Banting

I. Banting

Banting

In the beginning was the barren water Banting, lifeless, dark and still. The air and the sky floats above the water and these elements never touched, and when the darkness decided to meet stillness, Gikan the time was born, arising from nothingness with nothing to watch, nothing to do, and without someone to be, Gikan separated himself into other beings, and thus sprouted the siblings: Liwayway, Umaga, Udto, Dapithapon, Takipsilim, and Gabii. These first beings are agile and playful and all they did was to run in circles from the water to the sky with the same order they sprouted. Gikan and his creature continue to weave time in their continuous cycle, and their movement caused air and water to mix and eventually to violently clash, and in this contradiction, Agemem was born.

Agemem, the first creature made by the violence ascended out of the Banting and lay still above the water. Gaking passes and Agemem learned that when she sways and graces her hands the air responded that it moves and forms, that she created the wind: Lihangin. The two were inseparable until Agemem needs to dive underwater promising to return quickly, but days and days passed but Agemem failed to return. Lihangin thought of following her so that he can be with her again. Lihangin dived into the water, but unlike Agemem who was embraced Lihangin was rejected. He tried a thousand times until he was angered by the water that he repeatedly dived and dived until it created gales that made the water tremble and produced waves, his heated anger produces heat that violently created tiny life in the water, fishes, clams, plants, and other unknown beings. Agemem seeing the violence ascended from the deeps and calmed Lihangin.

'Why are you angry against the water, it created me and in turn, I created you?' said Agemem

'I thought that you are in danger and the water has decided to take you' replied Lihangin

'I cannot be destroyed by water and you should not worry because I am born of water, and even if it needs eternity I am most certainly will become water again as you will be air again. Do not be afraid Lihangin to return from where we came, for it is not death but is a mere reunion with creation' explained Agemem.

Lihangin approached Agemem his creator and lover and ask forgiveness for he is afraid when alone.

'Do not worry, I have communed with the great waters and told me that the water and wind should be one in order to create life in the Banting' said Agemem

Agemem kissed Lihangin and guided him as they make love. Gaking and his beings continued to run time when Agemem felt that she is about to give birth.

'Lihangin I need to dive back to the deeps for our sons and daughters cannot survive your wind and heat, they will be sundered into pieces or melt in your anger. While the water will caress and give them life' said Agemem

'I need to know if you will come back and for how long? You will be in the water with our children while I will be here floating alone. I cannot follow you into the deep so please come back soon' pleaded Lihangin.