🇵🇭 SAN QUINTIN • Tugot ni Angalo (Footprint): the Search for an Abra Legend

"This is considered by the people of San Quintin as their greatest tourist attraction that tourists may not even want to see because of remoteness and of the lack of tourists' knowledge about this Ilocano myth that exists in this Cordillera province of Abra."

In the presence of modern technology where children are now engaged with smartphones, laptops, facebook and partying (on which I'm against if done by the little kids the wrong way - "insert fling, smoke and hard drinks"), I reached a quiet village surrounded by mountains called Mt. Ati, Mt. Bullagao and Mt. Mabongtot. The little village is called Palang which can be reached by crossing the Abra River in the town of San Quintin in the province of Abra. From this village, there you can visualize a legend that is still very much alive. A legend that has been a part of the living and culture of the people in this remote little village in spite of the revolution of the modern world.

[SAN QUINTIN] Overlooking Tugot ni Angalo from Brgy Palang

In this part of the country, hidden by the mountains, there exists the most legendary footprint of all the legendary footprints of Angalo. The thing here is that many people are aware of the story of Angalo and Aran (characters of an Ilocano myth) but few are knowledgeable of the existence of this footprint maybe because it is just hidden, inaccessible and very impractical to visit if your purpose is only to see this (unless you are a fanatic of mysteries, legends and local folklore).

But for me, being interested with this type of stuff, I don't mind exerting an effort as long as it won't cost my life. In the long run, walking down a remote, less visited place gives me euphoria. But the question now is, where is that legendary footprint?

[SAN QUINTIN] Camera zoomed from distant Brgy Palang

I remember the person whom I talked with at the San Quintin Town Hall that the Angalo Footprint is the most famous landmark in this town and probably this landmark is bringing the town on map.

The only predicament is the fact that reaching the place would be very difficult. But he said to me that as I CROSS THE RIVER

[SAN QUINTIN] Crossing the Abra River for free, and Why it was not More Fun

TEASER: "...it could be fun doing the river crossing but that fun wouldn't be real if you don't know the reason of the existence of this free river crossing." (on which I just did), I will be able to at least visualize the footprint. So imagine how big or gigantic that footprint is!

I have already discussed the story of the legend of Angalo in a PREVIOUS POST

[SUDIPEN] Angalo Footprint at Amburayan River by a Mythical Giant

TEASER: "I am now here, personally encountering one of the footprints face to face and it feels good to see in person what is used to be a story that I only hear." where I personally encountered one of the footprints in #SUDIPEN

#SUDIPEN

FAST FACTS: This is the northernmost town of La Union province in the Philippines. Some of the rice fields have been irrigated by a dam along the Amburayan River with a 1-km underground tunnel built by the Japanese during WWII."

PHOTO: Intake Dam in Sudipen town, a WWII landmark., LA UNION

LA UNION

FAST FACTS: This Ilocos province has coastline that garnered the title "Surfing Mecca of the North". But La Union is more than the surfing. It also has cultural sites and eco-tourism destinations.

PHOTO: Ma Cho Temple in San Fernando City, La Union... But as I was telling, this is one of the most famous footprints. The other famous footprint is at the top of PINSAL FALLS

[SANTA MARIA] Pinsal Falls - Ilocos Sur: Grandest Show Activated

TEASER: "It offers a grand show, exuberantly plentiful as always. If this is a movie, she will be the best picture." on which I failed to see. This footprint I am chasing now is the right foot, while the other one in Pinsal Falls is the left one. So I have to say that this is the most famous pair. But as I said, there are many footprints scattered to different towns up north.

So now, I would want to act as an elder as I narrate the story of Angalo and Aran from the Ilocano mythology as has been passed from generation to generations. These two giants are equivalent to Adam and Eve in the Ilocano mythology. The only difference is that they are super-sized;

Once upon a time, there were two giants who inhabited the planet named Angalo and Aran. These two giants are believed to be the first inhabitants of the planet.

But the woman Aran is missing and so the giant male Angalo's longing to see for the woman was infinite. He continually searched for Aran and to be able to look for Aran he roamed the whole Ilocos Region. 

Upon his search, he left massive marks, and these are the gigantic footprints carved into the young earth. Angalo also drank from the springs of what is known now as Pinsal Falls in #SANTA MARIA

#SANTA MARIA

FAST FACTS: This town is home to the Sta. Maria Baroque Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site".

PHOTO: Belfry of the Santa Maria Church, ILOCOS SUR

ILOCOS SUR

FAST FACTS: This province has two UNESCO World Heritage Sites - the Sta. Maria Church and the Heritage City of Vigan.

PHOTO: Pinsal Falls (taken during dry season): Said to be the largest in Ilocos Region. and he has to kneel thereby creating other depressions. Those depressions are now natural pools at the top of the waterfalls and the largest of those natural pools with the shape of a footprint is claimed to be the footprint of Angalo.

Now here in San Quintin, the footprint is carved in a village called Labaan, it is still far from the place where I am standing now. But just because the man assured me that I can see the footprint by going to Brgy Palang where I am standing now, I pursued the adventure. So that would be a very gigantic footprint! Angalo must be a very super-sized man!

