This story was first told by the elders of Brgy. Mualbual and was relayed through
generation to generation. This story is said to be true because there is a claim of the woman who
experienced that mystery. This is the reason why people, especially children, are afraid to go near
the acacia tree because they were convinced by this story.
 The Mystery Behind Luksuhan

Luksuhan is a waterfall
formation located in a nearby forest of
Brgy. Mualbual Zumarraga, Samar.
Long time ago, it was said to be the
home of an evil spirit named Joaquin.
Joaquin lives in a giant tree planted near
Luksuhan. He visits the place often and
whenever someone who goes there
alone, he oppresses.
One resident of the said
Barangay testified that she was once
possessed by this evil spirit, Joaquin.
According to her, Joaquin is persuading
her to come with him but she refused.
Joaquin still followed her all the way to
her home. While on her way home, the boat that she is in was tried to be stopped by the spirit
which caused to slow down the boat by putting the spirit's feet in the water opposite to the right
way.
In the present time, it is said that Joaquin does not exist anymore because the tree that he
dwells in was cut down. However, the people's fear and beliefs still remain that whenever they go
to Luksuhan, they make sure not to make unnecessary noises to not disturb the spirit.
This story was told by the elders of Brgy. Mualbual Zumarraga, Samar, and was believed
by other residents. The people who heard this were afraid because a real experience was told —
which makes the tale true.
 The Tale of Kandiwata

Kandiwata is a limestone formation located in front

of Brgy. Malara, Daram, Samar. Folks believed that this
gigantic rock formation was once a great ark which was
struck by a powerful lightning in the old times. This
place is a kind of enchanted place where a fairy dwells
— a white-bodied fairy, which is a half human and a
half snake. Kandiwata is a mystical place where the
dweller here oppresses those who try to visit there by
means of witchcrafts and sicknesses. People say that
those who enter this rock formation would no longer
be able to return home or will be lost, forever. The
dweller in Kandiwata forbid every visitor to bring anything that comes inside the place; otherwise,
this would be a great cause for the loss of fish in the whole island of Daram.
As the time goes by, this rock formation became a tourist spot and so this fairy made a way
on how she won't be separated in the place where
she dwells. She made a way beneath the rocks so
that she will have a place to rest when there are
a lot of visitors and where she can quickly go
back in case the visitors are too noisy. This back
and forth movement of her became the reason why there are caves under the rocks that serve as
her resting place.
As a sign of the people's respect to her, they
named the place Kandiwata so it won't be forgotten
that it is her possession. The word "Kandiwata"
means that "for the fairy".
This story was passed from generation to
generation by the Daram native ancestors. It is said to be true since the people who have heard
about this were amazed because there is a connection between the tale and the name of the place
itself.
 How Zumarraga Got Its Name

A few villagers who came with their families from Leyte, discovered the place on their
fishing trips and were overtaken by a storm. They anchored and took refuge on the place known
as "Rawis". The villagers became prosperous because of the abundance of fish in the seawaters
which surrounded the island. For this reason, many people from neighboring places flocked for
some fishing business. The first to come were the Ferreras from the Leyte.
The news of this rich fishing village reacted the ears of Moro pirates. To keep themselves
safe, the natives built strong stone fortifications on the top of the hill overlooking the whole town.
Today, these fortifications still remain, a symbol of unity of their forefathers.
On the coming of the Spaniards to the island, the name of the place was already "Buad"
derived from the local dialect "Binuwaran" a term for “digging made by wild pigs” for they are
the first creature who inhabits the place.
As time goes by, there were immigrants, the Zeta, Daza, Maga, Nario, Carcellar, Zosa, Versosa,
and Castillo. Later on, the birth place of Rev. Fr. Martin Yepes who was born in Zumarraga, a
town in Spain, named "Buad" as "Zumarraga".
This story was first told by the Zumarraganhon ancestors and was passed through
generation to generation. This story was proved to be true since the first person who told this was
present during the Spanish regime. Upon hearing this story, the people felt amazed on how
Zumarraga got its name.