Indio

The story begins in Central Visayas during the pre-colonial period, where natives and diwatas (gods) are living together in harmony, harvesting the bounty of the earth and sea, guided and loved by Laon (the Creator). Ynaguiguinid, the goddess of war, who have fallen in love and had chosen to marry a warrior tribesman lives with their newborn child, a demigod. But they had to face a pitiful separation when chaos, confusion, death and destruction comes with the arrival of the Spaniards conquistadors whose aim is to spread Christianity and at the same time, to take control of the strategic trade routes and to control the resources of the archipelago. Due to the wounds from a battle in an attempt to defend the settlement, Ynaguiguinid had to transfer all her powers to her lifeless son to survive, resulting to her own death. The baby was later found and raised by a native couple, Tarong and Linang, who named the child, Malaya after a Tagalog word which means “Free“.