Right now there is no one who can help me go near the footprint. So I have to stay here and see the footprint for myself from afar but I still long to see it up close. It is claimed by the residents that it is 3 meters deep, five meters wide and 15 meters long! Whoah!

Now, using my camera, I tried to zoom in to the next mountain within the reach of my naked eyes and I noticed a depression in the area. I have highlighted it for emphasis just in case you can not notice it.

[SAN QUINTIN] The footprint highlighted inside the square

Ok, I think we have to get closer. Check out the photo below if a footprint is already evident.

[SAN QUINTIN] Can you notice the falls within the giant footprint?

That's the only photo I can give for the mean time. But I hope this will give us an appreciation to an Ilocano mythology which has passed from the mouth of different generations because of the presence of these claimed pieces of evidence that a giant once inhabited the world. Mind you, there are many footprints in different towns and it makes this myth more interesting to probe.

For you to better appreciate it, I have borrowed some photos from jojof who has captured that landmark in a closer degree.

[SAN QUINTIN] Real close. Taken by jojof from Sallacong, Ilocos Sur (not Abra)

[SAN QUINTIN] Closest photo I can show courtesy of jojof

I shouldn't have been posting these photos because I still have plans to personally go closer to this landmark and capture my own photos but for the sake of appreciation, I am posting it now.

This is considered by the people of San Quintin as their greatest tourist attraction that tourists may not even want to see because of remoteness and of the lack of tourists' knowledge about this Ilocano myth that exists in this CORDILLERA

CORDILLERA

FAST FACTS: This is Northern Philippines' mountainous region composed of 6 provinces with numerous tribes, sub-tribes, dialects, distinct culture and heritage. The provinces included are Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province

PHOTO: Lang-ay Festival in Bontoc, Mt Province: A gathering of all tribes of the province. province of Abra. The search is not over yet, this is just the second footprint and I am still under warm-up! The search for other footprints would be more epic.

As I cross the river back to where I came from, I again observed a very great thing that I bet you will most likely agree too to be good (I hope so). Before I left San Quintin, I have told myself I will blog this encounter and I noticed this one after I saw this footprint from afar. /to be continued...

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THIS POST BELONGS TO THE FOLLOWING SUB-SERIES

*[1] SAN QUINTIN MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURES SUB-SERIES: 1

[SAN QUINTIN] Tangadan Tunnel - Abra: Decoding the Symbolism

TEASER: "I swear, there is no such thing as mystery because there is a reason for everything but for me, those horse-symbolisms are mysterious still being unable to investigate the real meaning of it." | 2

[SAN QUINTIN] Abra Welcome Park: Digging the Roots of a Pinay Hero

TEASER: "Call me obsessive-compulsive (OC), but I really want to make simple things complicated for good. I want to make small things big and being able to make a great story from simple encounters be it an ignored place or an unknown tomb is my compulsion." | 3

[SAN QUINTIN] Abra: Reached the Road End, Start of Real Adventure

TEASER: "I have found a paradise! With this, it is the start of real off-road adventure. Literally, there will be no road, but there will be an adventure." | 4

[SAN QUINTIN] Abra: Raw Natural Wonder with Real Sense of Freedom

TEASER: "I set my eyes wide open to see and savor the great space, it was freedom! I enjoyed the moment seeing the frontierless space, it was freedom! It was indeed an endless space beyond my reach." | 5

[SAN QUINTIN] Crossing the Abra River for free, and Why it was not More Fun

TEASER: "...it could be fun doing the river crossing but that fun wouldn't be real if you don't know the reason of the existence of this free river crossing." | 6 | 7

[SAN QUINTIN] The Most Beautiful Town Hall Location I've Ever Seen

TEASER: "As I leave this town, I know by myself that I will always cherish all the memories it gave me. I don't know when should I be back but I am sure, San Quintin has been written in my heart."

*[2] TRACES LEFT BY GIANT ANGALO SUB-SERIES: 1

[SUDIPEN] Angalo Footprint at Amburayan River by a Mythical Giant

TEASER: "I am now here, personally encountering one of the footprints face to face and it feels good to see in person what is used to be a story that I only hear." | 2

San Quintin #TownExploration Series

Map showing the Location of #SanQuintin

Click map to view latest articles covering Abra

MORE POSTS FROM THIS CATEGORY: *MYTHOLOGY AND URBAN LEGENDS*

[SUDIPEN] Angalo Footprint at Amburayan River by a Mythical Giant

TEASER: "I am now here, personally encountering one of the footprints face to face and it feels good to see in person what is used to be a story that I only hear."

[SAN FERNANDO] La Union: Pindangan Ruins and the Ghost Story Finale

TEASER: "I was actually afraid and I asked manong driver to rush going out of the place immediately."

[PAOAY] Paoay Lake: Keeping the Mystery of a Submerged Village

TEASER: "The mysteries linked to Paoay Lake have been a part of the wholeness of the lake and without those stories, the lake is not complete."

[BONTOC] Hiking the Mountains of Igorot Myths and Urban Legends

TEASER: "...there is still a little regret in me that I didn't just even notice the summit of the first real mountain I ever climbed."

[ILOCOS] 5 Creepy Travel Destinations to Test Your Courage and Faith

TEASER: "Yes, some unexplained encounters happen but my conviction is that one should not be afraid if you have the Words of God in your heart."