The Story of Magayon

Do you know the story of Mt. Mayon?

"Mayon" or "Mt. Mayon" is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay on the island of the Luzon in the Philippines. It is known for having a perfect cone shape and her shy nature.

There's a legend surrounding this beautiful volcano, Mayon derived from a princess' name "Magayon" which directly translates as "beautiful" in the Bicol language.

Magayon is the only daughter of "Makusog" (strong), a tribal chief of Rawis, and his wife "Dawani" (rainbow) who met her demise shortly after giving birth to her daughter.

Magayon grew up to be a sweet, and beautiful woman, and everyone from faraway tribes tried to captivate get her attention but she was unbothered. Even the handsome but haughty "Pagtuga) (eruption) who are the chief and a hunter from the Iriga Tribe failed, although he keeps sending her gifts, it was not enough for her to capture her heart.

One day, Magayon was bathing in the Yawa river when she slipped on the rocks. She couldn't swim since she didn't know how to.

When Panganoron (clouds) observed what was happening to Daragang Magayon, he intervened and rescued her from the river.

Enthralled by her beauty, He started courting her, and after a while, Magayon accepted his proposal and gave her father his blessing.

When Pagtuga learned of Panganoron and Magayon's connection, he abducted Magayon's father and offered Magayon to marry him in exchange for her father's freedom.

When Panganoron found out about the situation, he asked his warriors to join him in the war against Pagtuga in the mountains.

The was was fierce and breathtaking.

The people and Magayon watched the war between the two of them. In the end, Panganoron killed Pagtuga. Upon his victory, Magayon ran to embrace her lover.

But, as Magayon ran towards him, an arrow shot by one of Pagtuga's warrior struck Panganoron, and ended up killing him, dying in the arms of Magayon.

Pagtuga's warriors surrounded the lovers before Magayon took Panganoron's knife from his side and shouted his name before stabbing herself. Everyone witnessed how Magayon died with Panganoron.

Her father buried them together. As time went on, they noticed something about the place where Makusog buried the lovers: It started to form into a volcano, and when the people saw it, Makusog named it Mt. Mayon, after his daughter's name. Mt. Mayon is as beautiful as Daragang Magayon.

Some people said that it's a curse because she took her own life, but myths and legends said Magayon is the volcano and Panganoron is the clouds that surround the beautiful volcano.

The photo you can see below was taken by a photojournalist Ciriaco Santiago III which became viral last 2018. It was an ash formation forming around the Mt. Mayon, telling everyone living near the area to evacuate as soon as possible.

Although that is the reality that signifies the ash formation, people, especially the locals in the region look at this as a romantic image of Panganuron and Magayon.

(The photo is not mine. Credit to the rightful owner of the photo and the artwork.)