Gino Bulusan

Bulusan

 

Gino Bulusan or Prince Bulusan is the central figure in oral mythology of the legend "Si Bulusan nan Si Aguingay," a pre-colonial tale from Bulusan, Sorsogon, in the Bicol region. This legend revolves around Bulusan, a brave and handsome warrior, and Aguingay, a beautiful woman from a neighboring tribe, who were deeply in love and destined to be together. Their story, however, is marked by love, jealousy, betrayal, and tragedy.

In the myth, Bulusan’s life takes a tragic turn when Casiguran, the envious son of the Datu, falsely accuses him of murdering his father. Despite being innocent, Bulusan is condemned to death and fed to a monstrous bird called Mampak. The tragedy deepens when Aguingay, after giving birth to their child, is forced to throw their newborn into the fiery volcano, Mt. Bulusan, by Casiguran's cruel orders. Overcome with grief, Aguingay ends her life, and Casiguran meets his fate when the enraged villagers throw him into the same volcano.

The legend immortalizes Mt. Bulusan, which was named after the hero, and the two lakes that formed from the tears of the villagers and the blood of Bulusan and Aguingay, symbolizing their love and sorrow—Lake Bulusan and Lake Aguingay.

This tale is celebrated annually during the Si Bulusan nan Si Aguingay Festival, where the community reenacts the epic story through parades and dances, preserving the legend as a cherished piece of cultural heritage

Bulusan